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LIVE BLOG: 2023 Tesla Investor Day
There’s a lot of excitement around Tesla’s 2023 Investor Day, and for good reason. From Elon Musk’s Master Plan Part 3, details on the company’s third-generation platform, and discussions on how Tesla could each extreme scale, Investor Day promises to be an event that is one for the books.
Elon Musk has emphasized that Investor Day is really a lot bigger than the company’s shareholders. In past comments, the CEO noted that the “investors” Tesla is referring to in the event are pretty much all life on Earth. Yes, everyone, Tesla is thinking *that* big.
Following is a Live Blog of Tesla’s 2023 Investor Day. Please refresh this page regularly for the most recent updates.
18:59 CST – And that’s a wrap, everyone! This is Tesla’s longest event yet (I believe) and in typical Tesla fashion, it’s overflowing with information. There’s a lot to unpack from this event, so please so stay tuned for our coverage of the 2023 Investor Day’s specifics. Till the next time!
18:59 CST – A question about Tesla’s next-gen vehicle was asked. Any details that Tesla is willing to share? Elon declined to answer the question. He noted that Tesla would have a proper product event for the next-generation vehicle.
18:54 CST – A question about Tesla’s dry battery electrode efforts was asked. Drew Baglino noted that Giga Texas already makes dry electrode batteries. Every week, the program makes progress.
18:48 CST – Barclays asks to what extent the cost strategies outlined today differ by region. Tom Zhu noted that Tesla tries its best to be as localized as possible. The same is true for the labor force. This is especially notable in Shanghai.
18:41 CST – Elon Musk noted that one thing that for the vast majority of people, things are affordability driven. He noted that sometimes, it’s easy to lose sight of how consumers acquire vehicles. It’s not that people don’t want a car. Most times, it’s a matter of whether people can afford one. “Affordability is what matters,” Musk said.
18:36 CST – A question was asked about Tesla and how China and the US’ tensions could affect the company. Ton Zhu noted that Tesla China has ample demand, sometimes more than the company can produce. Tom Zhu noted that he does not see much risk for Tesla overall
18:34 CST – Jefferies asks how many models Tesla plans to have to reach 20 million units. A question about bidirectional charging was also asked. Elon Musk noted that bidirectional charging is not that useful since Powerwall is better. Musk noted that Tesla does not plan too many models to reach 20 million cars. He estimates 10 models or so should be enough.
Musk noted that cars today just have variants for the sake of having variants. believes that cars will be like phones.
18:28 CST – Another question is asked about Tesla and its mining efforts. Elon noted that Tesla would address whatever is the limiting factor at any given point in time. Tesla would prefer not to get into mining, but the company will do so if needed. Drew Baglino referenced the company’s Corpus Christi lithium refinery. If Tesla could prove that things can be done faster, then the company’s suppliers could follow suit.
Elon mentions a cathode refining facility just down the road from Giga Texas as well. Drew Baglino noted that there’s no large-scale cathode refining facility in the US for now, so Tesla had to build one.
18:23 CST – Rod Lache from Wolfe Research asks about the timeline for Tesla’s plans. He notes that Investor Day doesn’t just seem like it’s for a vehicle. Elon noted that the most profound architectural changes would be in future vehicles. There will be changes for existing vehicles, of course. Lars Moravy noted that Tesla would be improving, especially in the next couple of years.
18:21 CST – The break ended up taking nine minutes. But the team is back, and Elon comes out and shows a render of Giga Mexico. Musk notes, however, that the capacity of Tesla’s existing factories will be ramped. Giga Mexico will be built in Monterrey.
18:10 CST – Five-minute break! After this, a Q&A session.
18:04 CST – Kirkhorn discusses Tesla’s improvement in interior process efficiency. He noted that ultimately, Tesla’s vertically integrated software that helps run the company. Kirkhorn is also confident in Tesla’s ability to generate the income needed to make investments to achieve Master Plan Part 3’s goals.
18:01 CST – Kirkhorn highlights Tesla’s Open and SG&A.
