A couple of weeks ago, Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s VP of AI, announced that Tesla would finally roll out an FSD update for vehicles with Hardware 3. Earlier this week, on December 30th, Tesla did just that and started a public rollout of FSD V12.6.
Since the initial rollout, the update has gone out in several other waves, but they’ve been extremely small. Thanks to several users, we know have our first look at FSD V12.6 and how it compares to the previous FSD version and to the latest version for Hardware 4 vehicles — FSD V13.2.2.1.
How FSD V12.6 Compares to 12.5.4.2
Vehicles receiving the FSD V12.6 update are coming from Tesla’s Holiday update, version 2024.44.25.2, which includes FSD V12.5.4.2.
While FSD V12.5 was a big step up from FSD V12.3.6 for most users, it did include its share of issues. The big two have been lane selection and behavior at traffic lights.
While the release notes for FSD V12.6 highlight features such as End-to-End on Highway, Improved City Streets Behavior, and Smoother and More Accurate Tracking, FSD V12.6 is noticeably smoother and more capable. It now handles turns and scenarios that it struggled with or simply couldn’t perform on FSD V12.5.
How it Compares to FSD V13
One of the key features of FSD V12.6 is a redesigned controller for smoother and more accurate tracking. This feature actually comes from FSD V13, so users should think of FSD 12.6 as a hybrid between FSD V12 and FSD V13. In fact, it seems like Tesla considered calling this version V13, but more on this later.
The controller referenced in the release notes is responsible for tracking objects around the vehicle. The vehicle can only drive as well as it can see, so the improved tracking accuracy directly improves FSD decision-making, leading to smoother driving. This is very evident in FSD V12.6, which now delivers a level of smoothness comparable to what users are experiencing in FSD V13.
Thanks to Rhys Samson, who has both FSD V12.6 and FSD 13.2, they directly compare the two versions and say that FSD V12.6 now operates as smoothly and confidently as his Cybertruck on FSD V13.2.
In their eyes, FSD 12.6 has done a lot to reduce, if not eliminate, the anxiety of not having AI4/HW4 in their Model S. This may change as AI4 vehicles continue to receive improvements while HW3 vehicles are expected to lag in FSD updates, but FSD V12.6 is a big step forward and could have arguably been called FSD V13.
Which Vehicles are Receiving V12.6
Right now, FSD V12.6 is only rolling out to Model S and Model X vehicles with Hardware 3. So far this has only been “refreshed” models, so it doesn’t include Model S/X cars prior to 2021. When the update was released on December 30th, Ashok Elluswamy stated that the update would be available for “other platforms,” presumably the Model 3 and Model Y, within a week. This puts us at around January 6th for other models. Ashok’s timelines have been extremely accurate and we believe Tesla will deliver this update sometime next week.
The Model 3 and Model Y are expected to be supported, but it’s not clear whether it’ll also include legacy Model S/X vehicles as well.
We expect this release to eventually become available for everyone soon, the only question would be whether it’d become available for legacy S/X vehicles with MCU 1. While the upgrade to MCU 2 isn’t cheap, any owners with an MCU 1 vehicle and HW3 would receive a much more capable vehicle by upgrading to the newer infotainment unit.
What About FSD V13 for HW3?
Rhys Samson
While we expected Tesla to release an FSD update for HW3 vehicles with the new end-to-end highway stack, FSD V13 was more of a wildcard. Would Tesla wait to upgrade HW3 vehicles with newer hardware or spend the time creating a smaller V13 model for HW3 vehicles?
Due to a small bug, it looks like we may have some insight into this question. Users who have installed FSD V12.6 will notice that while the release notes and the vehicle will call update 2024.45.25.10 FSD V12.6, the version shown in the app is actually quite different.
At the bottom of the main screen in the Tesla app, Tesla will show several bits of information, including your vehicle’s software version and the FSD version. While the vehicle software is correctly labeled as 2024.45.25.10, the FSD version actually mentions an unreleased FSD version — v13.2.3.
While this could simply be a bug or a typo, it could also be an indication that Tesla was considering calling this release FSD V13.2.3 and that it may have been a last-minute decision. While this may not mean much, it could be a sign that is already thinking about or developing FSD V13 for HW3 vehicles.
Keep in mind that many features for FSD V13 take advantage of the more powerful hardware, such as larger AI models and improved video feeds. However, other features could potentially be carried over to HW3.
Roll Out
While FSD V12.6 is still only available for the Model S and Model X, it continues to go out in increasingly larger waves. The last wave occurred overnight, and there’s a possibility of us seeing more today. Given the continued waves, it looks like everything is on track for a release to other models this weekend or early next week.
You can keep an eye out on our statistics page to track additional roll outs, and we’ll be sure to cover the release when it becomes available to more vehicles.
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Back in 2023, Tesla put together a rather unique Supercharger site idea - one with a CyberCanopy. This canopy is intended to provide solar power for Supercharging, helping to reduce the impact on the local grid while also providing a futuristic and Cybertruck-themed location that would set it apart.
Unfortunately, the plans never moved beyond the filing stage. Instead, Tesla opened a standard-looking Supercharger at the same Canton, Massachusetts location. However, the site is still well-situated just off the highway and benefits from natural tree cover in the parking area.
