Tesla is offering CCS adapter retrofits for vehicles that don't support the CCS adapter
Tesla has announced pricing for the CCS adapter retrofit, which allows Tesla owners to use third-party CCS charging networks. The retrofit is $450 USD, and includes the $175 CCS adapter.
Does Your Tesla Require a Retrofit?
The CCS modulation allows Tesla owners to tap into other charging networks, but not all Tesla models are CCS-compatible. Some models can charge with CCS once the adapter is attached, while others, especially those before 2020, are not CCS-ready. To check if your Tesla is suitable for CCS, go to Controls, tap Software, and then Additional Vehicle Information. Next, look for CCS adapter support, which will show either "Not Installed" or "CCS Enabled."
If your Tesla is not CCS-ready, you will need a retrofit, and Tesla has messaging in its mobile app that guides owners on scheduling an appointment for a retrofit. However, the CCS Adapter Retrofit is currently only available for Model S and Model X owners, with Model 3 and Model Y owners waiting until mid-2023 for availability.
Good-bye Range Anxiety
The availability of the CCS adapter is good news for Tesla owners, who can now access a broader range of charging options, making it easier to travel long distances without range anxiety. Despite Tesla's extensive network of over 40,000 Supercharger stations, there are still areas where finding a charging station can be stressful. However, the growing number of charging stations nationwide, including CCS charging stations, can provide Tesla owners with a much-needed break. In addition, Tesla recently included non-Tesla charging stations in its navigation features.
CCS stations can reach speeds of over 300 kW in the US and are the preferred plug of several manufacturers. While there was a petition to have Tesla charging hardware be the industry standard, and Tesla opened up the patent to allow competitors access, CCS is now the preferred option. Charging stations, including Electrify America, Electrify Canada, and several third-party power suppliers, use CCS, as do most auto manufacturers.
Overall, the availability of Tesla's CCS adapter is a welcome addition for Tesla owners. It will make it easier for them to travel long distances and access a broader range of charging options. As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, it's essential to have access to reliable charging options.
With FSD V13.2.1 finally rolling out to HW4/AI4 vehicle owners this week, we’ve been super excited to see all the new features, including Park, Unpark, and Reverse in action for the first time.
However, that’s not everything - more is coming soon. We previously reported that Tesla is collecting audio input to build neural networks for audio, and now we’re learning that that capability will arrive in FSD V13.4.
Better Audio Handling
Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of AI, mentioned that better handling of audio inputs is coming as part of FSD V13.4. That’ll be an interesting change, as the current handling of emergency vehicles on V13.2.1 is already pretty good.
However, we’re sure that being able to recognize emergency vehicles audibly will improve detection speed and reliability. Similarly to vision, FSD will start analyzing all the sounds it hears, and look for signs of emergency vehicles.
FSD will be able to make a reasonable determination on whether the sound of the siren is approaching or just echoing off of nearby terrain or buildings using the Doppler effect. It’s a simple mathematical principle where the frequency of a sound wave increases as the source moves towards the observer and decreases as it moves away.
Interestingly, Tesla will be using the internal microphone for this task - as there are no external microphones on any Teslas… yet. This microphone is sufficient for one simple reason - sirens are made loud enough for humans to hear them inside a moving car.
Better Than a Human
Some users have wondered how the vehicle will be able to distinguish between sirens on the radio and in real life. While I’m sure we’re not the only ones to have ever been fooled by a siren on the radio, Teslas won’t be as easily fooled.
Tesla could actually take the audio going out to the radio and remove it from the sounds captured by the microphone, effectively removing sirens from the captured audio. In addition to being able to measure the intensity and direction of the sound, your vehicle should be able to accurately recognize emergency vehicles, even before a human can.
Opt-In Audio Sharing
Tesla is now allowing FSD users to opt-in to sharing audio data. The prompt for sharing audio data is on FSD V12.5.6.4, V13.2 and V13.2.1. It’s also expected to be in the upcoming Hardware 3 version of FSD 12.6.
However, it’s worth noting that Tesla’s release notes between V13.2 and V13.2.1 changed slightly for audio sharing. Tesla initially mentioned that the vehicle would capture 10-second audio clips when a siren is heard.
In FSD V13.2.1, Tesla updated the data sharing feature, letting users know that audio recordings are now said to be captured when the vehicle detects an emergency vehicle instead of detecting a siren. The audio clip is also not limited to 10 seconds anymore.
Opting into audio sharing will share microphone recordings alongside all the other data that Tesla regularly collects as part of its FSD training. Of course, if you're uncomfortable with that, you’ll be able to opt out of just the audio portion. Tesla’s privacy policy also discloses that they anonymize and sanitize the data during collection and processing.
While vision plays a much larger role, expect Tesla to deal with the capturing and analyzing of audio data in a very similar manner.
We’ve already seen improved handling for school buses on V13.2, so we’re excited to see what else Tesla does in the next few months. Perhaps handling school zones would be the next big item to tackle.
As a Tesla fan, you’re likely already aware that most American-made cars are Teslas, but we wouldn’t be surprised if many people still think it’s one of the Detroit Big-3.
Tesla produces most of the parts for the North American versions of the Model 3 and Model Y in the United States, with some parts coming from facilities inside Canada, so it's all kept relatively local. As a background fact, both the study and the United States government consider parts from Canada as domestic content, and there is no differentiation between US-made or Canadian-made parts.
Tesla’s supply chain is designed with a strong emphasis on reducing transportation costs. By streamlining the movement of goods between part production facilities and their Gigafactories, Tesla not only lowers expenses but also secures its position as the leading manufacturer of American-made vehicles.
First, Second, Third, Fourth… and Fifth!
According to a study from American University’s Kogod School of Business, Tesla not only makes the most American-made car but actually makes the top five most American-made cars, with the Model S and Model X being tied for the number four spot.
Rank
Model
US Domestic Content
1
Model 3 Performance
87.5%
2
Model Y
85%
3
Cybertruck
82.5%
4
Model S
80%
4
Model X
80%
4
Ford Mustang GT Models
80%
The Model 3 and Model Y easily dominate the top two spots, coming in with US Domestic Content rates of 87.5% and 85%, respectively.
For comparison, the first non-Tesla on the list has an 80% rate, while the 10th most American car has a 73% rate. So, the Model 3 and Model Y are significantly more American-made than the other leaders on the list.
Every Tesla vehicle is mostly American-made, and even the Cybertruck is ranked 82.5% American just a year after its launch.
The closest competitor is Ford’s Mustang GT - in a couple of variants, meeting the 80% mark. Many would normally think Ford, GM, or Stellantis would have taken up all these spots, but this isn’t the case. In fact, tied for #5 is the Honda Passport with 76.5%.
Tesla not only produces some of the safest vehicles in the world, but they’re easily the most American made year after year. We’d love to see another study at the manufacturer level, where the maker’s whole lineup of vehicles is considered instead of just specific models. It seems that there would be a stark difference from number two.
With the current list of incentives running through the end of the year, now is a great time to buy a new Tesla.
![Tesla Enables 325kW Charging for Cybertruck at Select Superchargers [Full List of Superchargers]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/cybertruck/cybertruck_70.jpg/d37e0e90a89baaa5cc40437493759090.jpg)
![Tesla’s Optimus Robot Learns to Walk Without Vision [VIDEO]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/optimus/optimus_fall.jpg/59ea0e3082db081e7473a1f0da1ed31c/optimus_fall.jpg)
