News
Tesla appears in popular battle royale video game, Semi, Model Y make gaming debuts
Tesla is popping up in video games more frequently now, as a new collaboration with PUBG Mobile shows several elements of the electric automaker have been added into the game’s main mode. The Model Y, Tesla’s all-electric crossover, and the Tesla Semi also made their way into the virtual gaming world for the first time, with the Model Y even featuring a self-driving mode similar to that of Tesla’s Autopilot.
PUBG Mobile 1.5: IGNITION is a Battle Royale-style game, meaning that a lobby of between 80-150 players all spawn into a virtual world with the goal of being the last one standing. Utilizing resources like weapons, ammunition, health materials, and building supplies, the objective is to survive as long as possible while also defeating and eliminating enemy players. This style of game was made mainstream several years ago with the introduction of the trendy video game Fortnite. While other battle royales existed, Fortnite launched it into the mainstream.
“The technological transformation of Erangel has caught the attention of Tesla,” PUBG Mobile wrote on its website. “Tesla will build a Gigafactory on Erangel to produce classic models of its cars, as well as provide more technologically advanced autonomous driving experiences and supply transportation solutions. In the new mode, Mission Ignition, players will be able to experience Tesla exclusive content.”
PUBG is widely popular as well, and it is pretty interesting to see the Model Y make its gaming debut in a non-racing game, as many other Teslas have. In past editions of Forza Motorsport, vehicles like the Tesla Model S P85 have been included as purchasable vehicles, giving gamers the opportunity to experience all-electric instant torque and horsepower…sort of. However, a game based on survival and outlasting others isn’t too far-fetched, especially with the Model Y’s added Autopilot functionality in the game and other interesting real-world features like the car’s double-paned glass. (I say that satirically).
According to PUBG Mobile’s official website, the Tesla Semi is also available in the game, but not available for gamer control. Instead, the vehicle will “spawn randomly along the road in the wild and will drive automatically on specific routes.” Gamers will have to shoot the Semi until it is destroyed so they can obtain Supply Crates. These crates will supply gamers with things like ammo and additional weaponry.
The game also includes a small Gigafactory in the map’s area of Erangel. This is where the player’s manufacturing chops will be put to the test. Model Ys are not just lying around on the road for gamers to take; you’re going to have to build it yourself. By activating a series of switches and levers, the Gigafactory will come to life, bringing in a full-scale sneak peek of the highly automated lines that Tesla already uses in its real-world production facilities. After a few minutes, the Model Y will be ready to roll off production lines, and the player will have the ability to take the speed and performance for a spin, all while avoiding enemy players, of course.
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- Credit: PUBG Mobile | YouTube
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- Credit: PUBG Mobile | YouTube
In a game like this, it seems the Tesla Cybertruck, with its ultra-strength Tesla Glass and impenetrable stainless steel alloy, would be the more popular choice among doomsday gamers. However, this vehicle hasn’t yet been added to the PUBG Mobile platform, but there are no indications that it won’t happen in the future.
Check out a quick preview of Tesla’s appearance in the PUBG Mobile 1.5: IGNITION game below.
News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y earn Euro NCAP Best in Class safety awards
“The company’s best-selling Model Y proved the gold standard for small SUVs,” Euro NCAP noted.
Tesla won dual categories in the Euro NCAP Best in Class awards, with the Model 3 being named the safest Large Family Car and the Model Y being recognized as the safest Small SUV.
The feat was highlighted by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official account on social media platform X.
Model 3 and Model Y lead their respective segments
As per a press release from the Euro NCAP, the organization’s Best in Class designation is based on a weighted assessment of four key areas: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User, and Safety Assist. Only vehicles that achieved a 5-star Euro NCAP rating and were evaluated with standard safety equipment are eligible for the award.
Euro NCAP noted that the updated Tesla Model 3 performed particularly well in Child Occupant protection, while its Safety Assist score reflected Tesla’s ongoing improvements to driver-assistance systems. The Model Y similarly stood out in Child Occupant protection and Safety Assist, reinforcing Tesla’s dual-category win.
“The company’s best-selling Model Y proved the gold standard for small SUVs,” Euro NCAP noted.
Euro NCAP leadership shares insights
Euro NCAP Secretary General Dr. Michiel van Ratingen said the organization’s Best in Class awards are designed to help consumers identify the safest vehicles over the past year.