17:59 CST – Kirkhorn highlights that the next-gen platform is expected to enable a 50% reduction in costs. This means that the total cost of ownership of the next-generation platform would also be lower than the company’s current vehicles today. This is a big deal since the Model 3 is already cheaper to own than Toyota Corolla today.
17:56 CST – Kirkhorn notes that cost reductions come from everywhere. He states that Tesla reduced the cost of the Model 3 by 30% since 2018 as of 2022.
17:54 CST – Zach Kirkhorn returns to the stage. This will be the final part of the Investor Day presentation. He notes that this is the first time that Tesla brought out its specific leaders to discuss their work. He thanks the Tesla team as well.
17:51 CST – Laurie Shelby takes the stage to talk about the sustainability for Tesla for employees. Tesla seems to be taking a pretty cautious strategy here. The company wants to emphasize how the company values its team. She thanks the global Tesla team. She also noted that Tesla is aligning with the TSFD to release better reports to investors.
She notes that Tesla now has 129k employees. Almost 60% are based in the US.
17:47 CST – Tesla Electric is rolling out in Texas too! The company plans to bring Tesla Electric market by market like Tesla Insurance. The service’s rollout in Texas will include $30 charging at night for customers who sign up for Tesla Electric.
17:45 CST – The Megafactory in Lathrop may not be as high profile as the company’s Gigafactories, but it was built in less than a year. That’s pretty incredible. Project installations are also getting faster, with the company achieving 4X installation and commissioning speed since 2019.
17:37 CST – Mike Snyder joins Drew Baglino the stage to talk Tesla’s Megapack. He noted that Tesla is now on its sixth generation of energy products, the Megapack XL and the Megapack 2. There’s been a lot of demand for the Megapack, and the Lathrop plant is ramping. This was only made possible by a maniacal focus and effort.
“This is the product that retires fossil fuels. One power plant at a time,” Baglino said.
17:33 CST – A photo of Tesla’s 50 GWh/year Corpus Christi Lithium Refinery was shared. The facility starts commissioning at the end of 2023.
17:32 CST – Drew Baglino provides a quick update on Tesla’s battery program. No more spoons! There’s over 20x productivity from the tools the company showed during Battery Day at the pilot line in Kato Road. He also showed how Tesla’s battery factories are getting more and more efficient and simple, so they’re only getting better.
17:29 CST – Tom shares some states on Tesla service.
17:27 CST – Tom notes that ramping a Gigafactory is all about overall equipment effectiveness and cycle time. Fremont is a rockstar here, since it’s an older factory. But despite this, it’s getting better. Tom notes that Fremont just reached a new daily record recently.
17:26 CST – Tom notes that ramping a Gigafactory is all about overall equipment effectiveness and cycle time.
17:25 CST – Tom highlights that Tesla can build its factories extremely quickly. He noted that this is accomplished through many optimizations, such as an in-house team that constructs factories. He noted that the team behind Giga Shanghai was also the same one that did Giga Berlin.
Tom Zhu also confirms that Tesla has reached the 4 million vehicle mark. The vehicle was made in Giga Texas. The last 1 million cars were made in less than 7 months.
17:22 CST – Tom Zhu and Drew Baglino take the stage. They will be discussing how Tesla would make more cars, and how much faster the company could do it. Tom notes that Tesla currently have 65,000 manufacturing employees. Tesla’s factories are also ultra high-volume.
17:19 CST – The Tesla execs noted that the company’s Heat Pump assembly highlighted supply chain issues. Tesla solved heat pump assembly issues through automation.
17:16 CST – The Tesla execs noted that Tesla will not break the semiconductor industry if it grows to 20 million vehicles. The semiconductor industry can support the electric vehicle maker’s growth, even if Tesla slows down — which would likely not happen.
17:14 CST – Tesla is also working with suppliers closer to their factories to decrease transportation time and reduce diesel use throughout the supply chain. This also decreases full productions stall times.
17:10 CST – The Tesla executives discuss the challenges that the company and its suppliers faced during the Covid pandemic. The ordeal was tough, though the company and its suppliers powered through to deliver.
17:04 CST – Tesla executives Karn Budhiraj and a colleague discuss the company’s supply chain. They provide an overview of Tesla’s current supplier setup.
