

News
Tesla coverage turns negative a week before crucial Earnings Call
Tesla news coverage this week has been especially negative, and the timing of it, which comes a week before arguably the most anticipated Earnings Call in recent memory. With Tesla reporting production and deliveries that were well over Wall Street’s consensus, anticipation for the Q1 2021 Earnings Call is slightly higher than usual, and the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) is at an all-time high.
There are always a few negative Tesla stories every week. It might involve a story about some owners who didn’t receive adequate customer service, it might be about a production bottleneck that Tesla is encountering. However, these are relatively micro-scale issues that are resolved within a matter of days in most cases. This week, the news has been geared toward more disruptive, long-term, macro-level issues, like a very public car accident that has both sides of the Tesla circle butting heads, a test from a very well-known product review company that has to do with the aforementioned accident, and other safety issues that have resulted by a rumored irresponsible driving speed by a customer in China. Whether you agree with it or not, there seems to be a more coordinated attack on something that Tesla does well, which is to keep its drivers and owners safe. One of the strongest points of Tesla’s overwhelmingly successful venture into the automotive industry thus far was the company’s ability to keep vehicle occupants safe in the event of a crash, and also roll out software and semi-autonomous driving functionalities that aim to improve consumer safety in revolutionary ways.
This is a preview of our weekly newsletter. Each week I go ‘Beyond the News’ and handcraft a special edition that includes my thoughts on the biggest stories, why it matters, and how it could impact the future.
This doesn’t always turn out to be what the media wants to report, however. The week before the Q1 Earnings Call, it was relatively impossible to notice that the tide turned negative on Tesla news coverage. While it is understandable that a violent automobile crash that took the lives of two men should be covered, it captured national headlines and dominated news coverage across the world for several days. Interestingly, I don’t remember such widespread news coverage for the Ford Death Wobble.
Journalists find stories and then build upon them for other sorts of coverage. It’s spin-off coverage where readers get to see how creative the mind of a writer is. There are millions of stories that could be written based on the recent automobile accident. However, a majority of them were negative, and it doesn’t necessarily come down to truth, it comes down to perception. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that many of the journalistic coverages were completely accurate simply because of Autopilot’s misunderstood capabilities in the real world. I still receive questions and comments daily from those who I talk to who believe Teslas are capable of driving themselves. What is even more frustrating is that, at times, owners and drivers, who should have the company’s best interest at heart, spread content, Tik Toks, and other forms of social media portraying that their all-electric car can drive them from Point A to Point B while they sit in the back seat and take a nap. This kind of content is irresponsible, immoral, and wrong. Acting like a Tesla can drive itself completely just for few thousand views is a selfish act that puts the hard work of Tesla engineers at risk for losing all of their work.
That brings me to the unfortunate accident in Texas. We don’t know, yet, what the exact cause of the accident was. We don’t know who was in the driver’s seat, if AP was being tricked, or if it was even on at this point. Most evidence would likely indicate that AP couldn’t have been activated due to the lack of road lines, and the rate of travel isn’t something that AP would let the driver do, to begin with. Eventually, we will have all the facts of this story, and we will be able to accurately say who or what was responsible. But as of right now, those things cannot be speculated against.
Still, news sources are claiming that this car was “driverless,” which is a complete nonsensical narrative considering there are many boundaries that would require a driver to be present during the vehicle’s operation. This didn’t stop Consumer Reports from putting together one of the most ridiculously biased tests I have ever come across. I felt that it simply proved Tesla Autopilot would only be tricked in extreme circumstances, by not following the automaker’s directions and trying to outsmart one of the most capable semi-autonomous driving programs in the world.
The obvious effort to derail Tesla’s momentum is being noted by the fans, followers, and owners of the company. For the life of me, I cannot understand why. In my perspective, for years, MSM has been driving home the point of global climate change, using it as a way to scare people into change. While I believe that fear isn’t always the best way to convince a large group of people to do something, I think climate change is a real issue and it will affect people for generations to come. With cars being such a large contributor to the problem, you’d think the media, the same interests that have been preaching the dangers of carbon emissions for years, would report car companies who are working to transition the automotive industry to electrification, would get a “fair shake.” This just hasn’t been the case.