Van Ratingen noted that 2025 was Euro NCAP’s busiest year to date, with more vehicles tested than ever before, amid a growing variety of electric cars and increasingly sophisticated safety systems. While the Mercedes-Benz CLA ultimately earned the title of Best Performer of 2025, he emphasized that Tesla finished only fractionally behind in the overall rankings.
“It was a close-run competition,” van Ratingen said. “Tesla was only fractionally behind, and new entrants like firefly and Leapmotor show how global competition continues to grow, which can only be a good thing for consumers who value safety as much as style, practicality, driving performance, and running costs from their next car.”
News
Tesla is shifting FSD to a subscription-only model, confirms Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed the upcoming update in a post on social media platform X.
Tesla will be ending one-time purchases of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system after Valentine’s Day, transitioning the feature to a monthly subscription-only model.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed the upcoming update in a post on social media platform X.
No more FSD one-time purchases
As per Elon Musk in his post on X, “Tesla will stop selling FSD after Feb 14. FSD will only be available as a monthly subscription thereafter.” This marks a shift in how Tesla monetizes its FSD system, which can now be purchased for a one-time fee or accessed through a monthly subscription.
FSD’s subscription model has been $99 per month in the United States, while its one-time purchase option is currently priced at $8,000. FSD’s one-time purchase price has swung wildly in recent years, reaching $15,000 in September 2022. At the time, FSD was proficient, but its performance was not on par with v14. This made its $15,000 upfront price a hard sell for consumers.
Tesla’s move to a subscription-only model could then streamline how the company sells FSD. It also lowers the entry price for the system, as even price-conscious drivers would likely be able to justify FSD’s $99 monthly subscription cost during periods when long-distance travel is prevalent, like the holidays.
Musk’s compensation plan and FSD subscription targets
Tesla’s shift to a subscription-only FSD model comes amidst Musk’s 2025 CEO Performance Award, which was approved by Tesla shareholders at the 2025 Annual Shareholders Meeting with roughly 75% support. Under the long-term compensation plan, Musk must achieve a series of ambitious operational milestones, including 10 million active FSD subscriptions, over the next decade for his stock awards to vest.
The 2025 CEO Performance Award’s structure ties Musk’s potential compensation to Tesla’s aggressive targets that span market capitalization, vehicle deliveries, robotics, and software adoption. Apart from his 10-million active FSD subscription target, Musk’s compensation is also tied to Tesla producing 20 million vehicles cumulatively, delivering 1 million Tesla bots, and having 1 million Robotaxis in operation. He must also lead Tesla to a market cap of $8.5 trillion.
If successful, Elon Musk’s 2025 CEO Performance Award could make him the world’s first trillionaire. It could also help Tesla become the world’s most valuable company by market cap by a notable margin.
Tesla is planning for a new 300+ stall Supercharger station that will be an expansion of an existing facility, and the company is planning to add a surprise for the Semi.
The Firebaugh, California Supercharger is currently 72 Superchargers, but Tesla filed for an expansion that will add 232 additional plugs for passenger vehicles, and it also plans to add 16 Semichargers.
This will be the biggest Supercharger station Tesla will have to date, just months after it finished the Supercharger Oasis in Lost Hills, California, which has 168 stalls. This will have 304 total Supercharger stalls, and then the additional 16 Megachargers.
🚨 This Supercharger station will have 304 total stalls and 16 Semichargers following this expansion
Absolutely INSANE size 🔥
This is located on I-5, so many semis will be traveling along this route https://t.co/hM9hdLcWwg
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 13, 2026
The Firebaugh Supercharger is located on I-5, which is a major reason for why Tesla has chosen the location for additional Megacharger plug-ins, as Tesla Semi Program Manager Dan Priestley said on X earlier today.
Lots of trucks to electrify on I-5
— Dan Priestley (@danWpriestley) January 13, 2026
The project was revealed by MarcoRP, a Supercharger tracker.
The expansion is a massive signal for charging demand, especially as Tesla’s Superchargers are opened to numerous automakers and are no longer exclusive to the company’s EVs. Additionally, the installation of Megachargers is a good sign to come for the Tesla Semi program, which aims to truly ramp up this year.
Tesla plans to launch production of the Semi later this year.
It could also mean Tesla is going to expand its footprint of large-scale Supercharger projects in the coming years, which would be a big boost as EV adoption continues to soar in the United States.
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y earn Euro NCAP Best in Class safety awards
Tesla is shifting FSD to a subscription-only model, confirms Elon Musk
