The update to the Model Y’s price was observed by members of the online electric vehicle community on Thursday night. The Model Y Long Range’s new price also came around the same time as the launch of Stealth Gray as a free paint option for the Model S and Model X. Similar to other Model S and Model X colors, Stealth Gray paint is free with every order of the flagship electric vehicles. 

Following the update to the price of the Model Y Long Range, the all-electric crossover now costs $43,990 for the Rear Wheel Drive version, $48,990 for the Long Range Dual Motor All Wheel Drive, and $52,490 for the Model Y Performance in the US. Estimated delivery dates for Model Y Long Range orders in the United States are currently listed at October to November 2023. 

Over in China, Tesla also rolled out an adjustment for the Model Y. The price change, however, was implemented for the Model Y Performance instead. As could be seen in the Tesla Model Y order page in China, the Model Y Performance now costs RMB 363,900 (about $49,700), which is RMB 14,000 (around $1,900) more than its previous cost of RMB 349,900 (about $47,800). The Giga Shanghai-made Model Y Peformance is currently listed with an estimated delivery date of 2-6 weeks. 

The minor price increase to the Model Y that’s recently been implemented has been received warmly by Tesla advocates on social media platforms such as Twitter. Price increases, after all, could be a hint that the demand for the Model Y is increasing. The Model Y’s high demand should not be surprising, of course, considering that the vehicle is currently Tesla’s strongest seller, even becoming the world’s best-selling car in Q1 2023. 

The Model Y’s strength in the market could be hinted at by the fact that the vehicle became Europe’s best-selling car in September. With this feat under its belt, the Model Y has effectively secured the title six times this 2023 so far. 

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This is the second new color Tesla has launched for the Model S and Model X in 2023, with the other being “Ultra Red,” which was added while Red Multicoat was removed.

Tesla has subsequently removed Midnight Grey for the Model S and Model X. Both Deep Red Multicoat and Midnight Grey are still available for the Model 3 and Model Y.

It is available for no additional charge.

The Stealth Grey is available in various markets, including the North American and Asian markets. Tesla European Design Studio is still currently showing Midnight Silver Metallic and not Stealth Grey.

Stealth Grey is already offered in Gigafactory Shanghai on the Model 3, and has been spotted on several vehicles en route to their destination.

Tesla 신규 외장 컬러 Stealth Grey 출시

Model S 및 Model X의 신규 컬러가 출시 됐습니다.
고급스러우면서도 세련된 Stealth Grey를 만나보세요.https://t.co/HPvUe1BaTU pic.twitter.com/BtvX3qmYNO

— Tesla Korea (@OfficialTeslakr) October 27, 2023

Tesla has offered different colors in different markets depending on the paint shop that operates at the factory the vehicle is coming from. For example, Midnight Cherry Red and Quicksilver are two colors that are only available at Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin production facility in Germany and are only available on the Model Y.

CEO Elon Musk has said that these colors are only possible in Germany due to the Berlin plant’s world-class paint shop.

Stealth Grey joins Pearl White Multi-Coat, Solid Black, Deep Blue Metallic, and Ultra Red as colors available for the Model S and Model X.

What do you think about the new color? I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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After Tesla launched the Model 3+ several months ago, deliveries officially began earlier this month. This ended months of speculation on when the automaker would finally hand over the newly-improved Model 3 to customers.

Deliveries had already started in other countries as early as mid-October. Countries in Europe and the Middle East have already seen several Highland Model 3 units make their way to customers. The Netherlands is now the next country to mark deliveries for the new Model 3.

Just picked up my Tesla Model 3 Highland!!!

One of the first in the Netherlands #Tesla #Model3 #Highland pic.twitter.com/67qnkB2R9p

— Fabian Ebert (@Fabian10O) October 26, 2023

Tesla updated several exterior and interior designs and features for the new Model 3, ramping up production late last month at Gigafactory Shanghai, where the car is currently produced.

The first delivery in Europe occurred in Germany, but Tesla has been spreading the new Model 3 around to various countries on the continent, including France and Poland.

However, a tsunami of Model 3 Highland deliveries is overtaking the European market as Tesla has been exporting the vehicles from China to Europe.

