Tesla Announces Ability to Transfer FSD; Must Take Delivery in Q3 [Full List of Requirements]

July 20, 2023

By Kevin Armstrong

Tesla will allow owners a one-time transfer of FSD to another Tesla, but only third Q3

MKBHD/Twitter

In a landmark second-quarter earnings call, Tesla reported revenue of $24.9 billion and a net income of $2.7 billion, considerably surpassing Wall Street estimates. But catching many by surprise was the company allowing a one-time opportunity for customers to transfer their Full Self-Driving (FSD) package during the next three months.

This topic has dogged Tesla and Elon Musk for years, and rightfully so. The price of FSD has skyrocketed. Therefore any early adopters of the technology that got it for the bargain basement price of $5,000 would have to pay triple that fee if they wanted to update their Tesla. In May, the company posted on Twitter asking for improvement ideas. The ability to transfer FSD was high on the list.

Once again during the earnings call, a question about FSD transferability arose. Musk revealed that, in response to customer demand, Tesla would permit the one-time transfer of FSD for the duration of Q3. This opportunity would allow existing Tesla owners to upgrade to a new Tesla model without repurchasing the costly FSD package, which sells for $15,000 in the US.

Tesla Hints at Potential FSD Licensing Partnership

In the same earnings call, Musk indicated another groundbreaking initiative on the horizon. He revealed early talks of licensing Tesla's FSD technology to another major automaker, without disclosing specifics.

This prospective collaboration underscores Tesla's unique standing in the autonomous vehicle market. Musk emphasized the crucial role of Tesla's extensive road data, gathered through its Autopilot and Dojo projects, in its success. This invaluable pool of data, unmatched by any competitor, underpins Tesla's rapid progress in AI development and its leading position in the industry.

Listen to Tesla's Earnings Call

You can listen to a replay of Tesla's earnings call below.

FSD Transfers and Future Expectations

The decision to allow FSD transfers during Q3 is anticipated to drive a spike in Tesla sales. Owners have traditionally been reluctant to upgrade their Tesla vehicles, as the high cost of the FSD package — coupled with its non-transferability — made such upgrades financially unattractive. This unprecedented concession, combined with Tesla’s existing FSD monthly subscription service in the U.S., is expected to enhance Tesla's market appeal and profitability in Q3 significantly.

Tesla used the Q2 earnings call platform to share another impressive milestone: vehicles equipped with FSD beta have driven more than 300 million miles. The significance of this achievement extends beyond its impressive scale. It represents a wealth of data collected for training Tesla's autonomous systems, further improving the safety and performance of FSD.

Requirements for FSD Transfer

Tesla has now posted the requirements for the transfer of FSD to another vehicle, according to Twitter user, @Kdahlenburg

The requirements are below:

We are pleased to inform you that as a loyal Tesla owner with Full Self Driving capability, you may be eligible to participate in our current transfer program. We appreciate your continued support and dedication to sustainable transportation.

Program: Receive Full Self Driving capability on any new Tesla vehicle delivered between July 20, 2023 and September 30, 2023 when you forfeit the Full Self Driving capability on your current Tesla vehicle. Subject to the below terms and conditions. Tesla does not guarantee delivery within the program's end date.

Terms and Conditions:

In order to be eligible for this program, you must:

1. Be the legal and registered owner of Tesla vehicle that currently has Full Self Driving capability included at the time of delivery of the new Tesla vehicle. The vehicle cannot be the subject of a pending cancellation or buyback request. For EMEA only: Those on an Operational Lease with third-party Lease and Fleet Management companies are ineligible, unless they first purchase the vehicle from the leasing company.

2. Take delivery of your new titled Tesla vehicle between July 20, 2023 and September 30, 2023.

3. Accept the forfeiture of the Full Self Driving capability on your current Tesla vehicle.

Alternatively, you can choose to trade-in your current Tesla vehicle altogether directly with Tesla when you purchase your new Tesla vehicle. Tesla will remove Full Self Driving capability from your current Tesla vehicle up to one week before your scheduled delivery day for your new Tesla. During this process, your current vehicle will automatically reboot for a few minutes after put in park.

4. The Full Self Driving capability can only be transferred once and so cannot be transferred to another vehicle or to another person even if the vehicle is privately sold. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion, and is not redeemable for cash.

5. Tesla reserves the right to change, modify, or terminate this offer at any time without prior notice.

6. The forfeiture of Full Self Driving capability on your current vehicle is non-reversible after you take delivery of the new Tesla vehicle, or we remove Full Self Driving capability from your current vehicle, whichever occurs first. This remains non-reversible even in the event that you cancel or reverse your purchase after you have taken delivery.

7. Used vehicles and vehicles for commercial purposes are not eligible for this program.

8. Tesla may remove the Full Self Driving capability from your new vehicle if it determines in good faith that you have breached any of these terms or made any misrepresentations about Full Self Driving on your current vehicle.

9. This offer cannot be applied retroactively after the new Tesla vehicle is delivered.

Please read the terms and conditions above carefully. By signing this binding acceptance letter, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to the terms and conditions outlined above.

To accept this offer, please complete the information below, sign, and return this letter to your Tesla Sales Advisor before delivery of your new Tesla vehicle. Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the Tesla vehicle with forfeited Full Self Driving capability: ...

Tesla Cybertruck November Update: No More Wraps, New Crossbars Accessory, Available in Inventory, and Faster Charging

November 15, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

There’s been a spade of Cybertruck announcements that just came up all at once, so let’s see what the polygonal truck is up to in the month of November. We’ve got a variety of topics to cover, starting with some disappointing news about Tesla’s in-house wrapping services, which are being discontinued for the Cybertruck. But don’t worry — there’s plenty of good news to follow.

