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Tesla Model Y heat pump functions explained and explored in Munro teardown
One of the Tesla Model Y’s most talked about features is its heat pump, which replaced the electric resistive heating system used in the Model S, Model 3, and Model X. In a recent video uploaded by Detroit automotive veteran Sandy Munro, he drew comparisons between the Model Y’s heat pump to the old air conditioning compressor that was included in the Model 3. More importantly, Munro also talked about why he prefers the new system to the former.
The heat pump was the brainchild of Tesla’s engineering team. Additionally, Munro stated in his recent teardown video that the new heat pump from Tesla can accomplish both air conditioning and heating. Interestingly enough, the component is independently mounted from other parts underneath the hood, allowing the unit to shake and move freely when it’s operating.
“That shake does not turn into a noise vibration and harshness that you’d find inside the car,” Munro says, as he suggested that mounting the pump to other portions of the vehicle’s system could cause an unfavorable noise. “This is right. This is the way to do it.”
Munro noted that the heat pump’s compressor “crushes” gas down and sends it out into a pipe that navigates away from the pump. The vehicle then makes a decision based on the climate control settings in the car. It will either go into an air conditioning condenser if the driver wants cold air, or straight into the cabin if the heat is turned on. While simple, Munro’s explanation shows the efficiency of the system. It simplifies the overall structure of the Model Y’s climate control, while providing a whole new way for Tesla to maximize the efficiency of the vehicle.
In a previous video from Tesla owner-enthusiast Andy Slye, he explained that while the electric resistive heating systems in the electric car maker’s previous vehicles have a 100% efficiency rate, heat pumps generally have a 300% efficiency rate. While this seems improbable, a heat pump can generate 3kW of thermal energy from 1 kW of power. This helps address the usual reduction of range experienced by Teslas in cold climates.
The new system could eliminate the worries of consumers who live in areas where extremely cold weather is anticipated during winter months. Cold air increases drag, and while the battery and cabin require warming, range drops, causing more frequent charging stops. But with a more efficient climate control system, this does not have to be the case.
As for Munro, he believes that a heat pump was indeed the right choice for the Model Y. “I think it’s a good idea to have the heat pump as opposed to the heaters and all the other stuff they had inside (the Model 3), so I’m pretty happy about that,” he said.
Tesla’s engineering team performed some of the best work yet with the Model Y, as per CEO Elon Musk. And if Sandy Munro’s ongoing teardown is any indication, it appears that the Tesla Mode Y is really the company’s most disruptive vehicle to date.
Watch Munro’s breakdown of the Model Y heat pump below.
News
Tesla teases new market entrance with confusing and cryptic message
Tesla teased its entrance into a new market with a confusing and what appeared to be cryptic message on the social media platform X.
The company has been teasing its entrance into several markets, including Africa, which would be a first, and South America, where it only operates in Chile.
In September, Tesla started creating active job postings for the Colombian market, hinting it would expand its presence in South America and launch in a new country for the first time in two years.
The jobs were related to various roles, including Associate Sales Manager, Advisors in Sales and Delivery, and Service Technicians. These are all roles that would indicate Tesla is planning to launch a wide-scale effort to sell, manage, and repair vehicles in the market.
Last night, Tesla posted its latest hint, a cryptic video that seems to show the outline of Colombia, teasing its closer than ever to market entry:
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) November 12, 2025
This would be the next expansion into a continent where it does not have much of a presence for Tesla. Currently, there are only two Supercharger locations on the entire continent, and they’re both in Chile.
Tesla will obviously need to expand upon this crucial part of the ownership experience to enable a more confident consumer base in South America as a whole. However, it is not impossible, as many other EV charging infrastructures are available, and home charging is always a suitable option for those who have access to it.
Surprisingly, Tesla seems to be more concerned about these middle-market countries as opposed to the larger markets in South America, but that could be by design.
If Tesla were to launch in Brazil initially, it may not be able to handle the uptick in demand, and infrastructure expansion could be more difficult. Brazil may be on its list in the upcoming years, but not as of right now.
