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Tesla Semi Supercharger stop teases sleeper features and 26-camera system
After being sighted on Des Moines, IA on Thursday, the Tesla Semi has been spotted smoothly gliding through Colorado. The Semi was sighted at the Brush, CO Supercharger, where Tesla’s employees accompanying the truck answered questions about the vehicle while it was charging.
The Tesla Semi sighting was shared by recording engineer Erik J. Martin on Twitter. Martin’s posts, one of which was retweeted by the official Tesla Twitter account, featured the Semi as it was rolling into the Brush Supercharger station. Erik mentioned in a series of posts that he was informed that the prototype is the short-range version of the truck, with a range of 300 miles. The Tesla engineers accompanying the vehicle reportedly noted that the Semi was hand-built and that it was largely made of carbon fiber as well.
— Erik J. Martin (@soundanswer) August 30, 2018
Being the short-range version of the electric truck, the Semi currently making its way across the United States is a daycab vehicle, though Tesla’s employees reportedly informed Martin that there would be a variant of the truck that would have space for sleeper features. Such features would be perfect for the long-range version of the electric truck, with drivers being able to take short naps while the Semi is charging at Tesla’s upcoming Megacharger network.
Also notable were the Semi’s cameras, of which there are 26 around the prototype. Tesla’s employees accompanying the Semi reportedly mentioned that there would likely be fewer cameras in the final iteration of the vehicle. Interestingly, while the Semi’s crew was very willing to address inquiries about the truck’s features, they were particularly secretive about the vehicle’s current charging system.
The Tesla Semi is designed to be supported by the upcoming Megacharger network, which is not operational yet. For now, the Semi is using Tesla’s current Supercharger network, though Erik noted that the engineers appeared to be using around 4-6 Superchargers to charge the all-electric Semi truck.
Yep! It was The closest superchargers. They hobble together an adhoc megacharger until those are built out in preparation for the roll out of production #teslasemi
— Erik J. Martin (@soundanswer) August 31, 2018
Tesla’s engineers also reportedly noted that so far, the only locations that have leaked the truck’s visit to their facilities were J.B. Hunt and UPS. This suggests that the Semi might have visited facilities of other reservation holders. One of these is Ruan Transportation Management Systems, which is based in Des Moines, IA. Ruan published a blog post about the Semi’s visit to their facility yesterday, even discussing some of the truck’s remote monitoring features.
“We will continue to be involved with the team at Tesla Motors as they introduce the trucks to the market,” said Cade. “We will work with them directly to ensure the vehicles will serve us and our customers to the level we both expect,” Ruan vice president of fleet services James Cade wrote in a blog post.
Tesla appears to be going full throttle in its efforts to refine the Semi before the vehicle enters production. The truck’s initial specs are already impressive, with its four Model 3-derived electric motors, its 0-60 mph time of 5 seconds flat, and its Class 8 hauling capacity. The Semi is also equipped with several key features, such as jackknife protection, near-infinite brake pads due to its powerful regenerative braking system, and Convoy Mode, a feature that allows the Semis to semi-autonomously draft in close proximity with each other, reducing energy usage from wind resistance.
Watch Erik J. Martin’s video outlining the information he received from the Tesla engineers accompanying the Semi below.
News
Tesla bolsters App with new safety, insurance, and storage features
The Tesla Smartphone App is one of the biggest and best features and advantages owners have. Everything from moving the vehicle with Summon, to getting Navigation sent to the car, to preconditioning the cabin can be done with the Tesla App.
Tesla is bolstering its smartphone App with a series of new features to streamline operations for owners. The new additions include fixes to safety, its in-house insurance offering, and storage management for Dashcam clips.
The Tesla Smartphone App is one of the biggest and best features and advantages owners have. Everything from moving the vehicle with Summon, to getting Navigation sent to the car, to preconditioning the cabin can be done with the Tesla App.
But in classic Tesla fashion, the company is aiming to improve the offerings of the app, and it is doing so with a handful of new features. They were first discovered by Tesla App Updates.
Tesla Insurance – Safety Score 3.0
This is truly part of the Spring 2026 Update, but Tesla has now given more transparency on how FSD has saved people money on their premiums.
Tesla intertwines FSD with in-house Insurance for attractive incentive
Additionally, Tesla is now automatically awarding a Safety Score of 100 for every mile traveled on Full Self-Driving (Supervised).
Update Tracking
Updates traditionally appear on the App or on the Center Touchscreen in the car. There is nothing better than seeing that Green Arrow at the top of the screen, or opening your app and seeing that there is a Software Update available.
Now, there will be no need to manually check the app and initiate the download. Tesla is enabling a new feature that will automatically download updates for you.
Storage Management
Your USB drive can now be remotely formatted, and old Dashcam clips can be deleted straight from the phone. When you record a lot of things using the Dashcam feature, that storage fills up pretty quickly.
Now, manually deleting the Dashcam videos is easier than ever.
Trailer Light Test
This is perhaps the coolest and most crucial addition to the Tesla App, as those who tow and haul will now be able to trigger a diagnostic light sequence from the app while standing behind your trailer to ensure the brake lights work.
Verifying your trailer lights are connected properly and operating normally and as intended is normally a massive hassle.
Now, a new trigger will be available to initiate a diagnostic light sequence directly from your phone.
