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Tesla Model Y rival Ford Mustang Mach-E gets its first early review

(Credit: Ford)

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The Ford Mustang Mach-E has made waves in the electric vehicle sector, thanks to its combination of features, price, and its rather controversial name. Recently, the American automaker formally took a select group of reviewers in London for a brief ride in its newest electric car. Reviews of the short drive gave some insight on how Ford’s newest battery electric vehicle will compare to its most comparable counterparts, like the upcoming Tesla Model Y.

Car Magazine writer Tom Wiltshire shared that his first impressions of the Mach-E was that the vehicle looked smaller than its 4.7-meter length. Strangely enough, the vehicle’s Mustang cues actually work for the Mach-E, giving the all-electric crossover a distinct look that’s good and aggressive at the same time.

Make no mistake, the Mach-E is still a premium electric vehicle, and Car Magazine‘s writers noted that. The vehicle’s instant torque provided a satisfying surge of acceleration. That being said, the Mach-E’s 0-60 mph prototype’s run of less than five seconds does not hit “in the same way a Tesla would,” according to Wilshire. It’s plenty quick — just not Tesla quick.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E offers three driving modes that are interestingly (or perhaps strangely) dubbed as “Whisper,” “Engage,” and “Unbridled.” It also offers a One-Pedal Mode for regenerative braking, a feature Car and Driver writers raved about on the Model S. The suspension was firm but the seats were comfortable, making the ride pleasant. Its refinement was easily on Tesla’s level, according to the reviewers. However, its EU-required noisemaker was mostly absent of the “distinctive but emotional” sound that Ford listed for the car.

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The car’s interior felt impressively high-quality and while the vehicle’s dash screen was difficult to operate, its speaker system is unique in that it spanned the full width of the car. This provides the Mach-E with great interior sound, though it would meet some strong competition with the Model Y and its custom Tesla speakers, which have garnered rave reviews from owners.

While it is too early to tell if the Mach-E will be a success, the look of the car its performance during its short drive through the streets of London was fairly impressive. “If the price tag is right and Ford can pull off the same trick it’s been doing for many years this could be an EV well worth watching,” Wiltshire wrote.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E will be competing in the same segment as the Tesla Model Y, and while the two vehicles are comparable for sure in terms of pricing, acceleration, range, and cargo capacity, they could inevitably complement each other in the growing crossover market. With competitive pricing and specs right on point with the Model Y, many of the electric crossovers that have been produced by some of the legacy automakers such as the Jaguar I-PACE could be in for a rude awakening.

Ford’s move toward electric vehicles was complimented by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has always noted that his company’s competition does not lie within other EVs, but within carmakers who refuse to adapt to the electric revolution. Sustainable transportation options are becoming more prevalent as some of the largest automakers in the world are fully embracing the new wave of transportation.

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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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Tesla expands ridesharing service in California to new hotspot

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has extended its Bay Area ride-hailing service to include pickups and drop-offs at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The update, shared via the company’s official channels on July 21, allows users in the region to request rides directly to and from one of California’s busiest airports.

The expansion builds on Tesla’s secured limousine permit for SFO operations. Public records show the permit became effective March 20, 2026, and remains active through January 31, 2027. Tesla vehicles operating the service now display authorized limousine permits issued by the City and County of San Francisco.

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Tesla’s ride-hailing program in California relies on Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology. Human safety drivers remain present in compliance with state regulations, distinguishing the service from fully driverless operations.

The Bay Area geofence covers a broad area spanning north of San Francisco to south of San Jose, offering extensive connectivity across the region.

UPDATE: Elon Musk reveals why Tesla didn’t say ‘Robotaxi’ upon California launch

This SFO addition follows earlier progress at other Bay Area airports. Tesla previously expanded service to San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) in late 2025. The company had engaged with SFO, SJC, and Oakland International Airport officials as early as September 2025 to secure necessary approvals for passenger transport.

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The service provides a new option for travelers seeking electric, app-based transportation integrated with Tesla’s ecosystem. Rides are booked through Tesla’s dedicated ride-hailing application, which handles matching, routing, and payments. Pricing follows standard ride-hailing models, with potential adjustments based on distance, time, and demand.

