Tesla has started the year strong, posting record quarterly vehicle deliveries in the first quarter of 2023, with 422,875 vehicles delivered. This represents a 36% increase compared to the same period a year ago and a 4% growth from the previous quarter. The company also produced over 440,000 vehicles during this period, showcasing its ongoing expansion and manufacturing prowess.
Tesla also provided a breakdown of its production and delivery numbers by model, reporting 19,437 Model S/X vehicles produced and 10,695 delivered, and 421,371 Model 3/Y vehicles produced and 412,180 delivered.
Tesla's Financial Results for Q1 2023
Tesla will post its financial results for the first quarter of 2023 on April 19, 2023, after the market close. In addition, the company will issue a brief advisory containing a link to the Q1 2023 update, which will be available on Tesla's Investor Relations website.
Tesla management will hold a live question-and-answer webcast on that day at 4:30 p.m. Central Time (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the company's financial and business results and outlook. The webcast will be available on the company's website, and an archived version will be available approximately two hours after the Q&A session. Of course, as always, we will be listening in and reporting on what we hear.
Price Reduction Strategy Drives Sales
Tesla's decision to cut prices by as much as 20% in January 2023 appears to have paid off, stimulating sales and enabling the company to maintain its position as a market leader. The price reduction brought the cost of the Model Y down from $65,990 to $54,990, making it more accessible to a broader range of consumers.
Despite concerns about eroding margins and a weakening economy, Tesla's performance in the first quarter of 2023 shows that its strategy of cutting prices to boost sales has been effective.
The company's ability to ramp up production at its new factories in Texas and Berlin, as well as recover from the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on its Chinese production, demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of the automaker. For example, Tesla's Texas factory produced 4,000 Model Y vehicles in one week, while its German plant reached a production capacity of 4,000 cars per week in late February.
Analysts Suggest Further Price Cuts May Be Necessary to Sustain Growth
Reuters quoted Barclays analyst Dan Levy who suggests that Tesla may face pressure to lower prices further as other automakers match the company's cuts and economic concerns persist. However, Tesla has not indicated whether additional price cuts are being considered.
Another factor affecting demand is the potential reduction in U.S. electric vehicle subsidies for some models starting on April 18. Tesla's price cuts in China have also ignited a price war, with Chinese rivals such as BYD and Xpeng lowering their prices to protect market share amid weaker demand.
Despite these challenges, Tesla's first-quarter delivery and production numbers for 2023 are a testament to the company's continued growth and commitment to providing affordable, sustainable transport options for consumers. As Tesla moves forward with its ambitious plans for 2023, including the goal of delivering 2 million vehicles, the company's performance in Q1 serves as a strong foundation for the rest of the year.
Tesla continues to refine ride comfort, especially with FSD, where it aims to make every drive as smooth as possible. With the new Model 3 Performance, Tesla is introducing a new feature that allows for an even smoother ride while using FSD.
With the 2025.8 update, the vehicle will now automatically switch its suspension setting to Standard when FSD is enabled. This adjustment reduces road feel but improves ride comfort—a worthwhile trade-off while FSD is active.
The release notes state:
“Your vehicle will now automatically transition to Standard Ride & Handling when Autopilot is engaged for a more comfortable drive. This setting is enabled by default. To disable, tap Controls > Dynamics > Use Standard Ride & Handling in Autopilot.”
Dynamic Suspension
On the New Model 3 Performance, Tesla includes a dynamic, adaptive suspension system. While it isn’t an air-ride adjustable suspension like on the Model S, Model X, and the Cybertruck, it is an actively dampened suspension that improves the ride quality.
There are two settings for the dynamic suspension, which can be controlled from Controls > Dynamics > Ride & Handling.
Standard - Adjusts to a wide range of roads and driving styles, providing a fluid yet well controlled ride.
Sport - Provides a firmer, more controlled ride that increases driver engagement and connection to the road.
Many people prefer to drive on Sport as the road feel on the Model 3 Performance is fantastic, and even more so on a track.
FSD Will Use Standard Suspension
Tesla’s FSD aims to provide a comfortable trip from point A to point B, which means that connecting the driver with the road isn’t necessarily a goal here. Instead, as of software update 2025.8, FSD will now default to the Standard suspension setting instead of Sport. If you have Sport enabled, then FSD will switch to Standard when FSD is enabled and switch back to Sport when FSD is disengaged.