Trust me, I am a critic of Tesla when it is warranted. I have experienced issues with their customer service department personally, and I have been highly critical of their handling of other issues with its vehicles. I have spoken many times about the LR RWD Model Y and how it was a disgrace for Tesla to keep these pre-orderers in limbo for years. However, there are statistics that prove FSD and AP’s ultimate task: to make driving safer. Most recently, the Q1 2021 Safety Report showed Autopilot was nearly 10 times safer than a human driver. You don’t see mainstream media covering this, but you’ll notice automotive blogs and news outlets taking full advantage of the statistics, which prove Tesla’s mission is becoming more real with every mile driven.
With the momentum Tesla posted with the Production and Deliveries report, I think many people were expecting a big financial quarter. The timing of the negative news is eye-opening, and it seems to be a coordinated effort to perhaps slow down Tesla’s momentum moving forward. Tesla is gunning for yet another consecutive quarter, bringing the total to seven straight if things go well on Monday. Whether Wall Street will recognize the impressive tone of this feat, we’ll see. However, media coverage has done all it can to bring Tesla’s chances of a great quarter down, but with developments, demand, and deliveries all in healthy figures, there doesn’t seem to be much of a chance of that happening.
A big thanks to our long-time supporters and new subscribers! Thank you.
I use this newsletter to share my thoughts on what is going on in the Tesla world. If you want to talk to me directly, you can email me or reach me on Twitter. I don’t bite, be sure to reach out!
News
Tesla Cybercab tests seem to be ramping up again
Elon Musk has stated that he expects the company to achieve a run rate of 2 million Cybercabs annually.

Tesla seems to be ramping the tests of its autonomous two-seater, the Cybercab, once more. This was hinted at in recent drone footage from both the Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Texas.
The fresh sightings of the Cybercab in the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas have renewed conversations about the vehicle potentially being built with manual controls today.
Fresh Cybercab tests
As noted by longtime drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer on social media platform X, he recently spotted a Cybercab driving on Giga Texas’ South River Road to the West side. Interestingly enough, the longtime Giga Texas watcher noted that this was the first Cybercab that he had seen conducting road tests in a while.
Over in the Fremont Factory, another Cybercab was spotted driving around the facility’s testing area. Similar to the Cybercab in the Giga Texas sighting, the vehicle that was spotted in the Fremont Factory seemed to be manually driven, at least based on the way it was being steered. This behavior has incited speculations among Tesla watchers that current Cybercab test units have manual controls, unlike their production version, which would have no steering wheel or pedals.
Cybercab production preparation
The sightings of Cybercabs around the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas bode well for the vehicle’s development and impending production. It does, if any, complement reports that Tesla has been busy setting up production equipment for Giga Texas’ Cybercab production line. At the same time, drone footage around the Giga Texas complex has also revealed that Tesla is stockpiling some Cybercab castings, a likely sign that initial test production of the vehicle might soon begin.
The Cybercab is expected to be Tesla’s highest volume vehicle, with CEO Elon Musk stating that he expects the company to achieve a run rate of 2 million Cybercabs annually. He also mentioned that the Cybercab will be easy to produce thanks to its Unboxed manufacturing process, so much so that its production would resemble a high-speed consumer electronics line instead of an automotive assembly line.
News
Tesla FSD gets first rave reviews from media outlets in Japan
As per the publication, FSD demonstrated excellent situational awareness and smooth control, at times even performing better than a human driver.

Tesla FSD may continue to get flak from mainstream media outlets in the United States, but in other countries such as Japan, Full Self-Driving is being welcomed with much appreciation.
This is, at least, as per recent reviews from domestic media outlets that have tried out the capabilities of FSD on real-world roads.
