Tesla’s been on a roll with Supercharger improvements lately, from the 325kW charging update for the Cybertruck, to 500kW with V4 Superchargers coming next year. While those improvements have been limited to the Cybertruck, Tesla didn’t put all their focus on their new flagship vehicle, but looked at their more affordable vehicles as well.
LFP Battery Heating
Tesla’s Superchargers can now heat LFP Batteries - those that are in the Model 3 and Model Y Rear Wheel Drive variants. This applies to Long Range and Standard Range models, which saw a limited run. This is another update included as part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update - which really arrived with a lot of unannounced new features and capabilities.
The change is pretty interesting - Superchargers of the V3 and V4 variety can now pre-heat batteries for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles equipped with LFP battery packs. That means those vehicles are able to get back on the road faster when it's extremely cold. Of course, Tesla still advises you to precondition before you arrive, saving drivers time and money.
Max de Zegher, Tesla’s Director of Charging, also commented on the new feature. Essentially, Tesla is inducing an AC (alternating) ripple current through the battery to warm it up. Keep in mind that Superchargers are DC charging. That means it is possible to get a cold-soaked LFP vehicle on the road 4x faster than before, assuming that it didn’t precondition at all and that it is in the worst-case scenario (below 0ºF).
In essence, Tesla is using some engineering magic to turn the circuits inside the LFP battery into an electric heater - and powering that heater through the Supercharger. An AC ripple current is a small oscillation in the DC charging current that generates heat through electrical resistance, warming up the battery. Those ripples are a byproduct of converting AC to DC and back - so Tesla is using the onboard charger to induce those ripples to warm up the battery. Definitely an innovative technique that’s really only possible with the versatility of the NACS connector.
We’re hoping Tesla can implement this across their full lineup of vehicles, but we’ll have to wait and see how it is trialed across LFP vehicles first and if it is even possible on vehicles with 2170 or 4680 battery packs.
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In a one-two punch fashion today, Tesla has announced two big pieces of news, one after the other. First off, Tesla has officially launched in Saudi Arabia, but more importantly, it has also announced plans to introduce the Long Range RWD Cybertruck.
— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) April 10, 2025
Saudi Arabia Launch
Tesla vehicles are now, for the first time - barring third-party imports - available for direct sale to customers in Saudi Arabia, beginning with the refreshed Model 3 and the refreshed Model Y.
Tesla has also stated that the Cybertruck will be launched in late 2025, which brings us to our second piece of news.
RWD Cybertruck Has Different Features
Tesla unveiled the Long Range Rear Wheel Drive Cybertruck on the Middle East website, which is scheduled to be available in the late 2025 timeline. This is more than a single motor variant of the Cybertruck. The RWD version of the truck is not only lighter than the AWD version, but also features different specs.
Unfortunately, pricing is not available at this time for any of the versions in Saudi Arabia, so we can’t estimate the North American price either, but this will be something a lot of potential buyers have their eye on.
Here are the specs of the Long Range RWD version and how it compares to the AWD Cybertruck (be sure to scroll horizontally on mobile).
Variant
Range
Towing
Weight
Acceleration
(0-100km/h)
Top Speed
Max Ground Clearance
LR RWD
350 mi (563km)
3,402 kg
2,775 kg
6.6s
112 mph (180km/h)
243mm
LR AWD
325 mi (523km*)
4,990 kg
3,009 kg
4.3s
112 mph (180km/h)
406mm
Cyberbeast
320 mi (515 km)
4,990 kg
3,113 kg
2.7s
130 mph (209km/h)
406mm
*The Foundation-Series Cybertruck AWD is rated at 560km of range.
No Air Suspension, No Rear Screen
Not a Tesla App
One of the immediate things to notice in the Long Range RWD variant Cybertruck is the fact that it does not include an air suspension or rear screen. Tesla has removed the air suspension and will likely fit the truck with a much cheaper regular suspension in order to cut costs. This will likely come alongside other changes to the interior trims, as well as changes to the bed outlets and tonneau cover.
We expected the LR RWD version to launch with fewer features, as it tries to appeal to more buyers, such as work-truck purchasers or those who want a fantastic EV truck but without all the extras that are essential for off-roading or track use.
The LR RWD also comes with the option of 18” rims - a new wheel size that isn’t currently available for other versions. These wheels also come with Cybertruck-themed and hex-styled aero covers and look to be the same or similar tires mounted on them based on the pictures on Tesla’s site.
We don’t have any news yet on when this version will be available in North America, but given that Tesla will be producing it at Giga Texas, a North American launch can’t be too far behind.
It is always nice to get sneak peeks into what Tesla is doing next, so let’s take a look at these two upcoming features and see what’s on the software team’s bucket list.
Tire Fill Assist
The first new feature that’ll be coming soon is simply titled “Tire Fill Assist.” Unfortunately, there isn’t much more to go on for this one, but we have a few ideas of what it could be used for.
Tesla already uses smart TPMS sensors (and also Smart Tire Treat Sensors) to relay information to the vehicle over Bluetooth, which makes it easy to keep track of your tire pressure. However, when you need to inflate one of your tires, you’ll either need a tire pressure gauge or head inside the vehicle to see what the vehicle is reporting.
Tire Fill Assist could be an option available in the vehicle’s Service panel that actively checks the Bluetooth TPMS while you’re filling them. Normally, these readings aren’t reported in real-time, so this feature could increase the rate at which tire pressure data is transmitted for a period of time. It could also give you audible feedback through the vehicle’s internal speakers or outside speaker (PWS) where the tire is approaching the set limit.
This is a feature available on other vehicles, so it isn’t too surprising that Tesla is adding something similar in their own software-focused way.
Routing Option: Lower Price
Another new option, according to Green, is a new routing option built around lower prices. This could consider toll roads, but one thing it’ll focus on is Supercharger pricing. Since stations offer variable pricing that also changes based on the time of day, Tesla could offer drivers different routing options.
Users will be able to tap a “View Lower Cost Charging” option to view cheaper nearby chargers that may be slightly more out of the way. This creates a balance and lets drivers choose whether they want to prioritize speed or savings.
Tesla already warns users when a site has a wait period and will automatically redirect vehicles to nearby alternative Superchargers, so this will be a similar feature, but instead of being based on congestion, it’ll be based on the user’s price preference.
While these are two small additions, they’ll undoubtedly improve the experience when a driver is in one of these circumstances. Green spotted these features in the production build of 2025.8. While they’re not active yet, it seems like it won’t be long before we get to experience these features for ourselves.
