The Model S is Tesla’s main electric car—an all-electric sedan. The host is saying Tesla is making a special final batch called a “signature edition” before ending production.
A “signature edition run” means Tesla is making a limited batch of cars with special features or styling. It’s usually done when a model is being phased out, so it feels like a final chapter.
A software update is Tesla’s way of adding new features, improvements, and bug fixes over the air (OTA). The host frames it as an upcoming spring release, which is a common pattern for modern EVs.
Battery recycling is about taking old EV batteries and reusing parts of them instead of throwing everything away. It helps reduce waste and can recover materials that are expensive to make from scratch.
Rivian is another electric-vehicle company. The episode mentions Rivian because it’s involved in a battery recycling effort, which is about what happens to EV batteries after they’re used up.
When a car is “discontinued,” it means the company stops making or selling it. The host is reminding you that Tesla previously ended these models, and now they’re doing a special final run.
“Plaid” is Tesla’s performance trim for the Model S and Model X, associated with higher-output powertrains and track-focused acceleration. In this segment, the hosts compare “plaid S” versus “plaid X” to explain why Tesla allocated limited production numbers the way it did.
Instead of anyone being able to order, Tesla picked certain people to buy the cars. So if you didn’t get an email, you can’t just go buy one like a normal car.
Garnet Red is the specific paint color Tesla is using for this Signature Edition. The host notes it’s chosen to look like a “next generation” version of Signature Red and that all Signature Edition cars are finished in this same color.
These are door handles that pop out when you get close to the car and pull back in once you’re driving. It’s meant to look cleaner and feel more convenient.
Tesla updated the Model S and Model X design around 2021. The host is using that history to point out that the Signature Edition changes the door-handle look compared with the refreshed cars.
A “plaid” badge is a special emblem that signals the car is the high-performance Plaid version. Here, the host is saying the Signature Edition includes that badge in gold.
Carbon-ceramic brakes are high-performance brakes made from a special ceramic material. They’re designed to handle lots of hard braking without fading as quickly, but they can cost more if you ever need new parts.
Brake calipers are the parts that clamp the brake pads onto the brake discs. They’re part of the braking system, and in this case the hosts are pointing out the visual differences.
Some special cars are “numbered,” meaning each one has a unique spot in a limited production run (like 1 out of 250). It’s a way to make the car feel more exclusive and collectible.
Wheel size affects ride comfort, steering feel, and tire sidewall height. In this segment, the hosts note that the Model S uses 21-inch wheels while the Model X uses larger 22-inch wheels, which can change how the car absorbs bumps and how it feels at speed.
A key fob is the physical remote you use to access the car. Here, the Signature Edition includes a special-looking key fob, even though you can also use your phone to unlock and drive.
Supercharging is Tesla’s fast-charging network for its electric vehicles. When a deal includes “supercharging,” it typically means credits or free access for a set period, which can materially reduce ownership costs.
Premium Connectivity is a paid Tesla service that gives the car better internet features. It’s what powers many “connected” functions inside the vehicle.
Renders are digital pictures made by a computer to show what a car might look like. They’re helpful, but the real car can look different once you see it in real lighting.
Concept
renders vs real photos
They’re saying their ratings are based on pictures made by a computer, not the real car. Paint and design can look different in real life, so opinions might change later.
Ultra Red is a specific Tesla paint color the host ranks as their favorite. The segment treats paint colors as a meaningful part of the ownership experience, especially when new colors are added.
Frost Blue is a Tesla paint color the host plans to include in their updated “lightning round” color ranking. The mention suggests it’s part of the set of newer colors being evaluated by owners.
“Signature Series” here refers to a limited-run Tesla Model S and Model X configuration being discontinued (“sendoff” and “special final run”). The host frames it as a high-option package with special paint and track/performance hardware.
Term
$160,000 before tax
The host quotes pricing for the Signature Series cars, emphasizing that the cost is extremely high even before taxes. This is a useful “real-world” ownership context point because it frames how expensive the track and brake upgrades are in practice.
A markup is basically the extra money you pay on top of the normal price. In this case, they’re saying the Signature Edition costs a lot more than the usual version.
A limited numbered edition means only a small number of cars are made, and each one is “counted” or labeled. That can make it feel more special, but it still doesn’t automatically mean it will be worth more later.
Value appreciation is when a car becomes worth more money later than you paid for it. They’re saying that doesn’t automatically happen here because there are already lots of these cars and the price is already high.
List price is the car’s “sticker price” set by the manufacturer. They’re saying these special editions probably won’t end up selling for more than that sticker price later.
A limited run is a production batch with a fixed small quantity, often tied to a special edition or end-of-life sendoff. The speaker emphasizes that scarcity (e.g., “only a hundred”) can influence future pricing and resale behavior.
Depreciation means the car gets worth less as time goes on. They’re saying these limited Tesla models might lose value more slowly than regular ones, but they probably won’t become “collectible” investments.
“Holding value” refers to how well a car retains its resale price relative to the market. Here, the speaker claims the original Signature Edition Model S and Model X didn’t do this as well as expected, but the newer limited run might.
They’re talking about a special event Tesla is planning for the end of this limited run. They mention it should happen in May and likely at Tesla’s Fremont factory.
Tesla’s Fremont factory in California is a major production site for Model S and Model X. The speaker expects the celebration event to be held there because that’s where these cars are built.
A custom order means the buyer picked certain options, and Tesla builds the car to match. The speaker says Tesla is finishing those last custom cars before starting the final limited run.
Retooling the line means the factory changes what it’s set up to build. In this case, they’re preparing the paint area for the last special batch of cars.
Holding the event at sunset is a deliberate scheduling choice that also reinforces the “sunsetted” theme of ending production. It’s a marketing/branding detail rather than a technical automotive concept, but it’s part of the story around the sendoff.
The Tesla Roadster is Tesla’s big, flashy performance EV. It’s the kind of car Tesla would show off with a dramatic event, because it’s expected to be very fast and impressive.
The Tesla Model S and Model X are Tesla’s main big-name cars. The hosts are talking about a “sunset” event, meaning Tesla may be ending the current era of those cars and moving on.
“Baton passing” just means one winner era is ending and a new one is taking over. Here, it’s about Tesla moving from older top-performance cars to a newer top-performance car.
