News
Tesla Semi draws eyes with its stunning red wrap in recent Fremont sighting
As the Tesla Semi’s expected production date draws nearer, the company appears to be ramping the road tests of its two electric truck prototypes. Apart from sightings of the silver Semi test mule across the United States, the red wrapped prototype that re-emerged last month seems to be racking up some real-world miles as well.
Just recently, the red wrapped electric truck was spotted conducting a run close near Tesla’s Fremont factory in CA. Unlike the red truck’s previous sightings, where it was spotted pulling a trailer, the Semi was running on its own this time around (known as “bobtailing” in the trucking industry). As could be seen in a video of the vehicle, the Semi is especially nimble on the road without a trailer attached.
Considering its red color scheme, the Tesla Semi prototype is undoubtedly eye-catching. When it was initially spotted, some members of the Tesla community even thought that the red vehicle was an entirely new prototype. That said, it eventually became evident that the truck was just a wrapped version of the matte black test mule that debuted back in 2017.
When the newly-wrapped truck was first spotted last month, Tesla enthusiast and r/TeslaMotors member u/CardSpecialist encountered the vehicle at the Kettleman Supercharger, where he was able to speak with the red Semi’s driver briefly. As noted by the Tesla community member, the Semi’s driver lightly pointed out that the red wrap had been attracting a lot more attention to the vehicle compared to its previous matte black paint scheme.
Tesla did not really provide any details as to why it opted to wrap the matte black Semi prototype in such an eye-catching color. With such a noticeable hue, though, it is difficult to argue that the all-electric long-hauler stands out even more, making it more noticeable for potential reservation holders.
The Tesla Semi, just like the company’s other vehicles like the Model 3, has the potential to disrupt a lucrative, high-profile industry. The trucking market, after all, presents a lot of opportunities, with the sector handling the transportation of up to 71% of the US’ food, retail goods, and other cargo being delivered every day. In the American Trucking Associations’ American Trucking Trends 2018 report, it was stated that the US trucking industry generated over $700 billion in economic activity in 2017. That’s a big market, and one that is just waiting to be disrupted and tapped.
In true Tesla fashion, the Semi is equipped with semi-autonomous features. During the vehicle’s unveiling, Musk hinted at an upcoming “Convoy Mode,” which would allow several trucks to draft close to each other semi-autonomously. Concept videos of Convoy Mode in action also hint at one manned Semi leading a couple of unmanned electric trucks. In his presentation for the Semi, Musk mentioned that the feature was already something that Tesla can accomplish with its existing technology.
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The Tesla Semi is expected to start production sometime in 2019. That said, following statements from Tesla head of investor relations Martin Viecha hinted that the electric car maker would “earnestly” start manufacturing the truck by 2020.
Watch the red Tesla Semi prototype’s most recent sighting in the video below, courtesy of Aiyman Hadi.
https://www.facebook.com/aiymanh/videos/10161340036005608/
Tesla Energy has introduced the Powerwall Lease in conjunction with Tesla Electric, making the service available in Texas. This new option delivers whole-home backup power using two Powerwall units for a net monthly cost of $35 after credits, accompanied by a low fixed electricity rate.
Under the lease terms, customers pay a one-time order fee of $100. The base lease payment for the two Powerwalls is approximately $122 per month during the first year, subject to a 3 percent annual escalator thereafter. Enrollment in a qualifying Tesla Electric Backup plan or Virtual Power Plant plan provides an $87 monthly credit.
Powerwall Lease is now available with Tesla Electric in Texas
Whole-home backup for $35/month, with a low fixed electricity rate
– Two Powerwalls, $0 installation
– Storm Watch outage protection
– One app to manage it all pic.twitter.com/oTzqc6K3aF— Tesla Energy (@teslaenergy) August 13, 2026
This credit lowers the effective cost to roughly $35 per month plus applicable tax.
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Installation of the standard system carries no additional charge. The package features Storm Watch for outage protection and allows complete management through a single Tesla application. The system supplies continuous whole-home backup capability.
The Powerwall system enables households to maintain electricity during severe storms that disrupt the utility grid. When outages occur, the batteries automatically provide seamless backup power to the home.
Tesla announces 100k Powerwalls are participating in Virtual Power Plants
Tesla Storm Watch monitors weather forecasts and ensures the units are fully charged ahead of anticipated severe weather events so that power remains available throughout the disruption, keeping lights, refrigeration, and other essential systems operating without interruption.
