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Tesla Model 3 wins hearts as famed NYC Taxi, picks up where Nissan Leaf couldn’t
Images of a Tesla Model 3 being used as a New York City taxi cab, complete with the fleet’s iconic yellow paint scheme, have started making the rounds online. The vehicle, which was sighted in Manhattan near a Tesla store, signifies what could very well be an upcoming shift towards sustainability for NYC’s taxi fleet. It also symbolizes a second chance of sorts for all-electric vehicles, especially considering the failure of the Nissan Leaf taxis in previous years.
Back in 2013, New York City launched a pilot program for all-electric taxis with a fleet of six first-gen Nissan Leafs. The vehicles were let loose in the city on Earth Day to much optimism and acclaim, but by 2015, the Leafs were decommissioned. In its final report, the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission noted that the Nissan Leaf required drivers to significantly alter their driving habits due to the vehicles’ EPA-estimated 84-mile range. This handicap was highlighted further when the weather was hot, since the use of air conditioners was required for NYC taxis.
First Model 3 Taxi in NYC from r/teslamotors
The failure of the Leaf as a New York taxi was a cloud above all-electric cars until 2019, when reports emerged stating that the Tesla Model 3 had been approved for taxi service in the city. The all-electric sedan more than meets the minimum requirements for NYC cabs. These requirements include ample interior space, air conditioning for rear-seat passengers, seats that are easy to clean, and enough cabin space to install the clear partition that separates the driver from passengers in the backseat.
More importantly, the Model 3 does not have the same weakness as the first-gen Leafs from 2013. Unlike the 84-mile Leaf, the shortest-range Model 3 boasts at least 220 miles per charge, and that’s if customers specifically request for the non-Autopilot Standard Range version. Otherwise, the Standard Range Plus, the more affordable variant that could be ordered directly on Tesla’s website, offers an EPA-estimated range of 263 miles for $37,990. Autopilot also comes as a standard feature on variants from the Standard Range Plus and above.
Considering the power and range of the Tesla Model 3, there seems to be a good chance that the vehicle will not have the same feedback from taxi drivers as the first-gen Leafs from 2013. The Model 3, if any, would likely outperform the city’s other, conventional taxis, and its fast-charging capabilities through Tesla’s Supercharger Network would allow the vehicle to replenish most of its range while drivers take a brief break. The vehicle’s sizable cargo space from its trunk and frunk would likely be appreciated by commuters as well.
New York’s Tesla Model 3 taxi drivers would best be advised to take it easy on the all-electric sedan’s accelerator, however. Electric cars are famed for their instant torque, and the Model 3 is no exception, with even the Standard Range Plus variant having a 0-60 mph time that rivals muscle cars. If NYC taxi drivers develop a habit of punching the Model 3’s accelerator at every chance, history might end up repeating itself innumerable times. The first speeding infraction ever committed in the United States back in 1899, after all, was from a New York City cabbie who was driving 12 mph down Lexington Street in Manhattan, 4 mph above the legal speed limit at the time.
The NYC taxi driver, Jacob German, was driving a battery-electric car.
Cybertruck
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla is set to activate a long-awaited Cybertruck feature, and no matter when you bought your all-electric pickup, it has the hardware capable of achieving what it is designed to do.
Tesla simply has to flip the switch, and it plans to do so in the near future.
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, according to Not a Tesla App, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla rolls out Active Road Noise Reduction for new Model S and Model X
The ANC feature suddenly appeared on the spec sheet for the Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast trims, which are the two configurations that have been delivered since November 2023.
However, those trims have both had the ANC disabled, and although they are found in the Model S and Model X, and are active in those vehicles, Tesla is planning to activate them.
In Tesla’s Service Toolbox, it wrote:
“ANC software is not enabled on Cybertruck even though the hardware is installed.”
Tesla has utilized an ANC system in the Model S and Model X since 2021. The system uses microphones embedded in the front seat headrests to detect low-frequency road noise entering the cabin. It then generates anti-noise through phase-inverted sound waves to cancel out or reduce that noise, creating quieter zones, particularly around the vehicle’s front occupants.
The Model S and Model X utilize six microphones to achieve this noise cancellation, while the Cybertruck has just four.
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
As previously mentioned, this will be activated through a software update, as the hardware is already available within Cybertruck and can simply be activated at Tesla’s leisure.
The delays in activating the system are likely due to Tesla Cybertruck’s unique design, which is unlike anything before. In the Model S and Model X, Tesla did not have to do too much, but the Cybertruck has heavier all-terrain tires and potentially issues from the aluminum castings that make up the vehicle’s chassis, which are probably presenting some challenges.
Unfortunately, this feature will not be available on the new Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive configuration, which was released last week.
News
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.
We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
🚨 Tesla Model S and Model X availability is thinning, as Tesla has officially shown that the Lunar Silver color option on both vehicles is officially sold out
To be fair, Frost Blue is still available so no need to freak out pic.twitter.com/YnwsDbsFOv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 25, 2026
Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.
With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.
This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.
During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:
“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”
Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.
News
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
Tesla’s estimated delivery window for new Cybertruck Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive (AWD) orders in the United States has shifted to September–October 2026. This suggests that the vehicle’s sub-$60,000 variant is now effectively sold out until then.
The updated timeline was highlighted in a post on X by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, who noted that the estimated delivery window had moved from June 2026 to September-October 2026, “presumably due to strong demand.”
The Dual Motor AWD currently starts at $59,990 before incentives. Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
If demand remains steady, the combination of a later delivery window and a pending price increase suggests Tesla is seeing sustained interest in the newly-introduced Cybertruck configuration. This was highlighted by Elon Musk on X, when he noted that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD’s introductory price will only be available for a limited time.
When the Cybertruck was first unveiled in November 2019, Tesla listed the Dual Motor AWD variant at $49,990. Adjusted for inflation, that figure equates to roughly $63,000 in 2026 dollars, based on cumulative U.S. inflation since 2019.
That context makes a potential post-February price in the $64,000 to $65,000 range less surprising, especially as material, labor, and manufacturing costs have shifted significantly over the past several years.
While Tesla has not announced a specific new MSRP, the updated delivery timeline and pricing note together suggest that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD could very well be the variant that takes the all-electric full-sized pickup truck to more widespread adoption.
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
