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Tesla Cybertruck Hot Wheels models enter ‘production hell’ with delivery delays

Credit: Mattel Creations

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While construction on Tesla’s Cybertruck factory, Giga Texas, seems to be moving on schedule, Hot Wheels appears to be experiencing some form of “production hell” of its own with the 1:10 and 1:64 scale versions of the all-electric pickup truck. Recent emails to preorder holders of the Tesla Cybertruck Hot Wheels edition revealed that their orders would be delayed to May 2021

Both the 1:10 and 1:64 Hot Wheels Cybertruck models are sold out and were initially listed with an expected ship date of December 2020. The five-month delay may remind early Model 3 owners of Tesla’s production hell in 2018. At the time, Tesla Model 3 reservation holders also had to exercise some patience as the company struggled to ramp the mass production of its all-electric sedan. 

Redditor u/melancholicricebowl, who is also a Model 3 owner, shared an email about his limited edition 1:10 scale Hot Wheels R/C Cybertruck reservation. It stated that his order would be delayed and asked him to re-confirm the order. A similar email for the same Reddit user’s 1:64 scale Hot Wheels R/C Cybertruck order was sent later.

Official confirmation that Hot Wheels 1:10 Cybertruck has been delayed to May 2021 from r/teslamotors

The email concerning the Redditor’s 1:10 Hot Wheels Cybertruck stated there were production issues with the hobby grade-radio-controlled Cybertruck due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mattel Creations also decided to change the product’s battery specifications. 

“Battery spec update: Due to production challenges related to COVID-19, we wanted to share a change in the Cybertruck’s battery specifications. The new battery is a 9.6v @ 3Ah LiFePO4 model, with one hour of charge time and 30 minutes of run time. Don’t worry, this change shouldn’t affect its overall performance – it just means that it can reach up to 250mph scale speed!” the email stated.

The battery update may be a bold move for Mattel Creations, but one that might be appreciated by Tesla fans. Hot Wheels’ mini Cybertruck iteration will be equipped with a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, similar to the China-Made Model 3 Standard Range Plus produced in Shanghai.

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(Credit: Mattel Creations)

It seems like Mattel Creations will be giving Hot Wheels Cybertruck preorder holders an authentic Tesla experience, matching the EV company’s constant desire to improve the performance of their vehicles. 

The email about the 1:10 scale Hot Wheels Cybertruck also included a link to its carrying case. The Reddit user who shared the information commented on the delay, stating: “A bit disappointing that we didn’t get an update until now.”

To re-confirm a Hot Wheels Cybertruck order with Mattel, Redditor u/duckduckohno advises reservation holders to include their order number, order details, ship date, name, addressed, and confirmation number in their response.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Full Self-Driving’s European launch frustrations revealed by Elon Musk

Tesla plans to launch Full Self-Driving in Europe later this year, but regulatory bodies are proving to make it a bigger challenge than it needs to be.

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Credit: Tesla Europe and Middle East | X

Tesla Full Self-Driving is set to launch in Europe in the future, but the region’s governing bodies are not giving the suite any chance to move forward, according to CEO Elon Musk, who blames the regulatory processes for robbing citizens of a safer mode of travel.

The automaker revealed late last year that it planned to bring Full Self-Driving to Europe sometime in 2025. However, Musk said that the launch of the suite is being continuously prolonged by both individual and European Union officials, dragging their feet with approvals.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Musk said the company is still dealing with and waiting for approvals from both the Dutch government and the EU’s governing officials, giving an indication that some progress has been made, but ultimately, there are still some bodies that are taking their time:

He continued by stating that the delays are “very frustrating” and they “hurt the safety of people in Europe” because of Autopilot’s statistical prowess, which shows it is much safer than human drivers.

Tesla is readying for the launch of a completely driverless Robotaxi platform in the U.S., which is set to occur in the coming days. While the initial rollout of the platform will be reserved for a select few, public rides are slated for June 22, meaning anyone will be able to come to Austin and hail a Tesla Robotaxi through the company’s smartphone app.

