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Tesla critic gets ‘converted’ after in-depth Model X P100D experience
There is something about the Tesla experience that cannot be replicated unless one gets behind the wheel of one of the company’s electric cars. Once experienced, Teslas tend to convert even the most dedicated fans of fossil-fuel powered vehicles. Detroit veteran and longtime Tesla critic John McElroy recently had that experience, after he was able to borrow a Tesla Model X P100D from a friend over the weekend.
John McElroy does not identify as a Tesla enthusiast. Far from it. Over the years, the auto veteran from Detroit has taken a rather critical stance regarding the electric car maker. Back in 2016, McElroy was among the industry experts who openly criticized Tesla for releasing its Autopilot driver-assist system as a beta feature. In his YouTube channel, Autoline TV, McElroy is also known to point out the flaws of Tesla and its vehicles. Earlier this year alone, McElroy and Sandy Munro pretty much took turns criticizing the build quality of an early-production Model 3.
After extensively experiencing the Model X firsthand, John McElroy is now singing a rather different tune, even admitting that he has “drank the Tesla Kool-Aid and became a believer.” The auto veteran wrote about his experience in a post at Wards Auto, where he outlined his insights as he drove the all-electric SUV for a weekend. McElroy admitted that prior to his weekend with the Model X, he has had limited time with Tesla’s electric cars. He had a brief drive in a Model S some years ago and drove around with Sandy Munro in a Model 3, but apart from that, McElroy has largely evaluated the company’s vehicles from afar.
McElroy noted that the Tesla Model X P100D he used was not a perfect vehicle by any means. It reportedly had buzzes, squeaks, rattles, and its fit and finish left much to be desired. That being said, McElroy noted that in areas that customers “love and care deeply about,” Tesla is around 10 years ahead of the auto industry. The auto veteran outlined the Model X’s convenience features as one of these, such as how the SUV recognizes its driver as it is approached, and how every setting in the vehicle is saved according to its driver’s preference. McElroy also lauded the Model X’s design elements such as its panoramic windshield, which he noted was unlike anything in the industry.
“It’s like watching a high-resolution version of the outside world roll by through a giant IMAX screen,” he wrote.
Being loaned a Model X P100D, it was a bit impossible for McElroy not to take notice of the electric car’s performance. The veteran took a particular liking to the vehicle’s details and little pop culture references as well, which gave the car personality. A free Supercharging session that involved a pleasant experience with Tesla owners rounded up McElroy’s Model X experience. Ultimately, McElroy noted that Tesla’s competitors, particularly those from Germany, would likely be able to match everything that Tesla has accomplished. But regardless of this, it would be difficult for competitors to capture the “fun, whimsical, and sassy attitude” that Tesla has created.
Personal experiences have “converted” other staunch Tesla critics in the past. Earlier this year, Jeremy Clarkson, who was involved in a lawsuit from Elon Musk over the original Roadster’s portrayal in an old episode of Top Gear, drove a Model X P100D in an episode of The Grand Tour. Just like McElroy, it was the vehicle’s performance and whimsical details that ultimately won Clarkson over (Clarkson was particularly fond of Summon and the Model X’s Celebration Mode Easter Egg). The host described the Model X as “serious and lighthearted, sensible and daft,” even going so far as to dub the vehicle as “fabulous.”
Tesla is updating Cybertruck owners on its timeline of a massive feature that has yet to ship: Powershare with Powerwall.
Powershare is a bidirectional charging feature exclusive to Cybertruck, which allows the vehicle’s battery to act as a portable power source for homes, appliances, tools, other EVs, and more. It was announced in late 2023 as part of Tesla’s push into vehicle-to-everything energy sharing, and acting as a giant portable charger is the main advantage, as it can provide backup power during outages.
Cybertruck’s Powershare system supports both vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-home (V2H), making it flexible and well-rounded for a variety of applications.
However, even though the feature was promised with Cybertruck, it has yet to be shipped to vehicles. Tesla communicated with owners through email recently regarding Powershare with Powerwall, which essentially has the pickup act as an extended battery.
Powerwall discharge would be prioritized before tapping into the truck’s larger pack.
However, Tesla is still working on getting the feature out to owners, an email said:
“We’re writing to let you know that the Powershare with Powerwall feature is still in development and is now scheduled for release in mid-2026.
This new release date gives us additional time to design and test this feature, ensuring its ability to communicate and optimize energy sharing between your vehicle and many configurations and generations of Powerwall. We are also using this time to develop additional Powershare features that will help us continue to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”
Owners have expressed some real disappointment in Tesla’s continuous delays in releasing the feature, as it was expected to be released by late 2024, but now has been pushed back several times to mid-2026, according to the email.
Foundation Series Cybertruck buyers paid extra, expecting the feature to be rolled out with their vehicle upon pickup.
Cybertruck’s Lead Engineer, Wes Morrill, even commented on the holdup:
As a Cybertruck owner who also has Powerwall, I empathize with the disappointed comments.
