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Tesla’s in-house body repair shop restores damaged Model 3 in 25 hours

[Credit: Like Tesla/YouTube]

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Back in Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Elon Musk stated that the company is opening in-house body shops to reduce the time it takes for owners to get their cars repaired. The first nine of these in-house body shops were announced in Tesla’s official website earlier this month, and so far, reports of the service they provide have been very positive.

Just last week, u/ekobres, a Model 3 owner and member of the r/TeslaMotors subreddit, shared his experience with Tesla’s in-house repair shop in Marietta, Georgia, which reportedly fixed a panel alignment issue in one day. According to the Model 3 owner, Tesla picked up the car, loaned him a vehicle, and delivered it back fully fixed and cleaned within nine hours. While this turnaround time was impressive, the work done in u/ekobres’ Model 3 was rather minor. Thus, it remained to be seen how fast Tesla’s in-house repair shops could fix a vehicle with more significant damages.

One such vehicle was sent to the same in-house body repair shop in Marietta, GA recently. The Model 3 was owned by the hosts of YouTube’s Like Tesla channel, who noted that their vehicle was damaged after a car backed into it. The electric car was still drivable after the accident, but a portion of its front bumper was hanging out, and its left headlight was cracked from the impact. Kim, the YouTube channel’s host, even aired her concern as to when they would get their Model 3 back, considering Tesla’s notorious wait times even for otherwise simple repairs.

Fortunately for the Model 3 owners, they were in the vicinity of Tesla’s in-house body shop in Marietta. Within an hour of the accident, the shop had been contacted, and necessary information such as the claim number and the electric car’s VIN were taken. The shop also started coordinating with the responsible party’s insurance provider. The next day, Tesla Service came by, dropped off a Model X loaner, and took the damaged Model 3 to be repaired.

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Forty-five minutes after that, Tesla notified the Model 3 owners that their car had arrived at the shop, and around four hours later, images of the vehicle being worked on were sent over. Not long after, the in-house body shop sent another message informing the Model 3 owners that their car had been fully repaired, complete with a new bumper, front fender, headlight, and wheel. It was just 25 hours after the accident.

The rapid turnaround time of the Model 3’s repair stands as yet another example of Tesla’s continued attempts at improving its service to its growing customer base. This was highlighted in one of Elon Musk’s tweets last month, when he noted that Tesla is aiming to improve its in-house repair shops to such a level that same-day repairs become possible.

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If these recent accounts are any indication, it appears that Tesla’s ramp of its in-house repair shops is moving alongside the company’s ramp for Model 3 production. While Tesla’s body shops are only addressing minor repairs for now (major damages are still referred to the company’s network of certified, third-party repair shops), the service they provide undoubtedly improves the ownership experience. Once Tesla’s in-house shops are fully ramped, the company might finally be able to shake off its image of providing great cars that are beautiful and powerful, but are a pain to get repaired. 

Watch Like Tesla‘s Model 3 repair experience with an in-house body shop in the video below.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Semi’s latest adoptee will likely encourage more of the same

Public visibility matters. When shoppers see a trusted name like Ralph’s running clean, high-tech trucks on public roads, skepticism fades. Competitors such as Albertsons, which pre-ordered Semis years ago, and other chains chasing ESG targets now have proof that electric autonomy works in real-world grocery fleets.

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Credit: X | ChargePozitive

The latest adoptee of the Tesla Semi will likely encourage more businesses in the same realm to adopt the all-electric Class 8 truck, as a new company utilizing the Semi has been spotted in Southern California.

A sleek, futuristic Tesla Semi truck branded for Ralph’s Supermarkets was spotted cruising a Los Angeles highway in a viral 13-second dashcam video posted March 2, by X user ChargePozitive.

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This sighting confirms Kroger’s March 2025 partnership with Tesla to deploy up to 500 autonomous electric Semis.

While the initial announcement targeted Midwest supply chains, the California appearance under the Ralph’s banner shows the program expanding to Kroger’s West Coast operations. Ralph’s, a staple for millions of Southern California shoppers, is now hauling groceries with the Semi, which has zero tailpipe emissions and claims up to 500 miles of range per charge.

Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels

The timing could not be better for sustainable logistics. Traditional trucking accounts for a massive share of retail emissions, but Tesla’s Semi slashes fuel and maintenance costs while leveraging full autonomy to ease driver shortages and improve safety.

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Tesla’s expanding Megacharger network, including new sites along major freight corridors and partnerships like the recently-announced one with Pilot Travel Centers, is removing range anxiety and making nationwide scaling realistic. There’s still a long way to go, but things are moving in the right direction.

Public visibility matters. When shoppers see a trusted name like Ralph’s running clean, high-tech trucks on public roads, skepticism fades. Competitors such as Albertsons, which pre-ordered Semis years ago, and other chains chasing ESG targets now have proof that electric autonomy works in real-world grocery fleets.

