News
Tesla Model 3 converts Global Warming denier to EVs: “Its been a hell of a ride”
The Tesla Model 3 is starting to spread like wildfire in the United States, and the vehicle is expected to enter the international markets in the next few months. Since its release, the Model 3 has been garnering praise from electric car enthusiasts and auto critics alike, to the point where even seasoned veterans in the auto field have given their approval based on the vehicle’s merits alone.
One such veteran is Henry Payne from The Detroit News. Payne is a true-blooded gearhead in every sense of the word, with experience as a racecar driver and a professional automotive critic. While speaking in a recent segment of Autoline TV on YouTube, Payne admitted that he is the farthest thing from being an environmentally-conscious car buyer. And yet, Payne stated that he has personally bought a Long Range Model 3 RWD in Obsidian Black. Describing his reasons behind his purchase of the vehicle, the auto journalist stated that he bought the car simply because no other vehicles on the road today are like it.
“It’s different, and that’s the point. It is so different than any car I’ve ever driven. And, I’m not a global warming believer, I’ve grown up at the racetrack, I’m not a greenie, but since driving the first Model S Tesla I got into two years ago, there’s nothing like these vehicles on the market. And there is also no other viable auto startup in my lifetime,” he said.
Payne further stated that he has been very happy with his Model 3 purchase. Being a racecar driver, the auto veteran stated that he favors cars that are RWD, and in that sense, his Model 3 has not disappointed. Payne also stated that he has taken his electric car to the track multiple times, and it impressed him with its performance and quality so far.
“When Tesla got flooded with 400,000 orders in April 2016, I thought ‘I need to be part of this story.’ I want to see if this startup automaker can produce what’s promised at this kind of volume, and it has not disappointed. It is not only the car’s lived up to expectations, but it’s been a hell of a ride,” Payne said.
Payne did state that there are some drawbacks that he noticed about his Model 3. His car is the non-Performance variant, and thus, is not equipped with larger brakes like the Model 3 Performance. Apart from this, the automotive journalist also noted that the vehicle’s over-the-air updates, which are akin to those that his smartphone receives, changed some features that he has grown fond of. That said, Payne notes that he is very fond of the Model 3, and it has been well worth his wait.
To say that the stakes were high for Tesla when it launched the Model 3 is an understatement. Elon Musk himself dubbed the vehicle’s ramp as a “bet-the-company” situation, a project that could spell Tesla’s success or failure. Tesla’s painful ramp for the Model 3 has been well-documented, though things started to fall into place when the company finally hit its stride with the vehicle’s production in the latter parts of the third quarter.
Reviews of the Model 3 have been stellar. From the initial reviews of the Long Range RWD variants to the more recent Track Mode tests of the Performance version, the vehicle has garnered praise. As buyers like Henry Payne from The Detroit News indicate, the Tesla Model 3 does not just attract a lot of attention because it is a green car; it attracts a lot of interest simply because it is a great car — period.
Watch Henry Payne’s segment about his Tesla Model 3 in the video below.
Tesla Cybertruck is significantly different from traditional pickups on the market in a lot of ways. However, one feature that was recently modified with its interior was a highly requested characteristic that is present in other trucks, but was void from Cybertruck.
Tesla went with a five-seat configuration with Cybertruck: two in the front and three in the back. The spacious interior is matched with plenty of storage, especially up front, as a pass-through, center console, and other storage options, but some Tesla fans wanted something different: bench seating.
Bench seating is popular in many full-size pickups and allows three passengers to sit up front. The middle seat is usually accompanied by a fold-down storage unit with cupholders.
Tesla decided to opt for no bench seating up front, despite the fact that it equipped bench seating in the unveiling in 2019. Interior photos from the unveiling event from nearly six-and-a-half years ago show Tesla had originally planned to have a six-seat configuration.
This was adjusted after the company refined the design:
(Tesla Cybertruck interior configuration in 2019)
Despite Tesla abandoning this design, it does not mean owners were willing to accept it. One owner decided to modify their Tesla Cybertruck interior to equip that third seat between the driver’s and passenger’s thrones.
The fit is snug, and while it looks great, it is important to remember that this does not abide byregulations, as it would require an airbag to be technically legal. Please do not do this at home with your own Cybertruck:
-
- Credit: @blueskykites
-
- Credit: @blueskykites
-
- Credit: @blueskykites
The Cybertruck is a popular vehicle in terms of publicity, but its sales have been underwhelming since first delivered to customers back in 2023. It’s hard to believe it’s been out for two-and-a-half years, but despite this, Tesla has not been able to come through on its extensive order sheet.