A product demo is when a company shows off what a car can do in a planned way. The point here is that if the Roadster is extremely fast, Tesla would need a bigger, safer place to prove it.
Hawthorne is where Tesla does a lot of design work. In this segment, they mention it’s near an airstrip, which makes it easier to hold big “show it off” events.
The Volkswagen Rabbit is a compact car model from Volkswagen. In this episode, it’s mentioned as part of a phrase about not going too far into a topic. It’s not being treated as the main focus here.
A re-reveal is when a company shows the same car again, usually because it changed or because they’re ready to show new details. They’re wondering if Tesla will combine that event with the Model S/X sendoff.
The Tesla Semi is Tesla’s electric truck. The hosts are using it as an example of Tesla’s event style—dropping a big extra announcement at the end.
Topic
Signature Edition sendoff
A “Signature Edition sendoff” means a special version of a car is being wrapped up or discontinued. People pay attention because it can change what you can buy and what features you get.
Xcare is a warranty plan they’re recommending. They say it can be cheaper if you buy it before your original warranty ends, and you can choose coverage that matches how long you’ll keep the car and how many miles you’ll drive. They also mention a $100 deductible and a referral code for a discount.
An extended warranty is like extra insurance for your car after the original warranty runs out. It can help pay for certain repairs so you’re not stuck with the full cost. The key point here is that you can often choose coverage that fits how long you’ll keep the car and how much you drive.
They mention Accelerate Auto because it’s the company connected to the warranty plan they’re recommending. The main takeaway is that this provider offers different warranty options compared with Tesla’s. If you’re shopping for coverage, it’s one example to look into.
Term
$100 deductible
A deductible is what you pay first when something breaks and you use the warranty. In this case, they’re saying it’s $100, so you’d pay that amount before the warranty covers the rest. It matters because it changes how expensive a repair will feel to you.
Roadside assistance is help if your car breaks down or can’t move under its own power. It often includes things like towing or getting you back on the road. They’re saying this warranty includes that kind of support too.
Term
AI-4 fleet
They’re talking about a group of Tesla cars that have the right computer hardware for certain AI features. The host says not every Tesla will get everything, because some cars don’t have the necessary hardware. So even if software is released, your specific car may or may not be able to use it.
Term
hardware three cars
They’re saying some Tesla cars have older onboard computer hardware. Because of that, certain new features in the software update may not work on those cars. So what you get can depend on which generation of hardware your specific Tesla has.
An over-the-air (OTA) software update is delivered wirelessly to the vehicle, without visiting a service center. The hosts suggest the rollout could be quick and that listeners may see the update appear in their cars soon.
This is Tesla software that controls self-driving features in the car. It’s delivered through updates and includes an easy way to subscribe and see what’s been happening.
Tesla uses different generations of computer hardware inside the car. If a feature is labeled for “AI-4,” it usually means only newer cars with that computer can get it.
“Hey grok” is a voice command you say to start talking to an assistant in the car. You can turn it on if you want, and then use it to control features by voice.
These reminders can pop up automatically when you’re near a specific place. For example, it can remind you to pick something up when you get close to home.
Pet mode is a Tesla display/comfort feature that changes what the screen shows when you leave pets in the vehicle. Here, the hosts describe an update that lets you choose a pet type and customize the on-screen display.
Trip stats are a way to see how much energy your Tesla used on your drives. This update makes it easier to track multiple trips separately so you can compare them.
Energy stats refer to measurements of how efficiently the car uses electricity during driving. In EVs like Tesla’s, these figures help owners understand consumption patterns and plan charging more effectively.
This is a safety light that helps you notice cars or objects in your blind spot. When the system detects something and you signal (or when you’re parked), it lights up red so it’s easier to see—especially at night.
Immersive sound is an audio setting that makes music sound more spacious, like it’s coming from in front of you rather than just from the speakers. It’s meant to feel more like a surround experience.
This means your Tesla can update itself automatically while you’re not driving—usually overnight. Instead of you having to do it manually, the car handles the install after downloading the update.
This is an update to the weather display in the car. It’s meant to make it clearer whether you’re looking at snow or rain while you’re planning your drive.
This feature lets you look back at how the weather changed over the last hour. It can help you judge whether conditions are getting better or worse as you drive.
The dash cam can save up to a full day of recent video. That makes it easier to go back and grab footage if something happens earlier than you expected.
“Robo taxis” means self-driving cars used like a ride-hailing service. The host is saying Tesla can reuse lessons from those cars and bring similar features to regular Teslas.
Apple CarPlay lets your iPhone show certain apps and controls on your car’s screen. The hosts are talking about whether Tesla is close to updating or adding it.
“Free updates” means your car can get new features through the internet. The host is saying Tesla keeps doing this without charging extra, though some features may not work on older hardware.
The auto wipers turn on and adjust automatically when it’s raining. The host is saying Tesla has a new improvement that helps the wipers respond more accurately.
Yunta Sai is a Tesla engineer mentioned as the source behind the update claim. The host is using his statement to say Tesla already implemented the improvement.
Tesla Roddy is a Tesla-related account or creator the host is citing for information. It’s an example of how Tesla updates and rumors get shared online.
Normally, wipers use a separate sensor to decide when to wipe. Here, the idea is that the wiper system itself is being trained to figure out when it should run.
First-principles problem solving means breaking a problem down to fundamental causes and rebuilding a solution from the ground up, rather than copying an existing approach. The host frames Tesla’s approach to wiper automation as using its camera/AI stack to achieve a function that other manufacturers solve with a dedicated rain sensor.
AI5 is Tesla’s next onboard computer chip that helps run its advanced driving features. Even if the design is done, Tesla still has to build and mass-produce it.
Company
Dojo 3
Dojo is Tesla’s big computer system for training AI. “Dojo 3” is the next version they’re working on to help improve the driving software.
Silicon wafers are like the starting material used to manufacture computer chips. Scaling production means making lots of chips from those wafers reliably.
Car
Optimus
Optimus is Tesla’s robot. The idea being discussed is that Tesla might train and test its AI on robots first, then later bring what it learns into the cars.
