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Tesla shares glimpse of a streamlined Model 3 paint shop with udder-like robots
A day after dropping a bombshell announcement about its possible privatization, Tesla is back to its candid, humorous ways on social media, with the electric car company uploading a rather strange video featuring a paint applicator robot for the Model 3 — a machine that looks uncannily similar to a cow’s udder. Topping the post off was the perfect caption — a series of emojis including a cow and a robot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmOZ5C0BOgB/?taken-by=teslamotors
Tesla’s recent upload stands as a lighthearted contrast to the seriousness surrounding the company and its bid to go private. Elon Musk surprised the markets on Tuesday by announcing that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 per share, and that funding has been secured. The market reacted strongly to the news, pushing the company’s stock up 11% before the day’s trading ended. Musk’s announcement also triggered a wave of new doubts from the company’s critics, some of whom alleged that the privatization bid went under Tesla’s board of directors, or that Musk might have broken the law by revealing his plan on Twitter.
Amidst all the tension presently surrounding the company, fun, harmless social media posts such as the Model 3’s udder-style paint applicator are a reminder of Tesla’s fun nature. Elon Musk is never one to hesitate when it comes to having some fun, even at his own expense, and this personality extends to his companies. Stuffing a sports car on a rocket and sending it to space, naming a boring company as literally The Boring Company — these are trademarks of Musk’s character, and it is something that Tesla has lost a bit over the past few months.
Tesla is the only one among Musk’s companies that is publicly traded. It is also the one that gets scrutinized the most. SpaceX launches might attract sensational headlines from mainstream media every so often, but they are nothing compared to the negative coverage that Tesla draws. This is something that Elon Musk has continuously battled over the past few months, and unfortunately for the CEO, there were numerous times when he lost control of the narrative. In a letter to employees explaining why he is considering taking Tesla private, Musk mentioned that a departure from the public markets would likely create a setup where “there are no perverse incentives for people to try to harm what (the company is) trying to achieve” — a statement seemingly directed at the company’s critics and short-sellers.
In a way, Tesla’s fun upload featuring its robot udder Model 3 paint applicator is not just the company showing its more playful side. It is also Tesla’s way of showing that its paint shop — one of the sources of bottlenecks in the Model 3 production in Q2 — is working well. The Model 3’s production has quite literally passed through manufacturing hell since the vehicle started rolling off the assembly line last year. Elon Musk even noted in a previous interview that the whole ordeal had left him with permanent mental “scar” tissue.
One of the sources of these bottlenecks is the company’s paint shop. Several reports published in Q2 alleged that Tesla’s paint shop was contributing to the “sluggish” pace of Model 3 production due to improper cleaning, maintenance, and insufficient training for new employees. Reports about the company’s paint shop also alleged that Tesla’s employees were worried about their health due to the fumes from the paint the company is using. Tesla denied these reports, stating that its paint shop is regularly monitored and maintained, and that it is continually improving the training of its staff.
In the Q2 2018 earnings call, Elon Musk specifically mentioned the paint shop as one of the areas where Tesla is looking to improve. While discussing the systems it would employ in its upcoming factories such as Gigafactory 3 in China; Musk stated that Tesla is in the process of the figuring out how to make the paint shop a lot simpler.
“I think we can be a lot more efficient with CapEx, and that would include at least a factory module and pack production, body shop, paint shop and general assembly. We’re also figuring out how to make the paint shop a lot simpler and general assembly a lot simpler,” Musk said.
News
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, coding shows
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, one of which is widely requested by owners and fans, and another that it has already started to make on some trim levels of other models within the lineup.
The changes appear to be taking effect in the European and Chinese markets, but these are expected to come to the United States based on what Tesla has done with the Model Y.
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
These changes in the coding were spotted by X user BERKANT, who shared the findings on the social media platform this morning:
🚨 Model 3 changes spotted in Tesla backend
• New interior code: IN3PB (Interior 3 Premium Black)
• Linked to Alcantara-style black headliner
• Mapped to 2026 Model 3 Performance and Premium VINs• EPC now shows: “Display_16_QHD”
• Multiple 2026 builds marked with… pic.twitter.com/OkDM5EdbTu— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 23, 2026
It appears these new upgrades will roll out with the Model 3 Performance and Tesla’s Premium trim levels of the all-electric sedan.
