Musk talks about Tesla's €25k vehicle that will be built in Berlin
@Gf4Tesla
Tesla's ambitious plan to create an affordable electric vehicle known as the "next-gen" or "Model 2" has taken a new directional shift towards Europe. Those at Elon Musk's recent appearance at Giga Berlin say that Germany will be the latest production site for this much-anticipated EV.
This latest pivot towards Europe follows an earlier change that saw Tesla's production strategy migrate from Mexico to Texas, indicating a fluid approach to finding the optimal manufacturing locale for the new model.
Giga Mexico to Giga Texas, and Now Giga Berlin
The journey of Tesla's $25,000 electric car has been one of adaptability and strategic adjustments. Insights into these shifts came to light in Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk, which narrated Tesla's evolving strategy. The initial blueprint placed Giga Mexico in a pivotal position until logistical challenges prompted Musk to reconsider, resulting in Tesla eyeing Giga Texas.
Despite these changes, Giga Mexico remained a significant piece of Tesla's production puzzle until Musk's latest indications suggest that Giga Berlin could become a central hub for the European market's demands — catering to the Europeans' appetite for smaller cars and affordable, sustainable mobility.
Giga Berlin's Role in Tesla's Strategy
With the announcement in Berlin, Tesla seems to be refining its strategy once more, adapting its production base to not only meet market demands but also optimize manufacturing processes.
During the third quarter earnings call, Musk outlined the production vision for the Model 2, which stands in stark contrast to Tesla's more radical Cybertruck. This next-gen vehicle is pegged to have a conventional approach in manufacturing yet aims to set a new benchmark in efficiency and production volume.
Embracing Efficiency and Affordability
Musk's articulation of the Model 2 as "utilitarian" underscores a pragmatic vision: a functional, efficient, and affordable EV that still upholds Tesla's design ethos. This approach aims to achieve unprecedented economies of scale and bring electric vehicles to a broader market.
Tesla's choice to leverage Giga Berlin for Model 2 production is more than a geographic decision — it's a strategic play that could enhance the company's presence in Europe. This move aligns with Tesla's pursuit of operational efficiency, market-specific tailoring, and, possibly, advantageous manufacturing incentives available in the region.
Tesla's persistent focus on a $25,000 EV signifies a steadfast commitment to making electric vehicles more accessible. Should Tesla overcome the economic barriers, the Model 2 has the potential to redefine mainstream vehicle ownership, propelling the adoption of EVs globally.
Elon Musk thanks all Giga-4 employees. A really big praise to the entire Giga-4 team for the really great work that you do again and again and create great cars. Giga-4!@teslaeurope@Gf4Tesla@elonmuskpic.twitter.com/Oudp0ntiZs
In last year’s holiday update, Tesla introduced the much-needed Dashcam Viewer in the Tesla app. The feature allows owners to view Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage directly from the Tesla app, eliminating the need to review videos in your vehicle. Unfortunately, the feature was limited to iPhone users, but Tesla is now changing that.
With Tesla app update 4.43.5, Tesla is officially launching the Dashcam Viewer on Android devices.
Dashcam Viewer
The Dashcam Viewer makes it easy to access and manage your car’s Dashcam and Sentry Mode videos. Accessing videos on your phone is faster and more convenient, but it does come with a few requirements.
The Dashcam Viewer in the Tesla app allows you to view, delete, or save video clips right from your device. This should result in higher quality content being shared online and fewer videos of owners recording their Tesla’s screens with their phones.
How It Works
Dashcam footage remains stored locally on your vehicle’s connected USB drive, so Tesla isn’t streaming videos to your phone from the cloud. Instead, the videos are streamed directly from your vehicle to your phone—similar to how Actually Smart Summon delivers a live feed to your phone.
Because of this, your vehicle must be connected to cellular data or Wi-Fi for the Dashcam Viewer to work. Unfortunately, this may limit access for owners who park in underground or large parking garages where connectivity is poor.
How to Access the Dashcam Viewer
To view Dashcam and Sentry Mode footage in the Tesla app:
Navigate to Security & Drivers > Dashcam Viewer.
Wait a few moments for your phone to connect to the vehicle.
From there, you’ll be able to view, save, or delete clips right from your device.
Requirements
To use Tesla’s Dashcam Viewer, you’ll need a vehicle with MCU 2 (Intel) or higher. All models are supported except for the legacy Model S and Model X (2020 and older). However, we expect support to be added in the near future.
The legacy Model S and Model X are expected to receive support for Actually Smart Summon, which requires the ability for those vehicles to stream video to the Tesla app — the same capability the Dashcam Viewer needs. Once Actually Smart Summon is added to the legacy Model S/X, we expect those vehicles to also receive the Dashcam Viewer at the same time or shortly afterward.
Tesla has imposed some viewing limits to prevent high data usage. The viewing limits apply to streaming video from the Dashcam Viewer or viewing live video from the vehicle’s cameras. Tesla will limit video streaming from the vehicle to 15 minutes or 1 hour, depending on your region.
Android Support
Tesla typically releases support for newer features to iPhone users since they make up the majority of users. Recently, Tesla has added more features to Android. In January, Tesla added support for ultra-wideband to Android, which added support for the improved phone key and the hands-free trunk and frunk feature.
Did you know the Cybertruck’s air suspension automatically levels the truck, even while it’s asleep? This is a great feature, especially for camping or off-road adventures. However, it can be an issue when lifting a wheel to change a tire.
Fortunately, there’s a solution: Jack Mode.
Jack Mode
Jack Mode is made for jacking up the truck and prevents the Cybertruck from self-leveling.
To enable Jack Mode, you’ll first need to set the Ride Height to Medium from Controls > Dynamics > Ride Height. You can also set it from the Tesla app by navigating to the Controls section and sliding up until you see Ride Height. This will give you enough clearance for most jacks to get under the truck and lift it.
You can also activate Jack Mode in Low or High, but Tesla recommends a Medium ride height for best control of the vehicle and sufficient tire clearance to safely remove and reinstall the tire. However, once the vehicle is in Jack Mode, the Ride Height cannot be changed.
Next up, go to Controls > Service > Jack Mode to enable Jack Mode. The vehicle will warn you that Jack Mode is enabled and can either be disabled by pressing the button again or by putting the vehicle into drive.
For the duration that Jack Mode is active, it is safe to lift your Cybertruck, even on one side only. It will not self-level for the duration that Jack Mode is enabled.
Automatic Jack Mode
Jack Mode can also activate automatically to protect the suspension from potential damage. For example, if the vehicle’s bumper is resting on a curb, Jack Mode may engage on its own.
Once the obstacle is cleared, or if you shift into Drive or Reverse, Jack Mode will automatically be disabled.
