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Tesla’s Roadster prototype makes a rare outing in Palo Alto headquarters

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A Tesla enthusiast recently shared a series of fresh photos of the next-generation Roadster displayed at the company’s headquarters in Palo Alto, CA, providing the latest glimpse at the Elon Musk-led firm’s highly-anticipated, all-electric supercar.

Redditor Casey_S provided the forum community with a rare, intimate look at some of the next-generation Roadster’s details. Casey_S posted a series of snapshots of the “Maximum Plaid” sports car, including its unique steering wheel.

Another interesting tidbit about the recently displayed Roadster in the Palo Alto office was what appeared to be cameras mounted on the car’s side air vents. As noted by some members of the r/TeslaMotors subreddit, one of the images uploaded by Casey_S seemed to show a camera inside the vent area on the side of the electric sports car. Considering that Tesla’s Roadster prototype is not equipped with side mirrors, the cameras seen in the photos might be used as an alternative for the vehicle’s side mirrors, barring regulatory approval.

As we noted in a previous report, the next-generation Tesla Roadster features specs that are far beyond the standards set by Tesla’s flagship vehicles like the Model S P100D and the Model X P100D today. The electric sports car is capable of traveling 620 miles on a single charge, thanks to its massive 200 kWh battery pack, and designed to “give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars“.

According to CEO Elon Musk, the base model of the next-generation Roadster is capable of going from 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, and record a blistering quarter-mile time of 8.9 seconds, far beyond the times set by the Hypercar Trinity — the Porsche 918 Spyder, the McLaren P1, and the Ferrari LaFerrari. Considering that upgraded versions of the $250,000 electric supercar will be offered by the California-based firm when the vehicle enters production in 2020, the full capabilities of the next-generation Tesla Roadster is something that remains to be seen.

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Tesla Roadster Specifications

  • 0-60 mph: 1.9 seconds (before upgrades)
  • 1/4 mile: 8.9 seconds (first time any production car has broken 9 seconds in 1/4 mile)
  • Power: 10,000 nm Torque
  • Range: 620 miles (998 kilometers)
  • Battery size: 200 kWh
  • Top speed: 250+ mph
  • Production timeline: 2020
  • Drivetrain: 3 electric motors
  • Seating: 4 passengers in a 2+2 configuration
  • Amenities: removable roof

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla shares rare glimpse of Giga Shanghai, posts bullish teaser for Model Y L deliveries

The video was shared by the electric vehicle maker on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla China has posted a rather optimistic teaser of Giga Shanghai and this quarter’s Model Y L deliveries. The video was shared by the electric vehicle maker on Chinese social media platform Weibo. 

Giga Shanghai on full throttle

The recently shared Weibo video featured a rather rare glimpse of the exterior of Giga Shanghai, which, unlike Giga Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Giga Berlin, reportedly no longer allows drone flyovers. As noted by Tesla China in its Weibo post, Giga Shanghai has finished its vehicle shipping center, which allows the company to ship cars efficiently. 

Tesla China posted a video of numerous Model Y vehicles being loaded onto car carrier trucks. And as could be seen in the video, a good number of the Model Ys being shipped from Giga Shanghai were Model Y L units, the all-electric crossover’s six-seat, extended wheelbase variant that only started deliveries last month. 

Insurance registration reports

Tesla China does seem to be moving at full throttle this Q4 2025. Whisper numbers from industry watchers have suggested that the electric vehicle maker recorded 16,500 new vehicle registrations in the week of October 13-19. Considering that Tesla China typically focuses on exports during the first weeks of a quarter, the company’s numbers this Q4 could be quite impressive.

For context, Tesla China saw 5,020 new vehicle registrations in the week ending October 5 and 11,300 new vehicle registrations in the week ending October 12, 2025. The momentum of the Model Y L is also building up, with previous reports stating that the extended wheelbase, six-seat Model Y variant was able to help boost Tesla China’s wholesale numbers to 90,812 units in September, becoming the country’s fourth best-selling mid-to-large SUV in the process.