The changes are welcome. Tesla fans have been requesting that its Model 3 and Model Y offerings receive a black headliner, as even with the black interior options, the headliner is grey.
Tesla recently upgraded Model Y vehicles to this black headliner option, even in the United States, so it seems as if the Model 3 will get the same treatment as it appears to be getting in the Eastern hemisphere.
Tesla has been basically accentuating the Model 3 and Model Y with small upgrades that owners have been wanting, and it has been a focal point of the company’s future plans as it phases out other vehicles like the Model S and Model X.
Additionally, Tesla offered an excellent 0.99% APR last week on the Model 3, hoping to push more units out the door to support a strong Q1 delivery figure at the beginning of April.
Elon Musk
SpaceX secures FAA approval for 44 annual Starship launches in Florida
The FAA’s environmental review covers up to 44 launches annually, along with 44 Super Heavy booster landings and 44 upper-stage landings.
SpaceX has received environmental approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct up to 44 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
The decision allows the company to proceed with plans tied to its next-generation launch system and future satellite deployments.
The FAA’s environmental review covers up to 44 launches annually, along with 44 Super Heavy booster landings and 44 upper-stage landings. The approval concludes the agency’s public comment period and outlines required mitigation measures related to noise, emissions, wildlife, and airspace management.
Construction of Starship infrastructure at Launch Complex 39A is nearing completion. The site, previously used for Apollo and space shuttle missions, is transitioning to support Starship operations, as noted in a Florida Today report.
If fully deployed across Kennedy Space Center and nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Starship activity on the Space Coast could exceed 120 launches annually, excluding tests. Separately, the U.S. Air Force has authorized repurposing Space Launch Complex 37 for potential additional Starship activity, pending further FAA airspace analysis.
The approval supports SpaceX’s long-term strategy, which includes deploying a large constellation of satellites intended to power space-based artificial intelligence data infrastructure. The company has previously indicated that expanded Starship capacity will be central to that effort.
The FAA review identified likely impacts from increased noise, nitrogen oxide emissions, and temporary airspace closures. Commercial flights may experience periodic delays during launch windows. The agency, however, determined these effects would be intermittent and manageable through scheduling, public notification, and worker safety protocols.
Wildlife protections are required under the approval, Florida Today noted. These include lighting controls to protect sea turtles, seasonal monitoring of scrub jays and beach mice, and restrictions on offshore landings to avoid coral reefs and right whale critical habitat. Recovery vessels must also carry trained observers to prevent collisions with protected marine species.
Elon Musk
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge.”
The Woodlands Township, Texas, has formally entered The Boring Company’s tunneling sweepstakes.
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” which offers up to one mile of tunnel construction at no cost to a selected community.
The Woodlands’ proposal, dubbed “The Current,” features two parallel 12-foot-diameter tunnels beneath the Town Center corridor near The Waterway. Teslas would shuttle passengers between Waterway Square, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Town Green Park and nearby hotels during concerts and large-scale events, as noted in a Chron report.
Township officials framed the tunnel as a solution for the township’s traffic congestion issues. The Pavilion alone hosts more than 60 shows each year and can accommodate crowds of up to 16,500, often straining Lake Robbins Drive and surrounding intersections.
“We know we have traffic impacts and pedestrian movement challenges, especially in the Town Center area,” Chris Nunes, chief operating officer of The Woodlands Township, stated during the meeting.
“The Current” mirrors the Loop system operating beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, where Tesla vehicles transport passengers through underground tunnels between venues and resorts.
The Boring Company issued its request for proposals (RFP) in mid-January, inviting cities and districts to pitch local uses for its tunneling technology. The Woodlands must submit its application by Feb. 23, though no timeline has been provided for when a winning community will be announced.
Nunes confirmed that the board has authorized a submission for “The Current’s” proposal, though he emphasized that the project is still in its preliminary stages.
“The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has authorized staff to submit an application to The Boring Company, which has issued an RFP for communities interested in leveraging their technology to address community challenges,” he said in a statement.
“The Board believes that an underground tunnel would provide a safe and efficient means to transport people to and from various high-use community amenities in our Town Center.”
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, coding shows
SpaceX secures FAA approval for 44 annual Starship launches in Florida
