News
Tesla is charming Chinese customers with the Model 3’s excellent efficiency
Tesla Model 3 owners in China are taking to local social media platforms to express their appreciation of their electric cars. While China is already saturated with electric vehicles from local manufacturers, customers are noticing that Teslas are a cut above the average EV not only in design and performance, but in metrics such as battery consumption as well.
Tesla owner-enthusiast and Model S/X owner @ray4tesla recently shared some of these posts from Chinese social media. One Tesla owner remarked that his Model 3, which is a Long Range RWD variant, has been showing an average consumption of 14 kwh/100 km (225.31 Wh/mi). These figures were far superior to the usual consumption of competitors, which average 20 kwh/100 km (321.87 Wh/mi) or more.
It could be said that battery efficiency is one of the concepts that Tesla has mastered over the years. Faced with more electric vehicles from competitors today, the superiority of Teslas in battery consumption is difficult to argue. During a highway test between the Tesla Model X and the Jaguar I-PACE last year, for example, reviewers from nextmove in Germany were quite astonished to see a large gap in efficiency between the two SUVs. The company found that the I-PACE’s consumption averaged 22.5 kWh/100 km (362 Wh/mi) at speeds between 93 km/h (58 mph) and 110 km/h (68 mph), far higher than the larger and heavier Tesla Model X’s 17.5 kWh/100 km (282 Wh/mi).
Tesla also showcased its pedigree in efficiency in its recent refresh of the Model S and Model X. Both vehicles’ Long Range versions retained their 100 kWh battery pack after the update, but the cars showed a ~10% improvement in range. A test of the refreshed Model S by MotorTrend hinted that the electric sedan might be capable of achieving 400 miles of range per charge. That’s comparable to the range of Rivian’s top-tier R1S and R1T, and those trucks are equipped with a 180 kWh pack.
China’s fondness for the Tesla Model 3 appears to be increasing by the month. Since deliveries of the vehicle started in the first quarter, Chinese customers have given the Model 3 a warm welcome. The reception is not surprising, considering that the electric sedan is pretty much the best bang-for-your-buck Tesla in the country today. The Model 3 Performance is particularly compelling for buyers as well, thanks to its competitive price against rivals like the BMW M3.
What is rather interesting is that Tesla’s Model 3 push into China is only in its initial stages. Gigafactory 3, which is under construction in Shanghai, is designed to produce affordable versions of the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y SUV once it is operational. The facility’s buildout has been incredibly quick, with the factory shell of the project’s Phase 1 area now coming into form. Barring any unexpected delays, estimates point to Model 3 production trial runs to begin as early as September.
News
Tesla ‘Mad Max’ gets its first bit of regulatory attention
Tesla “Mad Max” mode has gotten its first bit of regulatory attention, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has asked for additional information on the Speed Profile.
A few weeks ago, Tesla officially launched a new Speed Profile for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) known as “Mad Max,” which overtook the “Hurry” mode for the fastest setting FSD offers.
Tesla launches ‘Mad Max’ Full Self-Driving Speed Profile, its fastest yet
It launched with Full Self-Driving v14.1.2, and it was no secret that the company was looking for a new mode that would cater to more aggressive driving styles.
The release notes showed the description of the Speed Profile as:
“Introduced new speed profile MAD MAX, which comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than Hurry.”
It certainly lived up to its description. In our testing, it was aggressive, fast, and drove similarly to some of the more challenging traffic patterns I’ve come across.
In normal highway driving, it was one of the quicker cars on the road, while other applications saw it be a suitable version for navigating things like rush-hour traffic.
Here’s what my experience with it was:
🚨 Tesla “Mad Max” testing on FSD v14.1.2
It drives like a human being! Consistent lane changes, keeps up with quicker traffic, very refined
Well done Tesla Team pic.twitter.com/wzTucDhczA
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 19, 2025
While Tesla owners have certainly enjoyed the feature and the behaviors of Mad Max, the NHTSA said it is in contact with Tesla about it, looking to gather additional information. Additionally, it said:
“The human behind the wheel is fully responsible for driving the vehicle and complying with all traffic safety laws.”
The important thing to note with Mad Max mode, along with the other Speed Profiles, is that the driver can choose whichever one they’d like, and they all cater to different driving styles.
While Mad Max is more aggressive, modes like “Sloth” and “Standard” are significantly more conservative and can be more suitable for those who are not comfortable with the faster, more spirited versions.
