Earlier this year, Tesla released a update for its Beach Buggy Racing 2 game in update 2024.20, which brought a new leaderboard feature to the game.
Grab your wheel, and step on the accelerator, because it's time to take a look at Tesla’s updated Beach Buggy Racing 2 – Supercharger Edition.
Supercharger Leaderboards
Tesla introduced Supercharger Leaderboards to the game, which means anytime you’re at or near a Supercharger site, you can open up Beach Buggy Racing, and compete against other real people in a local leaderboard. Leaderboard are time-based, so that you’re able to compete against other drivers even if there’s no one else currently at the Supercharger.
Leaderboards are available for each track and are location specific, meaning that all Supercharger locations have their own unique leaderboard.
When you arrive at a Supercharger Tesla will prompt you to play Beach Buggy Racing and take a stab at the Leaderboards, but you don’t actually need to be charging to play. All the game requires is that your vehicle is physically at the Supercharger location.
So far, there are no global leaderboards, but competing with fellow Tesla owners at your local Supercharger offers a fun way to pass the time during a 15-minute charge.
Vehicle Colorizer
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One lesser known feature of Beach Buggy Racing is that changing your vehicle’s on-screen color through Tesla’s Colorizer will also change the way your vehicle looks in Beach Buggy Racing. It’s a neat little easter egg, but it's all the small details that count. The paint style options apply as well – so Solid, Matte, and Metallic also all reflect in the game.
How to Play Beach Buggy Racing
There are a few ways to play Beach Buggy Racing, and Tesla has thought of everything for this specific game.
You can open up the game from Tesla Arcade when the vehicle is in Park. You have three control options – using the touchscreen, using a Bluetooth or USB controller, or using your vehicle’s steering wheel.
If you’re using the steering wheel, keep in mind that unless you’ve got a Cybertruck with Steer-by-Wire, your actual wheels will also turn. This can add some flat spots to your tires if you play excessively. We recommend using a controller or the touchscreen. Keep in mind that if you’re playing with the vehicle’s steering wheel, you actually use the Brake pedal to accelerate, not the real accelerator pedal.
The author recently took first place at the Leaderboards for the Supercharger in Scarborough, so if you’re in Toronto anytime, feel free to challenge my score! If you’re a leaderboard holder, come let us know where you took first place in the forums.
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Service Mode allows anyone to access service-related features that help troubleshoot vehicle issues. It’s available for free to all Tesla owners, but caution should be exercised when making any changes. More information about how to access Service Mode is available in our Service Mode guide.
In update 2025.2, Tesla improved two existing Service Mode panels:
Brake Burnishing - Brake burnishing helps condition new brakes and rotors. Tesla states: “The Brake Burnish procedure parameters have been updated to reduce the need for coming to almost a complete stop during each cycle.
This change is available for all vehicles.
Charge Port Calibration - Users can now run a charge port calibration, which can help to either get the charge port to fully close or fully open if you’re having issues or if you’ve refitted or retrofitted the charge port on your own. This was previously a command-line tool in ToolBox3.
In the release notes for service mode, Tesla states: “The charge port door calibration routine (PROC_CP_X_DOOR-SENSOR-CALIBRATION) and charge port latch calibration route (PROC_CP_X_LATCH-CALIBRATION) have been added to the Charging panel. Those routines are required to be run following the replacement of the charge port or charge port door.”
This change only affects the legacy Model S and Model X.
Service Mode+ Updates
The rest of the improvements to Service Mode are exclusive to Service Mode+, which requires a subscription to Tesla’s ToolBox3 software and a connection to a computer. Tesla has added new panels and several improvements to Service Mode+ with update 2025.2.
Accessories Panel - “A new Accessories panel is available to view and change configurations for accessories during retrofits, such as tow package, power liftgate, and soiler. To access the new panel, tap Low Voltage > Accessories.”
Previously, technicians had to manually enter all these configuration changes using the terminal.
This is for all Model 3s and Model Ys.