However, Tesla is at it again with a concept for another CyberCanopy with RGB lighting. Thanks to MarkoRP for spotting this. No April Fool’s this time.
We want to build a few Superchargers cool enough to be worthy of the trip itself. - Max de Zegher
CyberCanopy 2
This second Supercharger with CyberCanopy is set for Roswell, New Mexico, at the Whataburger in town. Featuring just eight stalls, this will be one of Tesla’s smaller Supercharger sites, but for what it lacks in size, it makes up for it in uniqueness. The charging stalls are covered from the rain by a futuristic, Cybertruck-themed canopy, which will have solar panels installed on the top of it.
According to the plans, the CyberCanopy boasts 20.88kW of solar panels on its roof, providing shelter from the elements while also providing some power back to the grid.
RGB Lighting
At nighttime, the Supercharger will make a big statement. Tesla intends to light the long edges of the canopy, which will not only look amazing, but it’ll actually make finding the Supercharger easier in a large parking lot.
The lighting coming off the edge of the canopy reminds us a lot of the lightbar on the Cybertruck and now the new Model Y. It’s definitely the direction Tesla is moving for all their models, so expect all future models to have it, including the new Roadster and the next-gen model.
Tesla’s Max de Zegher also took to X after the plans for the new Supercharger were found and shared the image above. He stated that Tesla wants to build a few cool Superchargers that will be worth stopping at, even if they’re out of the way a little bit. So it seems like this isn’t just a concept, but an idea that Tesla wants to expand to several areas around the country or world.
We want to build a few Superchargers cool enough to be worthy of the trip itself. Wish we could have kept it under wraps for longer, but submittal was needed for Planning Approval. We can't hide anything from @MarcoRPi1! 🙂 pic.twitter.com/X2WaKDd408
This particular site doesn't have a Megapack or other form of energy storage, unlike the upcoming Harris Ranch Supercharger site in California. That means that Tesla won’t be storing the solar energy gained from this site, but instead will be either offsetting the immediate grid impact or serving energy back to the grid when the site isn’t actively charging.
Tesla will likely be incorporating V4 Superchargers, including both V4 posts and the new, more powerful V4 Cabinets, as the permit states that Tesla will be redesigning the site internally before beginning construction. For Cybertruck owners, 500kW charging may be around the corner.
We’re hoping Tesla continues to deploy these kinds of Supercharger sites around the world - they make a stylistic statement about Tesla’s futurism, like the Shell gas station that was upcycled into a Supercharger site earlier this year in Spain.
They also make a big impact for ownership because it is a far more comfortable charging experience when you stop at a site that’s shaded from the elements - and one that’s better for the environment with offset emissions.
It was a rainy April 1st when a news-searching author went on a delve into the depths of April Fools to find fact from falsehood. And while we found a lot of fantastic jokes, we also found some good ideas.
So, with a shoutout to MarcoRP on X, whose April Fool’s Joke gave us a good run for our money for a couple of minutes, we thought to ourselves - what would a Cybercab Charging Station / Cleaning Hub really look like?
Cybercab Wireless Charging Sites
Now, before continuing, we’d like to point out that the image up top is a joke from Marco - it isn’t an accurate or real site map submission from Tesla. However, it gave us the impetus to think critically about what is required for a Robotaxi fleet, based primarily on the Cybercab, to be able to service a city.
Requirements
Tesla will likely need to charge a small fleet of Cybercabs at a single time and in a single place. That means that the site needs to be large enough to cover a major metro area while also still being compact enough to not cost too much money to build out.
In addition, we need to factor in charge times. The Cybercab is likely to launch with a battery around 50 kWh, which will result in a range of approximately 300 miles. With that much range, the average Cybercab may not need to charge more than once or at all during daytime shifts, so instead, most of the vehicles will charge overnight.
MarcoRP
Math and Charge Times
The overnight charging means that most of these vehicles could be charged slowly. When we did some back-of-the-napkin math last year, we determined that Tesla’s wireless charger will likely peak around 17 kW (for comparison, Tesla’s Wall Connector at 32 amps charges at about 7 kW). If we scale Tesla’s wireless charger down slightly to 10 kW, accounting for some energy loss and the potential size of the site, that means a Cybercab will be able to charge in about 5 hours.
Tesla’s upcoming V4 Supercharger unit can currently handle 1.5MW per cabinet, but this slower-speed charging is A/C, not DC, which means there is a step-down loss of about 3-5%. Let’s make that a comfortable 10% for any other overages, but we can estimate around 1.35MW of power. That 1.3MW will easily handle charging up to 100 Cybercabs at once - all wirelessly, using Tesla’s unique beam-forming and beam-steering technology to keep efficiency high at every single stall.
Within about 5 hours, a whole fleet of 100 Cybercabs could be charged overnight when electricity rates are cheaper and still be out in time for the morning commute.
While this is all just hypothetical, it really does make sense that Tesla will be establishing these sites that won’t require much space or a ton of energy.
Tesla recently curtained off a large section of the parking garage at Giga Texas, as well as some of their chargers on the eastern end of the facility, leading us to believe they may just be testing this at scale internally.
There’s a lot to look forward to with Tesla’s V4 Supercharger deployment coming this year and with Robotaxi launching in just a couple of months.
