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Update: Tesla Semi’s ad hoc ‘Megacharger’ setup spotted in the open at Supercharger

(Credit: Joseph Mathew via Jeff Nisewanger)

Published

5 years ago

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Perhaps one of the most secretive aspects of the Tesla Semi is its charging system. Since the vehicle’s unveiling, Tesla has been particularly careful about the ad hoc setup adopted by its Semi prototypes when they recharge their batteries at the company’s Supercharger Network. But with the Class 8 all-electric truck poised for volume production soon, it appears that Tesla has become a bit more generous in allowing EV enthusiasts to share photos of the vehicle’s charging setup. 

Correction: We have been informed that the image of the Semi’s ad hoc Megacharger setup was photographed and shared on social media in February 2019. A report of the sighting was posted by Jeff Nisewanger on Electric Revs.

Edmonton, AB-based Tesla Model 3 owner @TeslaYeg, an avid enthusiast of the electric car maker’s vehicles, recently posted a photograph of the Tesla Semi as it was charging at a Supercharger station. The Model 3 owner did not specify the location where the image was taken, though it would appear that the Semi was in Canada when it was photographed. This is not too farfetched, as the vehicle has been spotted road testing in Canada not too long ago. 

When the Tesla Semi was unveiled back in 2017, Elon Musk stated that the company will be setting up a network of “Megachargers” that would support the rapid charging needs of the Class 8 truck. The status of the company’s Megacharger ramp is unknown for now, though sightings of the vehicle across the United States indicate that Tesla has been using multiple regular Supercharger stalls as an ad hoc solution for the Semi’s charging needs. 

Unfortunately, Tesla has previously been very secretive about how this ad hoc solution works or even looks like. Some Tesla owners who were fortunate enough to chance upon the Semi at a Supercharger in the past even mentioned that staff and engineers accompanying the Class 8 truck have specifically asked them not to take any pictures of the vehicle’s charger. This does not seem to be the case anymore, as per @TeslaYeg’s recent post on Twitter. 

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The ad hoc “Megacharger” being used in the Semi actually features a pretty compact setup, with the company using a box that bridges the cables from the Supercharger stall to the truck itself. Interestingly, the charge port connector attached to the Semi appears to have enough space for two cables, and the box that links the charging stall to the truck seems to have enough space to accommodate several Superchargers as well. 

The next few months will likely be exciting for the Tesla Semi, considering that Elon Musk has announced that the vehicle should enter volume production soon. Recent sightings of the vehicle indicate that prototypes of the all-electric truck are being winter tested, and details of the Semi’s battery tech are expected to be discussed during the highly-anticipated Battery Day event this coming September. This suggests that a production ramp for the Semi is indeed underway, and it will only be a matter of time before the Class 8 truck starts being a common sight on freeways. 

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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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Cybertruck

Tesla begins wide rollout of Full Self-Driving v14 to Cybertruck

Published

8 hours ago

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November 3, 2025

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Credit: Weibo (via YYDS on X)

Tesla has officially begun the wide rollout of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14 to the Cybertruck about a month after the company started rolling it out to other vehicles in the fleet.

On Monday, Tesla officially started rolling out v14.1.5 to Cybertruck owners, the first FSD v14 rollout for owners of the all-electric pickup.

Owners have been anxiously waiting for Tesla to begin the wide release of v14 to Cybertruck, as the company said it would refine the suite for the vehicle.

Tesla has finally started rolling out to many owners, who are reporting that their Cybertrucks are downloading Software Update 2025.38.8.5, which contains FSD v14.1.5:

Tesla has to be more cautious with rolling out FSD on the Cybertruck than on other vehicles for a few reasons. Initially, the Cybertruck utilizes an all-wheel steering system that turns differently than the S3XY lineup. This creates a challenge for the Tesla AI team as they have to cater to this specific maneuvering change.

Additionally, the Cybertruck is much larger, and the exterior cameras responsible for seeing the vehicle’s surroundings are placed differently than those of the other vehicles.

This requires additional calibration to ensure safety.

The full release notes for Full Self-Driving v14.1.5 are as follows:

  • Added Arrival Options for you to select where FSD should park: in a Parking Lot, on the Street, in a Driveway, in a Parking Garage, or at the Curbside.
  • Added handling to pull over or yield for emergency vehicles (e.g. police cars, fire trucks, ambulances).
  • Added navigation and routing into the vision-based neural network for real-time handling of blocked roads and detours.
  • Added additional Speed Profile to further customize driving style preference.
  • Improved handling for static and dynamic gates.
  • Improved offsetting for road debris (e.g. tires, tree branches, boxes).
  • Improve handling of several scenarios including: unprotected turns, lane changes, vehicle cut-ins, and school buses.
  • Improved FSD’s ability to manage system faults and recover smoothly from degraded operation for enhanced reliability.
  • Added alerting for residue build-up on interior windshield that may impact front camera visibility. If affected, visit Service for cleaning!