A Tesla Model 3 Highland tsunami is starting in European markets

The new Model 3 arrived just in time for Q4, as Tesla is working toward its lofty goal of reaching 1.8 million vehicle deliveries for 2023. With deliveries beginning in the Eastern Hemisphere already, the Model 3 Highland is sure to help bring Tesla closer to its goal for the year.

The Netherlands was one of the last countries where we saw Model 3 Highland testing going on before the vehicle was launched. A Teslarati reader sent us photographs of a Model 3 Highland driving on highways near local Tesla Service Centers and Showrooms in the Netherlands.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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GM’s Ultium project will enable a new platform of EVs for the legacy automaker, bringing a software-based offensive to one of the United States’ best-selling car companies and a major player in the EV sector.

Although GM and other Detroit automakers like Ford have not been able to keep pace with U.S. market share leader Tesla, the companies are on the fast track to developing competitive EVs under their own tutelage.

Ultium is GM’s plan for EV development in the sector, and the company has been producing Ultium cells at another plant in Warren, Ohio.

GM Authority noted that the automaker is also planning to bump up starting wages for production operators and quality inspectors at the Spring Hill plant.

GM has been one of several automakers in tense negotiations with the UAW, attempting to come to terms over a new contract that would increase pay and benefits for unionized workers.

GM’s largest plant becomes latest target of UAW strike

Ford finally came to an agreement with the UAW last night, ending weeks of work stoppages.

GM’s Spring Hill plant is expected to come online in early 2024, ramping up the availability of Ultium cells that will be available for EVs that will operate under the platform.

The Ultium cells will increase affordability, enable faster charging times, and increase vehicle longevity. Seven current GM models are utilizing Ultium cells:

• GMC Hummer EV
• BrightDrop Zevo 600 van
• Chevrolet Silverado EV
• Chevrolet Blazer EV
• Cadillac Lyriq
• Buick Electra E5
• Buick Electra E4

Additionally, future vehicles, including the Equinox EV, Honda Prologue, Escalade IQ, the next Chevrolet Bolt, and the ultra-luxurious Cadillac Celestiq are among several models that will operate under the Ultium platform.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Hertz said it would slow down EV adoption while it learns to manage costs, CEO Stephen Scherr said on Thursday, according to Bloomberg.

Tesla and Hertz signed a massive deal for 100,000 vehicles in 2021, marking the start of a major partnership and an overall shift in the landscape of the rental sector in the U.S.

Hertz has roughly 35,000 Teslas in its EVs, which has climbed to 50,000 total vehicles, or 11 percent of its total fleet.

Tesla, on the other hand, has been cutting prices to enable more affordability for buyers, attempting to get some vehicles as close to or even below the $30,000 price point after government and state incentives.

All Tesla rentals from Hertz now allow mobile app access

While car buyers are loving the discounts, investors in the company’s stock, and companies like Hertz that are dependent on maintaining healthy margins and profitability are not. The resale value of their Tesla fleet has decreased by about 30 percent, and EV maintenance costs have been higher than Hertz initially expected.

Hertz will still buy 100,000 Teslas and 175,000 GM EVs, but it will not meet the goal to have one-quarter of its rental fleet be EVs by the end of next year. It needs to lower repair costs by working with suppliers and wait for costs to settle to lower its purchase costs.

“We have an opportunity to buy these cars now at roughly a third less than where we bought the initial component of our Teslas. We’re ultimately better buyers on a falling price where the margin composition on those cars will be better,” Scherr said.

Of course, EV price cuts were not the only reason Hertz felt financial pressure during Q3. Used car costs were much higher a year ago and Hertz could sell its vehicles used for more than it would buy them for new.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla Superchargers will be installed at various locations in the bp pulse network, which are located at bp Amoco, and Thortons-branded sites, TravelCenters of America locations, and at bp pulse’s large-scale Gigahub charging sites, near airports and major metropolitan areas across the United States.

The deal marks the first time ever that the hardware was ever purchased for an independent EV charging network.

Big news! We’re boosting our EV charger network with a $100M order of @Tesla ultra-fast chargers https://t.co/DwBGFGXzsh

installing ultra-fast chargers across the US bp pulse network
significant milestone for the EV charging industry pic.twitter.com/58lulA3rbJ

— bp America (@bp_America) October 26, 2023

bp will begin rolling out the chargers in 2024, with the first sites being in Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. The idea was to combine Tesla’s “fast and reliable chargers” with bp pulse’s industry-leading, intelligent charge management software, called “Omega,” for a comprehensive solution for fleet customers.