Signal Viewer Panel - “A new Signal Viewer panel is available to monitor multiple signal values live on a graph. If one or more of the signal values is unavailable, the graph will stop updating. To access the new panel, tap Tools > Signal Viewer.”
This will help technicians diagnose issues in real time when they’re related to signal quality or signal noise throughout the vehicle’s internal electrical systems.
This new panel is available on all vehicles with the AMD Ryzen infotainment processor.
Noise Recording Panel - “To improve the user experience, the recording duration has been decreased to 30 seconds, and reliability of the download routine PROC_ICE_X_FETCH-DIAGNOSTIC-AUDIO-RECORDS has been improved.”
The Noise Recording Panel, which was introduced with the 2024 Holiday Update, has been better tuned to improve technician experience while debugging noises or audio issues within the vehicle.
This particular improvement is only for the Cybertruck.
There’s rarely a software update that goes out that doesn’t include improved or new Service Mode panels. While this update focuses more on improvements to Service Mode+, it still includes other improvements to Service Mode. While these updates are aimed at Tesla technicians and third-party technicians, they also help consumers’ right to repair.
Unplugged Performance makes some amazing performance upgrades for Teslas and other EVs. One of their most recent programs is UP.FIT - where they equip Tesla vehicles for police duty.
Law enforcement agencies have highly specific requirements and the UP.FIT program is designed not only to meet those requirements but exceed them. EVs also come with the additional benefits of reducing maintenance, repairs, and fuel costs.
And UP.FIT isn’t just for run-of-the-mill policing, Unplugged Performance also provides upfitted Tesla vehicles, including the Cybertruck, tailored for specialized roles such as tactical and defense applications. Let’s take a look at what real police officers think too.
“The difference is absolutely staggering. I don’t want to go back to this [ICE car] now.”
Hands-On With Teslas
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Police officers from eight different departments in California had the opportunity to participate in a unique event at an Emergency Vehicle Operators Course (EVOC) facility. Law enforcement agencies in North America and Europe are beginning to look at EVs more often, and finding a properly up-fitted EV for police work can be a challenge.
“I’ve never driven one until today, I have a different mindset here at 2:00 than I did at 6 a.m. this morning. I was not necessarily sold, but I am now.”
Unplugged Performance let these officers get hands-on with the Model Y Performance, and compare it to the industry-standard Ford Explorer PIU edition. They also got a chance to see some of the other UP.FIT lineup, including the Model S Plaid Interceptor and Cybertruck Patrol Vehicle.
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Reactions
The best part of this was the honest, real reactions from the officers who were trying out modified Teslas on the EVOC track.
“I might go buy one now!”
“I’m thoroughly impressed by how it handled and performed. It’s kind of made a believer out of me.”
“First time driving an electric car… The difference between the [Tesla and Ford] is staggering… I didn’t want to be in the Explorer anymore.”
Several comments talked about the handling of the vehicles - how fun they were to drive, how tight they cornered, and how fast they accelerated. They also mentioned that because of that performance - these cars were able to do things that the Ford Explorer just isn’t capable of.
And when doing simulated chases - our favorite comment “It’s like you don’t even have to try!”
Another fun data point that elicited some great reactions was the battery usage of the cars. The Teslas arrived at around 97% state of charge at 6 am, and at 2 pm, the cars still had about 55-60% of the battery left.
You can watch the entire video from Unplugged Performance below.
Teslas Just Make Sense
At the end of the day, the thing is, Teslas - and EVs in general - just make sense for patrol vehicles. Officers can leave the heat or AC running the entire time without having to idle an engine. EVs also perform far better than their ICE equivalents, and they reduce maintenance and fuel costs massively - especially when you can just charge a whole fleet of patrol vehicles overnight.
Many police officers have commented online and mentioned how they burn massive amounts of gas just idling away with their vehicles, which just continuously burns fuel and increases wear and tear on the thousands of components in an ICE vehicle.
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On top of that, this sold individual people - not just as officers but as consumers - on the idea of Teslas and EVs. Putting butts in seats in important, and it’s one of the best ways to convince naysayers that the future is already here.