Several Cybertrucks have been spotted recently, both on public roads and at Tesla’s Austin, Texas Gigafactory. On Monday, manufacturing equipment seemingly labeled for use on the Cybertruck production line was seen being delivered to Giga Texas — along with more pre-production versions of the unique electric pickup.
Drone videographer Joe Tegtmeyer shared photos of the Cybertruck manufacturing equipment on X, which he saw being delivered on the back of a semi-truck. He later released a full video of his drone footage, including shots outside the factory and a handful of Cybertrucks.
The hardware appears to be a pair of pre-fabricated robotic assembly units that are marked for the Cybertruck. The container with the equipment is labeled “CT Zone X,” indicating that the units are destined for the Cybertruck production line.
Tegtmeyer also points out five Cybertrucks total around Giga Texas, including three at the facility’s crash testing site and two in the outbound lot.
18 September 2023 Giga Texas! Parts arrive marked for Cybertruck assembly line! 5 Cybertrucks on site today! 3 at the crash test facility and 2 in the outbound lot! More coming up in my video later today! pic.twitter.com/HxfzWzNuH9
— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) September 18, 2023
The news comes just a week after Tegtmeyer spotted two Cybertrucks outside of the Giga Texas crash lab, noting that Tesla was likely performing its own crash tests ahead of those from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Tesla Cybertruck still requires NHTSA crash testing and a Certificate of Conformity before it can officially be released.
Tesla built its first Cybertruck at Giga Texas in July, as the automaker posted on X. The automaker has since been building several pre-production versions of the Cybertruck before its official launch.
Last month, covered Cybertrucks were seen leaving Giga Texas in flocks prior to being spotted on several public roads. Since then, pre-production Cybertrucks have been seen at Tesla’s special 50,000th Supercharger in Roseville, California, in Hollister, California, on the Las Vegas strip, and in many other locations.
The assembly hardware arrived at Giga Texas after the Cybertruck surpassed two million reservations over the weekend, according to a Google Sheets tally monitoring reservation numbers and self-reported pre-orders. The reservation news left many questioning how long it would be before their reserved Cybertrucks were delivered.
Some think Tesla could begin initial Cybertruck deliveries as soon as October, while volume production is slated for 2024.
You can watch Tegtmeyer’s full drone video below, taken at Giga Texas on Monday.
Updated: Added link and embed from Tegtmeyer’s full drone video.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.

News
Tesla updates its “FSD” branding in China
The functions of the systems, despite their updated names, remain unchanged.

Tesla has tweaked the naming of its smart driving system offerings in China, with the company dropping “FSD” terminology from its vehicle order pages. The update was observed by industry watchers earlier this week.
Names Adjusted, Features Intact
Tesla China’s RMB 64,000 ($8,820) package—once listed as “FSD Intelligent Assisted Driving”—has been updated to “Intelligent Assisted Driving.” Its RMB 32,000 mid-tier system, previously dubbed “Enhanced Version Automated Assisted Driving”, has also been updated to “Enhanced Assisted Driving.”
Tesla’s basic Autopilot system, which was previously dubbed “Basic Version Assisted Driving,” has been changed to “Basic Assisted Driving” as well. Even the system’s umbrella term has been updated from “Autopilot Automated Assisted Driving” to simply “Assisted Driving Package.”
It should be noted that the functions of the systems, despite their updated names, remain unchanged, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
FSD’s China Evolution
Tesla China rolled out its first set of FSD features in late February, though the company made it a point to not brand the update as a release of “Full Self-Driving” features. Tesla China implemented a naming change to FSD at the time, updating its top-tier RMB 64,000 package’s name from “Full Self-driving Capability” to “FSD Intelligent Assisted Driving.” Tesla also launched an offer that allowed customers in China to experience the newly-released FSD features for free until April 16, though reports later suggested that the program was paused.
Cautious Steps Forward
Tesla has not explained the reasons behind FSD’s name change in China, though it seems to suggest that the company may be taking a rather cautious approach towards the eventual, planned release of an autonomous driving system in the country. As it is today, FSD is very capable and its real-world tests in China are very impressive. However, it is still not an unsupervised self-driving system. It would then not be surprising if “Full Self-Driving” terminology in China is reintroduced once unsupervised FSD is released.
Elon Musk
Tesla faces Trump’s 25% tariffs as Musk stays silent
Trump’s 25% tariffs could help Tesla or mess up its supply chain. How will Giga Texas and the Fremont Factory respond to Trump’s tariffs?

Tesla faces a fresh hurdle after President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on all non-U.S.-made cars on Wednesday. The President clarified that Elon Musk stayed silent and provided no input into the 25% tariffs.
“He may have a conflict,” Trump noted. He added that Musk, who heads Tesla and the efficiency-driven DOGE initiative, has never asked for business favors.
Trump’s tariffs are set to begin on April 2 for imported cars, and by May 3, the levies will hit imported auto parts, stirring questions about Tesla’s fate. Trump told reporters the impact might be “net neutral or good,” mentioning Tesla’s plants in Austin, Texas, and Fremont, California.
“Anybody with plants in the U.S.—it’s going to be good for them,” he said. Yet Tesla recently warned the U.S. Trade Representative in a letter that “certain parts and components are difficult or impossible” to source domestically, even with ‘aggressive localization.’ The company urged caution over the “downstream impacts” of trade actions.
According to CNBC, Tesla and other automakers rely on foreign suppliers in Mexico, Canada, and China for headlamps, brakes, glass, suspension parts, and circuit boards. Musk has commented that Trump’s tariffs would significantly impact Tesla.
Trump’s tariffs have affected companies abroad, including Tesla suppliers in India. Competition is heating up as more brands roll out electric models, though China’s BYD remains barred from U.S. sales. Shares of Tesla, General Motors, Ford, and Rivian dipped slightly after hours following the announcement.
News
Tesla suppliers in India hit by Trump’s 25% Auto Tariffs
Trump’s new 25% auto tariffs shook India’s auto market. Tesla suppliers like Tata Motors saw stocks plunge.

Tesla suppliers in India, including Tata Motors and key auto parts makers, saw sharp declines on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled plans to impose 25% tariffs on all imported cars and auto parts.
According to the Trump Administration, the U.S. President’s 25% tariffs will hit imported cars and light trucks coming into the United States by April 2, 2025. By May 3, 2025, Trump’s tariffs will extend to include auto parts. The decision sent shockwaves through the global auto industry, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk noting on X that the impact on the EV giant is “significant.”
Despite Musk’s words, many believe that Tesla will benefit from Trump’s tariffs. Although, it would probably adversely affect Tesla’s plans to enter the Indian market. Tesla has already started the certification process for two vehicles in India.
Following Trump’s tariff announcements, Tata Motors dropped 5%, while Sona Comstar, Tesla’s largest Indian supplier, fell over 4%, dragging the auto sector down 1.2% in India, the world’s third-largest auto market. Reuters reported that Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which exports luxury vehicles from the UK and Slovakia, relies heavily on the U.S. as a key market.
Other Indian suppliers felt the strain as well. Samvardhana Motherson, a major auto parts provider, slipped over 2%. Meanwhile, Tesla supplier Bharat Forgedipped by 0.4%. The U.S. accounts for 20% of Samvardhana’s revenue and 40% of Sona Comstar’s, with North America as its dominant region. The downturn echoed broader losses among global carmakers like Toyota, Hyundai, Stellantis, and Ford–all of which saw shares slide after the tariff news broke.
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