The fast-chargers from Tesla will have an output of 250 kW, and based on appearance from bp’s press release, will be the new V4 Superchargers that have started being installed across the United States.

They will be fitted with bp pulse branding, and the company will install and operate the Supercharger piles. They will also feature the “Magic Dock,” which enables the use of both NACS and CCS connectors, enabling multiple electric vehicle manufacturers to utilize the bp pulse charging network.

Richard Bartlett, global CEO of bp pulse, commented on the deal:

“Strengthening the bp pulse network with Tesla’s industry-leading hardware is a major step forward in our ambitions for high speed, open access charging infrastructure in the US and advances our ambition to delivering an exceptional customer experience. Combined with our vast network of convenience and mobility sites on and off the highway, this collaboration with Tesla will bring fast and reliable charging to EV drivers when and where they need it.”

bp’s agreement with Tesla also bolsters an up to $1 billion investment in building an EV charging network across the United States, the company said.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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As per a report from Bloomberg News, electric vehicle ownership in the United States has become deeply tied to voting behavior in the country. This partisan rift reportedly goes beyond preferences that are linked to income and urban density, among others. 

The partisan rift in the electric car segment has only become more notable in recent months, with some members of the Republican Party calling for a repeal of electric vehicle incentives passed under the Biden administration. The rhetoric of presidential candidates such as Donald Trump has also added to anti-EV sentiments in the country. Trump, for his part, has claimed that an EV revolution will pave the way for China to crush the US auto segment.

“The autoworkers will not have any jobs… because all of these cars are going to be made in China. The electric cars, automatically, are going to be made in China,” Trump noted during a Meet the Press interview. 

Such sentiments, of course, ignore the fact that some of the United States’ most American vehicles are from Tesla’s list of most American-made cars for 2023 alone featured Tesla’s entire lineup in its top four positions. The Model Y topped the list at No.1, followed by the Model 3 at No.2, the Model X at No.3, and the Model S at No.4. 

Ford Motor Co. Executive Chair Bill Ford has likened the polarization over EVs to the divide about vaccines during the pandemic. “I never thought I would see the day when our products were so heavily politicized,” the executive noted. 

At the center of this partisan divide is Elon Musk, who practically built an EV empire selling electric cars to early adopters before engaging with conservative politics in the United States. As noted in an Automotive News report, Musk’s apparent attempt to help flip the script on EV ownership with the Cybertruck seemed to be highlighted by the company’s move from California to Texas, as well as the CEO’s actions themselves.

Tesla currently commands about 60% of electric vehicles ever sold in the United States, but the company is not resting on its laurels. The EV maker has noted that it is looking to reach a production rate of 250,000 Cybertrucks a year at some point in 2025. That’s significantly more than the combined sales of all-electric pickup trucks in the market today. 

For now, at least, only time will tell if Elon Musk’s apparent attempts to make Tesla attractive to both sides of the political spectrum will be successful. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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The Model Y’s momentum is still going strong in Europe. As per reports, the all-electric crossover is positioned to finish September as Europe’s top-selling vehicle, electric or otherwise. With this, the Model Y has earned the title for the sixth time in nine months, as noted in an Automotive News Europe report. 

What is quite interesting is that the Model Y was able to achieve this feat despite the vehicle seeing a decline in sales. As per preliminary figures from market research firm Dataforce, the demand for the Model Y crossover slipped 8.4% to 26,370. In a way, the fact that the Model Y still became Europe’s best-selling vehicle in September despite a sales slowdown speaks of the vehicle’s strength in the market. 

The Tesla Model Y may be the company’s most popular vehicle, but the company is not sitting on its laurels. This became quite evident in Gigafactory Shanghai, which recently rolled out a minor update to the Tesla Model Y that introduced new wheels, a new dash, and ambient lights to the all-electric crossover. 

Speculations are high, however, that Tesla is also developing “Project Juniper,” which is reportedly the Model Y equivalent of the Model 3’s Highland update. Previous reports have suggested that Project Juniper would be rolled out sometime next year. 

Considering the popularity of the Model Y, it is no surprise that it is the vehicle that is currently being produced in multiple countries. To date, the Model Y is being produced at the Fremont Factory, Gigafactory Texas, Gigafactory Shanghai, and Gigafactory Berlin. Giga Beriln’s deployment and Model Y production ramp has been helping the company meet the vehicle’s demand in Europe.

