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Feature: Tesla Model 3 customers share worries about white interior delays and free FSD transfers
When Tesla launched the upgraded Tesla Model 3 in the United States, many EV enthusiasts were excited. The updated all-electric sedan was initially launched in China in late August 2023, so the anticipation for the vehicle in the US was palpable. For a growing number of Tesla Model 3 customers, however, the excitement for receiving their new all-electric sedans is starting to become an experience that’s filled with delays and a growing amount of frustration.
The Upgraded Tesla Model 3
The upgraded Tesla Model 3 is currently only offered in two variants — the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and Model 3 Long Range All Wheel Drive (AWD). Both vehicles are available with either a free Black interior or Tesla’s popular, futuristic Black and White interior, which is a $1,500 option. Tesla’s Black and White interiors have become iconic over the years for their futuristic, clean, and airy look, so it was no surprise that numerous upgraded Model 3 customers ordered their vehicles with the paid interior option.
But as shared with Teslarati by a number of new Model 3 customers, Tesla has been continually pushing back the expected delivery dates of vehicles that were ordered with Black and White interior. So notable were the delays that some Tesla Model 3 customers are now concerned that they might pass the deadline for free FSD Capability transfers before they could take delivery of their vehicles. Some are also getting hit by a growing number of inconveniences and annoyances due to the delays in their vehicle orders.
Black and White Delays
An overview of the issue could be found in an upgraded Model 3 order tracker aggregated by customers of the revamped all-electric sedan. As could be seen in the community tracker, some new Model 3 customers who ordered their vehicle with a Black and White interior have seen their estimated delivery dates moved back 12 times. This has become quite frustrating for Model 3 customers, especially those who placed an order for the vehicle right after its US launch in January.
For customers who placed an order for an upgraded Model 3 with a Black and White interior in January, the wait for their vehicles has become substantial. And with some estimated delivery dates being pushed back from January/February 2024 to late May 2024, some are seemingly looking at an almost five-month wait for their new Model 3. This is quite a strange situation considering that some members in forums such as the Tesla Motors Club who ordered the new Model 3 with the default Black interior were able to receive their VINs and take delivery relatively quickly.
Free FSD Capability Transfer Concerns
Tesla’s official website notes that customers who take delivery of a new vehicle, including the new Model 3, by the end of Q1 2024 could qualify for a free Full Self-Driving (FSD) Capability transfer. This has caused a considerable amount of stress for upgraded Model 3 customers who ordered their vehicles with Black and White interiors. Tesla did note on its official X account that “any customer who had a timeline shift will be able to take advantage of FSD transfer.” This, however, is not yet reflected in the company’s Full Self-Driving Capability Transfer Agreement, at least as of writing.
Full Self-Driving is steadily becoming more and more refined, so it is no wonder that some upgraded Tesla Model 3 customers opted to order their vehicles to take advantage of the company’s free FSD Capability transfer program. It is then also no surprise that some new Model 3 customers have noted in online forums that they may cancel their vehicle orders if their free FSD Capability transfer is not honored.
Customer Headaches
Perhaps one of the reasons behind the frustration of the new Model 3 customers is Tesla’s reported lack of communication about delays in their vehicle orders. Simply pushing back the new Model 3 with Black and White interior’s estimated delivery dates without communication fosters a bad customer experience, after all, and essentially turning customers’ wait times from what was supposed to be just one to two months into what is now looking to be nearly five months is just as worse.
As per some upgraded Model 3 customers who got in touch with Teslarati, the multiple estimated delivery date delays and overall lack of communication from the EV maker have caught them off guard. Some have reported seeing their financing applications expiring due to the delays, reportedly adversely affecting their credit scores. Others have ended up renting cars for now because they did not expect the delays in their new Model 3 with Black and White interior to be this notable. Others have also noted that they have resorted to borrowing cars from relatives, though one cannot deny that borrowing a car for several months may be a bit of an awkward affair.
“I myself don’t have a vehicle anymore so I am borrowing cars from relatives. Borrowing cars for a month or two is one thing. Borrowing for five months is insane,” one new Tesla Model 3 customer wrote to Teslarati.
Hopefully, Tesla could shed some light on this matter.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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:
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- Credit: @blueskykites
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- Credit: @blueskykites
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- 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
