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Tesla Roadster trio found in shipping containers accumulates massive bids
Update: Paragraph 7 added to reflect updated bids.
The Tesla Roadster Trio found in shipping containers at a dock in China earlier this week has already started accumulating massive bids from buyers who are hoping to get their hands on at least one of the vehicles.
Earlier this week, Gruber Motor Company said it had learned about the three original Roadsters, which have been sitting untouched in sea containers since 2010, accruing storage charges.
In 2010, a buyer in China purchased three Tesla Roadsters. They were shipped and arrived, but they were abandoned by the buyer.
These have been sitting in sealed sea containers since. pic.twitter.com/tSwjwRQ3rA
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 2, 2023
Each of the three Roadsters likely has 0 miles, but there is no confirmation. “We also do not know how many, if any, miles were on odometers from testing/delivery of the new Roadsters,” Gruber wrote.
The condition of the vehicles is flawless, but there are questions as to whether the battery packs have any life left in them after the 13 years they have sat stagnant in the shipping containers in China. If one of them makes it back to the United States, Gruber plans to do a full technical analysis to determine the status of the vehicle or vehicles.
The current owner is selling all three of the Roadsters and prefers to sell them in a set, and massive bids are coming in for the vehicles just a few days after they went up for sale.
As of writing, Gruber said they have received six bids for the vehicles, with the most recent coming yesterday at a value of $225,000 for all three vehicles.
Update: As of May 5, the most recent bid is $500,000.
While this seems like a steal for three pieces of Tesla history, the vehicles are in a condition that is flawless in terms of appearance. However, their operational status is completely unknown due to their extensive sitting.
The Roadster was Tesla’s first vehicle and is a huge part of the company’s story. The vehicle was in production and was essentially a fundraiser for future projects, but manufacturing was difficult, and nearly bankrupt Tesla before it had the opportunity to move onto its next project, the Model S.
Luckily, investors funneled more money into the company in 2008, and it led to where Tesla is today, the undisputed leader in EVs.
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Tesla begins Holiday Update rollout with some surprise features
On Monday, just a few days after Tesla first announced the Holiday Update, people started reporting that it was being deployed to owners.
Tesla has started the rollout of the 2025 Holiday Update, as several owners reported it had arrived in their cars via a software update.
Tesla’s Holiday Update is rolling out as Software Version 2025.44.25.1, and includes several new features. We did an extensive breakdown of what was included in another article, but we’ll list the new additions below:
- Grok with Navigation Commands (Beta) – Grok will now add and edit destinations.
- Tesla Photobooth – Take pictures inside your car using the cabin-facing camera
- Dog Mode Live Activity – Check on your four-legged friend on your phone through periodic snapshots taken of the cabin
- Dashcam Viewer Update – Includes new metrics, like steering wheel angle, speed, and more
- Santa Mode – New graphics, trees, and a lock chime
- Light Show Update – Addition of Jingle Rush light show
- Custom Wraps and License Plates – Colorizer now allows you to customize your vehicle even further, with custom patterns, license plates, and tint
- Navigation Improvements – Easier layout and setup
- Supercharger Site Map – Starting at 18 pilot locations, a 3D view of the Supercharger you’re visiting will be available
- Automatic Carpool Lane Routing – Navigation will utilize carpool lanes if enabled
- Phone Left Behind Chime – Your car will now tell you if you left a phone inside
- Charge Limit Per Location – Set a charge limit for each location
- ISS Docking Simulator – New game
- Additional Improvements – Turn off wireless charging pad, Spotify improvements, Rainbow Rave Cave, Lock Sound TRON addition
On Monday, just a few days after Tesla first announced the Holiday Update, people started reporting that it was being deployed to owners.
We noticed a new Tesla software update 2025.44.25.1 on a Model Y AWD LR (2022) in Florida, United States. View the rollout of this update here: https://t.co/rPqISQaNkM
— Teslascope (@teslascope) December 8, 2025
It seems the release is a bit of an apology to a particular group, as it has only made its way to Hardware 3 vehicles, particularly the ones using the AMD Ryzen chip.
Tesla has excluded FSD-purchased and subscribed vehicles that are utilizing Hardware 3, so it seems there is a strategy to this limited rollout.
