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Tesla Model S with Yoke Steering Wheel, Plaid badge spotted near Fremont Factory

Credit: @BLKMDL3 | Twitter

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In what is becoming a more frequent occasion, the Tesla Model S Plaid was spotted near the Fremont Factory on Friday. Sporting a Yoke Steering wheel and a Plaid badge on the rear bumper, Tesla’s new variant of the Model S sedan is sure to be making its way to customers shortly.

The Model S Plaid was spotted near the Tesla Fremont production plant on Friday evening by Model 3 owner and Tesla enthusiast @BLKMDL3. The Fremont production plant has been one of the most frequent sighting spots for the Model S Refresh, unveiled by Tesla officially in late January in the Q4 2020 Earnings Call Update Letter. Although Teslarati and the Kilowatts first spotted the Model S Refresh at the Fremont Test Track well before the Earnings Call, Tesla dropped several significant updates regarding the vehicle’s interior design.

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One of the most notable was the Yoke Steering Wheel, an addition that came as a shock to many Tesla fans. While it has been rumored, but not confirmed, that the Yoke Steering Wheel will be reserved for the Plaid and Plaid+ variants of the Model S and Model X, it remained unclear for several weeks whether Tesla would have the ability to include the Supercar-style steering column within its interior. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, has told Teslarati recently that the Yoke steering wheel was “under review” and that Tesla was in communication with the government agency regarding the wheel’s inclusion with the vehicle.

Tesla Model S refresh inside look reveals V11 UI, “Drag Strip Mode,” “Smart Shift,” and more

@BLKMDL3’s photographs of the Model S confirm one thing that was evident upon initial sightings of the Refreshed sedan from Tesla: the exterior of the vehicle is wide, robust, and perfect for an improved driving experience that features updates to aerodynamics and handling. The new Model S is evidently wider than previous builds and features standard diffusers in the front for improved air displacement, as well as a larger central air intake vent for improved airflow and ventilation to the battery pack.

Thanks to the new photographs, Tesla fans are also getting some of the first looks at the Plaid badge that will be placed on the rear bumper of the vehicle. The most evident way to determine what variant of a Tesla vehicle you’re looking at, the Plaid badge is sure to be seen more frequently in the coming months as the new Model S should begin deliveries in April or May.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently told Teslarati that there are “still many fine details to address” with the Model S Plaid, “but the final product will be fantastic. There’s nothing else even close,” Musk said.

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Energy

Tesla Powerwall distribution expands in Australia

Inventory is expected to arrive in late February and official sales are expected to start mid-March 2026.

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Credit: Tesla

Supply Partners Group has secured a distribution agreement for the Tesla Powerwall in Australia, with inventory expected to arrive in late February and official sales beginning in mid-March 2026.

Under the new agreement, Supply Partners will distribute Tesla Powerwall units and related accessories across its national footprint, as noted in an ecogeneration report. The company said the addition strengthens its position as a distributor focused on premium, established brands.

“We are proud to officially welcome Tesla Powerwall into the Supply Partners portfolio,” Lliam Ricketts, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Supply Partners Group, stated.

“Tesla sets a high bar, and we’ve worked hard to earn the opportunity to represent a brand that customers actively ask for. This partnership reflects the strength of our logistics, technical services and customer experience, and it’s a win for installers who want premium options they can trust.”

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Supply Partners noted that initial Tesla Powerwall stock will be warehoused locally before full commercial rollout in March. The distributor stated that the timing aligns with renewed growth momentum for the Powerwall, supported by competitive installer pricing, consumer rebates, and continued product and software updates.

“Powerwall is already a category-defining product, and what’s ahead makes it even more compelling,” Ricketts stated. “As pricing sharpens and capability expands, we see a clear runway for installers to confidently spec Powerwall for premium residential installs, backed by Supply Partners’ national distribution footprint and service model.”

Supply Partners noted that a joint go-to-market launch is planned, including Tesla-led training for its sales and technical teams to support installers during the home battery system’s domestic rollout.

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Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk

The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.

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Credit: Andre Thierig/X

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”

Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.

According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.

While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report. 

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The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.

The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.

Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.

The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.

A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:

We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.

This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.

FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.

Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.

When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:

There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.

Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.

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