17:01 CST – Overall, while Tesla has already been building Superchargers for the last ten years, the company is still just starting. Tesla Supercharger V4 is being installed in Europe, and it will be optmized for charging all electric cars, not just Teslas. Amidst all this, Tesla will never forget to do some cool things in the process.
16:54 CST – Rebecca Tinucci takes the stage to discuss Tesla’s Superchargers. She highlighted that Tesla has spent the last ten years establishing its Supercharger Network across the world. Thanks to this experience, Tesla Superchargers have the lowest deployment costs. She notes that prefabricated four-post Superchargers are being produced at Giga New York. She also hinted that Tesla plans to improve Trip Planner by projecting potential customers that might use nearby charging stations.
16:51 CST – Elon notes that Optimus utilizes Tesla’s expertise in manufacturing. Actuators, battery packs, and Optimus’ other key components are custom designed by Tesla. Elon also noted that Tesla was shocked that not a lot of parts to make a humanoid robot can be bought “off the shelf.” The CEO is also confident that Tesla can bring a working, useful humanoid robot to scale faster.
16:48 CST – Elon returns to the stage for some more updates. A video of Optimus is shown. The humanoid robot seems more refined compared to its iteration during AI Day 2022. The robot is now walking, and working on another robot. Multiple Optimus prototypes are also working.
16:42 CST – Ashok highlights that Tesla’s approach to AI systems is quite different from before. This allows the company to solve complex planning problems using artificial intelligence, among others. He also noted that manual labeling is insufficient, so Tesla is adopting an automated labeling system. Also, Dojo will perform better than current “compute” capabilities at Tesla.
16:38 CST – Ashok Elluswamy takes the stage to discuss Full Self-Driving. he notes that self-driving is actually a critical part of a sustainable future. He noted reiterated Elon Musk’s points in Master Plan Part 2, where unused cars could be used by other commuters.
16:34 CST – Pete Bannon and David Lau noted that during the days of the Model S, it did not take long before it because evident that it was easy to misassemble the car. These were adjusted in later vehicles. Today, mistakes in assembly are caught while the vehicle is being produced.
16:32 CST – Pete Bannon and David Lau discussed how Tesla’s software and connected cars enable the company to roll out improvements at speed. This is especially useful for vehicles’ safety, which Tesla excels in. The Model S and Model X’s predictive air suspension system is a good example of this.
16:26 CST – Pete Bannon and David Lau show the path toward the next-generation platform.
16:23 CST – Pete Bannon and David Lau discuss more optimizations that have been done over the years. These include the shift e-fuses, as well as the replacement of lead acid batteries to lithium-ion. Costs are coming down too, such as in components like the Model 3’s center display, which has gotten cheaper over time.
Cybertruck, Optimus, and future vehicles will also use 48-volt architecture. Cybertruck is also designed with a local controller for better wire pathways.
16:23 CST – Pete Bannon and David Lau discuss more optimizations that have been done over the years. These include the shift e-fuses, as well as the replacement of lead acid batteries to lithium-ion. Costs are coming down too, such as in components like the Model 3’s center display, which has gotten cheaper over time.
16:20 CST – Pete Bannon and David Lau take the stage. Pete Bannon highlighted that low-voltage electronics in vehicles have been messy so far. The executives noted that from Model S to Model 3, Tesla was able to reduce its wire harnesses by 17 kilograms. Shared controllers also helped simplify the supply chain.
For Cybertruck, Tesla is designing 85% of the controllers in the car. In the next-gen platform, Tesla is designing 100% of the controllers.
16:17 CST – Colin noted that Tesla’s next-gen vehicle will not use rare earth materials at all. They will be built in compact and high-efficiency factories. The executive stated that these are only possible because of the hard work of the Tesla team.
16:15 CST – Colin also discusses the importance of Tesla’s power electronics and software. He also highlighted that Tesla excels in manufacturing line and automation design. This enables Tesla to design products that are both high-performance and easy to assemble.
Tesla’s next-generation platform will have 75% less silicon carbide. Any battery chemistry will be accepted as well. The vehicle will feature a 50% reduction in factory footprint.