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Tesla is looking to conduct FSD tests in new Swedish city: report

The proposal appears to have been received rather positively by one of the city’s officials.

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Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East/X

Recent reports have suggested that Tesla is looking at another city in Sweden to test its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system on public roads. The proposal appears to have been received rather positively by one of the city’s officials.

Tesla FSD tests in Sweden

FSD has already been deployed in numerous territories such as the United States, China, and Australia. However, the system is yet to be released in Europe. As per a recent report from Värmlands Folkblad, Tesla has sent a request for FSD testing to the capital of Värmland, Karlstad. As noted in a CarUp report, Tesla is already testing FSD on motorways after the company secured permission from the Swedish Transport Agency. 

The Municipality of Karlstad has reportedly not issued a decision regarding Tesla’s request yet, though lawmakers seem open to the idea of FSD being tested on public roads. In a comment to VF, municipal councilor Linda Larsson stated that FSD tests in Karlstad “sounds interesting.” Tesla’s FSD tests, if they are approved, will still use safety drivers behind the wheel who will be ready to intervene at any time. 

Tesla pledges to work with the municipality

In its request, Tesla noted that Karlstad is an interesting municipality in which to conduct its tests. The company also stated that it would conduct its operations and tests in close collaboration with the municipality, as well as local entities. Considering the municipal councilor’s comments, it does appear that Tesla might have a solid chance at attaining permission to test FSD on Karlstad’s roads. 

Tesla’s success for FSD tests in Sweden has been mixed. A few months ago, reports emerged stating that the company’s request to test FSD in Stockholm had been rejected by the Swedish Traffic Department. 

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“The Traffic Office is currently working on updating its approach to automation. At the same time, the city and the office are under heavy pressure from other ongoing innovation tests. Our ambition is to actively participate in and learn from the continued development in the field of automation. 

“Based on this, and in combination with the fact that the current test is the first of its kind, which entails certain risks for both infrastructure and third parties, and that it is planned to be carried out throughout the city, the City of Stockholm considers it is currently not possible to approve the implementation of the test,” the Swedish Traffic Department stated.

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Waymo faces federal probe after self-driving taxi fails to stop for school bus

In a statement, a Waymo representative stated that the company has “already developed and implemented improvements” that should help its fleet avoid similar incidents in the future.

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Credit: Waymo

Federal regulators have launched an investigation into Waymo’s self-driving vehicles after reports that one of its autonomous taxis failed to stop properly for a school bus. 

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that it’s reviewing around 2,000 Waymo vehicles following concerns that its autonomous systems may have violated traffic laws.

Waymo under review

According to a Reuters report, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation began the probe after flagging a media report involving a Waymo self-driving taxi that did not remain stationary when approaching a school bus. At the time of the incident, the school bus had its red lights flashing, its stop arm was deployed, and its crossing control arm was extended.

As per the ODI’s report, the Waymo initially stopped beside the bus before maneuvering around its front. This resulted in the vehicle passing the school bus’ extended stop arm and crossing control arm. Students from the bus were disembarking when the Waymo committed the error. The vehicle was operating without a safety driver at the time, and it was equipped with Waymo’s fifth-generation Automated Driving System (ADS).

Software fix already in place

In a statement, a Waymo representative stated that the company has “already developed and implemented improvements related to stopping for school buses and will land additional software updates in our next software release.” The spokesperson also highlighted that Waymo prioritizes the safety of pedestrians, especially children, in its vehicles’ operations. 

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“Driving safely around children has always been one of Waymo’s highest priorities. In the event referenced, the vehicle approached the school bus from an angle where the flashing lights and stop sign were not visible and drove slowly around the front of the bus before driving past it, keeping a safe distance from children,” Waymo noted.

Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet, operates a fleet of more than 1,500 robotaxis in major U.S. cities, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin. The company continues to expand its footprint and plans future operations in Tokyo and London.

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