News
Tesla expands crucial Supercharging feature for easier access
It is a useful tool, especially during hours of congestion. However, it has not been super effective for those who drive non-Tesla EVs, as other OEMs use UI platforms like Google’s Android Auto or Apple’s iOS.
Tesla has expanded a crucial Supercharging feature that helps owners identify stall availability at nearby locations.
Tesla said on Tuesday night that its “Live Availability” feature, which shows EV owners how many stalls are available at a Supercharger station, to Google Maps, a third-party app:
Live availability of Superchargers now in Google Maps pic.twitter.com/DJvS83wVxm
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) November 11, 2025
Already offering it in its own vehicles, the Live Availability feature that Teslas have is a helpful feature that helps you choose an appropriate station with plugs that are immediately available.
A number on an icon where the Supercharger is located lets EV drivers know how many stalls are available.
It is a useful tool, especially during hours of congestion. However, it has not been super effective for those who drive non-Tesla EVs, as other OEMs use UI platforms like Google’s Android Auto or Apple’s iOS.
Essentially, when those drivers needed to charge at a Supercharger that enables non-Tesla EVs to plug in, there was a bit more of a gamble. There was no guarantee that a plug would be available, and with no way to see how many are open, it was a risk.
Tesla adding this feature allows people to have a more convenient and easier-to-use experience if they are in a non-Tesla EV. With the already expansive Supercharger Network being available to so many EV owners, there is more congestion than ever.
This new feature makes the entire experience better for all owners, especially as there is more transparency regarding the availability of plugs at Supercharger stalls.
It will be interesting to see if Tesla is able to expand on this new move, as Apple Maps compatibility is an obvious goal of the company’s in the future, we could imagine. In fact, this is one of the first times an Android Auto feature is available to those owners before it became an option for iOS users.
Apple owners tend to get priority with new features within the Tesla App itself.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Boring Co goes extra hard in Nashville with first rock-crushing TBM
The Boring Company’s machine for the project is now in final testing.
The Boring Company is gearing up to tackle one of its toughest projects yet, a new tunnel system beneath Nashville’s notoriously tough limestone terrain. Unlike the soft-soil conditions of Las Vegas and Austin, the Music City Loop will require a “hard-rock” boring machine capable of drilling through dense, erosion-resistant bedrock.
The Boring Company’s machine for the project is now in final testing.
A boring hard-rock tunneling machine
The Boring Company revealed on X that its new hard-rock TBM can generate up to 4 million pounds of grip force and 1.5 million pounds of maximum thrust load. It also features a 15-filter dust removal system designed to keep operations clean and efficient during excavation even in places where hard rock is present.
Previous Boring Co. projects, including its Loop tunnels in Las Vegas, Austin, and Bastrop, were dug primarily through soft soils. Nashville’s geology, however, poses a different challenge. Boring Company CEO and President Steve Davis mentioned this challenge during the project’s announcement in late July.
“It’s a tough place to tunnel, Nashville. If we were optimizing for the easiest places to tunnel, it would not be here. You have extremely hard rock, like way harder than it should be. It’s an engineering problem that’s fairly easy and straightforward to solve,” Davis said.
Nashville’s limestone terrain
Experts have stated that the city’s subsurface conditions make it one of the more complex tunneling environments in the U.S. The Outer Nashville Basin is composed of cherty Mississippian-age limestone, a strong yet soluble rock that can dissolve over time, creating underground voids and caves, as noted in a report from The Tennessean.
Jakob Walter, the founder and principal engineer of Haushepherd, shared his thoughts on these challenges. “Limestone is generally a stable sedimentary bedrock material with strength parameters that are favorable for tunneling. Limestone is however fairly soluble when compared to other rack materials, and can dissolve over long periods of time when exposed to water.
“Unexpected encounters with these features while tunneling can result in significant construction delays and potential instability of the excavation. In urban locations, structures at the ground surface should also be constantly monitored with robotic total stations or similar surveying equipment to identify any early signs of movement or distress,” he said.
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