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VW ID.3 software failures have cost Tesla and Elon Musk a key ally in the EV transition
The automotive sector’s transition to electric mobility is undeniable at this point, but the pace of the transition itself depends largely on the number of automakers that dedicate themselves seriously to EVs. While Tesla is at the forefront of this change with the Model S,3,X, and Y, the company needs all the help it can get from veteran automakers to foster the adoption of sustainable transportation as quickly as possible.
For some time now, one of Tesla and CEO Elon Musk’s key ally in the emerging electric vehicle sector is Herbert Diess, a huge proponent of EVs. Musk and Diess have expressed their support for each other openly, both on Twitter and in previous interviews. This was particularly evident during the 2019 Golden Steering Wheel Awards in Berlin, when both executives traded compliments as they showed their optimism about the electric vehicle sector.
Unfortunately, circumstances surrounding the Volkswagen ID.3, the first of the German automaker’s flagship line of all-electric vehicles, may have resulted in Diess being stripped of his role as the chairman of the Volkswagen brand. According to a Wall Street Journal report, part of the reason behind Diess’ removal had to do with the ID.3’s delays, particularly regarding the vehicles’ in-car software.
The Volkswagen ID.3 was poised to be the German automaker’s answer to the Tesla Model 3, a vehicle that may even be considered as the second coming of the ubiquitous Beetle. The vehicle has been in the works for years now, and much progress has been made towards its release. The ID.3 actually entered production, but there was one glaring issue — its software had numerous issues, preventing the car from bring cleared for deliveries.
These software issues were severe, with previous reports pointing to dozens of bugs being posted by test drivers practically every day. Reports also pointed to release dates for the vehicle being pushed back, and in the Wall Street Journal’s recent report, the publication noted that the ID.3 had actually been delayed a second time. Some versions of the car are reportedly poised to be delivered this September, but cloud-connected units are not due to come out until the end of this year.
Cloud connectivity is a key aspect of the Volkswagen ID.3, as it would allow the German automaker to provide a user experience not unlike the one offered by Tesla and its constant over-the-air software updates. Reports have indicated that Volkswagen’s software engineers have not been able to accomplish this, despite the company’s cloud-based applications being developed with Microsoft.
A report from Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport has noted that Diess’ replacement would likely be Oliver Blume, who is Porsche’s CEO. Blume, while not openly friendly to Tesla and Elon Musk as Diess, has something tangible under his belt: the Taycan, an all-electric car that is actually being delivered to customers today. But it should be noted that the Taycan is more of a true driver’s car that just happens to be electric, instead of a Model 3 rival that is reasonably priced and bleeding with tech.
Hopefully, the loss of Diess at Volkswagen’s helm will not become a roadblock to the established automaker’s transition to electric cars. The era of electric vehicles seems to be at hand, after all, with the emergence of technologies such as a million-mile battery and vehicles that near price parity with internal combustion cars.
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On Friday, Tesla launched the Outlet Adapter that enabled Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) energy transfer, meaning owners could essentially utilize their cars as a power source for things like laptops, electric grills, or string lights.
However, even owners of some of the newest builds of the Model Y are finding out that their cars are not compatible with the new $80 accessory, stirring up a new complaint among members of the community.
Tesla launches V2L Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y in the U.S.
Upon the release of the Outlet Adapter on Friday, I signed into my Tesla account to order the accessory. However, I was met with the dreaded “This product is not compatible with your 2026 Model Y” message at the bottom of the screen.
Some said their accounts also displayed the same message, but they ordered anyway. However, they might be surprised to find that this is no mistake; some of the newest Model Ys do not have the appropriate Power Conversion System (PCS). Mine, which was ordered on this day last year and delivered on August 31, has the old 48A, single-phase PCS.
Vehicles with the new, two-piece PCS are able to utilize V2L features on their cars:
🚨 Looks like you can hit the Parts Catalog and enter your VIN and check to see if your Model Y will be able to use the adapter for V2L.https://t.co/QA9zRk7n2k
h/t to @SawyerMerritt for finding this out.
