Tesla is contacting those who have pre-ordered the “Refreshed” versions of the Model X crossover, communicating that they should prepare for delivery between February 15th and March 15th.
Model S and Model X Refresh
In December, Tesla shut down production lines of the Model S and Model X at its Fremont, California, production facility, indicating that a refresh, or updating, of its two flagship vehicles would take place. After heavy speculation, Teslarati, in conjunction with the Kilowatts, located new builds of the Model S at the Fremont Factory’s test track. The car was sporting a wider body among several other external modifications. However, the car wasn’t subjected to a complete overhaul on the outside. This wasn’t the case for the interior.
Upon the release of the company’s Q4 2020 Earnings Update Letter, Tesla revealed new pictures of the Model S interior and expanded on its website that the same changes would be made to the Model X. Along with a new touchscreen design, the rest of the interior saw some major renovations, including the addition of a rear screen for passengers, tri-zone climate controls, similar to the Model 3 and Model Y, and a new Yoke steering wheel.
Production of the past Model S and Model X builds has evidently halted, according to the Tesla Parts Catalog. It appears that Raven S and X builds, which pack the 100 kWh battery pack with the powerful permanent magnet synchronous reluctance rear motor, has been halted, as production dates have been given their closing production month of January 2021.
The expected delivery of the refreshed S/X begins the second to the third week of this month as shared by Elon during the last earnings call, so this has been our hunch.
The Tesla parts website also just updated to list the Raven S/X as ending "April 2016 to January 2021". ✅ https://t.co/fXmsKWPeaz pic.twitter.com/5zBY4Sxw4z
— Teslascope (@teslascope) February 10, 2021
Model X Refresh First Deliveries
After the production of Model S and Model X was halted to update production lines, it was evident that Tesla was looking to refresh the car. After they announced it during the Earnings Call, CEO Elon Musk stated that he anticipated deliveries beginning this month for the Model S, and later for the Model X.
Musk said:
“We’re super excited to announce the new Model S and Model X Plaid — are in production now and will be delivered in February. So we’ve been able to bring forward the fab, Model S and X. And Model S will be delivered in February and Model X a little later.”
Tesla’s Design Studio for the United States indicates deliveries won’t start until April. However, Tesla is updating the accounts of those who have pre-ordered the Model X, by telling them an estimated delivery date of “February 15 – March 15.”
One pre-orderer, known as Joe, told Teslarati that his account has been updated and he is to expect delivery of his new car between February 15th and March 15th. He shared the photo of his account, indicating that delivery should be taking place within the next month.
Credit: @ Joe13644982 | Twitter
It is expected that Model S deliveries will take place first, according to Musk. However, the Model X could begin deliveries relatively soon after the Model S, especially based on the message Tesla is providing to owners on their account page. An exact date has not yet been given to owners, but we can confirm that Tesla’s timeline is pretty close to what Musk detailed during the Earnings Call.
Tesla’s refreshed Model X comes in two variants currently: a Long Range Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive for $89,990, and a Tri-Motor All-Wheel Drive “Plaid” variant, for $119,990. Both prices are before potential savings.
Elon Musk
USDOT Secretary visits Tesla Giga Texas, hints at national autonomous vehicle standards
The Transportation Secretary also toured the factory’s production lines and spoke with CEO Elon Musk.

United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean Duffy recently visited Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas complex, where he toured the factory’s production lines and spoke with CEO Elon Musk. In a video posted following his Giga Texas visit, Duffy noted that he believes there should be a national standard for autonomous vehicles in the United States.
Duffy’s Giga Texas Visit
As could be seen in videos of his Giga Texas visit, the Transportation Secretary seemed to appreciate the work Tesla has been doing to put the United States in the forefront of innovation. “Tesla is one of the many companies helping our country reach new heights. USDOT will be right there all the way to make sure Americans stay safe,” Duffy wrote in a post on X.
He also praised Tesla for its autonomous vehicle program, highlighting that “We need American companies to keep innovating so we can outcompete the rest of the world.”
National Standard
While speaking with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Transportation Secretary stated that other autonomous ride-hailing companies have been lobbying for a national standard for self-driving cars. Musk shared the sentiment, stating that “It’d be wonderful for the United States to have a national set of rules for autonomous driving as opposed to 50 independent sets of rules on a state-by-state rules basis.”
Duffy agreed with the CEO’s point, stating that, “You can’t have 50 different rules for 50 different states. You need one standard.” He also noted that the Transportation Department has asked autonomous vehicle companies to submit data. By doing so, the USDOT could develop a standard for the entire United States, allowing self-driving cars to operate in a manner that is natural and safe.
News
Tesla posts Optimus’ most impressive video demonstration yet
The humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network.

When Elon Musk spoke with CNBC’s David Faber in an interview at Giga Texas, he reiterated the idea that Optimus will be one of Tesla’s biggest products. Seemingly to highlight the CEO’s point, the official Tesla Optimus account on social media platform X shared what could very well be the most impressive demonstration of the humanoid robot’s capabilities to date.
Optimus’ Newest Demonstration
In its recent video demonstration, the Tesla Optimus team featured the humanoid robot performing a variety of tasks. These include household chores such as throwing the trash, using a broom and a vacuum cleaner, tearing a paper towel, stirring a pot of food, opening a cabinet, and closing a curtain, among others. The video also featured Optimus picking up a Model X fore link and placing it on a dolly.
What was most notable in the Tesla Optimus team’s demonstration was the fact that the humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network. The robot’s actions were also learned directly from Optimus being fed data from first-person videos of humans performing similar tasks. This system should pave the way for Optimus to learn and refine new skills quickly and reliably.
Tesla VP for Optimus Shares Insight
In a follow-up post on X, Tesla Vice President of Optimus (Tesla Bot) Milan Kovac stated that one of the team’s goals is to have Optimus learn straight from internet videos of humans performing tasks, including footage captured in third person or by random cameras.
“We recently had a significant breakthrough along that journey, and can now transfer a big chunk of the learning directly from human videos to the bots (1st person views for now). This allows us to bootstrap new tasks much faster compared to teleoperated bot data alone (heavier operationally).
“Many new skills are emerging through this process, are called for via natural language (voice/text), and are run by a single neural network on the bot (multi-tasking). Next: expand to 3rd person video transfer (aka random internet), and push reliability via self-play (RL) in the real-, and/or synthetic- (sim / world models) world,” Kovac wrote in his post on X.
News
Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City
SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025.

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.
Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.
As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.
On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”
Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.
Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.
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