LIVE
On this week's episode of Ride the Lightning, the Tesla and EV Podcast, Tesla is sending
the Model S and Model X off with an exclusive new signature edition run, and I've got
all the details about what makes them special.
Plus, Tesla has announced the new features coming in its spring software update, a Tesla
co-founder is partnering up with Rivian for a new battery recycling initiative and more.
What's happening friends?
I'm Ryan McCaffrey, joining you for episode 559 of your weekly Tesla and EV Podcast.
I call it Ride the Lightning.
I'm recording this on April 17th, 2026.
You are hearing it on April 19th, or later welcome to this week's podcast.
I'm gonna jump right into the main story this week, or at least it's my favorite story,
and I think it's the main story, partially because I was the one who was lucky enough
to break this story, and I'll tell you the quick tale of how that came to be at the end
of this, but for now, let's get to the good stuff that you care about.
Remember when Tesla discontinued the Model S and Model X?
Of course you do, I'm being a little sarcastic, sadly that was not a fever dream or a nightmare,
that did actually happen.
And remember on that episode, when I first talked about when the announcement was first
made, I had said that I thought that the last Model S should be painted in signature red
as a poetic full circle moment.
Well, Tesla is doing almost exactly that.
In fact, what they're doing I think is actually even better than what I had suggested.
So what is Tesla doing?
It is a final signature edition run of the Model S and Model X, thus ending those cars
the same way that they began back in 2012 for the Model S and 2015 for the Model X, although
there won't be nearly as many of each of them this time.
In the initial run of signature S's and X's, there were 1000 of them each.
This time, there will only be 250 signature series S's and only 100 signature X's.
All of them are plaids.
By the way, it is a little funny to me that there are two and a half times more S's in
this program than X's, because historically the X has outsold the S, but I guess I would
suspect that if I were to ask somebody at Tesla who could actually tell me on the record,
which is another story, my guess is the plaid S specifically outsells the plaid X specifically
by quite a bit, just comparing plaid to plaid, and that's probably why they have arranged
it this way.
So if we stop right here, at this point you're probably thinking, well this sounds awesome,
what if I want one?
I'd love to get one of these signature edition final S's or X's.
Well I've got good news and bad news about that.
The good news is that I'm going to tell you all the cool stuff that these cars have because
it's not just paint and it's not signature red, it's a different color, which I'll talk
about momentarily.
The bad news is that you can't get one.
Most of you anyway.
There are probably one or two of you at least in my audience that did get an invitation
to buy one of these and maybe are following through on that invitation.
So yes, they were invitation only and I have no idea how Tesla determined who to invite
to purchase these cars, but sadly if you did not get an email you won't be able to order
one and even if you did get an email and are still thinking about it, it's also too late
because all in total 350 of them have now been spoken for.
The other part of the bad news is the price.
It is steep.
We'll get to that in a moment, but first let me tell you the features of these cars.
So the paint, as I was alluding to a moment ago, it is not signature red.
It is a color that based on the renders, I would describe it as a next generation signature
red.
Tesla's calling it Garnet Red, like the jewel.
So it looks super awesome to me and I'm going to hear from all of you in a minute on what
you guys think of it.
All 250 S's will be in this color, all 100 signature X's will be in this color.
In fact, all 350 total signature edition cars will have the exact same configuration.
But there are differences between the two cars.
So on the S, for instance, one of my favorite little features on the signature S is that
the door handles, which of course on a Model S, extend out to greet you.
They auto present themselves as you approach the car and then they retract back in after
you start in the car in motion.
They are color matched to the body.
So they're not black.
They're not the glossy black that they've been for the last five years since the 2021
Model S and X refresh.
They are also Garnet Red.
So they're just matched to the body, which I think is super cool.
There is a gold Tesla T badge in the front.
There is a signature badge on the rear, on the rear liftgate.
There is a plaid badge, of course, these are plaids, and the plaid badge is gold.
On the interior of the cars, you have a white interior with Alcantara and signature edition
badging on the dashboard, specifically on the passenger side of the dashboard.
You have a gold plaid seat badge, and by that I mean what's basically at the neck area.
There's a plaid logo there, stretched across the seat back, about at the neck height.
That's gold, and the piping on the seats, the front seats, are gold as well.
The Model S signature edition specifically gets carbon ceramic brakes from the Model S track pack
with gold calipers.
The Model X doesn't get those, it gets regular red plaid calipers.
The track pack, by the way, $20,000 option on the Model S.
You have signature marked door sills, you have, again, that signature dash badging with a unique
numbering plate, so it tells you which unit is yours, whether it's number one of 250,
or in the case of Steve Jervitsen, who had vid number one of the Model S and is apparently,
as I talked about, apparently getting the last one, so he'll have 250 out of 250.
Gold plaid emblem puddle lights, yoke steering in both cars, they each get the larger wheel
option, so the regular 21-inch wheels, as the S has had, well at least for the, since the 2026
little refresh, so it's got the 21s on the S and the 22s on the X.
It also has, both cars have a special interior lighting sequence, which I honestly,
I know it's a silly little thing, I can't wait to see what that is, I love that kind of stuff.
You get a signature edition key fob, so you get key fobs, even though you don't have to use them,
you can use your phone key, but the key fobs are painted in garnet red.