16:11 CST – Colin Campbell, leader of powertrain engineering, takes the stage. He noted that Tesla is known for speed. He highlighted that Tesla is all about efficiency. He noted that Tesla is able to achieve its efficiencies by moving as one company. Changes can then be made to both vehicles and factories. Everyone works together.
16:07 CST – Franz and Lars noted that in the next-generation vehicle, more people (or robots) should be able to work simultaneously. Lars noted that this gives more operational density. More space time efficiency. This makes automation a lot easier. Tesla lists this as an “unboxed process.”
Franz and Lars noted that Tesla’s next-gen manufacturing would reduce 50% of costs.
16:04 CST – Franz and Lars discuss the traditional way to assemble a vehicle, from stamping, body, paint, and final assembly. Lars note that this is great, but delays in one line stops the entire thing. He stated that there are a lot of inefficiencies in the process. Lots of areas for improvement.
16:02 CST – Franz and Lars noted that Cybertruck is a completely different animal. It is then a vehicle that needs to be approached in a completely different manner. Cybertruck was designed with the manufacturing process in mind. Lars added that the Cybertruck actually makes its manufacturing footprint small, since it doesn’t need paint or stamping. Franz reconfirms Cybertruck is coming this year.
16:00 CST – Franz and Lars noted that as time went on, Tesla had to approach its vehicles more differently. This was the case with the Model 3. The executives discussed production hell, which involved Tesla looking to manufacture a product designed to be built manually being built on an automated line. There were lots of lessons learned there.
15:58 CST – Franz notes that during Tesla’s early days, it was a lot different. There were only a handful of people then, but Tesla was already dead set on making a difference. Franz noted that Tesla’s small teams before allowed the company to really focus on the nitty-gritty details of the car. The Model S is one of these, Franz and Lars said.
15:56 CST – Franz von Holzhausen and Lars Moravy take the stage for Part 2.
15:55 CST – Drew Baglino addresses the question of mineral use as the Earth shifts to a sustainable energy economy. Elon also reiterated his previous statements about lithium.He notes that the lithium in the United States is already very abundant. It’s the refining of lithium that’s a limiting factor today.
Elon also noted that nickel is needed for aircraft, boats, and long-range cars. The vast majority of transportation will need iron. And with recycling in the picture, the resources that the world will need to shift to sustainability will be even more efficient.
15:53 CST – The Tesla executives highlighting that transitioning to a sustainable economy will actually involve less fossil fuels compared to what’s currently being spent today. Here’s a nifty little graphic.
15:49 CST – Elon and Drew noted that these estimates for the investments needed to propel the world to sustainability are completely feasible.
15:46 CST – Drew Baglino noted that heat pumps would go a long way toward making homes sustainable. From an industry perspective, heat pumps pave the way for efficiencies. He also discusses high temp heat delivery and hydrogen. Elon notes that hydrogen will be useful for industrial processes, but it is NOT something that should be used for cars. He also sheds light on the need to shift the shipping industry to sustainability.
15:43 CST – Tesla gives a quick overview of how Tesla could create a global electric vehicle fleet. The company shows an assumption for a fleet of about 85 million vehicles. That’s already substantial.
15:40 CST – Elon notes that all forms of transport will probably be electric. But not rockets, at least for now.
15:38 CST – Elon and Drew show a slide showing what’s needed to reach a sustainable economy. The executives noted that while these numbers may seem large, they actually are not if they’re compared to the global economy. Just about $10 Trillion investment to build sustainable energy economy.
“For a remarkably small land area, we can go fully sustainable,” Musk said. “The electrified economy will use less resources than the (fossil fuel) economy.”
15:33 CST – Drew Baglino notes that today’s energy economy is dirty and wasteful, and that 80% of global energy comes from fossil fuels. Musk highlights that the use of fossil fuels actually waste a lot of energy. He also noted that calculations for a sustainable world typically assumes the same wastage as a world powered by fossil fuels. This, Elon Musk noted, is not accurate.
15:31 CST – Elon Musk notes that there is a path towards sustainability, where the Earth could support the 8 billion people today. “There is a clear path to a sustainable energy Earth with abundance,” Musk said.
