A recent update implemented on the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y’s online Owner’s Manual has hinted at what could very well be an upcoming upgrade for the two mass-market vehicles. With the update, the Climate Control section of the Model 3 and Model Y manuals now feature references to ventilated seats, as the documents now state that the vehicles’ seats have both heating and cooling functions.
While references to ventilated seats for the Model 3 and Model Y may have been a mistake on Tesla’s part, it should be noted that graphics related to the yet-to-be-released feature were included in the updated manuals. As per the documents, the Model 3 and Model Y’s ventilated seats would have a dedicated button beside the seats’ heating functions.
Tesla is a company known for incrementally improving its vehicles over time, and this is especially true for convenience features like cooled seats. Those who had followed the Tesla Model 3 ramp since its early days would remember that when the all-electric sedan was initially released, the vehicle didn’t have heated rear seats. Rumors about heaters in the Model 3’s rear seats were abounding for a while, at least until March 2018, when the rear seat heaters were activated through an over-the-air software update.
While ventilated seats are among the features that distinguish the flagship Model S sedan and Model X SUV from the mainstream Model 3 and Model Y, Tesla does have a tendency to introduce some of its flagship vehicles’ features to its mass-market cars. Among the most notable of these was Bioweapon Defense Mode, which was previously exclusive to the Model S and Model X. The feature, which allows vehicles to maintain hospital-grade air inside the cabin, was eventually rolled out to the Model Y, to much appreciation from customers.
This year would likely be a year of changes for the Tesla Model Y. With both Gigafactory Berlin and Giga Texas poised to start their operations by producing the all-electric crossover, the Model Y is expected to receive a number of key improvements, from its paint options to the castings used to build it. Model Ys produced in the two new factories are expected to use both front and rear megacasts, and those that are manufactured in Giga Texas are expected to utilize structural battery packs from Tesla’s custom 4680 cells.
Tesla Model Ys produced in Giga Berlin are expected to feature new paint options as well, which would be made possible thanks to the facility’s advanced paint shop, which CEO Elon Musk has noted is among the best in the industry. Three new color options for the Berlin-made Model Ys have been heavily speculated so far, namely Abyss Blue Multicoat, Mercury Silver Metallic, and Deep Crimson Multicoat, an option that Elon Musk has previously dubbed as his personal favorite.
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Tesla lands new partnership with Uber as Semi takes center stage
Tesla and Uber will work together, using the company’s all-electric Semi, to make sustainable Class 8 electric trucks more affordable with three main strategies: Subsidized Pricing, Predictable Growth, and Optimization of Utilization.
The Tesla Semi has led to a new partnership between the company and Uber, as the two are launching a program that aims to revolutionize logistics by making sustainable commercial vehicles more accessible.
Uber announced on Tuesday that it was planning to launch the Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program in a new partnership with Tesla. Uber’s Freight division is mainly responsible for the new program, which it calls a “first-of-its-kind buyer’s program designed to make electric freight more affordable and accessible by addressing key adoption barriers.”
Tesla and Uber will work together, using the company’s all-electric Semi, to make sustainable Class 8 electric trucks more affordable with three main strategies: Subsidized Pricing, Predictable Growth, and Optimization of Utilization.
- Subsidized Price: Fleets purchasing Tesla Semis through this program will receive a subsidy on the purchase price.
- Predictable Growth: Fleets will integrate their Tesla Semis into Uber Freight’s dedicated solutions for shippers for a pre-determined period. This creates an opportunity for carriers to forecast revenue with confidence, while shippers gain consistent access to reliable, zero-emission capacity.
- Optimize Utilization: Uber Freight taps into its extensive freight network to match carriers with consistent, high-quality freight from our strong shipper base—helping ensure the addition of these Tesla Semis stay fully utilized and carriers see dedicated, real, measurable returns from the start
Tesla will work directly with interested companies to iron out technical details about the Semi, as well as its cost of ownership based on the tailored needs of their business. Fleets can expect savings on the first day, Uber says, as they will avoid diesel fuel costs and reduced maintenance, a widely known advantage of EVs.