The S specifically has black skull caps, which I confess, I had never heard the term skull cap
used in reference to a car before, that may be old news to some of you, I had just never come
across that term when it comes to cars, and I learned that it means the mirror caps, so instead
of being painted garnet red, or like on my car, they're ultra red of course, they are black
on the S, and then the, actually on both cars, pardon me, and then the luxe package is included,
so the four years of service, the FSD, the supercharging, the premium connectivity, all that
is included as well. These also come with no resale for one year contracts, you are not going to be,
you're not allowed to sell them for the first year that you own it. There are official Tesla
renders from the email invites that were sent out, and I posted them on my Patreon page,
if you'd like to see what this color looks like, and see what the the spec looks like from the
outside, and actually there are a few interior photos as well, so you can go to my Patreon,
which is patreon.com slash Tesla podcast, they're up on this week's Patreon poll,
which I'm going to read you the results of in a minute, or if you don't want to go to my Patreon
page, you can just google image search them as well, but if you're picturing this, or if you're
looking at the photos right now, if you've paused the podcast to go dig up the pictures, and now
you're looking at them, you might have the same reaction that I did when I first got this info,
now I have to mention, when I got this information from a source, it didn't come with the photos,
so all I had was the fact that it was the signature edition, how many of each that they were doing,
and all of the specs, all the stuff that's included that I just read to you,
but I didn't have any images, but just reading the list, I was like, oh this,
this sounds like an Iron Man spec, you know, a deep rich red color with gold accents, that is,
that is totally Iron Man, and that's, and even after seeing the renders, that is what I think
when I see these cars, and I think it's gorgeous, and I wanted to see what all of you thought about
it, so I made the Garnet Red paint color specifically the subject of this week's Patreon poll, again,
I posted the renders of X and S up there in this color, and I just asked you simply, what would
you rate the new signature Model S's and X's Garnet Red paint color? I had 10 choices,
give it a score of one to 10, one being awful, 10 being absolutely stunning,
36% of you gave it a 10 out of 10 saying, now again, I recognize too, and I said this in the body of
the poll question, we don't have actual photos, or let alone seeing them with our own eyes in real
life yet, we're just going off of renders, but so, you know, the opinion may change once we see it in
real life, but just based on the renders, 36% of you gave it a 10 out of 10, 27% of you gave it an
8 out of 10, 12% a 9, 10% a 7, and then it's all single digits from six on down, and I'll tell
you, I might be in the 10 group, like I think this might be my favorite color, I mean, I've long
said Ultra Red is the king of all Tesla colors for me, I have done a couple of different ranking
every Tesla paint color ever as a lightning round mini episode, you know, as a fun little
thought exercise, I did it once and then I updated it when we got some new colors,
I might have to do a third iteration of it with Garnet Red once I'm able to see it in real life,
and Frost Blue to get that in there, there's, we have Abyss Blue from Giga Berlin now,
and I don't know if Glacier Blue was on the last one, anyway, I might have to do that again,
but for the time being, yeah, I'm right there, it might be a 10 out of 10 for me, I think this
is going to be a gorgeous color, the plurality of you thought so, so thank you to everybody
that kindly stopped by the Patreon page this week, found again at patreon.com slash Tesla podcast
to vote, it doesn't, you don't have to be supporting me on Patreon,
the poll is free every week, open to everybody, so stop on by and cast your vote, so continuing on
the signature series Model S and Model X, when I was sent all of that by my source,
I did not get a price with it, I didn't get the images and I didn't get the price,
my first thought, after reading the list of stuff, knowing that these were fully loaded
plaids, special paint, special, you know, bunch of special stuff, with the Track Pack on the S,
those giant carbon ceramic brakes, and knowing this was a special final run, my brain said
$150,000 for these, unfortunately they're even more than that, I was wrong, I was too low,
they are $160,000 before tax, a friend of mine did get an invitation for these,
he did not end up doing it because he actually just bought a Plaid S about like three months ago,
so he said he was tempted, he said he thought about just flipping his new Plaid and getting this
instead, but his wallet spoke the truth to him and he said maybe we won't do that, so I don't
personally know anyone that's buying one of these, if you are, I would love to hear from you,
if you're in the San Francisco Bay Area and you're getting one of these, I would especially
like to hear from you because I would love to arrange to come and see your car when you get it,
anyway $160,000, that is pretty steep, obviously they're all spoken for so Tesla
commanded a premium and they got it from 350 people, but we're talking like it's like a
$50,000 markup, it is significant, but you're getting a limited numbered edition car that will be
very obviously special from both the outside of the car and the inside, anybody who knows
Teslas will instantly know from seeing your car driving down the street that that's a special
car just from seeing the garnet red paint color, and of course if you can swing $160,000 vehicle
purchase, you're probably not super worried about, you know, you just you want it and you've got the
capital for it and good for you, enjoy, I hope you enjoy it in good health if you're getting one
of these, I would love to have one, I would definitely not be able to afford it, but these
look stunning, but on the topic of the price and okay is it wise to do, throw all that out because
they're sold, the people that are buying these know what they're paying, they're going in eyes
wide open, but what I want to, what I do want to comment on real quick here as I start to wind
down this topic is a lot of the chatter I'm seeing online in the wake of this about oh well these
are some people saying well these are going to appreciate, they're going to be worth so much
money, I think the people out there that optimistically think that s's and x's just period, not just not
even these signature editions, but that all of the s's and x's are going to increase in value
now that they're going away, I don't think that's going to happen, there are simply way way way too
many of them for that to happen, but if any s or x were ever to actually appreciate in value,
meaning be worth more than $160,000, it would be these two, that said, meaning s and x, that said
I don't think these cars are going to actually go up in value from their list price for two reasons,
one they're already priced pretty far above a comparable regular s or x plaid and then number two
the original signature series s's and x's they have not really held their value relative to other
similar mileage, similar condition s's or x's, but you know the x I guess might have a better chance
because there are only a hundred of them, but I still don't think in the in the long run I still
think these are going to depreciate, like if you really really want one of these but obviously
didn't get an invitation and aren't buying one now, if you want one in the next two, three, five years
I think you're going to be able to get one for, I mean I don't know how much, that would be a
difficult prediction to make, but for less than 160 grand put it that way, whether it's still going
to be six figures or less, I don't know, but I do think they'll again, these what these will do
that I think the, well that not I think, but that I know the original signature edition s's and x's
didn't do is hold their value better than other s's and x's, that I think will happen with these
cars, but I don't think it's realistic that they're going to appreciate in value. I have one last
bit of information for you about this and that is again, straight from my source, this is definitely
a thing that's happening. There will be a celebration event, now my source's information
didn't say where, but presumably it's going to be at the Fremont factory here in California
since that's where s and x are made. It will be sometime in May, that is certain, but there is no
date, at least I don't have a date yet. That was not part of the information. It's possible that
Tesla hasn't decided the date because I don't think they've made these cars yet. They're still
making the last of the custom order s's and x's that shut off after March 31st, right? So they're
still, they're still building ultra reds and pearl white multi coats and frost blues, etc.