15:30 CST – Elon Musk and Drew Baglino take the stage for the event’s first part. Elon jumps right into it. This is Master Plan Part 3. Here we go.
15:28 CST – And it’s starting! CFO Zach Kirkhorn is opening the event. Kirkhorn noted that today, Tesla is not just talking about the near future.
There will be three parts of the event. One, Tesla’s macro vision. Next, it will be focused on Tesla’s function. The third will bring everything back.
15:25 CST – Well, it seems like the stage is ready for the Investor Day keynote.
15:23 CST – Elon said the presentation starts in about 5 minutes — 8 minutes ago.
15:20 CST – Never change, Tesla. And never change, Elon.
15:19 CST – Check out these Model Y castings outside Giga Texas. Definitely highlighting this “extreme scale” theme Elon Musk referenced.
15:17 CST – What are you most excited for in Tesla’s 2023 Investor Day? Master Plan Part 3? More Cybertruck deets? The third-gen platform? Please sound off on our comments section below! I’m personally biased for the third-genp platform, but only because I’m a cheap guy by default.
15:14 CST – Well, Tesla is late, and the EV community has a great sense of humor. Who’s playing the 2023 Investor Day Bingo? I have a feeling the “wears trademark jacket” and “cracks joke” are getting crossed out really fast.
15:13 CST – I just noticed that the light show graphics that Tesla has been showing in its livestream are shaped like body panels. Look at that, it’s the rear seats of the Model Y. It is a Model Y, right?
15:10 CST – The stream for Investor Day has not really started yet, but there are already some nice updates from attendees of the event. Take the Cybertruck production beta, for example. That beast looks pretty good. I’m not sure how to feel about the five-seat layout, though. I kinda miss the six seats in the original prototype.
15:07 CST – A close-up of that Investor Day graphic shows that the EV bodies may be Model Y crossovers, at least based on the shape at the rear. The event is now a few minutes late, which, in Tesla terms, is still pretty early.
15:05 CST – By the way, if you’re just joining us, welcome! Here’s a livestream of the event too.
15:02 CST – Tesla’s intro video for Investor features the graphic in the event’s invite. They were not kidding about this “scale” thing. It reminds me almost of “The Matrix.”
15:00 CST – Tesla’s livestream link for Investor Day is live! Here we go!
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Elon Musk
Tesla FSD in Europe vs. US: It’s not what you think
Tesla FSD is approved in the Netherlands, but the European version differs from what US drivers use.
On April 10, 2026, the Dutch vehicle authority RDW granted Tesla the first European type approval for Full Self-Driving Supervised, making the Netherlands the first country on the continent to authorize Tesla’s semi-autonomous system for customer use on public roads.
As Teslarati reported, the RDW approval followed 18 months of testing, more than 1.6 million kilometers driven on EU roads, 13,000 customer ride-alongs, and documentation covering over 400 compliance requirements. Tesla Europe had been running public demo drives through cities like Amsterdam and Eindhoven since early 2026, giving passengers their first experience of the system on European streets.
The European version of FSD is not the same software US drivers use. The RDW’s own statement is direct, noting that the software versions and functionalities in the US and Europe “are therefore not comparable one-to-one.” We’ve compile a table below that captures the most significant differences between US-based Tesla FSD vs. European Tesla FSD that’s based on what regulators and Tesla have publicly confirmed.
