News
Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor AWD showcases impressive traction in 4×4 roller test
A Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor AWD was recently subjected to a series of 4×4 tests on rollers, which are conducted to evaluate the traction of a vehicles. Based on the results of the Model 3’s multiple traction tests, it appears that Tesla’s midsize sedan is an electric car that simply won’t slip.
The Model 3 Dual Motor AWD’s tests were conducted by duszaniespokojna – 4×4 tests on rollers, a group on YouTube that performs traction tests for various vehicles, including dedicated off-roaders like the Land Rover Discovery and the Suzuki Jimny to city cars like the Audi A6 and the Toyota Rav4. Through a series of tests with the rollers in varying configurations, the team is able to demonstrate how vehicles are able to find their traction in tricky conditions.
The Model 3 Dual Motor AWD is not designed or marketed as an off-road vehicle by any means, but its results from the group’s roller tests showed that the electric car is capable of finding its traction with such simple proficiency that it can easily breeze through the roller tests, both in its standard and Slip Start settings. Even a tricky test that involved three of the Model 3’s wheels being on rollers was completed without any issue.
This is particularly impressive considering that the Model 3 is, for all intents and purposes, a city car like the Audi A6, which is equipped with the German automaker’s iconic quattro technology. Audi has made an indelible mark in the auto market with its rally-bred AWD system, but even quattro vehicles like the A6 sedan exhibit some difficulty when tested with rollers on three of its wheels.
Part of the reason behind the Model 3’s stellar results in the 4×4 tests on rollers lies in the vehicle’s all-electric design. Being equipped with an electric motor both front and back, the Model 3 is able to produce a lot of torque from the get-go. Couple this with the Model 3’s notable weight due to its large, floor-mounted battery pack, as well as the fact that all of the vehicle’s wheels are electronically controlled, and one ends up with an all-electric family sedan that simply does not slip.
The Tesla Model 3 is steadily proving that it pays to be a vehicle that is designed from the ground up to be all-electric. The midsize sedan’s stellar safety ratings from both the NHTSA and the Euro NCAP were due in no small part to the car’s all-electric design, which gives the Model 3 large crumple zones in the event of a crash. The floor-mounted battery pack of the Model 3 also provides the vehicle with great stability, allowing the electric car to ace the infamous Moose Test. This time around, it is the vehicle’s electronics and its motors’ instant torque that played a part in acing a test that can put even Audi’s iconic quattro system to shame.
Here’s how the Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor AWD performed in the 4×4 test on rollers.
And here’s how an Audi A6 TDI quattro performed in a similar test.
News
Tesla revamped Semi spotted, insane 1.2 MW charging video releases
These developments highlight Tesla’s ongoing refinements to the vehicle’s design and infrastructure.
Tesla is gearing up for high-volume Semi production in 2026, with the Class 8 all-electric truck’s revamped variant being spotted in the wild recently. Official footage from Tesla also showed the Semi achieving an impressive 1.2 MW charging rate on a charger.
These developments highlight Tesla’s ongoing refinements to the vehicle’s design and infrastructure.
Revamped Tesla Semi sighting
Tesla Semi advocate @HinrichsZane, who has been chronicling the progress of the vehicle’s Nevada factory, recently captured exclusive drone footage of the refreshed Class 8 truck at a Megacharger stall near Giga Nevada. The white unit features a full-width front light bar similar to the Model Y and the Cybercab, shorter side windows, a cleared fairing area likely for an additional camera, and diamond plate traction strips on the steps.
Overall, the revamped Semi looks ready for production and release. The sighting marks one of the first real-life views of the Class 8 all-electric truck’s updated design, with most improvements, such as potential 4680 cells and enhanced internals, being hidden from view.
1.2 MW charging speed and a new connector
The official Tesla Semi account on X also shared an official video of Tesla engineers hitting 1.2 MW sustained charging on a Megacharger, demonstrating the vehicle’s capability for extremely rapid charging. Tesla Semi program lead Dan Priestley confirmed in a later post on X that the test occurred at a dedicated site, noting that chargers at the Semi factory in Nevada are also 1.2 MW capable.
The short video featured a revamped design for the Semi’s charging port, which seems more sleek and akin to the NACS port found in Tesla’s other vehicles. It also showed the Tesla engineers cheering as the vehicle achieved 1.2 MW during its charging session. Dan Priestley explained the Semi’s updated charging plug in a post on X.