News
Tesla Robotaxi-only Superchargers are starting to appear
For Tesla, these Robotaxi-only Superchargers represent more than convenient parking spots. They are the first bricks in a vertically integrated autonomy platform—vehicles, energy, and software working in seamless concert.
Tesla is starting to build out Robotaxi-only Superchargers as the company is truly leaning on its Full Self-Driving and autonomy efforts to solve passenger travel.
Last week, the company filed pre-permits in Arizona’s East Valley for two dedicated, non-public charging sites stocked with next-generation V4 Superchargers. The filings mark the first visible evidence of purpose-built infrastructure exclusively for autonomous Tesla vehicles, as they state they are not for public use.
In Chandler, Tesla plans to install 56 V4 stalls on an industrial parcel along South Roosevelt Avenue. Site documents describe a high-capacity setup supported by new SRP transformers, switching cabinets, and upgrades to existing underground lines.
A second site in Mesa, located at 5349 E Main Street in another industrial zone, carries the same private-use designation. Both locations sit well away from public roads and customer traffic, ensuring the chargers serve only Tesla’s internal fleet.
The sites were spotted by Supercharger observer MarcoRP.
On the same day, Tesla also submitted a draft for another proposed location in the city of Mesa, also listed as private use.
This site is located in an industrial area on the east side of the city. pic.twitter.com/jCC1IsKKKw
— MarcoRP (@MarcoRPi1) April 17, 2026
Phoenix’s East Valley offers an ideal launchpad for Robotaxi Supercharging: the location has a clean, grid-like street layout and year-round mild weather that minimizes camera degradation. Additionally, Arizona has welcomed self-driving pilots since Waymo’s early days.
By securing private depots now, Tesla can optimize charging cycles, reduce downtime, and maintain full control over vehicle hygiene and security, critical factors for high-utilization Robotaxi operations.
The type of Supercharger is telling as well, as they are V4, Tesla’s fastest and most efficient buildout.
V4 stalls deliver faster power and support bidirectional charging, features that will let idle Robotaxis feed energy back to the grid during off-peak hours. Because the sites are closed to the public, Tesla avoids congestion, vandalism risks, and the scheduling conflicts that plague shared stations.
The timing is telling. With unsupervised Full Self-Driving hardware already rolling out across the lineup and Cybercab production targets looming, Tesla is shifting from vehicle development to ecosystem readiness.
Charging infrastructure has historically been the gating factor for ride-hailing scale; building it ahead of the vehicles signals confidence that regulatory and technical hurdles are nearing resolution.
Tesla has been spotted testing Cybercab units in Arizona over the past few months, as well.
Interestingly, the permits show V4 Superchargers in the plans, although Cybercab will likely utilize wireless charging:
Tesla Cybercab spotted with interesting charging solution, stimulating discussion
For Tesla, these Robotaxi-only Superchargers represent more than convenient parking spots. They are the first bricks in a vertically integrated autonomy platform—vehicles, energy, and software working in seamless concert.
It appears Tesla is preparing to begin building out Robotaxi-only Superchargers to avoid the congestion and keep its autonomous fleet charged up to get ride-hailers to their destinations.
Elon Musk
ARK’s SpaceX IPO Guide makes a compelling case on why $1.75T may not be the ceiling
ARK Invest breaks down six reasons SpaceX’s $1.75 trillion IPO valuation may be justified.
ARK Invest, which holds SpaceX as its largest Venture Fund position at 17% of net assets, has published a detailed investor guide to why a SpaceX IPO may be grounded in a $1.75 trillion target valuation.
The financial case starts with Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation, which has surpassed 10 million active subscribers globally as of early 2026, with 2026 revenue projected to exceed $20 billion. ARK’s research puts the total satellite connectivity market opportunity at roughly $160 billion annually at scale, and Starlink is adding customers faster than any telecom network in history. That growth alone would justify a substantial valuation.
Additionally, ARK notes that SpaceX has reduced the cost per kilogram to orbit from roughly $15,600 in 2008 to under $1,000 today through reusable Falcon 9 hardware. A fully operational Starship targeting sub-$100 per kilogram would represent a significant cost decline and open markets that do not currently exist. SpaceX executed a staggering 165 missions in 2025 and now accounts for approximately 85% of all global orbital launches. That infrastructure position took decades to build and would be nearly impossible to replicate at comparable cost.
SpaceX officially acquires xAI, merging rockets with AI expertise
The February 2026 merger with xAI added a layer to the valuation that straightforward financial models struggle to capture. ARK argues that at sub-$100 launch costs, orbital data centers could deliver compute roughly 25% cheaper than ground-based alternatives, without power grid delays, permitting friction, or land constraints. Musk has stated a goal of deploying 100 gigawatts of AI computing capacity per year from orbit.
The $1.75 trillion figure itself is not a conventional earnings multiple. At roughly 95x trailing revenue, it prices in Starlink’s adoption curve, Starship’s cost trajectory, and the orbital compute thesis together. The public S-1 prospectus, due at least 15 days before the June roadshow, will give investors their first complete look at the financials to test those assumptions. ARK’s position is that the track record earns the benefit of the doubt. Fully reusable rockets were considered unrealistic for years. Starlink was considered financially unviable. Both happened on timelines that surprised skeptics.