| Feature | FSD US | FSD Europe (Netherlands) |
| Regulatory framework | Self-certification, post-market oversight | Pre-market type approval required (UN R-171 + Article 39) |
| Hands requirement | Hands-off permitted on highway | Hands must be available to take over immediately |
| Auto turning from stop lights | Available — navigates intersections, turns, and traffic signals autonomously | Available in EU build — confirmed in Amsterdam demo footage handling unprotected turns and signalized intersections |
| Driving modes | Multiple profiles including a more aggressive “Mad Max” mode | EU build is more conservative by default and errs on the side of restraint when it cannot confirm the limit |
| Summon | Available — Smart Summon navigates parking lots to driver | Status unclear — not confirmed as part of the RDW-approved feature set; urban FSD approval targeted separately for 2027 |
| Driver monitoring | Camera-based eye tracking | Stricter continuous monitoring with more frequent intervention alerts |
| Software version | FSD v14.3 | EU-specific builds that must be separately validated by RDW |
| Geographic restriction | US, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, NZ, South Korea | Netherlands only; EU-wide vote pending summer 2026 |
| Subscription price | $99/month | €99/month |
| Full urban FSD scope | Available | Partial — separate urban application planned for 2027 |
The approval comes as Tesla is under real pressure to grow FSD subscriptions globally. Musk’s 2025 CEO compensation package, approved by shareholders, includes a milestone requiring 10 million active FSD subscriptions as one condition for his stock awards to vest. Tesla hit one million subscriptions during its Q4 2025 earnings call, which is a meaningful start, but still a long way from the target. Opening Europe as a market for subscriptions, rather than just hardware sales, directly accelerates that number.
Tesla has said it anticipates EU-wide recognition of the Dutch approval during summer 2026, which would extend FSD access to Germany, France, and other major markets through a mutual recognition process without each country repeating the full 18-month review. That timeline is Tesla’s projection, not a confirmed regulatory outcome. As Musk acknowledged at Davos in January 2026, “We hope to get Supervised Full Self-Driving approval in Europe, hopefully next month.”
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Tesla’s troublesome Auto Wipers get a major upgrade
Tesla has quietly deployed a major over-the-air (OTA) update across its entire fleet, implementing a new patent that could finally solve one of the most complained-about features in its vehicles: the Auto Wipers.
One of Tesla’s most complained-about features is that of the Auto Wipers, but they have recently received a major upgrade that impacts every vehicle in the company’s fleet, a company executive confirmed.
Tesla has quietly deployed a major over-the-air (OTA) update across its entire fleet, implementing a new patent that could finally solve one of the most complained-about features in its vehicles: the Auto Wipers.
Confirmed by senior Tesla AI engineer Yun-Ta Tsai on April 10, the improvement is based on patent US 20260097742 A1. It introduces an “energy balance model” that adds a tactile, physics-driven layer to the existing camera-based system—without requiring any new hardware.
🚨 Tesla has already implemented a new patent that improves the accuracy of the Auto Wiper system https://t.co/QjjKHKxSNv pic.twitter.com/mEbd04oJAu
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 10, 2026
Tesla drivers have griped about auto wipers since the company ditched traditional rain sensors in favor of Tesla Vision around 2018.
Owners routinely report the wipers failing to activate in light drizzle or mist, leaving windshields streaked and visibility dangerously reduced. Just as often, they formerly blasted into high-speed mode on dry, sunny days, screeching across glass and risking scratches or premature blade wear.
This is a rare occurrence anymore, but many owners still report the feature having the wipers perform at the incorrect speed or frequency when precipitation is falling.
Tesla has tried repeatedly to fix the problem through software alone.
Early “Deep Rain” initiatives and the 2023 Autowiper v4 update used multi-camera video and refined neural networks, with Elon Musk promising “super good” performance. The 2024.14 update added manual sensitivity boosts, and later FSD versions claimed further gains. Yet complaints persisted.
Elon Musk apologizes for Tesla’s quirky auto wipers, hints at improvements
Vision systems struggle with edge cases—glare, bugs, reflections, or faint mist—because they rely purely on visual inference rather than physical detection
The new patent takes a different approach. The car’s computer constantly measures electrical power delivered to the wiper motor. It subtracts predictable losses—internal motor friction, linkage drag, and aerodynamic resistance—leaving only the friction force between the rubber blade and windshield glass.
Water lubricates the glass, sharply reducing friction; dry or icy surfaces increase it dramatically. This real-time “tactile” data acts as an independent check on the camera’s visual cues, instantly shutting down false triggers on dry glass and fine-tuning speed for actual rain.
The system can also detect ice and auto-activate defrost heaters, while long-term friction trends alert drivers when blades need replacing.
By fusing vision with precise motor-load physics, Tesla has created a hybrid sensor that is both elegant and cost-free. Owners have waited years for reliable auto wipers; this OTA rollout may finally deliver them.