Two Surprise Additions
Tesla has added two additional features with the Holiday Update, which include a new Storage Space for Dashcam feature that shows how much space you have used and remaining on your USB drive.
Additionally, Tesla gamified Supercharging with a new “Charging Passport” feature, which we reported on earlier today.
News
Tesla announces major milestone at Gigafactory Shanghai
First deliveries started in December 2019, with the first units being given to employees. By the end of 2020, the plant was building cars at a run rate of around 150,000 vehicles annually.
Tesla has announced a major milestone at its Chinese manufacturing facility, Gigafactory Shanghai, confirming on Monday that it had built its four millionth vehicle.
Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai first started building cars back in October 2019 with Model 3 assembly, just ten months after the company broke ground on the plant’s 86-hectare piece of land.
First deliveries started in December 2019, with the first units being given to employees. By the end of 2020, the plant was building cars at a run rate of around 150,000 vehicles annually. Production continued to ramp up, and by September 2023, less than three years after it started building Tesla’s EVs, it had built its two millionth vehicle.
Fast forward to December 2025, and Tesla has confirmed that four million cars have rolled off of production lines at the plant, a major milestone in the six short years it has been active:
Produced our 4 millionth vehicle at Gigafactory Shanghai🎉
Thanks to all our owners and supporters❤️ pic.twitter.com/DayVXUr220— Tesla Asia (@Tesla_Asia) December 8, 2025
The capacity at Giga Shanghai is exceeding 950,000 vehicles per year, and this year, the company has delivered 675,000 cars through the first three quarters. It is also the only plant to manufacture the Model Y L, a longer wheel-based configuration of the all-electric crossover that is exclusive to the Chinese market.
Gigafactory Shanghai’s four million cars have not all stayed within the domestic market, either. For a considerable period, the factory was exporting a significant portion of its monthly production to Europe, helping Gigafactory Berlin supplement some Model Y volume and all of its Model 3 deliveries. This is due to the Berlin plant’s exclusive production plans for the Model 3.
The site is one of the most crucial in the company’s global plans, and Gigafactory Shanghai’s incredible pace, which has led to four million production units in just about six years. It’s fair to say that it won’t be long until we’re seeing Tesla celebrate the plant’s five millionth vehicle produced, which should happen sometime late next year or in early 2027, based on its current manufacturing pace.
The company also builds the Megapack on the property in an adjacent Megafactory.
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Tesla gamifies Supercharging with new ‘Charging Passport’
It will also include things like badges for special charging spots, among other metrics that will show all of the different places people have traveled to plug in for range.
Tesla is gamifying its Supercharging experience by offering a new “Charging Passport,” hoping to add a new layer to the ownership experience.
While it is not part of the Holiday Update, it is rolling out around the same time and offers a handful of cool new features.
Tesla’s Charging Passport will be available within the smartphone app and will give a yearly summary of your charging experience, helping encapsulate your travel for that year.
It will also include things like badges for special charging spots, among other metrics that will show all of the different places people have traveled to plug in for range.
Tesla has just introduced “Charging Passport,” a new yearly summary of your charging.
• Charging badges: Iconic Charging badge (for visiting places like the Tesla Diner, Oasis Supercharger, etc), Explorer badge, green saver badge, etc.
• Total unique Superchargers visited
•… pic.twitter.com/c1DHTWXpj7— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 8, 2025
Tesla will include the following metrics within the new Charging Passport option within the Tesla app:
- Charging badges: Iconic charging badges for visiting places like the Tesla Diner, Oasis Supercharger, etc., Explorer Badge, and more
- Total Unique Superchargers Visited
- Total Charging Sessions
- Total Miles Added during Charging Sessions
- Top Charging Day
- Longest Trip
- Favorite Charging Locations
This will give people a unique way to see their travels throughout the year, and although it is not necessarily something that is needed or adds any genuine value, it is something that many owners will like to look back on. After all, things like Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay have been a great way for people to see what music they listened to throughout the year.
This is essentially Tesla’s version of that.
With a handful of unique Superchargers already active, Tesla is also building some new ones, like a UFO-inspired location in New Mexico, near Roswell.
Tesla is building a new UFO-inspired Supercharger in the heart of Alien country
Tesla begins Holiday Update rollout with some surprise features
Tesla announces major milestone at Gigafactory Shanghai