And then once those are all done, they'll retool the line, you know, they'll load up the paint shop
with that garnet red paint color and they will get to work on making these last 250 s's that are all
identical to each other and the last 100 x's that are all identical to each other. So I don't know
the date in May that the celebration event will happen, but I do know the time Tesla said in their
messaging that I saw, that I was given by my source, that the event will be held at sunset,
which is fitting, of course, and poetic, which, and I'm sure that's why they chose it, because
these cars are being sunsetted. I couldn't help but think too, as it's April 17th as I'm recording
and invites to the Roadster Re-Reveal, still haven't gone out, again, as of me recording this,
but what are the chances that Tesla rolls the Roadster Re-Reveal and most epic product demo ever
into this s and x sunset celebration? Like, it poetically, it does kind of make sense,
it would be a baton passing of sorts, saying goodbye to Tesla's old flagship performance models
and saying hello to the new world-beating flagship performance model. I don't, I think it's probably
not gonna go that way, I think the Roadster event will end up being separate, if for no other reason
my gut says that doing a proper demo of the Roadster, given the performance that that car
is gonna be capable of, the factory won't suffice for that. They're gonna need a bigger space,
a bigger track, a bigger something, like, say, the airstrip at the design center in Hawthorne,
where Franz and his team are designing the cars and making the prototypes, so,
which is where the original Roadster 2.0, well, not 2.0, technically the 4.0, but I'm not gonna
go down that rabbit hole for right now, the next-gen Roadster, the next-gen Roadster Re-Reveal
that, of course, happened as the one more thing of the Tesla semi-reveal that happened at the
Hawthorne design studio, which is right up against an airstrip, so anyway, I, but I do think we can't
rule it out, I think there is a chance that the Roadster event rolls into that, that ends up being
merged with the SNX sunset celebration, although quick aside on Roadster, if late April is still
gonna happen for that Re-Reveal, invitations will basically have to go out this week as you're
hearing this, because yeah, it's, it's just, otherwise it's gonna be May, so come next podcast,
I'll let you know, we'll see, we'll see what happens. All right, so I've got one more thing
on this before I move on, I know I've been talking about this for a while, but again,
I was super fired up about this because I found myself right in the middle of it,
as I said at the top, I wanted to tell you just the fun little story of how I broke this news,
so when I woke up last Saturday morning, I had a text waiting for me, waiting for me, pardon me,
from a trusted Tesla source, and in that text was basically all the information I just gave you
other than the images and the price, so I took a quick look online, I was like, well surely
somebody else like has posted this, like this has gotten out there via some other avenue by now,
right, like, because it's, it's typically, I don't claim to be a news breaker all that often on
occasion, but I took a look online, nobody else had found out about this, so I posted it on X
right away, and as expected on Saturday morning, it got a lot of attention pretty quickly,
what I did not expect was for Tesla CEO Elon Musk to like that post and then repost it on his feed,
so then obviously it got even a lot more attention, and it made for a fun little moment for me
last weekend of just getting to, just getting to celebrate, like, it was, it was just fun,
it was fun getting to be the person that, that broke that story, because it was, it was, it's
fun getting to break good news, all right, it's like, hey cool, here's a cool thing, and I get to
share it with you first, so that's, that was a special little treat for me, and I appreciated
the opportunity, the privilege to get to do that, I guess, you know, the timing worked out,
where I got to it first.
Subreddit, which again, was started by community members, I had, I had nothing to do with it,
I'm just, I'm very humbled and flattered that somebody would start a subreddit, so there were,
you could ask a question in either of those places, ended up being like a 35-something minute
episode, so I hope everybody enjoys that, that has access to it, and thank you to everybody that
submitted a question for that as well. If you are not already supporting me on Patreon, yes,
this is a free podcast, yes it always has been free, yes it always will be free, but I do put a lot
of time and energy and research and love and enthusiasm into this every week, not to mention the
fact that I'm very proud of the fact that I do show up every single week, even when I go on
vacation, there is a new podcast for you, so if you see it in your heart to support me on Patreon,
I would be so humbled and grateful if you would consider that. The support tiers start at just
five bucks a month, and for that five bucks a month, I have a dual part thank you for you.
Part one is early access to each week's episode, and the other part of that is
ad-free, an ad-free version of the episode which you still get early access to, so
ad-free early access at that five dollar per month tier, if you're kind enough to step up to the most
popular tier which is that ten dollar per month tier, you'll get the ad-free early access and
you'll get access to the entire catalog of those lightning round mini episodes coming up on 200
of them now, I think this was 189, I don't even remember now, but yeah coming up on 200, so again
the place to go for more information or to sign up to make a pledge is patreon.com slash Tesla
podcast, and while I'm talking about some non-new stuff, I'll just mention my friends at
Accelerate Auto real quick and their Xcare extended warranty policy, it is always a good idea to
consider an extended warranty option if you plan to keep your car past the manufacturer's warranty
period, so as the Xcare folks have let me know, there is an advantage to purchasing
your extended warranty before your manufacturer's warranty expires because it basically it can be
cheaper, it's just that's the bottom line, so the thing I like about Xcare versus Tesla's extended
warranty and no shade against Tesla's, theirs is great, but the Xcare one is more flexible,
so if you want to do different terms than what Tesla does, because Tesla is not flexible,
that's the only real downside to theirs, but the Xcare one matches Tesla in every other way,
$100 deductible, everything else is matched, roadside assistance, all that stuff,
but the flexibility is what makes Xcare really good in my opinion, again I've bought two policies
from them so far, so if you want to do just two more years and 25,000 more miles, go for it,
you want to do five more years, 60,000 more miles, go for it, 10 more years, 100,000 more miles,
go for it, the point is check them out, Xcare.com, that's X-C-A-R-E.com, or if you'd like to talk
to a human being and ask questions about it, because this is again, it's a flexible thing and
every car, every situation, every circumstance is different, give them a call, 844-755-4186,
again, Xcare.com, call them at 844-755-4186, and if you do pick up a policy either on the website
or on the phone, make sure to use the referral code LIGHTNING for $100 off your policy purchase.