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Tesla Roadster unveiling set for this month: what to expect
As Tesla finally edges toward production and an updated reveal, enthusiasts aren’t asking for compromises; they’re demanding the original vision be honored. Here are five clear expectations that will come with the vehicle’s unveiling, which is still set for later this month, hopefully.
The Tesla Roadster has been the ultimate carrot on a stick since its 2017 unveiling. Promised as the fastest production car ever made, with 0-60 mph in under two seconds and a top speed over 250 mph, it has endured years of delays.
As Tesla finally edges toward production and an updated reveal, enthusiasts aren’t asking for compromises; they’re demanding the original vision be honored. Here are five clear expectations that will come with the vehicle’s unveiling, which is still set for later this month, hopefully.
Performance and Safety Do Not Go Hand in Hand, and That’s the Point
The Roadster is not a family sedan or a daily commuter. It is a no-holds-barred supercar meant to embarrass six-figure exotics on track days. Tesla should resist the temptation to load it with every passive-safety nanny and electronic guardian that dulls the raw feedback drivers crave.
Owners want to feel the road, not be shielded from it. Strip away unnecessary electronic limits so the car can deliver the visceral thrill Elon Musk originally described. Safety ratings will still be strong because of Tesla’s structural excellence, but the Roadster’s mission is speed, not coddling.
He said late last year:
“This is not a…safety is not the main goal. If you buy a Ferrari, safety is not the number one goal. I say, if safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster…We’ll aspire not to kill anyone in this car. It’ll be the best of the last of the human-driven cars. The best of the last.”
Musk was clear that this will not be a car that will be the safest in Tesla’s lineup, but that’s the point. It’s not made for anything other than pushing the limits.
Tesla Needs to Come Through on a HUGE Feature
The Roadster unveiling would be wildly disappointing if it were only capable of driving. Tesla has long teased the potential ability to float or hover, and they need to come through on something that is along those lines.
The SpaceX cold-gas thruster package was never a joke. Musk, at one time, explicitly said owners could opt for a set of thrusters capable of lifting the car off the ground for short hops or dramatic launches. That feature is what separates the Roadster from every other hypercar on the planet.
If the production version arrives without it—or with a watered-down “maybe later” version—enthusiasts will feel betrayed. Deliver the thrusters, make them functional, and let the Roadster literally hover above the competition.
An Updated Design Might Be Warranted
It’s been nine years since Tesla first rolled off the next-gen Roadster design and showed it to the world.
The 2017 concept still looks sharp, but eight years is an eternity in automotive styling. The sharp lines and aggressive stance now compete against the angular Cybertruck and the next-generation vehicles rolling out of Fremont and Austin.
Tesla Roadster patent hints at radical seat redesign ahead of reveal
A subtle refresh, maybe with sharper headlights, revised aero elements, and modern materials, would keep the Roadster feeling current without losing its identity. Fans don’t want a complete redesign, just enough evolution to prove Tesla still cares.
Self-Driving Isn’t a Necessity for the Tesla Roadster
Full Self-Driving hardware and software belong in the Model 3, Model Y, and the upcoming robotaxi—not in a two-seat rocket built for canyon carving. The Roadster’s entire appeal is the direct connection between driver, steering wheel, and asphalt.
Offering FSD as standard would dilute the purity that separates it from every other Tesla. Make autonomy an optional delete or simply omit it. Let the Roadster remain the purest driving machine in the lineup, because that’s what it is all about.
Tesla Needs to Come Through on the Unveiling Timeline
The last thing Tesla needs right now is another complaint about not hitting timelines or expectations. This unveiling has already been pushed back one time, from April 1 to “probably in late April.”
Repeated delays have tested even the most patient fans. Whatever date the company now sets for the next major reveal or start of production must be met. No more “next year” promises. The Roadster has waited long enough. When it finally arrives, it must feel worth every extra month.
If Tesla hits these five marks, the Roadster won’t just be another fast car—it will be the machine that redefines what a Tesla can be. The world is watching.
Tesla FSD in Europe vs. US: It’s not what you think
Tesla’s troublesome Auto Wipers get a major upgrade