PepsiCo’s successful pilots already demonstrated viability, and Ralph’s sighting adds retail credibility.

As Tesla ramps high-volume Semi production through 2026, this isn’t an isolated curiosity. Instead, it’s a catalyst. More grocers adopting the platform will accelerate industry-wide decarbonization, cut operating expenses, and deliver tangible environmental wins.

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The future of sustainable supply chains is already on the highway, and Ralph’s just made it impossible to ignore.

Moving forward, Tesla hopes to expand the Semi program into other regions, including Europe, which CEO Elon Musk recently said is a total possibility next year.

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Elon Musk

Tesla ramps Cybercab test manufacturing ahead of mass production

Tesla still has plans for volume production, which remains between four and eight weeks away, aligning with Musk’s statements that early ramps would be deliberately measured given the Cybercab’s novel architecture and full reliance on Tesla’s vision-based Full Self-Driving technology.

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla is seemingly ramping Cybercab test manufacturing ahead of mass production, which is scheduled to begin next month, the company said.

At Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, production of the Cybercab, the company’s groundbreaking purpose-built Robotaxi vehicle, is accelerating markedly. Drone footage from Joe Tegtmeyer captured striking aerial footage today, revealing what appears to be the largest public sighting of Cyebrcabs to date.

A total of 25 units were observed by Tegtmeyer across the Gigafactory Texas property, marking a clear step-up in testing and validation activities as Tesla prepares for a broader output.

Tesla Cybercab production begins: The end of car ownership as we know it?

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In the footage, 14 metallic gold Cybercabs were parked in a tight formation outside the factory exit, showcasing their sleek, autonomous-only design with no steering wheels, pedals, or traditional controls. Another 9 units sat at the crash testing facility, likely undergoing structural and safety validations, while two more appeared at the west end-of-line area for final checks.

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Tegtmeyer noted additional Cybercabs driving around the complex, hinting at active movement and real-world testing beyond static parking.

This surge follows the first production Cybercab rolling off the line in mid-February 2026, several weeks ahead of the originally anticipated April start.

That milestone, celebrated by Tesla employees and confirmed by CEO Elon Musk, kicked off low-volume builds on the dedicated “unboxed” manufacturing line, a modular process designed to slash costs, reduce factory footprint, and enable faster assembly compared to conventional methods.

Industry observers interpret the jump to dozens of visible units in early March as evidence that Tesla has transitioned into higher-volume test manufacturing.

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Tesla still has plans for volume production, which remains between four and eight weeks away, aligning with Musk’s statements that early ramps would be deliberately measured given the Cybercab’s novel architecture and full reliance on Tesla’s vision-based Full Self-Driving technology.

The Cybercab, envisioned as a sub-$30,000 autonomous two-seater for robotaxi fleets, represents Tesla’s bold pivot toward scalable autonomy and robotics.

Tesla fans and enthusiasts on X praised the imagery, with many expressing excitement over the visible progress toward deployment. While challenges remain, including software maturity, regulatory hurdles, and supply chain scaling, the increased factory activity underscores Tesla’s momentum in turning the Cybercab vision into reality.

As Giga Texas continues expanding and refining the manufacturing process of the Cybercab, the coming months will prove to be a pivotal time in determining how quickly this revolutionary vehicle reaches roads in the U.S. and internationally.

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Elon Musk

SpaceX to launch Starlink V2 satellites on Starship starting 2027

The update was shared by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Starlink Vice President Mike Nicolls.

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX is looking to start launching its next-generation Starlink V2 satellites in mid-2027 using Starship.

The update was shared by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Starlink Vice President Mike Nicolls during remarks at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.

“With Starship, we’ll be able to deploy the constellation very quickly,” Nicolls stated. “Our goal is to deploy a constellation capable of providing global and contiguous coverage within six months, and that’s roughly 1,200 satellites.”

Nicolls added that once Starship is operational, it will be capable of launching approximately 50 of the larger, more powerful Starlink satellites at a time, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.

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The initial deployment of roughly 1,200 next-generation satellites is intended to establish global and contiguous coverage. After that phase, SpaceX plans to continue expanding the system to reach “truly global coverage, including the polar regions,” Nicolls said.

Currently, all Starlink satellites are launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The next-generation fleet will rely on Starship, which remains in development following a series of test flights in 2025. SpaceX is targeting its next Starship test flight, featuring an upgraded version of the rocket, as soon as this month.

Starlink is currently the largest satellite network in orbit, with nearly 10,000 satellites deployed. Bloomberg Intelligence estimates the business could generate approximately $9 billion in revenue for SpaceX in 2026.

Nicolls also confirmed that SpaceX is rebranding its direct-to-cell service as Starlink Mobile.

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The service currently operates with 650 satellites capable of connecting directly to smartphones and has approximately 10 million monthly active users. SpaceX expects that figure to exceed 25 million monthly active users by the end of 2026.

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