Tesla Model X Plaid to Gain Track Mode Says Musk

The Model X Plaid will soon get Track Mode, according to Elon Musk

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Tesla's Model X Plaid has long been celebrated for its unrivaled speed and innovation. Boasting a breathtaking 0-60 mph time of just 2.5 seconds, it is a testament to the extraordinary power of electric technology. This seven-seater SUV not only holds its own against the fastest of sports cars but even outperforms many on the quarter-mile drag strip.

Track Mode: A Revolution in Electric Vehicle Racing

Yet, there's been something missing from the Model X Plaid's toolkit: Track Mode. Track Mode takes the electric racing experience to an all-new level, enabling EVs to withstand the rigors of high-intensity track driving. Following its successful rollout on the Model 3 Performance and then the Model S Plaid, and more recently the Model Y Performance, the question was inevitable: when would the Model X Plaid get its turn?

Elon Musk's Vision: More Power for the Model X Plaid

During the recent 2023 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave a definitive answer to this question, confirming that Track Mode would indeed be coming to the Model X Plaid. Responding to a shareholder's query, Musk commented, "Yeah, we could probably add that, sure. No problem." This candid statement was met with enthusiastic approval from the audience.

Track Mode Improvements

Tesla recently made big improvements to Track Mode for the Model S Plaid, showing more information and making critical information front and center.

The speedometer is now large and centered on the instrument cluster, and the battery and motor temperatures are now more detailed and have moved over to the center display. In addition to those changes, Tesla is now displaying additional information such as front and rear brake temperatures, as well as tire PSI.

These updates were added in the recent 2023.12.8 software update.

The Future of Track Mode: Enhanced Experiences Await Model X Plaid Owners

Yet, the implementation of Track Mode in the Model X Plaid is unlikely to be straightforward. As Musk has noted in the past, developing and tuning this mode for specific models can be challenging, given the need to ensure seamless performance under demanding driving conditions. Despite this, the announcement has electrified the Tesla community, sparking anticipation for what the future holds for Model X Plaid owners.

So, gear up and get ready. As Tesla continues to push the boundaries of EV performance, the advent of Track Mode on the Model X Plaid promises to unlock an even more thrilling driving experience.

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Tesla Updates Energy App in Update 2025.8.3: Adds Reset and Distance Filter [VIDEO]

@EV3_Model3 on X

Tesla recently launched software update 2025.8.3, which included a bunch of “minor updates.” Nestled away in the release notes are a couple of interesting features - including some major changes to the Energy App.

We’re not quite sure we’d call these minor updates, so let’s take a bit of an exploration of the revitalized Energy App.

Select Distance in Energy App

The Energy App has received some new categorization features in the Consumption tab. You can once again limit the graph by distance. As part of the 2024 Holiday Update, Tesla redesigned the consumption tab and brought it to the new Model S and Model X for the first time. However, with the redesign, Tesla removed the ability to choose the distance shown in the graph, instead providing a static display of the last 200 miles (300km). 

The first part of the improved Energy App is bringing back this distance filter. You can now choose between showing the last 10, 100, or 200 miles (15, 150, or 300 km). This differs from the previous available distances of 5, 15 and 30 miles, but brings back the ability for the driver to choose a distance that may be more applicable to how they’re driving.

We’d love for Tesla to introduce custom distances by pinching and zooming the graph or simply add the ability to choose “This Drive Only” to the list of available distances.

Reset Energy App History

@EV3_Model3 on X

Sadly, the “Instant Range” button that was available in the Energy App before is still not available, but Tesla introduced a new feature that may be even better. You can now clear your driving history so that the graph only reflects your current driving style.

This is a little hidden, but if you tap the little info icon at the top near your average Wh/mi, you’ll now be presented with a dialog that lets you clear your history.

This could be useful if you’ve just come from some hard driving on a track or off-road, where energy consumption could be exaggerated. It could also be useful if you just started towing or a different type of driving that is drastically different from your current driving.

Other Changes

In addition, it looks like future predictions of the Energy app now take into account your driving history and apply that in addition to expected vehicle consumption, weather, altitude, and the multitude of other factors that your Tesla constantly takes into account while calculating your expected range.

While these are smaller improvements to the Energy app, they added some important functionality, as it helps users better understand their vehicle consumption and display data that is more applicable to the current driving style.

This is a great example of Tesla listening to its customers and bringing back features they had previously been removed. Check out the video below by akide on the updated Energy app in update 2025.8.3.

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Franz and Lars Discuss the Tesla Cybercab in New Interview

Munro Live

Sandy Munro once again had the opportunity to chat (video below) with Lars Moravy, Tesla’s Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, as well as Franz Von Holzhausen, Tesla’s Chief of Vehicle Design. This time, rather than focusing on the improvements to the refreshed Model Y and all the new engineering behind it, the focus was on Tesla’s autonomous ambitions.

In this case, the Cybercab and Robovan were the key highlights, with a distinct focus on the Cybercab. With that all said, let’s dig into all the fun new stuff. You can check out the entire video at the end of the article.

Cybercab Unboxed Process

The Cybercab will be the first of Tesla’s vehicles to use their new unboxed assembly process, which builds vehicles in parallel sections, and then brings them together all at once for final assembly. Traditionally, vehicles are assembled from the ground up, and sometimes even disassembled for parts of production to take place.

This innovative method involves using a big rear and front casting, brought together by a structural battery pack on the floor. The door rings are hot-stamped and laser-welded to form the side shell of the Cybercab, resulting in a very rigid structure that can also absorb crash impacts due to its unique manufacturing.

Paint-Free Panels

We’ve already talked about the Cybercab’s unique paint-free panels, but we’ve never heard until now exactly how Tesla intends to manufacture them. Tesla will inject colored PU plastic onto the backside of another plastic part (formed from various processes) and then ultrasonically weld that entire piece to an inner part.

That essentially combines multiple parts into one smooth piece that is easy to repair - because all you have to do is remove the entire panel - it just comes off as the interior fasteners are removed. There is no subframe holding it together - instead, the subframe is part of the panel.

The only area of the vehicle that will have any paint will be the hot-stamped door rings - which will be painted to improve corrosion resistance to protect the steel.

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamically, the Cybercab boasts the largest aero-cover-to-wheel ratio of any Tesla vehicle. This updated aero cover improves efficiency, even with the Cybercab’s relatively large tires—chosen to reduce rolling resistance. Interestingly, the impact of unsprung weight on efficiency is minimal compared to the benefits of improved rolling resistance and aerodynamics.

Another key to the aerodynamics is the teardrop shape of the Cybercab itself. With its low profile and smooth shape, it is extremely aerodynamically efficient. While neither Sandy nor Lars delved into drag coefficients, we expect it will likely be more efficient than the Model 3’s already fantastic Cd of 0.219.

Range and Battery Pack

Tesla currently has prototypes undergoing real-world testing at Giga Texas to evaluate range and efficiency. The goal is to ensure the vehicle can operate throughout an entire day in the city before returning to charge.

Tesla is targeting a battery pack under 50kWh, delivering close to 300 miles of real-world range—an impressive efficiency of around 166Wh/mi, even outperforming the Model 3’s lowest at 181Wh/mi.

When Does It Arrive?

So, with all that new knowledge - when does the Cybercab arrive? Well - the prototypes for the June Robotaxi network deployment in Austin are getting prepared now - but Tesla expects to begin production and sales sometime in the first half of 2026.

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