Continuing along with more Tesla news this week, the spring software update has been
detailed. Tesla posted to its X account this week laying out everything coming to the fleet, or at
least the AI-4 fleet, sadly not all of this is going to go to the hardware three cars. I've got
one of each at my house here, so I'll find out for myself what's exclusive to AI-4 and what isn't
once this rolls out. But anyway, here's what we have to look forward to
sometime in the next couple months, probably sooner. I mean Tesla said in their post,
rolling out shortly, and I imagine that if they were posting it to social media, it's probably
not going to be like a four to six week wait, it's probably going to be one to two weeks,
would be my guess. Perhaps even by the time you hear this, it's starting to roll out, maybe you'll
have the software update heading to your car. So first up on the list, a self-driving app.
This one is tagged AI-4 hardware, so it's a new self-driving app for the car, specifically not
for your phone, and it lets you subscribe with a single tap if you're not already on the month to
month subscription, and you can also view your ongoing stats. So it's going to dig into stats
a little bit deeper according to the screenshot that they posted. There is a new hey grok feature,
launch grok by saying hey grok. If you enable it of course, you don't have to. You can also set
location-based reminders like remind me to pick up milk when I'm near home, and then just say
goodbye to dismiss grok. A pet mode update, choose from a dog, cat, or hedgehog to display on the
screen when pet mode's active. Also optionally customize the screen with your pet's name by
going into controls, display, customize pet mode. I am a thousand percent going to do that.
For car visualization, this is only applicable to the new Model 3s and new Model Ys, meaning the
Highlands and the Junipers. A new park scene environment and higher quality car visualization.
And I'll say this, so basically when you're just parked and it's just your car on the screen,
they have enhanced that. It looks really nice in the picture they posted. It kind of looks like
it's in a photo studio with like fancy lighting. So looking forward to that, that's a nice little
thing. And then trip stats, create multiple trips to track energy stats across drives.
Quickly access your trip's consumption by swiping left on the media player. Well you can already
do that part of it, but now you can create multiple trips for tracking energy stats.
The sketch pad now supports stickers and emojis. You can also save your sketches to access them
in the Tesla mobile app and share them from there. Custom wraps and license plates for S and X,
this was already a thing for the other cars. Model S and X owners can now personalize their
in-car Tesla avatar with window tints, custom wraps, and license plates. And then what is for
me the highlight of this update, at least on paper, blind spot warning accent lights. So again,
if you've got one of the newer Teslas that has the accent lighting around the interior,
the accent lights now turn red when an object is in your blind spot and your turn signal is
engaged or when an approaching object is detected while parked. So the new cars have that little
red light in that tweeter up in the corner of the window, corner of the door, that little black
speaker there, the tweeter. But it's got that light is so tiny. Honestly, if I'm driving,
I pretty much never see that. At least, I don't see it regularly. So this will make it,
especially at night, a lot more obvious. Again, if you enable it. Immersive sound for the new three
and Y, if you have a car with the premium audio, premium immersive sound uses advanced sound
extraction to place the listener in front of a detailed sound stage within an immersive space.
This enhancement works with all streaming sources. So I always listen to music when I'm in the car
through the live one app, which I'm a big fan of. So I will be looking forward to testing that out
in my new car, not the old ones since it's not a new Model 3. And then an automatically install
updates feature. Your Tesla can now automatically install downloaded software updates overnight,
weather map improvements, weather maps now show snow and rain with improved colors that make it
easier to distinguish between precipitation types. You can also view the past hour of weather data
to see how conditions have been changing along your route. That's nice. Dash cam improvements,
recent dash cam footage can now extend up to 24 hours. And you can save any clip for permanent
storage on your Tesla by going to app launcher dash cam viewer clips stay on the vehicle and are
never shared to Tesla. And then there are a few other improvements swipe right on tracks in Apple
Music or Spotify to add them to the queue in Apple Music tap and hold on a track to add or remove
from favorites and Spotify swipe left to add or remove from liked songs. Passengers in the rear
seats can now view and interact with maps on the rear display while your Tesla navigates a route,
which is exactly the same functionality that you have in the robo taxis. So that's being sent out
to the rest of the fleet now. And then that's it. That is everything. So if you were waiting to hear
me say Apple CarPlay, so was I. The last update that we got on Apple CarPlay, which again is all
reports, nothing official from Tesla itself. But the last update we got on Apple CarPlay with
regard to Tesla was that it seemed like it was close. But I guess we'll have to keep waiting.
And like I've said on this before, I'm not sure I would personally use Apple CarPlay.
But it as we talked about, it is a selling point for new buyers. Even if they don't end up using
it, they like that it's there. So people want this even if they don't end up using it. So
it will be a selling point for new buyers. And again, honestly, like looking through all this again,
I want to clearly preface what I'm about to say by saying I'm not looking at gift horse in the
mouth. I continue to remain humbled and grateful for real here, being very genuine,
very grateful that Tesla continues to put out free updates for these cars that add legitimate new
features without us having to spend a cent, a cent more than we've already paid for the cars.
Now, I acknowledge that yes, even more and more of these new features are not coming to the hardware
three cars anymore, which is unfortunate, but that is just that is the march of technology.
So all of that said, compared to other seasonal Tesla software updates, again, using that measurement
stick, this one to me feels pretty short on killer. And it's a lot of filler. But again,
there is a world that could exist where Tesla charges for this stuff. So I am not by any means
taking this for granted. But I do think I can fairly and reasonably point out that this one
doesn't quite measure up to being as good as most of the big seasonal Tesla software updates.
But look forward in your car soon. Next this week, Tesla has already implemented a new patent
that improves the accuracy of the auto wiper system. I saw this on Tesla Roddy,
who was referencing a tweet from Yunta Sai, a senior staff engineer on the Tesla AI team.
And Sai responded on X saying, we've already implemented it to all of the fleet.
Now, X user SETI underscore park, who you've heard that username before,
that person watches all Tesla patents like a hawk. Well, SETI park did a detailed breakdown
of this wiper patent. And I'll just read you the conclusion that they came to.
And the person says, Tesla removed the rain sensor, then taught the wiper motor to be one,
meaning be a rain sensor. The engineer who rewrote what Tesla's cameras see is the engineer who taught
Tesla's wiper motor to tell the car when it's raining. So I thought that was kind of an interesting
summary of what is a very long and technically complex patent. And I guess we'll have to see
how this goes. I have, for myself, I have definitely still been getting dry wipes on my windshield
glass when the sun is at the right angle as I back out of my garage at certain times of day. In fact,
I went to get a haircut today. It happened to me today. It was a clear sunny day and
when I backed out of the garage, the sun was at just the right angle and the wipers did two dry
wipes. So this is still cool. It's still awesome. We'll see how it evolves. It'll only get better.