News
Tesla shares AI5 chip’s ambitious production roadmap details
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed new details about the company’s next-generation AI5 chip, describing it as “an amazing design.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed new details about the company’s next-generation AI5 chip, describing it as “an amazing design” that could outperform its predecessor by a notable margin. Speaking during Tesla’s Q3 2025 earnings call, Musk outlined how the chip will be manufactured in partnership with both Samsung and TSMC, with production based entirely in the United States.
What makes AI5 special
According to Musk, the AI5 represents a complete evolution of Tesla’s in-house AI hardware, building on lessons learned from the AI4 system currently used in its vehicles and data centers. “By some metrics, the AI5 chip will be 40x better than the AI4 chip, not 40%, 40x,” Musk said during the Q3 2025 earnings call. He credited Tesla’s unique vertical integration for the breakthrough, noting that the company designs both the software and hardware stack for its self-driving systems.
To streamline the new chip, Tesla eliminated several traditional components, including the legacy GPU and image signal processor, since the AI5 architecture already incorporates those capabilities. Musk explained that these deletions allow the chip to fit within a half-reticle design, improving efficiency and power management.
“This is a beautiful chip,” Musk said. “I’ve poured so much life energy into this chip personally, and I’m confident this is going to be a winner.”
Tesla’s dual manufacturing strategy for AI5
Musk confirmed that both Samsung’s Texas facility and TSMC’s Arizona plant will fabricate AI5 chips, with each partner contributing to early production. “It makes sense to have both Samsung and TSMC focus on AI5,” the CEO said, adding that while Samsung has slightly more advanced equipment, both fabs will support Tesla’s U.S.-based production goals.
Tesla’s explicit objective, according to Musk, is to create an oversupply of AI5 chips. The surplus units could be used in Tesla’s vehicles, humanoid robots, or data centers, which already use a mix of AI4 and NVIDIA hardware for training. “We’re not about to replace NVIDIA,” Musk clarified. “But if we have too many AI5 chips, we can always put them in the data center.”
Musk emphasized that Tesla’s focus on designing for a single customer gives it a massive advantage in simplicity and optimization. “NVIDIA… (has to) satisfy a large range of requirements from many customers. Tesla only has to satisfy one customer, Tesla,” he said. This, Musk stressed, allows Tesla to delete unnecessary complexity and deliver what could be the best performance per watt and per dollar in the industry once AI5 production scales.
Energy
Tesla VP hints at Solar Roof comeback with Giga New York push
The comments hint at possible renewed life for the Solar Roof program, which has seen years of slow growth since its 2016 unveiling.
Tesla’s long-awaited and way underrated Solar Roof may finally be getting its moment. During the company’s Q3 2025 earnings call, Vice President of Energy Engineering Michael Snyder revealed that production of a new residential solar panel has started at Tesla’s Buffalo, New York facility, with shipments to customers beginning in the first quarter of 2026.
The comments hint at possible renewed life for the Solar Roof program, which has seen years of slow growth since its 2016 unveiling.
Tesla Energy’s strong demand
Responding to an investor question about Tesla’s energy backlog, Snyder said demand for Megapack and Powerwall continues to be “really strong” into next year. He also noted positive customer feedback for the company’s new Megablock product, which is expected to start shipping from Houston in 2026.
“We’re seeing remarkable growth in the demand for AI and data center applications as hyperscalers and utilities have seen the versatility of the Megapack product. It increases reliability and relieves grid constraints,” he said.
Snyder also highlighted a “surge in residential solar demand in the US,” attributing the spike to recent policy changes that incentivize home installations. Tesla expects this trend to continue into 2026, helped by the rollout of a new solar lease product that makes adoption more affordable for homeowners.
Possible Solar Roof revival?
Perhaps the most intriguing part of Snyder’s remarks, however, was Tesla’s move to begin production of its “residential solar panel” in Buffalo, New York. He described the new panels as having “industry-leading aesthetics” and shape performance, language Tesla has used to market its Solar Roof tiles in the past.
“We also began production of our Tesla residential solar panel in our Buffalo factory, and we will be shipping that to customers starting Q1. The panel has industry-leading aesthetics and shape performance and demonstrates our continued commitment to US manufacturing,” Snyder said during the Q3 2025 earnings call.
Snyder did not explicitly name the product, though his reference to aesthetics has fueled speculation that Tesla may finally be preparing a large-scale and serious rollout of its Solar Roof line.
Originally unveiled in 2016, the Solar Roof was intended to transform rooftops into clean energy generators without compromising on design. However, despite early enthusiasm, production and installation volumes have remained limited for years. In 2023, a report from Wood Mackenzie claimed that there were only 3,000 operational Solar Roof installations across the United States at the time, far below forecasts. In response, the official Tesla Energy account on X stated that the report was “incorrect by a large margin.”
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