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Tesla to offer ‘Premium Connectivity’ internet package starting July 1
Tesla will be introducing new cellular connectivity packages for the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 starting July 1. According to the California-based electric car maker, Tesla owners who order their vehicles from July 1 moving forward will have the option to select between a “Premium Connectivity” package and a “Standard Connectivity” package. The new internet packages would be rolled out to all of Tesla’s markets, including Europe, Australia, and Asia.
The Premium Connectivity package includes satellite maps with live traffic visualizations and satellite-view maps. In-car streaming music and media, as well as over-the-air updates via cellular data, are also included in the package, together with other applications and services that are set to be introduced in the future. Full pricing and details are expected to be announced soon, but Tesla expects the internet package to cost roughly $100 per year, or $8.34 per month.
Customers who order a Model S, Model X, or Model 3 with the Premium Interior Package on or after July 1, 2018, will be receiving a year’s worth of Premium Connectivity for free. After the 1-year period is over, owners would be able to select the connectivity package option they prefer. Cars ordered before July 1, including Tesla’s entire fleet today, will not be impacted by the introduction of the new connectivity package options.
Tesla’s Standard Connectivity package includes basic maps and navigation, as well as music and media features through a smartphone’s Bluetooth connection. Over-the-air updates are downloaded through WiFi, though Tesla states that firmware updates related to vehicle safety would be received through cellular at no extra cost. Customers can upgrade to the Premium Connectivity package at any time through the electric cars’ center console.
The main difference between Tesla’s two internet packages lies in live traffic visualization, firmware updates, and in-car streaming. While all vehicles regardless of internet package would feature Tesla’s new and improved Navigation, electric cars with the Standard Connectivity package would not see live traffic visualizations, which are represented by green, orange, and red lines on the vehicle’s maps. The internet browser for the Model S and Model X and music streaming using the car’s cellular data itself would also be unavailable.
Tesla’s improved Navigation, pictured here, would still be accessible to Tesla vehicles with Standard Connectivity packages. [Credit: Black Tesla via YouTube]
Particularly admirable, however, is the fact that all current Teslas on the road today will have the Premium Connectivity package for free for the lifetime of the vehicles. This is a pleasant surprise considering the company’s expectations outlined on its Q4 2013 Shareholder Letter, where Tesla noted that Model S customers would get free data connectivity for four years before the company starts charging for cellular data use.
“To further enhance the driver experience, new Model S customers will now receive free data connectivity and internet radio for four years. As an added benefit to our existing Model S customers, the free four year period starts on January 1, 2014. To be fair to all, in rare cases, a customer may be charged for extreme data use.”
Overall, Tesla’s introduction of its new connectivity packages could be seen as one of the strategies that the company could adopt to achieve its target of hitting profitability by Q3 or Q4 2018. As the size of Tesla’s fleet grows, after all, it becomes more and more costly for the company to provide complimentary cellular internet access to all its vehicles on the road. At around $100 a year or roughly $8.34 per month, Tesla’s Premium Connectivity package is very reasonable, costing less than the price of LTE services for the Apple Watch Series 3, which commands an additional $10 to a mobile phone subscription on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk reveals new details about Robotaxi rollout
The first Tesla Robotaxi unit was spotted in Austin earlier today, and CEO Elon Musk is revealing some cool new details.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed new details about the company’s relatively imminent rollout of the Robotaxi platform as the suspected launch date of June 12 continues to near.
Earlier today, the first video showing the first driverless Tesla Robotaxi in Austin was shared on X, just a day after the City officially listed the company as an autonomous vehicle operator on its website. Tesla is listed as a company in the “Testing” phase.
🚨 BREAKING: The first Tesla Robotaxi has been spotted in Austin!
It’s has the word “Robotaxi” inscribed on the side, and it’s very clear that there is nobody in the driver’s seat.
It does appear that someone is in the passenger’s seat. https://t.co/6BdTfd4B8p pic.twitter.com/dygWCeQ5kZ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 10, 2025
The initial details of the Robotaxi are being revealed by Musk, who is carefully releasing small tidbits that seem to show the capabilities of the entire Tesla fleet, and not necessarily just the vehicles that will be involved in the initial rollout in Austin.
First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX
His first tidbit is one that many Tesla owners and fans will already know: many Teslas are capable of this driveless performance, but Full Self-Driving is not yet refined to the point where the software is quite ready to handle it. Current versions are robust, but not prepared for driverless navigation. The hardware, however, will enable Teslas to be Robotaxis, even if they’re already purchased by owners:
These are unmodified Tesla cars coming straight from the factory, meaning that every Tesla coming out of our factories is capable of unsupervised self-driving! https://t.co/n94ln0Uas6
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2025
This is one of the biggest advantages Tesla has over other vehicle makers. Simply put, the Over-the-Air software updates that will roll out to FSD users will eventually make their cars into Robotaxis as well.