And this again, this is Tesla's first principles problem solving in action. Although in fairness,
you could reasonably say that, well, Tesla could have solved this problem a long time ago
by just putting a rain sensor into the cars like lots of other manufacturers do. But anyway,
they didn't do that. So Tesla's having to do some ingenuity here and find a way around it and they
are making good progress on that front. And the final Tesla story I have for you this week
is about the AI5 FSD chip. Well, here's some good news. It's ready on paper. Unfortunately,
there's bad news to this. Hang on for that in just a second. But Elon Musk took to X to post a photo
of the chip and announced, quote, congrats to the Tesla AI chip design team on taping out AI5.
AI6, Dojo 3, and other exciting chips are in the works, end quote. Now, if you're not familiar
with the term taping out, it means the design of the chip is locked. So that's what I mean when I
say it's finished on paper. But now they have to go and build it, build the chip, and more importantly,
scale production of the chip and make them efficiently at volume on the silicon wafers.
And remember, we've been told that we have we are probably looking at the end of next year
for this to start finding its way into apparently not the cars as it turns out. So Elon responded
to a question by my friend John from the Tesla owners of Silicon Valley Club about whether this
was in fact intended for cars or robots. And Elon responded saying, quote,
Optimus and super and our supercomputer clusters AI4 is enough to achieve much better than human
safety for FSD, end quote. So yeah, that seems like a big change from what he had previously
stated. And I'm not entirely sure I believe this. I'm not saying he's outright lying. What I'm
wondering is if maybe he means that Optimus and the supercomputer clusters will get this
first as they scale AI5 up. And then once it's scaled, it'll go into the cars.
Maybe this is an attempt on Elon's part to not Osborne the sales of future cars by having people
hold off on their vehicle purchases for another 18 to 24 months until that AI5 chip is at full
scale production. So I'm not entirely sure what to make of this. It is definitely a change from
what we've been previously told. And it doesn't really make sense to me that Tesla would just
stop at AI4 for the cars. But I'm also not a chip engineer or an AI software engineer. So
let's just see if this comes up again on the quarterly earnings call coming up next week.
I suspect that it will. And in other EV news this week, just one story to share for you here.
Share with you, I should say. Rivian and Redwood Materials have partnered up to announce an energy
storage initiative at the Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois. I saw this on Redwood Materials website.
I follow them on social. American Automotive and Technology Company, Rivian and Critical
Materials and Energy Technology Company, Redwood Materials, announced a partnership to deploy
pioneering battery energy storage at Rivian's Normal, Illinois manufacturing facility. Using
more than 100 second life Rivian battery packs, Redwood and Rivian solution will initially
provide 10 megawatt hours of dispatchable energy to reduce cost and grid load during peak demand
periods, saving on cost and supporting grid security and reliability. Rivian will provide
EV battery packs to Redwood, who will integrate them into a Redwood energy system supported by
the company's Redwood Pack Manager technology, allowing their stored energy to be used on site
by Rivian's plant in Normal. This system is rapidly scalable and offers significant cost
benefits by using safe and proven EV batteries. This approach enables faster,
more flexible deployment of energy capacity directly at high demand sites like manufacturing
facilities. Quote, EVs represent a massive, distributed, and highly competitive energy
source, said Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scarringe. As energy needs grow, our grid needs to be
flexible, secure and affordable. Our partnership with Redwood enables us to utilize our vehicle's
batteries beyond the life of a vehicle and contribute to grid health and American competitiveness.
Then JB Straubel, co-founder of Tesla and of course the founder of Redwood Materials and a
guest on the Ride the Lightning podcast. I hope that RJ is going to join him at some point soon
as a guest on this podcast. Not literally join him, I mean it'd be cool if the two of them wanted
to come on, but I'm hoping to get RJ on here at some point. Anyway, JB gave a quote here too, he said,
Electricity demand is accelerating faster than the grid can expand, posing a constraint on
industrial growth. At the same time, the massive amount of domestic battery assets already in the
US market represents a strategic energy resource. Our partnership with Rivian shows how EV battery
packs can be turned into dispatchable energy resources, bringing new capacity online quickly,
supporting critical manufacturing and reducing strain on the grid without waiting years for
new infrastructure. This is a scalable model for how we add meaningful energy capacity in the near
term. So again, Redwood is from Tesla co-founder JB Straubel. If you did not hear my interview
with JB, which covers Tesla stuff and also Redwood material stuff, it was episode 501,
if you want to go back so it's just over a year ago on that. But I saw this story, I think this
is awesome to see, and it makes so much sense, right, for both of them. It makes sense for both
parties here. In fact, I would love to see Tesla do this, I would love to see Lucid do this at their
respective factories. So good stuff from Rivian and Redwood. All right, that's everything I've
got for you in the world of Tesla and other EV news. Stick with me, I will be right back with
your phone calls in the Ride the Lightning Hotline coming up next. Hi, this is Frans von Holthausen
and you're listening to Ride the Lightning with Ryan McCaffrey, the Tesla unofficial podcast.
Welcome to the Ride the Lightning Hotline where I take your phone calls, your questions,
your comments, your EV and Tesla discussion topics. If you'd like to call in, I welcome and
invite you to do so. There are two easy ways to do that. Either use your smartphone's built-in
voice recording software, record your question, please try to keep it to 90 seconds or less,
so I can get to as many callers each week as possible, then email that file to me at
TeslaPodcastatgmail.com or you can take that same 90 second or less question and just call in
and leave a message on the Ride the Lightning Hotline. It's a toll-free number, you can dial it
anytime and the number is 1-888-989-8752. That number again, 1-888-989-TSLA and if you know
someone special out there with an upcoming birthday, anniversary, graduation or some of their
special occasion, you can give them a unique gift of recorded voices from friends and family,
telling them why they are special. The recordings can be podcasted or put onto a keepsake.
