Connect with us

News

Tesla Giga Texas packed with Model Y Quicksilver and Cybertruck units

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | YouTube

Published

on

Several Quicksilver Model Y and Cybertruck units can be seen at Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas this week, as shared in a recent construction update of the site.

On Monday, drone operator and Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer shared a video from the Austin plant, showing multiple lots full of the Cybertruck, and one with several of the the Quicksilver Model Y.  The video seems to show around 340 Cybertrucks across multiple exterior parking lots and 87 of the Model Y units, not counting a few that are scattered around other vehicles.

You can see a few of Tegtmeyer’s images below.

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | YouTube

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | YouTube

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | YouTube

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | YouTube

In addition to the Cybertruck and Model Y vehicles, Tegtmeyer points out that Tesla is constructing a mysterious structure of some sort, and while he has tried to get some information on it, he hasn’t yet figured out what it is. The Monday update also shows The Boring Company’s Prufrock-3 tunneling machine as it prepares to resume operations, following the launch of the project earlier this month.

Joe’s footage also takes a look at a few areas inside the factory, and it shows other projects like operations at the site’s crash testing area, work at the 4680 production expansion area, new conduit installs, and more. You can watch Joe’s full drone flight video from Monday below, or watch a shortened clip posted on X below that.

Advertisement

This particular update also comes after Tesla has put a temporary pause on Cybertruck deliveries, canceling all appointments over the weekend without disclosing why. The pause is expected to last around a week, or until April 20, and has been rumored to be due to an issue with the accelerator pedal.

Advertisement

Giga Texas has also been ramping up Cybertruck production in recent months, with Monday’s count coming in just a little below those of recent peaks. Tesla is expected to be nearing a 1,000 weekly run rate with the Cybertruck, especially after the company last month celebrated producing enough 4680 battery cells in one week for about 1,000 Cybertrucks.

In addition, Tesla laid off around 10-20 percent of its workforce on Monday, with key executives Drew Baglino and Rohan Patel announcing their departures. CEO Elon Musk explained the workforce trimming as being fairly routine, as the company prepares to restructure for its next phase of growth.

Tesla set to roll out Cybertruck charging improvements in Q2

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.

Advertisement

Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Advertisement
Comments

News

SpaceX Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee, grabbing three of the ‘Big Four’

Published

on

Credit: American Airlines

SpaceX’s Starlink product has just gotten its latest airline adoptee, and the move marks the successful partnership of three of the “Big Four” U.S. airlines.

American Airlines announced on Tuesday that it would utilize Starlink in more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in the first quarter of 2027. These include the Airbus aircraft in its fleet, including the new A321XLR and A321neo.

With the new partnership with American Airlines, Starlink is now present on three of the largest airlines in the country: American, United, and Southwest.

Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee for stable and reliable internet access

Advertisement

Starlink’s VP of Enterprise Sales, Jason Fritch, said:

“We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew. Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable.”

Additionally, American Airlines Chief Customer Officer, Heather Garboden, said:

“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want. The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”

Advertisement

Starlink has been on a tear over the past year, as it has continued to be adopted by a wide variety of airlines as a more consistent and reliable way to provide WiFi to its passengers. It has already gained a great reputation among residential users, but its biggest commercial application appears to be how it is being used in the air.

Advertisement

The only airline of the Big Four not to adopt Starlink thus far is Delta, which chose to opt for the alternative, which is Amazon Leo. CEO Ed Bastian said to Bloomberg that Delta chose Amazon’s product over Starlink’s because “the opportunities, in terms of the improved bandwidth with a much lower price point than what we’ve ever seen from Starlink, will make a big difference.”

Delta will not start installing Amazon Leo until 2028.

“Of course, we expect Starlink will be warning people that we’re going to go with an inferior product,” Bastian said. “But I’m not too worried about partnering with Amazon.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Cybertruck

Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim is nearing its first deliveries

Published

on

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim level is nearing its first deliveries just a few months after being offered for an incredible deal.

Back in February, Tesla officially launched a new trim of the Cybertruck, the All-Wheel-Drive, starting at just $59,990. It was a lot of truck for the money, especially considering what it offered the Rear-Wheel-Drive variant for last year, which was a total flop.

The $59,990 price that was offered initially was a deal due to its 325-mile range rating, powered tonneau, three bed outlets, Powershare capability, coil springs with adaptive damping for a refined suspension feel, Steer-by-Wire and four-wheel steering, a 6′ x 4′ composite bed, towing capacity of 7,500 pounds, and a powered frunk.

Tesla is now nearing deliveries of this trim, according to watcher Sawyer Merritt, as Tesla has officially started assigning VINs to people who ordered the vehicle initially:

Advertisement

Earlier this month, we reported on units of the trim being spotted outside Gigafactory Texas by Joe Tegtmeyer.

Advertisement

Tesla Giga Texas buzzing as new Cybertruck appears to enter production

This Cybertruck trim was interesting because it was released basically out of nowhere, priced incredibly well, and gathered many orders in a small amount of time. However, CEO Elon Musk noted just days afterward that the vehicle would only be priced at this bargain level for ten days.

Tesla fans were not happy.

However, the issues with the pricing strategy have blown over since the February unveiling event, and now that deliveries are near, Tesla fans are anticipating the truck making its way to their driveways soon.

The truck is currently priced at $69,990, and deliveries for new orders are slated for between August and September 2026.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Tesla ships new feature that silences neighborhood Supercharger complaints

Published

on

tesla-diner-supercharger
Credit: Tesla

Tesla is shipping a new feature that silences neighborhood Supercharger complaints, prompting drivers to be aware of those who might be impacted by excessive noise nearby.

Tesla is now rolling out a new location-specific “Quiet Charging Zone” that prompts drivers to lower their vehicle’s audio volume in an effort to make things comfortable for everyone, even those who are not Tesla owners.

This is an impactful feature that will resolve many complaints from those who are living nearby.

When a Tesla plugs into this Supercharger and its media volume exceeds a certain level, the vehicle’s central touchscreen displays a polite notification: “Could you turn the volume down? Please be mindful of our neighbors.”

Advertisement

Accompanying the message is a prominent “Lower” button. One tap automatically reduces the audio to a more considerate level. Physical “Quiet Charging Zone” signs posted at the station reinforce the request, creating a cohesive experience that blends digital nudges with on-site reminders.

This feature highlights Tesla’s unique advantages. Unlike traditional automakers, Tesla owns both the vehicle software and the charging infrastructure.

Engineers can detect the precise location via GPS, trigger context-aware prompts, and deploy changes fleet-wide in hours or days without recalls or dealer visits. No public release notes highlighted the change, suggesting it was a quiet, site-specific rollout designed to test effectiveness before potential expansion.

These are usually referred to as “Undocumented Changes.”

Advertisement

Beyond immediate noise reduction, the initiative underscores Tesla’s customer- and community-focused ethos. While EVs are inherently quieter than combustion-engine vehicles, auxiliary behaviors like loud infotainment can still create friction in dense cities. Tesla’s rapid response turns potential conflict into an opportunity to demonstrate thoughtful engineering.

As Tesla expands its Supercharger network, which is now open to other EVs in many places, features like location-based quiet modes could become standard tools for harmonious integration into neighborhoods.

Continue Reading