FSD gets recognition
FSD was recently reviewed by Japanese news outlet Nikkei, which experienced the system’s capabilities in Tokyo’s metropolitan area. As per the publication, FSD demonstrated excellent situational awareness and smooth control, at times even performing better than a human driver. FSD was also credited for properly reacting to sudden, unexpected things on the road.
As per the FSD review, for example, a bicyclist suddenly came barreling into a crosswalk at high speed from the Tesla’s blind spot. The vehicle recognized the cyclist immediately and responded in a safe and proper manner, prompting the reviewer to exclaim “Wow!” And when a vehicle ahead of the Tesla started backing up to perform a turnaround on a narrow street unexpectedly, FSD smoothly halted to avoid a collision. Overall, the reviewer noted that during the 30-minute drive, the Tesla Model 3 running FSD did not require a single intervention.
FSD’s impending Japan rollout
FSD is not yet rolled out in Japan, but the country seems to be paving the way for FSD to be released in the country. Just recently, reports emerged stating that Japan’s Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has allowed artificial intelligence-powered vehicles to be retrofitted with a software update that could enable the activation of their self-driving features.
In a post on X, Tesla Board Member Hiro Mizuno noted that this decision is no small matter as it could pave the way for a smooth rollout of features like FSD to Tesla consumers in Japan. “The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s decision to allow retrofitting of autonomous driving through software updates is significant. Currently, Tesla is the only manufacturer actively pursuing this… this decision will make it easier for all manufacturers to introduce autonomous driving in Japan,” the former Tesla Board member wrote in his post.
News
Tesla extends Model Y L delivery estimates to December 2025
This suggests that the six-seat, all-electric crossover SUV has become fully sold out for both October and November.

Tesla’s new extended-wheelbase Model Y L seems to be getting a lot of traction in China. As per Tesla China’s order page, the estimated delivery date for new vehicle orders is now listed as December 2025.
This suggests that the six-seat, all-electric crossover SUV has become fully sold out for both October and November. This bodes well for the vehicle, considering that it is currently the most expensive trim of the Model Y available in China.
Model Y L demand
Launched in August and first delivered in September, the Model Y L seems to be gaining momentum among Chinese EV buyers who are looking for added space and flexibility in their family vehicles. The Model Y L features a six-seat configuration with a very comfortable second row and a third row that fits regular-sized adults. This makes it a good all-around family car.
While the initial weeks of Model Y L insurance registrations were quite low, the vehicle’s registrations have been picking up in recent weeks. As per recent reports, the Model Y L’s volumes have been growing so much that the vehicle has helped boost Tesla China’s wholesale numbers in September. Even more Model Y L units would likely be registered this October.
Strong local momentum
The Model Y L’s sellout streak highlights Tesla China’s continued strength in the world’s most competitive EV market. With new orders now having an estimated delivery date of December, it seems all but certain that Tesla China would be selling every Model Y L it produces this fourth quarter. This could then help bolster the company’s numbers this Q4 2025.
The Model Y L is only being sold in China for now, though the vehicle’s features and size would actually make it very competitive in markets where larger family EVs are in high demand. Priced from RMB 339,000 ($47,180), the crossover offers a blend of performance, practicality, and value that has seemingly struck a chord with consumers, both in China and potentially, even abroad.
-
Elon Musk17 hours ago
Elon Musk was right all along about Tesla’s rivals and EV subsidies
-
News1 day ago
Tesla launches ‘Mad Max’ Full Self-Driving Speed Profile, its fastest yet
-
News2 days ago
Tesla just teased something crazy with the next Full Self-Driving update
-
News1 day ago
Tesla exec hints at FSD Mad Max mode’s killer feature
-
News2 days ago
Tesla reportedly places large order for robot parts, hinting that Optimus V3 design is all but finalized
-
Elon Musk2 days ago
Starship’s next chapter: SpaceX eyes tower catch after flawless Flight 11
-
News19 hours ago
Tesla ownership without home charging: Here’s how it’s done
-
News2 days ago
Tesla makes big move with its Insurance program