Reviews
Tesla Model S Custom “Heatshield” Sunshade Review
We all love the ability to cool down our Model S using the smartphone app. Temperatures in closed cars left in a parking lot on a hot day can easily exceed 100° F. Whenever possible I try to find a shady place or a parking ramp to keeph things a little cooler. Another way to help control the temperature is to use windshield reflectors also known as sunshades. Shiny large shapes that can be placed against the glass.
I recently tested the Tesla Model S custom Heatshield Sunshade . They have produced four shades especially for the Model S. A windshield reflector, one for the rear hatch window and a right and left front row seat units. I tested the windshield and front side units. The only problem was to wait for a day here in the new Chicago climate that would be warm enough for a good test. Fortunately that day came this past Saturday.
Initial Impressions
The shipping box is a long rectangular corrugated container with a bursting test rating of 200 lbs. per square inch. Inside are two cloth container bags with a nice locking draw string. One held the windshield reflector and the other held a pair for the front row windows. My first reaction was the bags were not necessary, but then I realized they will come in handy when fall arrives and I place them in storage until spring. The bags will keep them from getting dusty. Not using the bags will either require they be cleaned before use or the inside of your Model S will be exposed to a winter’s worth of dust. The bags were a nice plus.
I positioned my Model S in the driveway under a bright, cloudless, southern sky just before noon. The outside temperature was 78° F, which turned out to be the high for the day. The temperature inside my Model S was 74°F when I installed the heat shields.
Installation
Installation is very easy. Unroll the windshield reflector and position it against the glass, shiny side out. The fit is very good and covers 99% of the glass. The instructions say to swing down the sun visors to help hold up the shield. Well, we all know the visors are very small, so this didn’t work perfectly, but at no time did the reflector fall while installed.
The side windows are a little trickier. Again the shape and size are good and there are three, clear suction cups on the outside facing of the reflector. Two on the long side on the rear side of the glass and one at the point where the glass angles down toward the front. This doesn’t work perfectly and although they did not come loose during my test, a very hot day could heat the suction cups and cause them to come loose. How many times have you found your GPS or radar detector on the dash in the summer? I would recommend installing the front row reflectors from the back seat (this requires long arms) with the front doors closed to avoid the window raising upon closing and shaking off the shields.
How Did They Work?
I used my iPhone app to check the interior temperature at various times with the reflectors installed and with them not installed. Here are the results with the sunshades installed.
Here is what happened to the inside temperature when I removed the shades. Keep in mind the car was not repositioned, the outside temperature remained a constant 78°F and the sky remained cloudless.
After removing the reflectors, the temperature soared to over 90°F in less than sixty minutes.
The heat shields kept my Model S significantly cooler. After removing the reflectors, the temperature soared to over 90°F in less than sixty minutes. Overall there ended up being a 14° before and after difference. That doesn’t sound like much, but the experience of entering a car that’s 83°F vs. 97°F is drastic. My sunglasses did not fog up when the shields were installed, but instantly did so at the higher temperature. Keeping the car cooler means you will use less battery when you do turn on the AC, which will help with range.
When you are not using them, simply roll them up, use the attached velcro strap to keep them in a rolled up state and toss them in the lower compartment of the hatch.
Summary
On a hot and sunny day these babies will definitely keep your car cooler as long as you’re willing to put up with installing and removing them. The Heatshield sunshade is custom-cut for your Tesla Model S making it a near perfect fit. The material on both sides of the product was smooth and even. They have a nice stiffness to them that allows you to bend them into place for maximum coverage. Somewhat like extra strong aluminum foil. The two materials, reflecting facing out and matte facing in are nicely stitched all the way around that made me feel these would last a while.
Editor’s Note:
This review is based on the standard Silver edition being offered directly through Heatshield at $39.95 Heatshield has since come out with a new “Gold Series” version of the Tesla Model S sunshade which features a gold reflective front and dark ‘blackout’ properties on the inside.
News
Tesla’s AI Chief just hinted at something big for FSD v14 lite owners
Tesla’s AI chief suggests the newest FSD v14 Lite build may finally go wide release.
Tesla’s head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, noted on Sunday that the newest FSD v14 Lite build rolling out to Hardware 3 cars is likely the version that goes to wide release, the strongest signal yet that Tesla is near to closing out an early access phase that Hardware 3 owners have waited more than a year for.
Elluswamy made the comment in response to an extensive review from Tesla owner Zack, known on X as @BLKMDL3, who tested software version 2026.20.6.10 and detailed the changes in a lengthy post. “FSD v14 Lite (for Tesla AI3 hardware vehicles) review.
The update restarts a rollout that had stalled after its initial release. Tesla began pushing FSD v14 Lite to Hardware 3 early access drivers on June 29, bringing driving behavior learned on the newer Hardware 4 computer down to the more limited chip that has powered Tesla vehicles built between 2019 and early 2023. That release, as we covered in detail, gave roughly 4 million HW3 vehicles their first meaningful update since being frozen on version 12.6 in early 2025.
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14 ‘Lite’ Release Notes: new capabilities and features
The latest build adds features that bring Hardware 3 closer in line with what Hardware 4 owners already have. FSD can now start directly from park without a brake pedal confirmation, a change Zack called a small but meaningful quality of life improvement. The interface also picks up the blue “P” park icon, approaching destination alerts, and a dedicated Self-Driving app with streak tracking, all details previously exclusive to the AI4 branch of v14, as outlined in Tesla’s original release notes.