Uber announced that it had partnered with select carriers to pilot the Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program prior to its launch:
“During the 2-month pilot program, the Tesla Semis showcased both reliability and efficiency for Uber Freight’s shipper network. Over 394 hours of drive time, carriers covered 12,377 miles. With an average net energy consumption of just 1.72 kWh per mile and only 60 hours of total charge time, these results highlight the operational viability of Tesla Semis on demanding freight lanes. “
In its press release launching the program, Uber effectively highlights how the use of the Semi can impact a company’s margins and profitability through fuel savings, reduced maintenance costs, and lower total cost of ownership.
This is something that turns so many people away from gas cars and toward EVs, so it’s no surprise that Uber wanted to emphasize this point on a larger scale with a company that utilizes a fleet of vehicles.
Tesla Semi shows strong results in ArcBest’s real-world freight trial
Tesla has been experimenting with a select group of companies, as well. It partnered with PepsiCo. several years ago, in an effort to launch a pilot program for the Semi. It had excellent results, showing higher efficiency, lower costs, and an exceptional ability to handle long runs.
Drivers have had a lot of positive things to say:
The Semi will enter mass production next year, but we anticipate that some companies will commit to Uber’s new platform well before then.
Tesla will recall Powerwall 2 units in Australia after a handful of property owners reported fires that caused “minor property damage.” The fires were attributed to cells used by Tesla in the Powerwall 2.
Tesla Powerwall is a battery storage unit that retains energy from solar panels and is used by homeowners and businesses to maintain power in the event of an outage. It also helps alleviate the need to rely on the grid, which can help stabilize power locally.
Powerwall owners can also enroll in the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program, which allows them to sell energy back to the grid, helping to reduce energy bills. Tesla revealed last year that over 100,000 Powerwalls were participating in the program.
Tesla announces 100k Powerwalls are participating in Virtual Power Plants
The Australia Competition and Consumer Commission said in a filing that it received several reports from owners of fires that led to minor damage. The Australian government agency did not disclose the number of units impacted by the recall.
The issue is related to the cells, which Tesla sources from a third-party company.
Anyone whose Powerwall 2 unit is impacted by the recall will be notified through the Tesla app, the company said.
Tesla is launching Cybertruck orders in a new market, but there’s a bit of a catch.
The Cybertruck was launched in the Middle East earlier this year, as Tesla launched the ability to place a reservation for the all-electric pickup in the United Arab Emirates. It would be the first market outside of North America that would have the ability to place an order for the Cybertruck.
Tesla confirms Cybertruck will make its way out of North America this year
Other markets where the vehicle has been widely requested, like Europe and Asia, have still not approved the vehicle to be sold to the public, mostly because of size and design restrictions.
However, in the UAE, Tesla is opening up the ability for those who placed reservations for the vehicle to finally put in their order. The Order Configurator is only available to those who have already placed a reservation; it is not yet available to the public.
Tesla said it would open up the public online configurator across the Middle East in the coming weeks:
If you’re in the UAE and you have a Cybertruck reservation, you can now order your new truck
The public will get access in the coming weeks. https://t.co/KJaP7NEfiT
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 16, 2025
The UAE is not the only country that will have access to the Cybertruck, as fans in other Middle Eastern countries will also be able to place orders soon. Tesla announced back in April that Saudi Arabia and Qatar would also have Cybertruck deliveries.
These vehicles will be built at Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas plant just outside of Austin, as Gigafactory Berlin and Gigafactory Shanghai, two factories located in the same hemisphere as the Middle East, do not have established lines for Cybertruck production.
As for the other markets, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that the company could develop a smaller Cybertruck for those markets, as he admitted that in the long term, it likely made sense to build a more compact version for regions where roads are traditionally tighter.
Elon Musk hints at smaller Tesla Cybertruck version down the road
There has been no evidence of Tesla developing this more compact version, but it could eventually happen.
Tesla lands new partnership with Uber as Semi takes center stage
Tesla recalls Powerwall 2 units in Australia
Tesla launches Cybertruck orders in a new market with a catch
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