In the enthusiast world engine swaps are nothing new. All sorts of cars end up with engines that were never meant to be crammed under their hoods, but that doesn’t stop performance fans. If you thought that the dawn of EVs would mean the end of engine swaps you would be wrong.
Elon Musk has clarified exactly what he meant when he tweeted he had "funding secured" to take Tesla private, after days of investors pushing the CEO to explain himself. Musk surprised many last week when he took to Twitter to suggest he would seek privatization for Tesla once the price reached $420 a share.
Tesla has been peddling the Powerwall battery system for a few years now. It has announced that a new feature has been rolled into the Powerwall battery system and the mobile app that it works with. The new feature is called Storm Watch and it is designed to automatically detect incoming storms.
Following a tweet earlier today mentioning as much, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has published an email previously sent to employees that details potential plans about going private. News about the idea first surfaced this afternoon on Twitter via Musk, who tweeted, "Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured." He has since tweeted updates, saying the company has confirmed that it has investor support for the plan.
Elon Musk has published a job notice on Twitter: Tesla is seeking video game developers. The company is accepting applications from developers who think they have what it takes to create games for the company, specifically for its vehicles. Applicants will need to send along samples of their work, with Musk warning that Tesla seeks "max playability and creativity."
Tesla has revealed its second fiscal quarter 2018 financial results, stating that it ended the quarter with $2.2 billion in cash, as well as seeing "slightly positive" Model 3 gross margins. Tesla announced that it had multiple Model 3 production rates of about 5,000 cars per week, and it plans to increase that number to 6,000 by the end of the August. Tesla expects its Model 3 gross margins to "grow significantly" in its third quarter.
There are usually plenty of reasons for Tesla owners to look forward to software updates, but those who are also retro gaming fans have even more reason to look forward to the next one. Tesla, it turns out, is looking to add some interesting easter eggs in the next update: Atari games. Yes, you read that right - in a few weeks, you'll be able to play some classic Atari games on your car's infotainment system.
If you wanted to get a Tesla Model 3 with the slick white interior you had to order the Performance versions of the car, until now. That has changed with Tesla having confirmed that the white interior is now available as an option on the Dual Motor Model 3 AWD EV. The changed was confirmed via emails that Tesla has sent out to customers.
Buoyed by hitting Model 3 production goals, Tesla is attempting to renegotiate supplier contracts in the hope of fulfilling Elon Musk's promise to be profitable in the second half of the year. The automaker more than doubled EV production in Q2 2018 versus the first quarter, setting a new goal of 6,000 Model 3 rolling off the line by late August.
2018 hasn’t exactly been good for Tesla, with the company being embroiled in not a few high-profile scandals. Those range from poor working conditions to low Model 3 production output to, unfortunately, an Autopilot-related death. There has, however, been no report of a rollover crash, especially involving the months-old Model 3. Now there is and, for a change, the incident doesn’t have a grizzly ending except for the Model 3 itself.
Tesla has become the first automaker to hit the tax credit threshold, hitting the 200,000 US deliveries mark and potentially leaving buyers of its EVs hit harder in the wallet depending on when they get their new cars. The current tax incentive system, designed to encourage drivers to purchase electric or electrified vehicles, offers a $7,500 tax credit on new cars, but only up to a limit.
Tesla has stopped taking new Model 3 reservations for new customers in North America, opening orders to anyone who wants to purchase a unit. Until now, customers were required to pay $1,000 as a deposit to reserve their spot in the Model 3 production line. That has changed for new buyers -- you can no longer make a reservation if you don't already have one. Orders can be placed through Tesla's website.