Tesla has started releasing the latest software update with 2022.12.1.
One of the biggest features of this release is the ability to customize the launcher even further.
With the introduction of v11 last December, Tesla introduced a personalized launcher but in doing so also removed some features that were previously available in the launcher.
Wipers were moved to the Controls menu. While seat heaters, front and rear window defrost buttons were moved to the climate section.
With 2022.12.1, Tesla is adding the ability for you to add all of these buttons back if you choose to.
In addition to all the previous apps that could be included in the launcher, 2022.12 adds the ability for you to add Front Defrost, Rear Defrost, Seat Heaters, and Wipers to the launcher.
Tesla is also adding the ability for you to add the heated steering wheel button to the launcher if your vehicle is equipped with it.
2022.12 is a big step in bringing back a lot of the features people were unhappy with in version 11.
More Apps
With this update, Tesla also increased the number of apps that you can have the launcher. Previously, Model 3 and Model Y vehicles were limited to four personalized apps and one recent app (seven total for the new Model S and Model X), but Tesla is now allowing you to personalize one additional app as well.
If you add seat heaters to your launcher, they have a dedicated placement and cannot be placed anywhere in the personalized area of the apps. Once you add the seat heaters to the launcher, they will automatically be placed next to the cabin climate. When you add one seat heater to the launcher, the passenger (or driver) seat heater will be added as well.
Whether you add seat heaters to the launcher or not, it will not impact the number of apps you can personalize. The number of apps you can personalize will remain at five for Model 3 and Model Y.
What's interesting as well is that these new options such as wipers and window defrost cannot be accessed in the More Apps menu directly. They will appear in the apps menu when you're personalizing the launcher, but you cannot access wipers or window defrost without being in edit mode.
Features in 2022.12
Software update 2022.12 also introduces various other features such as Disney+ in additional regions (Europe and more), the ability to use the child lock on just one rear door, the ability to turn on Dog Mode, Camp Mode, and Climate keeper directly from the app and new language support.
Update 2022.12.1 has just started rolling out so it may be several weeks before it's available for all cars. Keep an eye out for it soon and read the complete release notes for more details on 2022.12.
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Tesla recently showed off Giga Small Haus, an interesting new display project hosted at Giga Berlin. The small new house is located just outside the main entrance of Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory, with a Quicksilver Model Y parked inside.
Giga Small Haus is powered only by solar and Powerwall 3 - disconnected from the local grid and from Giga Berlin itself. It serves as a live demonstration of Tesla Solar and Tesla’s Powerwall battery backup.
Giga Small Haus
The centerpiece of the display is a Model Y in Quicksilver - a beautiful pick for a beautifully lit house. However, that’s not the real focus here - it's the Powerwall and Gateway on the wall.
The Powerwall is the focus of Giga Small Haus, and there’s a display with some additional information on the wall. Part of the display also includes a screen that displays the current output of the Powerwall itself versus the consumption of Giga Small Haus, as well as the input from solar.
The interior exhibit of Giga Small Haus
Not a Tesla App
The text on the exhibit is divided into several sections. Here’s a translated and edited version of what we can see from Tesla’s images. Some additional text is obscured. If someone visits Giga Small Haus, let us know.
Powerwall
Powerwall is a home battery system that stores energy from solar panels, the electrical grid, or during off-peak hours and powers your home during the day or during a power outage.
With Powerwall, you can use self-generated solar energy during the day and night, thus avoiding high electricity costs. You can also store excess energy produced during sunny periods for use during times of low production or power outages.
Key Features
Energy Storage: Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels or the grid for later use or during power outages.
Backup Power: In the event of a power outage, Powerwall automatically switches to battery power to ensure continuous power supply.
Integration: Powerwall can be seamlessly integrated with existing solar systems and other power sources.
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls can be installed to meet higher energy storage needs.
Smart Energy Management: Powerwall works with Tesla's software to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
How Powerwall Works
Storage: During the day, when solar panels produce more energy than needed, the excess is stored in Powerwall.
Usage: At night or during times of low solar production, the stored energy is used to power the home, reducing reliance on the grid.
Backup: During a power outage, Powerwall automatically provides power to critical circuits, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.
Benefits
Cost Savings: By storing and using solar energy, you can reduce your electricity bills.
Reliability: Provides backup power during outages, ensuring your home remains powered.
Sustainability: Promotes the use of renewable energy by storing excess solar production for later use.
Overall, Giga Small Haus is an interesting real-life demo of what Powerwall and Solar can accomplish. It would be neat if Tesla built more of these displays - perhaps near major Delivery and Service Centers and at Giga Texas, Fremont, Giga Shanghai, and other facilities. Many Tesla owners have yet to learn about and experience some of Tesla’s Energy products.
Tesla has added the Acceleration Boost option to the Tesla store for owners of the 2024 Model 3 Long Range - specifically owners in Australia and China. Acceleration Boost is an upgrade that provides a significant performance boost, drastically narrowing the performance gap between the Long Range and Performance versions of the same model.
This upgrade will likely become available in Europe, Canada, and the United States in the next few days as Tesla updates its shops globally.
Acceleration Boost
This new Acceleration Boost is retailing for $3,000 AUD, or approximately $2,000 USD. That’s the same price for current owners of older Model 3 or Model Y Long Range vehicles, which all have the option to purchase Acceleration Boost through the shop.
The boost provides improved 0-100km/h (0-60mph) performance, bumping the 2024 Model 3 LR from 4.4s to 3.8s. The 2024 Performance version comes in at a blazing fast 2.9 seconds, so while it isn’t equivalent to just buying a performance variant in the first place, it is still a noticeable and significant upgrade.
Performance variants also come with a different front fascia vent for cooling, performance drive units, sport seats, adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Track Mode V3. That’s a significant number of additional features in the $10,000 USD price difference between the Long Range and Performance versions.
Should You Buy It?
If you’ve purchased a Long Range model and are itching to go just that little bit faster at every red light, this is the upgrade for you. It previously came with the cost of slightly reducing vehicle range, but the Tesla store doesn’t make a note of reduced range this time around. The 2023 Model 3 and Model Y Long Range models had an efficiency loss of about 5% due to the additional always-available acceleration and cooling.
You could drive in Chill mode to mostly negate that efficiency loss, but what’s the fun in driving in Chill when you just got Acceleration Boost? Anyhow, the shop listing for the 2024 variant doesn’t include this detail, so it's possible Tesla may have worked some more engineering magic.
Overall, if you’ve got the $3,000 AUD burning a hole in your pocket, some Tesla referral credits sitting around, or just want to go faster, it's definitely an upgrade many users find valuable.
