Tesla Reveals Cybertruck Payload and Towing Capacity as It Adds Truck to Showrooms

November 20, 2023

By Not a Tesla App Staff

Tesla details the Cybertruck's official payload and towing capabilities

Not a Tesla App

Tesla is showcasing its Cybertruck in at least two of its retail locations, specifically in the showrooms of San Diego and San Jose. This display coincides with Tesla's preparation for the official production launch of the Cybertruck at the end of November 2023.

The Cybertruck on Display

One of the Cybertrucks is showcased in San Diego at the Westfield UTC Mall in the La Jolla neighborhood, however, other Cybertrucks have been seen en route to various locations, indicating a possible wider rollout.This move by Tesla is intriguing as it comes ahead of the official release of specs and pricing. It appears to be a strategic decision to generate buzz and drive traffic to Tesla stores, potentially boosting sales of other models like the Model 3 and Model Y.

Towing Capacity and Payload Revealed

An eye-catching aspect of the Cybertruck's presence at the San Diego store is the advertising sign outside. It officially reveals the truck's towing capacity and payload: a towing capacity of 11,000 lbs and a payload of 2,500 lbs. Interestingly, Tesla does not mention a specific trim, which could imply a single version at launch. However, it remains unclear if this will be the dual motor or tri-motor variant.If this specification pertains to the dual motor variant, Tesla is close to their initial projections made back in 2019, albeit with a slight shortfall in the payload capacity.

Original Specifications: A Comparative Look

At its announcement in 2019, Tesla had outlined three versions of the Cybertruck with varying capabilities:

Variant	Range (miles)	Payload (lbs)	Towing Capacity (lbs)
Single Motor	250	3,500	7,500
Dual Motor	300	3,500	10,000
Tri Motor	500	3,500	11,400

These initial specifications provided a broad range of options for potential buyers, but its not clear whether Tesla will still produce three variants of the Cybertruck.Anticipation and Speculation

Tesla's original specs for the Cybertruck in 2019

Not a Tesla App

With the Cybertruck's official launch imminent, anticipation is high. Tesla's strategy of showcasing the Cybertruck in showrooms, even without finalized specifications and pricing, seems to be a calculated move to heighten interest. As we approach the end of November, all eyes are on Tesla to unveil the final details.

Tesla to Allow Drivers to Display License Plates in Vehicle Visualization

October 30, 2024

By Karan Singh

Rendering of what Tesla's license plate feature could look like

Not a Tesla App

Tesla update 2024.38 has started rolling out to several regions and vehicles. Thanks to Tesla hacker Greentheonly, we have a behind-the-scenes look at some new features coming to Teslas.

License Plate Display

According to Greentheonly, it looks like Tesla may soon let you display your actual license plate in the vehicle’s visualization on the screen. In our article, The Most Request Tesla Features, several readers suggested displaying the vehicle’s license plate in the visualization instead of a blank, white plate.

It looks like Tesla will be doing just that, at least in China. Green found references that appear to conclude that you’ll be able to display your vehicle’s plate on screen. This will likely be user input, so you could have it say anything you’d like, and it doesn’t have to be your actual license plate.

For many owners, who may find it difficult to remember their license plate, this could serve a practical purpose in addition to adding to the visualization's realism.

While Green was only able to say it’ll be available in China, we expect this is due to China’s software development team working on it and that it’ll eventually be released worldwide.

We’ve seen several features originally released in China and later applied to everyone. Some of these include the Air Quality Index display, the trip meter that displays traffic along your route, and even the ability to change your vehicle’s color.

While code for this feature was found in update 2024.38, we may not be turned on in China yet. We suspect this feature may be a strong candidate for Tesla’s upcoming holiday update.

FSD Hardware Version Display

As part of the 2024.38 update, Tesla has now made it easy to determine whether your vehicle includes Hardware 3 or Hardware 4. You can now simply navigate to Controls > Software and tap Additional Vehicle Information. In addition to other hardware information about your vehicle, your Autopilot hardware version will now be listed as well.

You can see whether your vehicle has HW2.5, HW3, or AI4. This in-car display is useful, but if you don’t have access to the vehicle, you can always use our guide on how to determine the hardware version of a Tesla.

New Battery Health Test & Service Mode Improvements

Green found some additional things as well. There’s a new and improved Battery Health Test. The new test will show you how your car scores compared to similar vehicles in the Tesla fleet.

In addition, maintenance records can now be permanently stored “in the car.” It doesn’t appear that this feature is activated yet, but it’s likely in active development with some parts leaking out in the 2024.38 update.

Tesla has included various Service Mode improvements and new visualizations in this update.

Leaked Images of the Tesla Model Y Juniper Refresh

October 30, 2024

By Karan Singh

Mr Li on X

It’s been a while since we saw the last batch of leaked images of the Model Y Juniper refresh. That inspiring photo, alongside other images, set the blood of many concept artists on fire. We saw a ton of awesome concepts of Project Juniper, and now there are even more leaked images.

Mr Li on X came across some covered-up Project Juniper vehicles recently and he managed to get various shots of the vehicle.

Juniper Images

This front image reveals what looks like two rows of lights, possibly confirming the front light bar for the Model Y refresh — similar to the one on the Cybercab.

The rear side has a lot of lights on it!

Mr Li on X

The rear side shows a ton of brake lights, but it’s not clear why. While it looks like the Model Y refresh will also feature a rear light bar similar to the Cybertruck, there isn’t strong evidence of that in this photo.

Mr Li on X

There's an obvious set of lights at the bottom, so it looks like the Model Y refresh will be similar to the new Model 3 where the bottom lights can operate as brake lights when the one-piece tail lights and trunk are up.

Mr Li on X

In the last photo, we see that the overall form factor of the refreshed Model Y will remain unchanged, and Tesla is focusing the changes on the front and rear ends of the vehicle, much like the Model 3 refresh. However, in this one shot, we can also see what appears to be red light leaking out of the rear camera cover opening, possibly due to the rear light bar.

The Model Y is not only Tesla’s best-selling vehicle but also the world’s best-selling car in 2023. This year, it’s expected to be the best-selling vehicle in the United States and again in the world, so this refresh will be huge for Tesla.

We expect most of the interior to remain the same as the Model 3 refresh, which saw substantial improvements in quality, noise reduction, and performance. Check out our wishlist of more things we hope to see in the Model Y refresh.

Dominic’s Concept

Dominic's Concept, in all its glory.

@DominicBRNKMN on X

@DominicBRNKMN made another fantastic set of concepts based on these new images. Given he had the most accurate Model 3 Highland concept before the official launch, we’re pretty sure his latest work be close here as well.

@DominicBRNKMN

We’re super excited to see the eventual reveal of Project Juniper, which is expected in the first half of 2025. However, expect to see a few more leaks before production kicks off at Giga Shanghai.