Tesla’s California ride-hailing program launched in July 2025 with an initial invite-only rollout in the Bay Area. It started alongside operations in Austin, Texas, marking the company’s second major U.S. market.

The Bay Area remains a primary focus in California, with service centered on high-demand corridors connecting residential, commercial, and now major transportation hubs. This latest airport integration represents a practical step in Tesla’s broader mobility ambitions within the state.

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Tesla reveals 2026 Summer Update with crazy fixes to Nav and more

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has officially revealed its 2026 Summer Update, which comes with a variety of crazy new features, including Navigation fixes that owners have been wanting for months.

Tesla routinely releases a larger update with the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter updates, where it ships a variety of new features, bug fixes, and other additions to customer cars.

The 2026 Spring Update featured things like “Hey Grok” voice assistance, a redesigned self-driving app, Unreal Engine visual upgrades, and more.

Tesla’s Summer Release has about ten new features; we’ll show you each and detail them below:

New Grok Voice Commands

“Grok can now make phone calls, search and play music, adjust climate, open the glovebox, and answer questions about your Tesla.”

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Self-Driving Stats in Mobile App

“View and share self-driving stats from the mobile app.”

Caraoke With Scoring

“Caraoke now scores your singing while in Park. High scores are saved to your Tesla profile.”

Automatic Navigation

“Automatic Navigation now adapts to your routine.

In addition to Home, Work, and upcoming calendar events, your vehicle can now suggest and route to places you visit regularly – like a school drop-off on the way to work, or the gym on the way home.”

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Preferred Routes

“For a more personalized experience, navigation now prioritizes routes that you’ve taken before”

Set Arrival Energy from Mobile App

“Set your desired Arrival Energy from your phone.”

Send Custom Wraps from Mobile App

“Skip the USB drive and upload a custom wrap of your car from the mobile app. Instructions for creating a custom wrap here: https://github.com/teslamotors/custom-wraps.”

Rear Display Lock

“Kids can watch content on the rear screen, but only the front row can control it through the rear screen app.”

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Other Improvements

  • Find Superchargers by name when searching for a destination
  • Add Apple Music songs to queue from search and artist page
  • Set your preferred zoom level for the Self-Driving visualization
  • Intro animations for new Model 3 and Y
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Tesla’s reason for Starlink integration on Cybercab might surprise you

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s reason for Starlink integration on Cybercab might surprise you, as the company’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, finally shed some light on the reason they are putting a satellite internet terminal on its ride-hailing-geared vehicle.

On Monday, Tesla officially confirmed that it would integrate Starlink V5 terminals into Cybercab vehicles, something many Tesla fans had figured the company would do, as the vehicle is primarily geared toward giving rides without any passenger intervention.

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The ability to access the internet would allow riders to work or play in the car with their devices. It seemed like a more-than-reasonable feature to add to the Cybercab, which made its way off the production lines for the first time earlier this year.

Tesla reveals first vehicle model to receive Starlink integration

However, the move is not for the rider, as Elluswamy confirmed on Monday night. Instead, it’s actually for Tesla to be able to have a constant connection to the cars in the Robotaxi fleet so it can troubleshoot issues, contact riders, or resolve other issues.

Elluswamy said:

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“It is still not required for safe operation of the vehicle. Connectivity is primarily meant for navigation, customer service and, in general, fleet management.”

Many initially assumed the option of constant connectivity would be enabled on the Cybercab for passenger entertainment or work. With the Cybercab, passengers won’t be doing anything but enjoying the ride, so it seemed more than logical that they would be hanging out with Starlink internet access as an amenity.

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However, Tesla’s primary concern with Robotaxi is safety, and nailing these first unsupervised rides is a crucial step to setting a good narrative on how effective driverless transportation can be.

Being able to get in touch with passengers or a vehicle if something is wrong is a crucial part of the overall experience, and preventative measures are being taken by Tesla to ensure a smooth process, even in the worst-case.

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