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Elon Musk shuts down Tesla ‘AMG’ division speculation: ‘Focus is autonomy’

“I think it’s best to leave that to the custom shops. Tesla’s focus is autonomous cars, building futuristic autonomous cars. We want the future to look like the future.”

Published

10 hours ago

on

November 3, 2025

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked by Joe Rogan late last week whether the company would ever consider establishing an “AMG division” like Mercedes-Benz has established for powerful, race-inspired vehicles.

However, Musk turned down any talk of that, highlighting that the company is laser-focused on autonomous vehicles, seemingly hinting that any distraction from autonomy would be a detriment to the future.

Rogan drives a Tesla Model S himself, but it is not your run-of-the-mill all-electric sedan. Already outfitted with the Plaid powertrain that Tesla developed, Rogan took his vehicle to Unplugged Performance for a true performance outfitting.

The vehicle is completely overhauled with performance parts and seats. Known as the Model S-APEX, Rogan took delivery of it from Unplugged in January.

Rogan asked Musk on Friday during his most recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast whether Tesla would ever establish an “AMG division” that would focus on catering Teslas to performance-based standards.

Musk said:

“I think it’s best to leave that to the custom shops. Tesla’s focus is autonomous cars, building futuristic autonomous cars. We want the future to look like the future.”

Tesla fans have said for years that the company should consider acquiring Unplugged Performance and its Upfit Tesla division, which recently outfitted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s fleet of Cybertruck cruisers.

However, it seems Tesla will keep things separate. Musk is primarily focused on autonomy, which will drive the technology forward and drive shareholder growth. Something like an outfitter for performance would be a cool thing for the owners who have the interest and the money.

It’s not a tremendous revenue driver or anything that would contribute to the financial state of the company. Mercedes-Benz, for example, is more accessible for consumers as it sold over 140,000 units from its AMG brand in 2024.

Tesla Model Y driver starts race in reverse, still wins against AMG SUV

It helps with driving revenue higher by as much as 15 percent compared to similar models that are not AMGs. However, would Tesla see this much of a benefit? Likely not, because the Performance trim already caters to many owners.

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Cybertruck

Tesla Cybertruck fleet takes over at SpaceX’s Starbase

Interestingly, the Cybertruck uses the same exterior, a stainless steel alloy, as SpaceX rockets. This synergy between the two companies and their very different products shows a very unified mentality between Musk companies.

Published

11 hours ago

on

November 3, 2025

By

Credit: @derek1ee | X

Tesla Cybertrucks have taken over at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, as hundreds of the all-electric pickup trucks were spotted late last week rounding out a massive fleet of vehicles.

The Cybertruck fleet is geared toward replacing gas vehicles that are used at Starbase for everyday operations. The only surprise about this is that it was not done sooner:

Deliveries have been going on for a few weeks, as Cybertrucks have made their way across the state of Texas from Austin to Starbase so they could be included in SpaceX’s fleet of vehicles at the facility.

Interestingly, the Cybertruck uses the same exterior, a stainless steel alloy, as SpaceX rockets. This synergy between the two companies and their very different products shows a very unified mentality between Musk companies.

However, there are some other perspectives to consider as SpaceX is utilizing such a massive fleet of Cybertrucks. Some media outlets (unsurprisingly) are seeing this as a move of weakness by both Tesla and SpaceX, as the aerospace company is, in a sense, “bailing out” lagging sales for the all-electric pickup.

It’s no secret that Tesla has struggled with the Cybertruck this year, and deliveries have been underwhelming in the sense that the company was anticipating between 1 million and 2 million orders for the vehicle before it was widely produced.

A lot of things changed with the Cybertruck between its 2019 unveiling and 2023 initial deliveries, most notably, price.

The price of the Cybertruck swelled significantly and priced out many of those who had pre-ordered it. Some have weighed the option of whether this purchase was a way to get rid of sitting inventory.

However, it seems more logical to consider the fact that SpaceX was likely always going to transition to Teslas for its fleet, especially at Starship, at some point.

It doesn’t seem out of the question that one Musk company would utilize another Musk company’s products, especially considering the Cybertruck has been teased as the vehicle that would be present on Mars.

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