I am sad but this isn’t a huge loss. https://t.co/AYpI12QVV9 pic.twitter.com/LRFSrtRywo
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 16, 2026
Obviously, it’s disappointing. Many owners have taken delivery this year and still can not utilize the Outlet Adapter because their cars feature the old PCS:
Took delivery in February of 2026. I have the older one, so not going to work for me pic.twitter.com/RcOVq8gvvT
— Russell (@QuietTesla) August 16, 2026
It looks like if you have one of these older PCS units, you can upgrade, but the parts alone are $1,750, and that’s before Tesla adds labor for installing. It is honestly more logical to get some kind of portable power supply or power station at that point.
It is great that Tesla has enabled V2L for Model Y vehicles, but it is also unfortunate that vehicles that are less than one year old are not able to take advantage of this awesome new feature.
With that being said, it truly is a first-world problem; can you really complain when Full Self-Driving is available, maintenance is incredibly inexpensive, and the car has been so good through a year of ownership?
Tesla has launched a new Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y vehicles in the United States, meaning you can now power devices like laptops or light strings with your vehicle’s battery.
It appears the capability will be available for any Model Y Premium trim, including those that were purchased prior to the Adapter being launched. It will also only impact Juniper Model Y vehicles, so the first-gen owners will unfortunately not have access to this capability.
If your Model Y was purchased before Tesla renamed the trim levels to “Premium” and “Standard,” it does not seem to be compatible. My Model Y is technically a Premium build, as it is the Long Range All-Wheel-Drive. However, Tesla says it is not compatible with my vehicle.
🚨 Tesla has launched the Outlet Adapter for Model Y Premium in the U.S., enabling V2L capability for all Premium trims (that’s what it appears to be as it is available for purchase with all Premium trims)
It’s available for $80. 2.4kW max power and rated for 120v, 20A pic.twitter.com/lDxlVIk5s8
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 14, 2026
For $80, you can now utilize your car as a portable charger for small appliances or devices. This is perfect for things like tailgates, concerts, or camping, as you can now plug in devices that you might use. Those string lights for camping? That laptop for the other games that are on at the tailgate?
They’ll both utilize energy from your Tesla’s battery to be powered. This is the first time Tesla has expanded the capability to vehicles outside of the Model Y Performance and Cybertruck. However, this feature has been highly requested by owners for an extended period of time.
Tesla launched the Outlet Adapter in China last year:
Tesla China rolls out Model Y L V2L adapter, and it’s free for early owners
You will need the Mobile Connector to operate the Outlet Adapter: the Outlet Adapter will plug into the main housing of the Mobile Connector, where the appropriate adapter to charge your vehicle will plug in.
It is rated for 120 volts and 20 amps, and has a max power rating of 2.4kW.
You can buy it here from Tesla for $80.
Tesla is nearing its long-awaited unveiling of the all-electric Tesla Roadster, a new report from The Information claims, as the company has said several times this year that the event would take place “soon.”
Now, it appears there is movement on Tesla’s end regarding when it will happen.
The report says that Tesla will unveil the Roadster as soon as this month with a SpaceX version that will utilize cold-gas thrusters to help the vehicle float for a short period of time. This is something CEO Elon Musk has talked about with the Roadster for years.
🚨 The Information is reporting this morning that Tesla is ready to unveil the “flying” Roadster as soon as this month
It’s almost here, folks. pic.twitter.com/IdL4atsucQ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 14, 2026
Additionally, due to the delays, Tesla explored “a variety of designs” for the Roadster, potentially planning to abandon the design it showed off for the first time in 2017 and adopting an entirely new aesthetic.
According to The Information, Tesla considered utilizing a repurposed Model S Plaid and even wanted to upgrade the look to something like a Lamborghini Countach.
We’ve heard all of these things before, including teases about the date and how “soon” the Roadster will finally be ready to be shown off to the world (for the second time). Musk said that the event would occur in April, then May, then Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen continued to say it would be coming “soon.”
We do expect to see the Roadster by the end of the year, and now with this new report swirling, it appears it could be sooner rather than later.
The wait has been incredibly long, but there is likely a good reason for it. Tesla’s desire to make the Roadster the craziest vehicle on the road was non-negotiable, and it likely took a lot of time and resources to develop and perfect into something that was safe and suitable for a vehicle like this.
Tesla V2L adapter for Model Y stirs up a new complaint among owners
Tesla launches V2L Outlet Adapter for Premium Model Y in the U.S.