To their credit, the team has delivered powershare functionality to Cybertruck customers who otherwise have no backup with development of the powershare gateway. As well as those with solar…
— Wes (@wmorrill3) December 12, 2025
He said that “it turned out to be much harder than anticipated to make powershare work seamlessly with existing Powerwalls through existing wall connectors. Two grid-forming devices need to negotiate who will form and who will follow, depending on the state of charge of each, and they need to do this without a network and through multiple generations of hardware, and test and validate this process through rigorous certifications to ensure grid safety.”
It’s nice to see the transparency, but it is justified for some Cybertruck owners to feel like they’ve been bait-and-switched.
Tesla has opened its northernmost Supercharger in Fairbanks, Alaska, with eight V4 stalls located in one of the most frigid cities in the U.S.
Located just 196 miles from the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks’s average temperature for the week was around -12 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are plenty of Tesla owners in Alaska who have been waiting for more charging options out in public.
There are only 36 total Supercharger stalls in Alaska, despite being the largest state in the U.S.
Eight Superchargers were added to Fairbanks, which will eventually be a 48-stall station. Tesla announced its activation today:
North America’s northernmost Supercharger Fairbanks, AK (8 stalls) opened to public. https://t.co/M4l04DZ6B5 pic.twitter.com/zyL6bDuA93
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) December 12, 2025
The base price per kWh is $0.43 at the Fairbanks Supercharger. Thanks to its V4 capabilities, it can charge at speeds up to 325 kW.
Despite being the northernmost Supercharger in North America, it is not even in the Top 5 northernmost Superchargers globally, because Alaska is south of Norway. The northernmost Supercharger is in Honningsvåg, Norway. All of the Top 5 are in the Scandanavian country.
Tesla’s Supercharger expansion in 2025 has been impressive, and although it experienced some early-quarter slowdowns due to V3-to-V4 hardware transitions, it has been the company’s strongest year for deployments.
🚨🚨 Tesla Supercharging had a HUGE year, and they deserve to be recognized.
🍔 Opened Tesla Diner, a drive-in movie theater with awesome, Chef-curated cuisine
🔌 Gave access to Superchargers to several EV makers, including Hyundai, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Lucid, Toyota,… pic.twitter.com/yYT2QEbqoW
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 10, 2025
Through the three quarters of 2025, the company has added 7,753 stations and 73,817 stalls across the world, a 16 percent increase in stations and an 18 percent increase in stalls compared to last year.
Tesla is on track to add over 12,000 stalls for the full year, achieving an average of one new stall every hour, an impressive statistic.
Recently, the company wrapped up construction at its Supercharger Oasis in Lost Hills, California, a 168-stall Supercharger that Tesla Solar Panels completely power. It is the largest Supercharger in the world.
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Tesla shocks with latest Robotaxi testing move
Why Tesla has chosen to use a couple of Model S units must have a reason; the company is calculated in its engineering and data collection efforts, so this is definitely more than “we just felt like giving our drivers a change of scenery.”
Tesla Model S vehicles were spotted performing validation testing with LiDAR rigs in California today, a pretty big switch-up compared to what we are used to seeing on the roads.
Tesla utilizes the Model Y crossover for its Robotaxi fleet. It is adequately sized, the most popular vehicle in its lineup, and is suitable for a wide variety of applications. It provides enough luxury for a single rider, but enough room for several passengers, if needed.
However, the testing has seemingly expanded to one of Tesla’s premium flagship offerings, as the Model S was spotted with the validation equipment that is seen entirely with Model Y vehicles. We have written several articles on Robotaxi testing mules being spotted across the United States, but this is a first:
🚨 Tesla is using Model S vehicles fitted with LiDAR rigs to validate FSD and Robotaxi, differing from the Model Ys that it uses typically
Those Model Y vehicles have been on the East Coast for some time. These Model S cars were spotted in California https://t.co/CN9Bw5Wma8 pic.twitter.com/UE55hx5mdd
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 11, 2025
Why Tesla has chosen to use a couple of Model S units must have a reason; the company is calculated in its engineering and data collection efforts, so this is definitely more than “we just felt like giving our drivers a change of scenery.”
It seems to hint that Tesla could add a premium, more luxury offering to its Robotaxi platform eventually. Think about it: Uber has Uber Black, Lyft has Lyft Black. These vehicles and services are associated with a more premium cost as they combine luxury models with more catered transportation options.
Tesla could be testing the waters here, and it could be thinking of adding the Model S to its fleet of ride-hailing vehicles.
Reluctant to remove the Model S from its production plans completely despite its low volume contributions to the overall mission of transitioning the world to sustainable energy, the flagship sedan has always meant something. CEO Elon Musk referred to it, along with its sibling Model X, as continuing on production lines due to “sentimental reasons.”
However, its purpose might have been expanded to justify keeping it around, and why not? It is a cozy, premium offering, and it would be great for those who want a little more luxury and are willing to pay a few extra dollars.
Of course, none of this is even close to confirmed. However, it is reasonable to speculate that the Model S could be a potential addition to the Robotaxi fleet. It’s capable of all the same things the Model Y is, but with more luxuriousness, and it could be the perfect addition to the futuristic fleet.
Tesla updates Cybertruck owners about key Powershare feature
Tesla’s northernmost Supercharger in North America opens