Many users will prefer using Standard when on FSD, but switching back and forth between suspension options isn’t feasible, so this is a great addition. However, if you prefer for the vehicle to remain in the Sport setting while FSD is enabled, you can turn off the “Use Standard Ride & Handling in Autopilot” in Controls > Dynamics.
Model S / Model X Setting
This feature for the new Model 3 Performance (2024+) is similar to the automatic ride height controls on the Model S and Model X. By default, these controls will automatically set the Suspension Damping option to Comfort when engaging Autopilot or FSD. Just like with this new setting for the Model 3, you can turn that off in Controls > Dynamics > Adaptive Suspension Damping in Autopilot.
We expect that when the new Model Y Performance is released in the coming months, it’ll also feature a similar setting.
If you’ve got a 3D printer or know a friend who does, this article is for you. We’ve gathered some of the best 3D-printed Tesla accessories and toys for Tesla owners.
We’ll feature some utilitarian accessories for your Tesla and then cover some fun items later. The links provided are all to Prusa’s Printables website and are safe to visit and download.
As a note, mostly everything should be printed in either ASA, PETG, or ABS unless you’re planning to use them indoors. PLA won’t withstand the heat in your vehicle and will warp and break. There are some places you can use PLA without a worry, though, so we’ve gone ahead and made recommendations for each item.
Car Charging
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First on our list is a wall-mounted cable organizer that also fits the NACS adapter right in. We recommend using any filament for an indoor mount, but if you’re mounting outdoors and exposed to the sun, ASA or PETG are better choices. Be sure to choose a high infill percentage to keep the organizer sturdy.
Next up is for folks who need to regularly get their cable outside through their garage door. This garage door cable protector keeps the cable from getting squished when the garage door closes.
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There’s also this great holder for your J1772 adapter that lets it fit snugly in the door pocket. Tesla actually sells this product too, but you can just print your own instead.
Once again, use ASA or PETG due to sunlight and heat exposure.
Phone and Airpods Charging
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There are other accessories that could make charging your phone or wireless headphones easier. Most Teslas feature wireless phone chargers that fit most phones. However, if you’d like to charge your AirPods or a smaller phone, it may not work out so well. You can use these adapters to charge AirPods and Galaxy Buds.
There are even spacers for Tesla’s wireless charger to help position smaller phones in the correct spot. These may work okay in PLA if you don’t leave them exposed to the sun, but PETG is a better option.
Interior
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There are also plenty of functional utilities for the inside of your vehicle. The Model 3 and Model Y have large, open vents underneath the front seats to get conditioned air into the back. This vent cover adds a grate to the vents, preventing small things from falling side. It’s applicable for either the Model 3 (non-refresh) and the Model Y, also non-refresh. Any filament will do for this since it won’t be in direct sunlight.
If you need somewhere to hang some bags, here’s a bag hook for the Model Y. You’ll need a cargo shelf mount for this to attach to. Print it in PETG or ASA.
There’s also a variety of console trays to pick from. The author personally uses this center console tray with a J1772 slot, and this second one as the other console tray. If you’ve got a Model S or Model X instead, this console tray would work for you.
Tools & Etc.,
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One of the best tools for any owner with a hitch installed – a hitch tool. This tool makes it easy to open up the hitch cover. There are no recommendations on the filament here, but stronger is better.
Here’s another super tool if you don’t have one — a windshield washer fluid funnel. It can be difficult to fill up your washer fluid without spilling, so if you don’t already have a funnel, this could be a good option. You can print this in PLA and just leave it in the frunk, as even a little deformation won’t matter.
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Wheels
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If you have Tesla’s Aero covers but don’t use them year-round, this is a nice accessory to hang them on the wall. There are also other accessories to cover up the Aero center cap and lug nuts when you do use them. You can print the hangers in PLA, but you’ll absolutely want the center caps and lug nuts in ASA or ABS.
Fun Stuff
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Ok, now on to all the fun stuff. There are a ton of different Tesla models to print. There’s an RC Cybertruck (best in ABS) and a Cybertruck model kit card (PLA). If you’re up for something in between, you can check out this model kit instead, which bridges the gap.
There’s also a lot more available on Printables (or your site of choice) than the ones we’ve highlighted here. This is just a small tidbit of some of the cool and unique stuff that’s available.
If you have some other awesome ideas or have designed something yourself, let us know on social media.
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