However, Musk shed some details on the version of FSD that is being run in these new Robotaxis that were spotted. Musk said that the version these Robotaxis are running is a new version, but will soon “merge to main branch.”
There is also an even newer version that has four times the parameters as this newer version that the test-stage Robotaxis are using, but Musk admits that this needs significant refinement before it is released to the public.
It’s a new version of software, but will merge to main branch soon.
We have a more advanced model in alpha stage that has ~4X the params, but still requires a lot of polishing.
That’s probably ready for deploy in a few months.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2025
As of now, Tesla is simply teasing the actual launch date of the Robotaxi program, but Bloomberg reported earlier this month that it will occur on June 12.
News
First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX
The short clip suggests that Tesla may be ramping up its preparations for its robotaxi rollout in Austin.
A recent video posted on X has provided a first look at Tesla’s driverless robotaxi, which is expected to be deployed in Austin, Texas, this month. The vehicle was a new Tesla Model Y, which was followed by what appeared to be a manned chase car.
The short clip suggests that Tesla may be ramping up its preparations for its robotaxi rollout in Austin.
The First Robotaxi Sighting
It was evident from the short clip that the Tesla robotaxi was operating completely driverless. In the video, which was posted on X by @TerrapinTerpene, the driverless Tesla could be seen confidently making a turn. The vehicle looked and behaved like any other car on the road, save for the fact that there was no one in the driver’s seat.
Interestingly enough, the short video also provided a teaser on where Tesla will place its “robotaxi” logo on its self-driving cars. Based on the video, the robotaxis’ logo will be tastefully placed on the front doors, making the vehicles look sleek and clean.
Initial Rollout Imminent
Recent reports have suggested that Tesla is already starting the testing phase of its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. Expectations are also high that Tesla’s initial fleet of self-driving vehicles will be utilizing a lot of teleoperation to ensure that they operate as safely as possible.
Updates to Austin’s official website recently have hinted at Tesla’s robotaxi launch. Just this Monday, Tesla was listed as an autonomous vehicle (AV) operator on Austin’s official Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Other AV operators listed on the site are Waymo and Zoox, among others.
Elon Musk, for his part, has noted that by the end of June, the public in Austin should be ready to take rides in Tesla robotaxis without an invitation. He also noted in late May that Tesla has been busy testing driverless cars on Austin’s city streets without any incidents.
News
Tesla Model Y proudly takes its place as China’s best-selling SUV in May
The Model Y edged out competitors like the BYD Song Plus.
The Tesla Model Y claimed its position as China’s best-selling SUV in May, with 24,770 units registered, according to insurance data from China EV DataTracker.
The Model Y edged out competitors like the BYD Song Plus, which recorded 24,240 registrations, as well as Geely’s gasoline-powered Xingyue L, which took third place with 21,014 units registered, as noted in Car News China report.
Return To The Top
The Model Y’s return to the top of China’s SUV market follows a second-place finish in April, when it trailed the BYD Song Plus by just 684 units. Tesla China had 19,984 new Model Y registrations in April, while BYD had 20,668 registrations for the Song Plus.
For the first five months of 2025, Tesla sold 126,643 Model Ys in China, outpacing the Song Plus at 110,551 units and BYD’s Song Pro at 80,245 units. This is quite impressive as the new Tesla Model Y is still a premium vehicle that is significantly more expensive than a good number of its competitors.
Year-Over-Year Challenges
Despite its SUV crown, Tesla’s year-over-year performance in China is still seeing headwinds. May sales totaled 38,588 units, a 30% year-over-year decline. From January to May, Tesla delivered 201,926 vehicles in China, a 7.8% drop year-over-year. These drops, however, are notably affected by the company’s changeover to the new Model Y in the first quarter.
Exports from Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory also fell, with 90,949 vehicles being shipped from January to May 2025. This represents a decline of 33.4% year-over-year, though May exports rose 33% to 23,074 units.
China’s electric vehicle market, meanwhile, showed robust growth. Total NEV sales, which includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), reached 1,021,000 units in May, up 28% year-over-year. BEV sales alone hit 607,000 units, a 22.4% increase.
Considering the fact that China’s BEV market is extremely competitive, the Tesla Model Y’s rise to the top of the country’s SUV rankings is extremely impressive.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk reveals new details about Robotaxi rollout
First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX
Tesla Model Y proudly takes its place as China’s best-selling SUV in May
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