Availability is restricted to select Texas locations where retail electric choice exists. Participants must lease exactly two Powerwall units and maintain continuous enrollment with Tesla Electric. Solar panels cannot be included under this particular lease arrangement.
The monthly credit activates automatically once the system is installed, receives permission to operate, and enrollment is confirmed. To retain the credit, customers are required to stay enrolled in Tesla Electric and fulfill all program conditions.
Nonstandard installations that involve electrical upgrades or special permitting may lead to extra expenses and might impact eligibility for the credit, so be sure to check with either your installer or Tesla to ensure you will still qualify.
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Elon Musk continues to tease the unveiling event for the Tesla Roadster, a continuing trend that has grown into a bigger game of “When” for fans who have been waiting years for the car to finally enter production.
A video shared on X of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast that Musk appeared on last year, teasing the Roadster unveiling, was shared once again on the social media platform. The poster said the Roadster event will be “unforgettable.”
Musk agreed:
Yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2026
The timing is interesting because just yesterday, Musk said that we will be getting flying cars, and for years, Tesla has hinted that it could develop a SpaceX cold gas thruster package that would help the car float or fly for a short period of time.
It would be reasonable to assume Tesla’s major delays with this unveiling event are likely caused by the company’s need to break the rules and push the envelope on nearly everything. Last July, Lars Moravy, Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, said:
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“Roadster is definitely in development. We did talk about it last Sunday night. We are gearing up for a super cool demo. It’s going to be mind blowing. We showed Elon some cool demos last week of the tech we’ve been working on and he got a little excited.”
The latest updates that Tesla has given us are that the Roadster is in design development, and it did have several potential dates for an unveiling event this year, including April. It was then pushed to August.
However, there are no clues as to when Tesla will be ready, and fans are certainly getting frustrated with the delays.
For what it is worth, Franz von Holzhausen told Jay Leno this week that the event would be “very soon.”
We sure hope.
Lifestyle
Tesla’s driverless Cybercab just passed a big test with State Governor
Florida’s governor rode Tesla’s Cybercab at a closed test track and called the experience impressive.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis rode in a Tesla Cybercab on a closed test track this week and came away impressed, posting on X that the vehicle “successfully navigated all hazards — a kid running into the street, a crash with police stopping traffic, a Model S cutting us off, etc.” He called the ride “impressive.”
The stop was part of a broader event Monday at SunTrax, a 775 acre state owned proving ground in Auburndale that Florida built specifically to test autonomous and connected vehicles before they reach public roads. Standing next to a gold Cybercab, DeSantis described the car in plain terms: “You go in there and you just sit. You have a screen. There’s no steering wheel, no pedals. Clearly these things could be very beneficial.”
We took a ride on a robotaxi on the Suntrax course and it successfully navigated all hazards — a kid running into the street, a crash with police stopping traffic, a Model S cutting us off, etc.
Impressive! https://t.co/FVAkzFLz3r
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) August 11, 2026
DeSantis paired the praise with a caveat that has followed autonomous vehicles since the category existed. “You don’t want to be in an autonomous vehicle and it drives you into a ditch. That would not be good,” he said, framing safety validation as the gate before wider deployment.
SunTrax, the 2.25 mile oval which the state calls the only high speed autonomous vehicle test track in the Southeast, can simulate rain, pedestrian crossings, hills and crowded urban conditions at highway speeds, letting companies push a car past what an early public rollout would risk. Tesla, Waymo and Beep all use the facility, and Florida’s regulatory approach, among the most permissive for autonomous vehicles in the country, doesn’t require a human operator inside a fully autonomous car.
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Tesla has reason to want the blessing of Florida and states beyond, as the Cybercab entered volume production at Gigafactory Texas this spring and has since self certified as SAE Level 4 under Texas law. Public road testing so far has kept a safety monitor in the passenger seat, and Florida is where Tesla has been expanding its existing Model Y based Robotaxi service instead, adding Miami in July and then Orlando and Tampa two weeks later. A closed track endorsement from a sitting governor doesn’t change any of that, but it does put Tesla’s newest hardware in front of a state that has already shown it will move fast on rules.
Tesla launches Powerwall Lease for affordable home backup
Elon Musk teases Tesla Roadster unveiling once again
