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Tesla Model 3 sets new EV Cannonball Run record at 48 hrs 10 mins

(Credit: futurematters/YouTube)

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A Swiss family on vacation in the United States recently set a new EV Cannonball Run record, completing a journey from the Red Ball Garage in NYC to the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach, CA, in 48 hours 10 minutes. The feat was accomplished in an unmodified 2018 Model 3 Long Range RWD equipped with Tesla’s 19″ Sport Wheels. 

The Thomsen family are longtime Tesla owners, having owned several of the company’s vehicles since 2012. While planning their 2019 vacation in the US, the idea of an epic road trip came up. It did not take long before the family decided to conduct an EV Cannonball Run instead. 

The “team” for the EV Cannonball Run was comprised of Lars Thomsen, a future researcher and lecturer, his wife, musician-entrepreneur Betty Legler, and their daughter, Robin, who just received her driver’s license two weeks before the US trip. Interestingly, the Model 3 that the family used was purchased in January 2018, used in Europe between May 2018 and June 2019, then reimported to the US on June 2019. 

The family started the 2,835-mile trip in New York City at the Red Ball Garage on 31st and 3rd Avenue on Friday, July 12 at 11:02 pm EDT. Being a family road trip, the Thomsens kept the vehicle’s creature comforts on throughout the entire duration of the journey. The temperature inside the Model 3’s cabin was set at around 70 degrees, and the AC was on 100% of the way. The car also carried about 840 lbs (380 kg) of payload, comprised of its three passengers, luggage and supplies. 

Over the course of the trip, the Thomsens averaged a speed of 58.9 mph (94.8 km/h), and stopped 19 times to charge at Tesla Superchargers. The trip also consumed a total of 832 kWh of energy, averaging 293 Wh/mi (182 Wh/km). It should be noted that while all three members of the family took turns behind the wheel of the Model 3, Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assist system, as well as its Navigate on Autopilot feature, took care of the overwhelming majority of the driving in the trip. The Thomsens arrived at the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach at 08:12 pm PDT on Sunday, July 14, making the over 2,800-mile journey a 48-hour 10-minute trip. 

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The Swiss family’s record-setting trip beat the previous EV Cannonball Run record, which was achieved on December 2017 in a Tesla Model 3 LR RWD with 18″ Aero Wheels. The journey, which was pulled off by automotive journalist Alex Roy and the vehicle’s owner, Daniel Zorrilla, was completed in 50 hours, 16 minutes. It should be noted that Roy and Zorilla’s EV Cannonball Run run was conducted in the dead of winter, which, as the automotive journalist candidly admitted in his Twitter updates during the trip, affected the electric car and its occupants. 

Watch a time-lapse of the Thomsen family’s record-setting EV Cannonball Run in the video below. 

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 Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow

So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease.

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Credit: Grok

Tesla Full Self-Driving is getting its first taste of Winter weather for late 2025, as snow is starting to fall all across the United States.

The suite has been vastly improved after Tesla released v14 to many owners with capable hardware, and driving performance, along with overall behavior, has really been something to admire. This is by far the best version of FSD Tesla has ever released, and although there are a handful of regressions with each subsequent release, they are usually cleared up within a week or two.

Tesla is releasing a modified version of FSD v14 for Hardware 3 owners: here’s when

However, adverse weather conditions are something that Tesla will have to confront, as heavy rain, snow, and other interesting situations are bound to occur. In order for the vehicles to be fully autonomous, they will have to go through these scenarios safely and accurately.

One big issue I’ve had, especially in heavy rain, is that the camera vision might be obstructed, which will display messages that certain features’ performance might be degraded.

So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease:

Moving into the winter months, it will be very interesting to see how FSD handles even more concerning conditions, especially with black ice, freezing rain and snow mix, and other things that happen during colder conditions.

We are excited to test it ourselves, but I am waiting for heavy snowfall to make it to Pennsylvania so I can truly push it to the limit.

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Tesla hosts Rome Mayor for first Italian FSD Supervised road demo

The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets.

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Credit: @andst7/X

Tesla definitely seems to be actively engaging European officials on FSD’s capabilities, with the company hosting Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Mobility Assessor Eugenio Patanè for a hands-on road demonstration. 

The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets. This comes amid Tesla’s push for FSD’s EU regulatory approvals in the coming year.

Rome officials experience FSD Supervised

Tesla conducted the demo using a Model 3 equipped with Full Self-Driving (Supervised), tackling typical Roman traffic including complex intersections, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings and mixed users like cars, bikes and scooters.

The system showcased AI-based assisted driving, prioritizing safety while maintaining flow. FSD also handled overtakes and lane decisions, though with constant driver supervision.

Investor Andrea Stroppa detailed the event on X, noting the system’s potential to reduce severe collision risks by up to seven times compared to traditional driving, based on Tesla’s data from billions of global fleet miles. The session highlighted FSD’s role as an assistance tool in its Supervised form, not a replacement, with the driver fully responsible at all times.

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Path to European rollout

Tesla has logged over 1 million kilometers of testing across 17 European countries, including Italy, to refine FSD for local conditions. The fact that Rome officials personally tested FSD Supervised bodes well for the program’s approval, as it suggests that key individuals are closely watching Tesla’s efforts and innovations.

Assessor Patanè also highlighted the administration’s interest in technologies that boost road safety and urban travel quality, viewing them as aids for both private and public transport while respecting rules.

Replies on X urged involving Italy’s Transport Ministry to speed approvals, with one user noting, “Great idea to involve the mayor! It would be necessary to involve components of the Ministry of Transport and the government as soon as possible: it’s they who can accelerate the approval of FSD in Italy.”

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Tesla FSD (Supervised) blows away French journalist after test ride

Cadot described FSD as “mind-blowing,” both for the safety of the vehicle’s driving and the “humanity” of its driving behaviors.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) seems to be making waves in Europe, with French tech journalist Julien Cadot recently sharing a positive first-hand experience from a supervised test drive in France. 

Cadot, who tested the system for Numerama after eight years of anticipation since early Autopilot trials, described FSD as “mind-blowing,” both for the safety of the vehicle’s driving and the “humanity” of its driving behaviors.

 

Julien Cadot’s FSD test in France

Cadot announced his upcoming test on X, writing in French: “I’m going to test Tesla’s FSD for Numerama in France. 8 years I’ve been waiting to relive the sensations of our very first contact with the unbridled Autopilot of the 2016s.” He followed up shortly after with an initial reaction, writing: “I don’t want to spoil too much because as media we were allowed to film everything and I have a huge video coming… But: it’s mind-blowing! Both for safety and for the ‘humanity’ of the choices.”

His later posts detailed FSD’s specific maneuvers that he found particularly compelling. These include the vehicle safely overtaking a delivery truck by inches, something Cadot said he personally would avoid to protect his rims, but FSD handled flawlessly. He also praised FSD’s cyclist overtakes, as the system always maintained the required 1.5-meter distance by encroaching on the opposite lane when clear. Ultimately, Cadot noted FSD’s decision-making prioritized safety and advancement, which is pretty remarkable.

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FSD’s ‘human’ edge over Autopilot

When asked if FSD felt light-years ahead of standard Autopilot, Cadot replied: “It’s incomparable, it’s not the same language.” He elaborated on scenarios like bypassing a parked delivery truck across a solid white line, where FSD assessed safety and proceeded just as a human driver might, rather than halting indefinitely. This “humanity” impressed Cadot the most, as it allowed FSD to fluidly navigate real-world chaos like urban Paris traffic. 

Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Recent reports have revealed that Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.

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