“The connector on the prior Semi was an early version (v2.4) of MCS. Not ‘proprietary’ as anyone could have used it. We couldn’t wait for final design to have >1MW capability, so we ran with what had been developed thus far. New Semi has latest MCS that is set to be standard,” the executive wrote in a post on X.
Check out the Tesla Semi’s sighting at the Nevada factory in the video below.
News
Tesla FSD successfully completes full coast-to-coast drive with zero interventions
Tesla community members celebrated the milestone on X, and the feat earned praise from some of the electric vehicle maker’s executives.
A Tesla owner has successfully completed a full coast-to-coast drive across the United States on Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised. The trip was accomplished with zero interventions.
Tesla community members celebrated the milestone on X, and the feat earned praise from some of the electric vehicle maker’s executives.
FSD Coast-to-Coast
The coast-to-coast feat was accomplished by Tesla owner Davis Moss, who drives a stealth gray Model 3 with AI4 hardware. Based on data from the FSD database and a community tracker, the last 10,638.8 miles Moss drove in his Model 3 were completed using FSD 100% of the time. His vehicle is equipped with FSD v14.2.1.25, which was installed 12 days ago.
As per Moss in a celebratory post on X, his Model 3 was able to complete a full coast-to-coast drive across the United States in 2 days and 20 hours. His trip started at the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, CA, and it ended in Myrtle Beach, SC. Overall, his trip spanned 2,732.4 miles.
“This was accomplished with Tesla FSD V14.2 with absolutely 0 disengagements of any kind even for all parking including at Tesla Superchargers,” Moss stated in his post. He also added in later comments that there were zero close calls during the trip.
Tesla community celebrates
The FSD milestone trip was widely lauded by members of the Tesla community, especially since a coast-to-coast drive with zero interventions has been cited by Elon Musk as a target since October 2016, when Autopilot 2.0 was unveiled. At the time, Musk initially estimated that a coast-to-coast drive across the United States should be possible by the end of 2017. Considering Moss’ feat in his Model 3, it appears that Elon Musk’s estimate was not impossible at all. It was just late.
Musk himself celebrated the milestone on X, and so did Tesla VP of AI Software Ashok Elluswamy, who wrote “World’s first fully autonomous coast-to-coast drive, done with Tesla self-driving v14. Congrats and thank you @DavidMoss!” in a post on X. The official Tesla North America account also celebrated the feat, writing “First Tesla to drive itself from coast to coast w/ FSD Supervised. 0 interventions, all FSD” on X.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk: Tesla Model Y is world’s best-selling car for 3rd year in a row
The Model Y has now established an impressive streak that would otherwise have been impossible before Tesla.
Elon Musk has announced that the Tesla Model Y has become the world’s best-selling car by volume for the third consecutive year, capping 2025 with another dominant performance.
The Model Y has now established an impressive streak that would otherwise have been impossible before Tesla.
Three years in a row
Musk posted on X: “Tesla Model Y is now officially the world’s best-selling car for the third year in a row!” The CEO’s comment echoed an update that Tesla included in its 2025 recap, which highlighted, among other things, the Model Y’s incredible streak.
The Model Y has held the title since 2023, outperforming traditional leaders like the Toyota RAV4 and Corolla thanks to its bang-for-the-buck nature and its stellar combination of practicality, performance, and tech. The Model Y is also lauded as one of the safest vehicles on the road, making it an ideal choice for families in key markets such as China.
An impressive 2025
The Model Y’s sales feat in 2025 is especially impressive considering the introduction of the vehicle’s new variant. Tesla’s changeover to the new Model Y across its global factories resulted in sales being paused for some time in the first quarter. As per Tesla’s Q1 2025 vehicle delivery and production report, “the changeover of Model Y lines across all four of our factories led to the loss of several weeks of production in Q1.”
This suggests that the Model Y’s sales remained strong in 2025 to the point where it could still claim the title of the world’s best-selling vehicle by volume, even with its sales being throttled during the first quarter of the year. It would then be interesting to see just how far the Model Y can go in 2026, especially considering the rollout of new variants like the six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y L, the affordable Model Y Standard, and the top-tier Model Y Performance.
Tesla revamped Semi spotted, insane 1.2 MW charging video releases
Tesla FSD successfully completes full coast-to-coast drive with zero interventions