This is mostly due to price, as Cybertruck was simply not as affordable as Tesla originally planned. Its three configurations were initially priced at $39,990, $49,990, and $69,990. At release, Cybertruck was priced above $100,000.
This priced out many of those who had placed orders, which is the main reason Cybertruck has not lived up to its expectations in terms of sales. The adjustments to the specific features, like the removal of the bench seat, likely did not impact sales as much as pricing did.
This modification shows some creativity by Tesla owners, but also shows that the Cybertruck could always be the subject of a potential refresh to include some of these features. Tesla routinely adjusts its vehicle designs every few years, so maybe the Cybertruck could get something like this if it chooses to refresh its all-electric pickup.
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk drops massive bomb about Cybercab
“And there is so much to this car that is not obvious on the surface,” Musk said.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk dropped a massive bomb about the Cybercab, which is the company’s fully autonomous ride-hailing vehicle that will enter production later this year.
The Cybercab was unveiled back in October 2024 at the company’s “We, Robot” event in Los Angeles, and is among the major catalysts for the company’s growth in the coming years. It is expected to push Tesla into a major growth phase, especially as the automaker is transitioning into more of an AI and Robotics company than anything else.
The Cybercab will enable completely autonomous ride-hailing for Tesla, and although its other vehicles will also be capable of this technology, the Cybercab is slightly different. It will have no steering wheel or pedals, and will allow two occupants to travel from Point A to Point B with zero responsibilities within the car.
Tesla shares epic 2025 recap video, confirms start of Cybercab production
Details on the Cybercab are pretty face value at this point: we know Tesla is enabling 1-2 passengers to ride in it at a time, and this strategy was based on statistics that show most ride-hailing trips have no more than two occupants. It will also have in-vehicle entertainment options accessible from the center touchscreen.
It will also have wireless charging capabilities, which were displayed at “We, Robot,” and there could be more features that will be highly beneficial to riders, offering a full-fledged autonomous experience.
Musk dropped a big hint that there is much more to the Cybercab than what we know, as a post on X said that “there is so much to this car that is not obvious on the surface.”
And there is so much to this car that is not obvious on the surface
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2026
As the Cybercab is expected to enter production later this year, Tesla is surely going to include a handful of things they have not yet revealed to the public.
Musk seems to be indicating that some of the features will make it even more groundbreaking, and the idea is to enable a truly autonomous experience from start to finish for riders. Everything from climate control to emergency systems, and more, should be included with the car.
It seems more likely than not that Tesla will make the Cybercab its smartest vehicle so far, as if its current lineup is not already extremely intelligent, user-friendly, and intuitive.
Investor's Corner
Tesla Q4 delivery numbers are better than they initially look: analyst
The Deepwater Asset Management Managing Partner shared his thoughts in a post on his website.
Longtime Tesla analyst and Deepwater Asset Management Managing Partner Gene Munster has shared his insights on Tesla’s Q4 2025 deliveries. As per the analyst, Tesla’s numbers are actually better than they first appear.
Munster shared his thoughts in a post on his website.
Normalized December Deliveries
Munster noted that Tesla delivered 418k vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2025, slightly below Street expectations of 420k but above the whisper number of 415k. Tesla’s reported 16% year-over-year decline, compared to +7% in September, is largely distorted by the timing of the tax credit expiration, which pulled forward demand.
“Taking a step back, we believe September deliveries pulled forward approximately 55k units that would have otherwise occurred in December or March. For simplicity, we assume the entire pull-forward impacted the December quarter. Under this assumption, September growth would have been down ~5% absent the 55k pull-forward, a Deepwater estimate tied to the credit’s expiration.
“For December deliveries to have declined ~5% year over year would imply total deliveries of roughly 470k. Subtracting the 55k units pulled into September results in an implied December delivery figure of approximately 415k. The reported 418k suggests that, when normalizing for the tax credit timing, quarter-over-quarter growth has been consistently down ~5%. Importantly, this ~5% decline represents an improvement from the ~13% declines seen in both the March and June 2025 quarters.“
Tesla’s United States market share
Munster also estimated that Q4 as a whole might very well show a notable improvement in Tesla’s market share in the United States.
“Over the past couple of years, based on data from Cox Automotive, Tesla has been losing U.S. EV market share, declining to just under 50%. Based on data for October and November, Cox estimates that total U.S. EV sales were down approximately 35%, compared to Tesla’s just reported down 16% for the full quarter. For the first two months of the quarter, Cox reported Tesla market share of roughly a 65% share, up from under 50% in the September quarter.
“While this data excludes December, the quarter as a whole is likely to show a material improvement in Tesla’s U.S. EV market share.“
Tesla Cybertruck undergoes interior mod that many owners wanted
Tesla CEO Elon Musk drops massive bomb about Cybercab
