Over the weekend, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a completely new 2022 Tesla Model Y AWD variant to their fuel efficiency listings.
According to Tesla hacker GreenTheOnly, Tesla reveals in update 2022.8.2 that there will be a Texas-made Model Y SR+.
The Standard Range Plus variant of the Model Y will likely be the first car configuration out of the new Giga Texas factory.
Further analyzing 2022.8.2: TX-made (2022Q1 dated) ModelY SR+ is added so I guess that would be the first car configuration out of that place pretty soon. Several new battery types added too (I don't dig in ECUs so I don't know what exactly they are)
Tesla’s new Austin, Texas factory is an important milestone that will continue to allow Tesla to expand their production capacity across all current models of cars and the upcoming Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi.
There have been some speculations that the first Tesla from the new factory will use the new 4680 cells with a structural battery pack, but the efficiency reported doesn’t seem large enough to be the new battery cells.
Tesla has been using iron-based LFP batteries in their SR+ vehicles out of several factories. LFP batteries are cheaper to produce, but they also have a lower energy density per pound. However, LFP have some advantages as well. They're more environmentally friendly and can also be charged to 100% without any long-term effects.
Iron batteries compared
Tesla
There are various possible battery changes that Tesla may be making over the next few years at Giga Texas and other factories, but signs appear to indicate that Giga Texas will start with 2170 cell LFP batteries. Although it's possible that these SR+ cars will use the new 4680 structural battery cells since Tesla has had production constraints on those new cells and is looking to spread them out into more vehicles.
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y was initially released in 2019 from the Fremont factory in California, at a base price starting at $54,190. Since the mid-size SUV was launched, there has only been a Long Range and Performance model available. With Tesla focusing on expanding the configuration options to their most popular vehicle, it will be another step up against other car manufacturers.
To meet the growing demand for electric vehicles, the Texas factory is a necessary step in maximizing production efficiency. It is the first factory outside of California, and it will produce the first cars to be built as Standard Range Plus Model Ys. We anticipate that the new Tesla Giga factory will house all new configurations while the California factory transitions to new batteries and vehicles.
Where Tesla plans to use LFP batteries
Tesla
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
Tesla signaled its intention to launch its first Robotaxi network in Austin, Texas, with company-owned and operated vehicles, back in January. This network will be Tesla’s first foray into truly autonomous vehicles - ones that aren’t being directly supervised by a driver. Later in February, Tesla’s executive team confirmed that the plans were on track for the launch of the Austin network both on X and during several interviews that they participated in.
At the end of February, we also found out that Tesla has applied for a Supervised Robotaxi license in California, where the network will also launch, but with safety drivers in place.
This is an ambitious plan, but FSD has really come a long way in the past year. FSD V12 was a massive step forward from V11, and V13 has made the experience smoother and safer than ever before. FSD V14 is expected to be another big step up with auto-regressive transformers and audio input.
Still on Track
Now, Elon has tripled down on the fact that Tesla will be launching their first autonomous robotaxi network in Austin - just two months away at this point. It seems that Tesla is fully set to launch their first fully unsupervised self-driving vehicles that will carry paying passengers in June.
Additional Cities
The best part is that Elon also confirmed that they’re targeting robotaxi networks launching in many cities within the United States by the end of this year. However, remember that this will be a Tesla-run network at first - Tesla owners won’t be able to add their vehicles to the Robotaxi fleet right away.
Adding Customer Vehicles
It will take some time before Tesla meets their strict internal safety requirements before it lets customers add their own vehicles to the network. Tesla’s executive team mentioned that they intend to let owners add their own vehicles to the fleet sometime in 2026. This happens to be the same time frame that Tesla plans to launch the Robotaxi across the United States, Mexico, and Canada — something that could only be done with customer-owned cars.
That final step will be bold—and it may come with complications, especially given that autonomous vehicle approval spans municipal, state or provincial, and even federal levels. There are plenty of regulatory hurdles ahead, but this is undoubtedly shaping up to be one of the most exciting times for Tesla.
Launch Event
With the Robotaxi network launching and Unsupervised FSD just around the corner, there’s a lot to get excited about. Tesla is expected to host a launch event at Gigafactory Texas in Austin to mark the debut of its first Robotaxi network. The company previously hinted that referral code users could receive invites—offering a rare chance to score an early ride in a Robotaxi outside the Hollywood studio lot.
Tesla’s engineering mule vehicles—used to test autonomy for future platforms—have resurfaced after an extended absence. The last time we saw them was back in July, when Tesla was gearing up for its initial We, Robot event. Since then, sightings have been scarce.
These vehicles typically signal that Tesla is testing new camera placements or validating FSD ground-truth data. This time, however, they appear to be outfitted exclusively with the updated camera hardware seen on the Cybercab.
New Sightings
The mules have now been spotted in Boston, Massachusetts, and Concord, New Hampshire—their first known appearances this far east. This suggests Tesla is actively collecting data to evaluate and optimize FSD performance in new regions. Thanks to Reddit user Ready_Medium_6693 for catching the one in Concord.
Elon Musk recently mentioned that Tesla plans to expand Robotaxi networks beyond the initial Texas and California launches. So while these sightings aren’t entirely unexpected, the speed of their arrival is. It suggests Tesla is confident in its ability to train FSD for local traffic rules and driving behaviors to the point it no longer needs a driver.
Bumper Cameras
The vehicle that’s been spotted in Boston is the usual Tesla engineering Model 3… except with one unique twist. It includes a front bumper camera. Shout out to @Dylan02939106 for catching the bumper camera in these photos.
The Refreshed Model 3 Mule with a Bumper Camera!
@Dylan02939106 on X
We previously released an opinion piece regarding whether the front bumper camera would be required for Unsupervised FSD. In our eyes, Tesla will require a bumper camera for Unsupervised FSD - if only to improve direct visibility in the bumper area of the vehicle. This is key for low-speed maneuvering in crowded areas like parking lots and garages, as well as for key features like Actually Smart Summon.
It isn’t surprising that Tesla is continuing to evaluate vehicles with a bumper camera - the Cybertruck, Cybercab, and Refreshed Model Y all have them now - and the rest of the lineup, including the flagship Model S and X, as well as the refreshed Model 3 - were supposed to eventually receive them as well.
With the Model S and Model X set for refreshes this year—and the front bumper camera on this Model 3 looking well-integrated rather than a temporary setup—it seems likely that front bumper cameras will soon become standard across Tesla’s entire lineup.
The Robotaxi Mule in Boston
@Dylan02939106 on X
In fact, Tesla’s newest iteration of the FSD computer has a slot for the Bumper Camera on all AI4/HW4 vehicles, so a future retrofit could even be possible.
These are some pretty exciting times - we may see Robotaxi networks actually deploy in time for Tesla’s lofty goal of “sometime in 2026” for cities throughout North America. Once many American cities begin to accept their deployment, it will be easier to seek homologation in Mexico and Canada, enabling deployment throughout the continent.
![Video Reveals the Cybertruck's Unique User Interface [Video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/images/news/2023/cybertruck-ui-1_300w.jpg)