The stakes around Hardware 3 go beyond software polish. Tesla sold the Full Self-Driving package for years on the promise that every vehicle equipped with it had the hardware needed to eventually drive itself without supervision. That promise broke down during Tesla’s Q1 2026 earnings call, when Musk acknowledged HW3 cars could not run unsupervised FSD, prompting Tesla to offer trade-in discounts and hardware retrofits alongside the Lite software track.
Tesla confirmed HW3 can’t do Unsupervised FSD but there’s more to the story
Tesla has continued to frame v14 Lite as the primary path forward for the HW3 fleet, telling owners in April that international markets would follow the U.S. rollout once regulatory approvals came through. For now, HW3 owners in the early access group are the only ones running the new build. A broader rollout would mark the second major software delivery to the legacy fleet since Tesla first released FSD v14 to Hardware 4 vehicles, and the first sign since June that the Lite program is still moving rather than stuck in early access limbo.
The Tesla Model Y has won U.S. News award for “Best Luxury Electric SUV,” beating out a heavy lineup of worthy battery-powered sport utility vehicles.
The Model Y first was delivered to owners in early 2020 and was the automaker’s answer to the widely-popular crossover SUV sector. A sibling of the first mass-market vehicle the company offered, the Model 3, Tesla’s Model Y has quickly become the company’s best-selling electric car, and that’s saying something considering it is not the most affordable Tesla vehicle and starts at $62,990.
U.S. News recognizes Tesla’s influence in the changing automotive market, identifying that it was likely the catalyst in bringing EVs to mainstream status. Despite the rapid expansion of the EV segment, Tesla has remained at the top of the hill, fending off worthy competitors like Volkswagen, Ford, and General Motors, who have spent decades developing some of the best automotive technology the world has seen. However, Tesla has also managed to stay above tech-focused and savvy automotive startups entering the electric sector, with battery powertrains being their only focus. Rivian and Lucid, two of the most notable names to fit that description, still have not managed to catch up with Tesla.
The Model Y effectively expanded Tesla’s product line to include a new body style. While the Model X has been offered for seven years, the falcon-wing door-equipped SUV is still only produced for sentimental reasons, according to CEO Elon Musk. It also is much more expensive than the Model Y, and starts at $114,990.
Tesla plans to produce Model Ys with both 4680 and 2170 cells at Gigafactory Texas this year
Those who do not quite have the means to spend over $100,000 on an all-electric SUV have plenty of options, but if a consumer is looking for luxury, the Model Y may be the best choice. U.S. News highlights that, while the Model Y does offer less overall cargo and utility room than the Model X, it still boasts many of the same tech features that Tesla has been known to put in its cars. The Model Y has plenty of performance too, and its premier trim level will get you from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.5 seconds, while still having over 300 miles of range and a 155 MPH top speed.
“Despite the onslaught of new competitors, the Tesla Model Y is one of the most capable and well-rounded luxury electric SUVs that you can buy at the moment,” U.S. News writes. “If you’re in the market, this is an option that’s well-worth a test drive.”
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
The Tesla Model Y has captured Cars.com’s “Best Electric Vehicle of 2022” award, beating out several worthy competitors to be named the best EV of the year.
The Model Y is Tesla’s newest addition to its purchasable fleet of vehicles, and the first all-electric crossover to come out of the Fremont factory in Northern California. Tesla developed the Model Y to be a mass-market vehicle capable of handling a variety of tasks. Not only is the vehicle lightning fast in typical Tesla fashion, but it also packs enough cargo space to give full-sized SUVs something to sweat about. It is truly Tesla’s most well-rounded vehicle, suitable for nearly any lifestyle and at a price point that won’t break the bank.
“Tesla is an electric car innovator, and the Model Y reflects that leadership with its efficiency, charging capability, range, and options,” Cars.com’s synopsis of the Model Y said. “It checks a lot of boxes for consumers who have been considering making the jump to an EV.”
The Tesla Model Y. (Credit: MotorTrend)
EVs are still a small slice of the overall passenger vehicle market in the United States. While EV adoption is continuing to grow at a fast rate, Cars.com says that about a third of active car shoppers are considering an electric vehicle. Additionally, the site stated that occurrences of searching for an EV on Cars.com have doubled in the past year, while inventory levels of EVs have dropped 30 percent since 2021, showing there is plenty of interest from consumers.
The Model Y may be one of the most appealing options for those who are considering switching to an EV from a gas car. Cars.com notes the Model Y’s incredible efficiency, which is paired with 326 miles of EPA-rated range in the Long Range All-Wheel Drive variant. Not only will the Model Y get you to where you need to go in a minimal number of charging stops, but it also gets better with age. The vehicle, like the rest of Tesla’s fleet, receives Over-the-Air software updates to upgrade vehicle capabilities, fix bugs, or increase performance.
The Model Y is also great for those who have a focus on purchasing cars with a focus on American manufacturing. The vehicle was ranked third on the 2021 American-Made Index, trailing its sibling in the Tesla Model 3 and Ford Mustang.
Cars.com’s list is void of the Lucid Air, Rivian R1T, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6. The publication noted demand and production growth of electric vehicles will allow more models to be considered for the award in the future.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
Tesla’s AI Chief just hinted at something big for FSD v14 lite owners
Elon Musk sends first warning to SpaceX short sellers
