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Tesla teases Model S Plaid with refreshed interior: New touchscreen, Roadster steering wheel, and more
Tesla revealed new images of the 2021 Refreshed Model S, showing an updated interior with a new, horizontal dash screen, a new steering wheel, wood grain trim, an updated center console, and a rear passenger touchscreen.
The Model S Refresh has been rumored to be taking place for several months. In December, the company shut down Model S and Model X production lines, initiating the thought that its long-standing sedan and SUV would get the updating they deserve.
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- Tesla Model S interior touchscreen (refresh) Credit: Tesla
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- Tesla Model S interior rear seat touchscreen armrest (Credit: Tesla)
The revamped interior includes a horizontal dash screen, hailing the design from the Model 3 and Model Y. Previously, the Model S and X both had a vertical touchscreen, spanning from the top of the dash to the center console. Tesla has taken a few pieces of inspiration from the new Model 3 interior and a wireless charging mechanism available below the center screen.
The steering wheel is reminiscent of the Tesla Roadster, with its half-circle design. Tesla has also made the Model S interior even more minimalistic than before, removing air-conditioning and heat vents. Utilizing the Airwave HVAC, the new design has the vents hidden and seems also to be inspired by the Model 3 and Model Y interior. The revised system will have tri-zone controls, allowing for customized airflow options for maximum comfortability.
The Model S also received a newly-designed center console that is a clean, one-piece design. The Model 3 also received an updated center console and storage area, using a sliding door design instead of a traditional swinging architecture. For more storage, door pickets have also been added to the Model S, a feature that has long been absent from the sedan.
-->Three Displays
“With 2200×1300 resolution, ultra-bright colors with exceptional responsiveness and left-right tilt, the new center display is an ideal touchscreen for entertainment and gaming anywhere. A second display in front of the driver shows critical driving information, and a third display provides entertainment and controls for rear passengers.”
Credit: Tesla
Game from Anywhere
“Up to 10 teraflops of processing power enables in-car gaming on-par with today’s newest consoles via Tesla Arcade. Wireless controller compatibility allows gaming from any seat.”
Credit: Tesla
Tri-Zone Climate Controls
“Airflow and temperature are controlled entirely through the displays without any physical vents. On hot days, Cabin Overheat Protection ensures interiors always stay cool. In cold weather, pre-conditioning automatically warms the cabin and prepares the battery for maximum range.”
Credit: Tesla
Yoke Steering
“The ultimate focus on driving: no stalks, no shifting. With a stalkless steering yoke, you can enjoy both the best car to drive, and the best car to be driven in.”
Credit: Tesla
Glass Roof
“The full Glass Roof gives passengers a brighter, more spacious experience and unobstructed views of the sky. Infrared and UV light is effectively blocked before entering the cabin, reducing heat and glare even when the sun is directly overhead.”
Credit: Tesla
In the rear of the vehicle, the passengers will be given the opportunity to have their own small, centrally-located dash screen, which seems to be displaying a game. This indicates that passengers in the back will not get to miss out on all of the fun that the front occupants have, as they will now be involved in all of the gamification and fun that Tesla offers with its cars. Although not displayed, rear climate controls will also likely be available on this screen, keeping every passenger comfortable.
Teslarati spotted the new Model S at the Fremont Factory this past weekend, showing a newly revised body style that keeps the flagship sedan’s classic look with a few updated features. Wider body designs, coupled with several cosmetic updates, and performance modifications give the Tesla Model S the new design it surely deserves.
News
Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October
The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.
The Tesla Model Y led China’s top-selling pure electric vehicles in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment through October 2025, as per Yiche data compiled from China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) figures.
The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.
The Model Y is still unrivaled
The Model Y’s dominance shines in Yiche’s October report, topping the chart for vehicles priced between 200,000 and 300,000 RMB. With 312,331 units retailed from January through October, the all-electric crossover was China’s best-selling EV in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment.