The first Robotaxi without a driver was spotted in Austin yesterday and shared on X:

First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX

Musk dropped several hints that the Robotaxi launch, which has been rumored for June 12, is imminent. For now, the operation will take place in Austin and will eventually expand, likely to California next, as noted in past reports. The City’s official website confirmed that Tesla gained a license as an Autonomous Vehicle operator in the City of Austin earlier this week.

Tesla applied for a similar license in California earlier this year.

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Energy

Tesla Lathrop Megafactory celebrates massive Megapack battery milestone

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments.

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Credit: Tesla Megapack/X

The Tesla Lathrop Megafactory recently achieved a new milestone. As per the official Tesla Megapack account on X, the Lathrop Megafactory has produced its 15,000th Megapack 2 XL battery.

15,000 Megapack Batteries

Tesla celebrated the milestone with a photo of the Lathrop Megafactory team posing with a freshly produced Megapack battery. To commemorate the event, the team held balloons that spelled out “15,000” as they posed for the photo.

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments. Designed for grid-scale applications, each Megapack offers 3.9 MWh of energy and 1.9 MW of power. The battery is extremely scalable, making it perfect for massive energy storage projects.

https://twitter.com/Tesla_Megapack/status/1932578971700638203

More Megafactories

The Lathrop Megafactory is Tesla’s first dedicated facility for its flagship battery storage system. It currently stands as the largest utility-scale battery factory in North America. The facility is capable of producing 10,000 Megapack batteries every year, equal to 40 GWh of clean energy storage.

Thanks to the success of the Megapack, Tesla has expanded its energy business by building and launching the Shanghai Megafactory, which is also expected to produce 40 GWh of energy storage per year. The ramp of the Shanghai Megafactory is quite impressive, with Tesla noting in its Q1 2025 Update Letter that the Shanghai Megafactory managed to produce over 100 Megapack batteries in the first quarter alone.

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Tesla Energy’s Potential

During the first quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that the Megapack is extremely valuable to the energy industry. 

“The Megapack enables utility companies to output far more total energy than would otherwise be the case… This is a massive unlock on total energy output of any given grid over the course of a year. And utility companies are beginning to realize this and are buying in our Megapacks at scale,” Musk said.

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Tesla launches “TeslaVision” video contest to celebrate Model Y deliveries

The program marks a revival of Tesla’s popular Project Loveday initiative back in 2017.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Tesla has announced the TeslaVision Contest, a global video showcase inviting fans and owners to highlight the impact of the company’s vehicles on people. 

The program marks a revival of its Project Loveday initiative in 2017, which was extremely well-received by the electric vehicle community. 

A Contest to Celebrate the New Model Y

As per the TeslaVision contest’s official website, the program is being rolled out to commemorate the launch and deliveries of the new Model Y across all continents. Thus, the contest could be seen as a global celebration and showcase of owners and fans who made Tesla the household brand that it has become today.

Participants are tasked with creating a 90-second or shorter video demonstrating how Tesla vehicles provide “more freedom, more safety, more fun, more convenience.” Submissions must be uploaded to YouTube and shared on X and Instagram with the tag @Tesla and the phrase “TeslaVision contest.” 

Videos must align with Tesla’s mission to accelerate sustainable energy, be suitable for all ages, and avoid references to non-Tesla brands. English text or voice-overs are required, and entrants must relinquish rights to their content for Tesla’s commercial use.

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https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1932559030892802153

A Big Prize Awaits

When Tesla launched Project Loveday in 2017, the company noted that the contest’s winner would receive an all-expenses paid invitation to an upcoming Tesla product launch. For TeslaVision, the grand prize is a lot more tangible, with the winner receiving a new Model Y AWD. They will also get an all-expenses-paid trip to Gigafactory Texas. Second and third-place winners will also receive a Giga Texas tour. 

Finalists will be selected based on creativity, originality, relevance to the prompt, and entertainment value. Tesla will shortlist 100 videos, with the top 10 subject to public voting to influence the final judging. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, aged 18 or older, with a valid driver’s license and Tesla account. No purchase is necessary, though entries are limited to just one per person. 

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