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Initial graphics depicting the apparent new seats were shared by veteran Tesla hacker @greentheonly on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. As noted by the Tesla hacker, the refreshed Model 3 would have two seat variants: Base and Sport. The latter, which would most likely be used for the upcoming Model 3 Performance, will feature different front seats with bolstered side supports and headrests. 

digging in some more, random findings.

The refreshed model3 will come in 2 flavors: Base and Sport.
The Sport version will have different front seats with bolstered side support and hdrst.
The refreshed 3 will have different rear bench seat, e.g. middle seat will have a headrest pic.twitter.com/StRZGqdeNw

— green (@greentheonly) October 26, 2023

The new Model 3 Performance would definitely benefit from better seats. Inasmuch as the vehicle earned a lot of stellar reviews over the years, automotive publications such as What Car? have observed that drivers of the Model 3 Performance could find themselves sliding out of their seats when attacking fast corners during spirited driving sessions. With better seats, such issues would likely be completely addressed. 

The anticipation surrounding the new Model 3 Performance is notable. When the upgraded Tesla Model 3 was launched, electric vehicle enthusiasts immediately noticed that the all-electric sedan’s top-tier variant was absent. At the time, it appeared that the Model 3 Performance was in a limbo of sorts, thanks in no small part to Tesla’s silence on the vehicle.

Upon further review, it appears we’re looking at a Ludicrous Speed badged Model 3 and not a Plaid badge. (The level just below Plaid)
It’s still going to be an impressive upgrade but likely a dual motor configuration rather than tri-motor. #LudicrousSpeed https://t.co/3FDwFqfiuu pic.twitter.com/68xzstdDAL

— The Kilowatts (@klwtts) October 19, 2023

But while it seemed that the Model 3 Performance has been partly forgotten by the EV maker, there have been signs that the all-electric performance car would be making a comeback. Tesla’s Parts Catalog, for one, briefly included images that referenced new sports brakes, suspension, and new wheels for the upgraded Model 3. 

The Parts Catalog even included a graphic that showed a special badge on the new Model 3’s rear. Observations from the EV community suggested that the badge looked quite a bit like the Ludicrous Mode graphic that was featured by Tesla in past vehicles like the Model S P100D. The Model 3 Performance is already Tesla’s most fun car in the track thanks to its relatively compact size and dedicated Track Mode. But with Ludicrous Mode, the Model Performance would be even more special. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Tesla China’s announcement on Weibo highlighted some of the new Model 3’s improvements, from its integrated taillights and new “light wing headlights” in the exterior to the RGB ambient lighting and ventilated seats in the interior. Tesla China also highlighted that the updated Model 3 features a new suspension system that should make the vehicle more comfortable. 

The upgraded Model 3 was unveiled in China on September 1. At the time, the vehicle was offered for pre-sales in the country, and it was only until October 19 that formal sales of the new Model 3 were started in China. Despite the vehicle being formally available for ordering, however, the revamped all-electric sedan’s local customer deliveries were still paused. That pause ended today with Tesla’s announcement on Weibo. 

Tesla China currently offers two variants of the upgraded Model 3 — the base Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) variant that starts at RMB 259,900 (about $35,500) and the Dual Motor All Wheel Drive (AWD) variant that starts at RMB 295,900 (about $40,400). Prior to the Highland update, the Model 3 in China started at RMB 231,900 (about $31,700) for the RWD version. A Performance variant was also offered at RMB 331,900 (about $45,300). 

A document released by the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed some details about the revamped all-electric sedan. These include the new Model 3’s battery pack sizes, which were listed at 60 kWh for the RWD variant and 78.4 kWh for the Dual Motor AWD. Tesla China’s order page for the upgraded Model 3 also lists an estimated delivery date of 6-9 weeks for new orders of the vehicle. 

For now, the upgraded Tesla Model 3 is exclusively produced at Gigafactory Shanghai, the company’s largest factory by output and primary vehicle export hub. In Tesla’s Q3 2023 Update Letter, Giga Shanghai was listed with an estimated annual capacity of over 950,000 vehicles. That’s quite a lot of Model 3 sedans that could be produced both for the domestic Chinese market and foreign territories. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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