The Xiaomi SU7 is a strong challenger at No. 2 with 234,521 units, followed by the Tesla Model 3, which achieved 146,379 retail sales through October. The Model Y’s potentially biggest rival, the Xiaomi YU7, is currently at No. 4 with 80,855 retail units sold.
Efficiency kings
The Model 3 and Model Y recently claimed the top two spots in Autohome’s latest real-world energy-consumption test, outperforming a broad field of Chinese-market EVs under identical 120 km/h cruising conditions with 375 kg payload and fixed 24 °C cabin temperature. The Model 3 achieved 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y recorded 21.8 kWh/100 km, reaffirming Tesla’s efficiency lead.
The results drew immediate attention from Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, who publicly recognized Tesla’s advantage while pledging continued refinement for his brand’s lineup.
-->“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship program is already bouncing back from Booster 18 fiasco
Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too.
SpaceX is already bouncing back from the fiasco that it experienced during Starship Booster 18’s initial tests earlier this month.
Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too.
Starship V3 Booster 19 is rising
As per Starbase watchers on X, SpaceX rolled out the fourth aft section of Booster 19 to Starbase’s MegaBay this weekend, stacking it to reach 15 rings tall with just a few sections remaining. This marks the fastest booster assembly to date at four sections in five days. This is quite impressive, and it bodes well for SpaceX’s Starship V3 program, which is expected to be a notable step up from the V2 program, which was retired after a flawless Flight 11.
Starship watcher TankWatchers noted the tempo on X, stating, “During the night the A4 section of Booster 19 rolled out to the MegaBay. With 4 sections in just 5 days, this is shaping up to be the fastest booster stack ever.” Fellow Starbase watcher TestFlight echoed the same sentiments. “Booster 19 is now 15 rings tall, with 3 aft sections remaining!” the space enthusiast wrote.
Aggressive targets despite Booster 18 fiasco
SpaceX’s V3 program encountered a speed bump earlier this month when Booster 18, just one day after rolling out into the factory, experienced a major anomaly during gas system pressure testing at SpaceX’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas. While no propellant was loaded, no engines were installed, and no one was injured in the incident, the unexpected end of Booster 18 sparked speculation that the Starship V3 program could face delays.
-->Despite the Booster 18 fiasco, however, SpaceX announced that “Starship’s twelfth flight test remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.” Elon Musk shared a similar timeline on X earlier this year, with the CEO stating that “ V3 is a massive upgrade from the current V2 and should be through production and testing by end of year, with heavy flight activity next year.”
Considering that Booster 19 seems to be moving through its production phases quickly, perhaps SpaceX’s Q1 2026 target for Flight 12 might indeed be more than feasible.
News
Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official
“Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk just made a key detail about Optimus official. In a post on X, the CEO clarified some key wording about Optimus, which should help the media and the public become more familiar with the humanoid robot.
Elon Musk makes Optimus’ plural term official
Elon Musk posted a number of Optimus-related posts on X this weekend. On Saturday, he stated that Optimus would be the Von Neumann probe, a machine that could eventually be capable of replicating itself. This capability, it seems, would be the key to Tesla achieving Elon Musk’s ambitious Optimus production targets.
Amidst the conversations about Optimus on X, a user of the social media platform asked the CEO what the plural term for the humanoid robot will be. As per Musk, Tesla will be setting the plural term for Optimus since the company also decided on the robot’s singular term. “Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote in his reply on X.
This makes it official. For media outlets such as Teslarati, numerous Optimus bots are now called Optimi. It rolls off the tongue pretty well, too.
Optimi will be a common sight worldwide
While Musk’s comment may seem pretty mundane to some, it is actually very important. Optimus is intended to be Tesla’s highest volume product, with the CEO estimating that the humanoid robot could eventually see annual production rates in the hundreds of millions, perhaps even more. Since Optimi will be a very common sight worldwide, it is good that people can now get used to terms describing the humanoid robot.
-->During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-Optimi-per-year production line at the Fremont Factory. Giga Texas would get an even bigger Optimus production line, which should be capable of producing tens of millions of Optimi per year.
Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October
SpaceX’s Starship program is already bouncing back from Booster 18 fiasco
