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Tesla Model 3 Highland spotted driving uncovered in California
Tesla’s Model 3 has gained a refreshed design, with the updated model launching in several countries outside of the U.S. in the last few months. The new Model 3, dubbed the Highland or the Model 3+, has now been spotted completely uncovered in the U.S. for the first time, ahead of the automaker’s official North American launch of the vehicle.
Reddit user u/no_regular_8542 shared photos of the Model 3 Highland on a highway outside of Menlo Park, California on Wednesday, shown without any coverings at all. The refreshed Model 3 was also spotted last month without a rear bumper covering, though this is the first time the vehicle has been seen in the U.S. without any privacy wraps.
Refresh Model 3 spotted today in the Bay Area. This time 100% uncovered! pic.twitter.com/B4GjgYZI0P
— Nic Cruz Patane (@niccruzpatane) October 11, 2023
The Model 3+ has Tesla’s ultra red paint, along with the redesigned headlights and other exterior changes that have been spotted with the vehicle’s launch in recent months. The news comes after several months of speculation ahead of the refreshed Model 3’s launch and after Tesla officially launched the new vehicle design in markets across much of Europe, Asia and elsewhere, though it’s still not yet available in North America.
The Model 3 Highland is currently being built at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai, China, and onlookers have recently seen huge batches of the vehicle outside the plant in preparation for being shipped. Over the weekend, one Model 3 Highland was unveiled in France during an Owners Day event at the Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaune.
It’s not entirely clear when Tesla plans to launch the Model 3+ in North America, though most point to early 2024 for initial U.S. deliveries. The vehicle is expected to begin initial deliveries in Europe this and next month and in China sometime during the fourth quarter, according to Tesla’s order configurators for various countries. Tesla also began discounting inventory Model 3 units in the U.S. last month, which many expect to precede the North American launch of the refreshed version.
The news also comes ahead of Tesla’s plans to launch the Cybertruck in the U.S., with initial deliveries set to begin in the coming months. Ahead of its release, many have spotted the highly anticipated electric pickup on public roads, and the vehicle recently surpassed two million reservations, according to one tracker.
Update: Corrected to include “headlights” in the third paragraph.
Tesla Model 3+ wasn’t supposed to be the first car with ambient interior lighting
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Tesla Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
The Tesla Semi is moving closer to broader fleet adoption, with Keller Logistics Group wrapping up a key pre-production planning session with the electric vehicle maker’s team this week.
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
Keller’s pre-production Tesla Semi sessions
Keller Logistics Group, a family-owned carrier with over 300 tractors and 1,000 trailers operating in the Midwest and Southeast, completed the session to assess the Tesla Semi’s fit for its operations. The company’s routes typically span 500-600 miles per day, positioning it as an ideal tester for the Semi’s day cab configuration in standard logistics scenarios.
Details remain under mutual NDA, but the meeting reportedly focused on matching the truck to yard, shuttle and regional applications while scrutinizing economics like infrastructure, maintenance and incentives.
What Keller’s executives are saying
CEO Bryan Keller described the approach as methodical. “For us, staying ahead isn’t a headline, it’s a habit. From electrification and yard automation to digital visibility and warehouse technology, our teams are continually pressure-testing what’s next. The Tesla Semi discussion is one more way we evaluate new tools against our standards for safety, uptime, and customer ROI. We don’t chase trends, we pressure-test what works,” Keller said.
Benjamin Pierce, Chief Strategy Officer, echoed these sentiments. “Electrification and next-generation powertrains are part of a much broader transformation. Whether it’s proprietary yard systems like YardLink™, solar and renewable logistics solutions, or real-time vehicle intelligence, Keller’s approach stays the same, test it, prove it, and deploy it only when it strengthens service and total cost for our customers,” Pierce said.
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Tesla extends FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe by three months
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Tesla appears to be doubling down on its European Full Self-Driving (Supervised) push, with the company extending its demo ride-along program by three months until the end of March 2026. The update seems to have been implemented due to overwhelming demand.
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Extended FSD demonstrations
Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager Ivan Komušanac shared on LinkedIn that the company is offering ride-along experiences in Germany, France and Italy while working toward FSD (Supervised) approval in Europe.
He noted that this provides a great feedback opportunity from the general public, encouraging participants to record and share their experiences. For those unable to book in December, Komušanac teased more slots as “Christmas presents.”
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt highlighted the extension on X, stating that dates now run from December 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, in multiple cities including Stuttgart-Weinstadt, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf in Germany. This suggests that the FSD ride-along program in Europe has officially been extended until the end of the first quarter of 2026.
Building momentum for European approval
Replies to Merritt’s posts buzzed with excitement, with users like @AuzyMale noting that Cologne and Düsseldorf are already fully booked. This sentiment was echoed by numerous other Tesla enthusiasts on social media. Calls for the program’s expansion to other European territories have also started gaining steam, with some X users suggesting Switzerland and Finland as the next locations for FSD ride-alongs.
Ultimately, the Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager’s post aligns with the company’s broader FSD efforts in Europe. As per recent reports, Tesla recently demonstrated FSD’s capabilities for Rome officials. Reporters from media outlets in France and Germany have also published positive reviews of FSD’s capabilities on real-world roads.
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Tesla’s six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y L sold out for January 2026
Estimated delivery dates for new Tesla Model Y L orders now extend all the way into February 2026.
The Tesla Model Y L seems to be in high demand in China, with estimated delivery dates for new orders now extending all the way into February 2026.
This suggests that the Model Y L has been officially sold out from the rest of 2025 to January 2026.
Model Y L estimated delivery dates
The Model Y L’s updated delivery dates mark an extension from the vehicle’s previous 4-8 week estimated wait time. A detailed chart shared by Tesla data tracker @Tslachan on X shows the progressions of the Model Y L’s estimated delivery dates since its launch earlier this year.
Following its launch in September, the vehicle was given an initial October 2025 estimated delivery date. The wait times for the vehicle were continually updated over the years, until the middle of November, when the Model Y L had an estimated delivery date of 4-8 weeks. This remained until now, when Tesla China simply listed February 2026 as the estimated delivery date for new Model Y L orders.
Model Y demand in China
Tesla Model Y demand in China seems to be very healthy, even beyond the Model Y L. New delivery dates show the company has already sold out its allocation of the all-electric crossover for 2025. The Model Y has been the most popular vehicle in the world in both of the last two years, outpacing incredibly popular vehicles like the Toyota RAV4. In China, the EV market is substantially more saturated, with more competitors than in any other market.
Tesla has been particularly kind to the Chinese market, as it has launched trim levels for the Model Y in the country that are not available anywhere else, such as the Model Y L. Demand has been strong for the Model Y in China, with the vehicle ranking among the country’s top 5 New Energy Vehicles. Interestingly enough, vehicles that beat the Model Y in volume like the BYD Seagull are notably more affordable. Compared to vehicles that are comparably priced, the Model Y remains a strong seller in China.
Tesla Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet
Tesla extends FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe by three months