No More Tesla Wraps

Tesla no longer offers wraps for the Cybertruck as an option for US customers. Tesla began wrapping vehicles earlier this year but stopped offering wraps for the Cybertruck as of November 13th.

This comes after Tesla previously reduced the color options for Cybertruck wraps from seven to five. However, this isn’t too big of an issue—there are plenty of companies that specialize in vehicle wraps.

The reason Tesla stopped offering wrap services for the Cybertruck isn’t clear. Was there not enough demand? Did it take up too much time from technicians who are already stretched thin?

Given the long repair backlogs in the United States, it makes more sense to have service technicians focus on vehicle repairs rather than spending time wrapping cars.

Inventory Foundation Series

The Cybertruck Foundation Series is now available as an inventory vehicle in certain locations in the United States. That means you can pick up a Foundation-series truck with little to no delay.

Only a few trucks are currently in stock, but this will likely expand as Tesla continues to ramp production and begins to offer the non-Foundation Series trucks as inventory vehicles.

These inventory vehicles are only available in the United States. Canadian owners will still need to put down a deposit for a Foundation Series Cybertruck to get it soon.

Crossbars

Tesla has just announced it is offering a new set of crossbars for the Cybertruck. With a load rating of 200 lbs, it’s on par with roof racks for other trucks. These crossbars also come with mounting pads and quick releases. There are also slots for attaching ski racks, bike racks, or even cargo boxes, letting owners expand the truck's storage capacity.

Interestingly, the Foundation Series trucks can install the crossbars over the cabin or the truck bed, while the non-Foundation Series can only mount the crossbars over the truck bed. That isn’t the greatest news - because one of the best uses for these crossbars is protecting the cabin glass when you’ve got items like long wooden planks hanging over the roof of the truck. Maybe we’ll see more on this soon.

The mounting points for the Cybertruck's crossbars.

Not a Tesla App

Update: It turns out that you can, in fact, install the crossbars anywhere on a non-Foundation series vehicle. You’ll just have to pay for an additional roof applique, according to Wes Morril, Lead Engineer of the Cybertruck Program.

Faster Charging

Tesla announced updated versions of the V4 Supercharger, with a more powerful electrical cabinet that can charge the Cybertruck at up to 500kW. That’s an insanely fast speed—nearly 1,300 mi/hr of charging. This will come as part of a future update for the Cybertruck and as V4 Supercharger stations begin to be deployed.

That’ll make the Cybertruck the fastest-charging Tesla - even with its enormous battery.

Tesla Unveils V4 Superchargers Capable of Charging at 500kW [VIDEO]

November 15, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has revealed its updated V4 Superchargers, which have a massive power increase and can charge vehicles at up to 500kW. The V4 Superchargers have been a work in progress. They were initially launched with a v3 cabinet, limiting their overall potential.

V3 and V4 Superchargers have been charging at 250kW for several years, but recently, Tesla started a public trial at some locations with Superchargers reaching power levels of 320kW. This speed bump out of the 250kW zone was our first indication that Tesla was looking to roll out improved charging speeds.

With these new V4 Supercharger cabinets, Tesla is ready to blow these numbers out of the water, however, not every car will be capable of charging at the new 500kW speeds. Fun fact: Tesla’s Superchargers first arrived with a charging speed of just 90kW.

V4 Supercharger Cabinet

The V4 Supercharger has been around for some time—it's the new one without a hole in the center. However, those were running with V3 or V3+ cabinets. Now, the V4 cabinet has arrived.

The V4 Supercharger cabinet knocks that 320kW V3+ right out of the park. It can put a massive 500kW into the Cybertruck—currently the only vehicle that can use that speed. And that 500kW works out to a blistering 1,300 mi/hr for the Cybertruck — nearly 2100 km/h of charge speed.

Part of these charging improvements come from the Cybertruck’s 800V system, so we can’t expect all these charging improvements to roll out to older vehicles. Instead, we can expect the upcoming Model Y Juniper Refresh to likely also arrive with an 800V system, with all the experience and knowledge Tesla has gained from the first year of the Cybertruck.

If the new Model Y achieves charging speeds comparable to the Cybertruck, it could deliver remarkably fast charging times. Being lighter and more efficient than the Cybertruck, the Model Y could achieve a significantly higher miles-per-hour charge rate at the same 500kW charging speed.

These new V4 chargers will support vehicles with 400-volt and up to 1,000-volt vehicle architectures, so people with non-Tesla EVs that support 1,000 volts will also see some drastic charging improvements.

pic.twitter.com/fte2TJaInp
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) November 14, 2024

V4 Megacharger

In its brief video, Tesla also showed off the updated V4 Megacharger dedicated to the Tesla Semi. The new MCS system can pull up to 1.2 Megawatts, which is 1,200 KW of pure power via the MCS connector for the Tesla Semi and its massive battery pack.

This upgrade for the Semi is going to be big, making it a prime option for companies looking to do short—and medium-haul trucking—nearly 90% of the trucking in North America.

V4 Supercharger Rollout

The rollout of V4 Superchargers will start early next year, with the first sites already undergoing permitting. Most interestingly, Tesla’s new V4 cabinet has also reduced the complexity of the Superchargers even further.

The V4 cabinet powers 8 posts, which is 2x more than the V3 cabinet. A smaller footprint and less complexity mean faster installations, which means more V4 sites faster.

These new Superchargers have the potential to ease congestion and help eliminate the negative perceptions of slow EV charging.