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Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor joins Performance variant in beating company 0-60 estimates

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Just like the Tesla Model 3 Performance, owners’ accounts and videos taken of the (non-performance) Model 3 Dual Motor AWD suggest that the vehicle is capable of performing better than Tesla’s own estimates.

Tesla lists the Model 3 Dual Motor AWD with a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, a top speed of 145 mph, and 310 miles of range, placing it midway between the Performance and the Long Range RWD version of the vehicle. The Model 3 Performance is rated with a 0-60 mph of 3.5 seconds, a top speed of 155 mph, and a range of 310 miles per charge, while the Long Range RWD Model 3 is listed with a 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds, a top speed of 140 mph, and a range of 310 miles on a full battery.

 Among the first Model 3 Dual Motor AWD owners that shared his experience online was r/TeslaMotors subreddit member u/Cynapse, who conducted two 0-60 mph runs in his electric car. In one run, the vehicle was able to hit 60 mph in 4.33 seconds, .17 seconds faster than Tesla’s estimates. More recently, another Dual Motor AWD owner who goes by the username Geek Hero on YouTube recorded another 4.3-second 0-60 mph run.

A comparative table of Tesla’s current Model 3 offerings. [Credit: Tesla]

So far, tests involving the acceleration of the Model 3 Dual Motor AWD involved the electric cars’ owners measuring sections of their videos frame-by-frame, similar to how Tesla owner-enthusiast DÆrik calculated his first tests of the Model 3 Performance.

These early tests from owners suggest that the electric car actually exceeds Tesla’s listed specs. Tesla appears to have done this to every vehicle in the Model 3 series so far. When the Long Range RWD variant was released, initial acceleration tests showed that the car was capable of hitting 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, half a second faster than Tesla’s estimates. Later updates on the Model 3 appear to have addressed this, with the Long Range RWD version now exhibiting 0-60 times more consistent with Tesla’s 5.1-second estimate.

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Recent VBOX tests of the Model 3 Performance have also proven that the vehicle is much faster than Tesla’s figures. With a full battery, a VBOX-recorded run in the Model 3 Performance showed that the electric car was capable of hitting 60 mph in 3.18 seconds, even on stock tires. Without a full charge, VBOX runs of the Model 3 Performance showed a consistent 0-60 time of 3.3 seconds.

It remains to be seen if Tesla would eventually adjust the Model 3 Dual Motor AWD’s performance the same way it addressed the Long Range RWD variant’s speed. For now, at least, owners of the non-performance dual motor electric car can enjoy the fact that their vehicles seem to be faster than what they expected them to be.

Watch the Model 3 Dual Motor AWD sprint from 0-60 mph 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 Powerwall distribution expands in Australia

Inventory is expected to arrive in late February and official sales are expected to start mid-March 2026.

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Credit: Tesla

Supply Partners Group has secured a distribution agreement for the Tesla Powerwall in Australia, with inventory expected to arrive in late February and official sales beginning in mid-March 2026.

Under the new agreement, Supply Partners will distribute Tesla Powerwall units and related accessories across its national footprint, as noted in an ecogeneration report. The company said the addition strengthens its position as a distributor focused on premium, established brands.

“We are proud to officially welcome Tesla Powerwall into the Supply Partners portfolio,” Lliam Ricketts, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Supply Partners Group, stated.

“Tesla sets a high bar, and we’ve worked hard to earn the opportunity to represent a brand that customers actively ask for. This partnership reflects the strength of our logistics, technical services and customer experience, and it’s a win for installers who want premium options they can trust.”

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Supply Partners noted that initial Tesla Powerwall stock will be warehoused locally before full commercial rollout in March. The distributor stated that the timing aligns with renewed growth momentum for the Powerwall, supported by competitive installer pricing, consumer rebates, and continued product and software updates.

“Powerwall is already a category-defining product, and what’s ahead makes it even more compelling,” Ricketts stated. “As pricing sharpens and capability expands, we see a clear runway for installers to confidently spec Powerwall for premium residential installs, backed by Supply Partners’ national distribution footprint and service model.”

Supply Partners noted that a joint go-to-market launch is planned, including Tesla-led training for its sales and technical teams to support installers during the home battery system’s domestic rollout.

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Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk

The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.

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Credit: Andre Thierig/X

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”

Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.

According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.

While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report. 

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The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.

The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.

Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.

The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.

A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:

We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.

This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.

FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.

Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.

When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:

There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.

Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.

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