Visit LifeOnRecord.com to learn more. First up this week is Andrew from Vancouver,
responding to listener Scott's frustration with the bike rack messing with FSD. I heard from
a few people here, so take it away, Andrew. Hey Ryan, it's Andrew from Vancouver, a second-time
caller but long-time listener. I'm calling in in regards to Scott's message to you on episode 558
regarding FSD's poor performance while a bike rack is attached into the hitch. I've come across
that same issue and it drives me nuts when the bike rack is on the back and you're trying to use FSD
but FSD is trying to scoot away so it doesn't get into an accident with your bike.
I've come across two solutions. The better option that I've experienced is just simply applying a
piece of tape or even better a band-aid so you don't leave adhesive on the rear camera.
Depending on what software you're on, that may or may not work. So an alternative approach that
you can use if that is no longer a valid approach, you can just simply go into your autopilot settings
and instead of being on full-self driving, you can lower it down to auto-steer. Now auto-steer
obviously is not going to be as good as full-self driving but you do get some autonomous driving
functionally in there and your car isn't constantly trying to scoot away from your bike.
So those are two solutions that I've come across. Hopefully that helps out Scott and many others of
your listeners. Thanks for all you do, Ryan. Looking forward to the next episode. Andrew,
I'd like to say on behalf of Scott, the caller from last week who had this issue,
on behalf of myself and on behalf of the rest of the Ride the Lightning and Tesla community,
thank you for these two fantastic suggestions. See, like I said on last week's show,
I knew the audience would come through on this and I know Scott is out there listening saying
thank you and hopefully other people will benefit from this as well. I want to add that
longtime listener, friend of mine, Officer Greg, messaged me about this and then a listener named
Mark messaged me with the same suggestion about the tape over the backup camera as well. So Scott,
give those a try. I hope that helps make your bike rack equipped drives a little bit more pleasant
with FSD. So thank you again, Andrew. Thank you, Greg. Thank you, Mark. This is Ride the Lightning
community helping each other out in action. You love to see it. Next up is Jeff from New Mexico.
Go ahead, Jeff. Hi, Ryan. This is Jeff from Rio Rancho, New Mexico. I recently took a long,
full self-driving trip in my 2024 Model 3 from New Mexico to Los Angeles and back,
round trip of about 2,000 miles. I wanted to share some ideas for improving FSD's ride comfort.
I left just before FSD version 14.3 was announced and I wasn't lucky enough to install it during
a trip, so this applies to version 14.2.2.5. Most of the time, it worked beautifully. I kept
it in standard mode unless I needed to speed up to avoid creating congestion while I was passing
another car. Other than a few annoying swerves to avoid skid marks, my biggest problem was on a long
stretch of I-40 between needles and bar stow, where the right lane had been pretty torn up by
semi-trucks and trailers. I couldn't get my car to stay in the smoother left lane using FSD in
standard mode. Even when there were miles of empty road in front and behind, it just kept sliding
back into the extremely rough right lane. So here's my idea. If the Tesla doesn't already come
with accelerometers sensitive enough to pick up the rough ride, the Tesla app on my phone should
do it instead. These sensors are very sensitive, certainly good enough to detect the rough road,
potholes, speed bumps, and all kinds of other comfort problems. The app also has access to the
car's GPS coordinates. When the car's in FSD mode, it has its own independent set of GPS data,
including time codes. So why can't the Tesla app just relay the accelerometer data to the car's
computer? It could be merged into the data stream going up to Tesla servers. Tesla could very
quickly create a very detailed and accurate map of the crappiest lanes on the busiest roads.
And if the FSD software could take that information into account, maybe with a new comfort option,
it could keep me in the smoother lane as long as I'm not slowing anyone else down.
So that's it for my somewhat long-rended podcast message, except to say thanks for
mentioning the Peterson Auto Museum in some of your earlier podcasts. I visited it for the
first time on this trip, and it was the highlight of my stay in LA. Keep up the good work.
Jeff, thank you for your call, and I'm so glad that you were able to take the time to go to the
Peterson Auto Museum. It really is a spectacular place. If you love cars, even if you just love EVs,
there's so many great EVs in there too. It's a wonderful place. Now, you didn't mention whether
or not you hit the Tesla diner while you were out in LA. I hope you did, but if not, you can put it
on your list for next time. Now, as to your idea, Jeff, I think it's fantastic. For what little
it's worth, I would like to wholeheartedly endorse it. Now, as you all know, I am no engineer,
software or otherwise, but from the way that you explained your suggestion,
it certainly sounds like something that the Wizards at Tesla could pull off. So I hope that
putting it out there here on Ride the Lightning will help it find its way into the Tesla software
team's ears and eventually into our cars. Take care, Jeff. Thank you so much. Next up this week,
here's Robert from Texas with a feature idea.
on FSD on navigation and it's not going the direction you want, the route that you want.
And I'm just wondering with today's modern technology and GROC and voice activated changes,
why can you not do your normal navigation and then basically ask GROC,
you know, instead of turning on Main Street, turn on Kirby and then take Kirby to Bissinet or,
you know, whatever streets you want, you know, because it's usually only two or three changes.
And then it basically goes back to the navigation and changes the route. I mean,
that cannot technologically be that difficult. And with Tesla having GROC in the car and trying
to integrate that and people getting used to using it, that would be an incredible feature
that you could quickly change your navigation with voice just by describing a few changes in the
turns. Anyway, just an idea for the Tesla engineers, if they could make that happen, that would,
I think, change navigation completely on it, especially with people using FSD so much. Thank
you. Love the show. Talk soon. Bye. Robert, it's always a pleasure to hear from you and I gotta
say I absolutely love this idea. Yes, this is a great suggestion. Thank you so much for this.
This is one of those where I have nothing to add, but let's just get this out into the world like
the last suggestion. And again, hope that the Tesla software team hears us and takes your
excellent suggestion into account. So thanks so much, Robert. Moving along now to a lovely caller
I always enjoy hearing from. He doesn't call in all the time, but when he does, it is super special.
Say hi to Kenny from Richmond, Virginia. Hey, Ryan, what's going on, man? It's Kenny calling
in from Richmond, Virginia. Look, I wanted to reach out in reference to Ronan's call last week
where they were asking about some of the most important things to look at during a
one hour test drive. Well, you mentioned a really great point about, hey, it would be great if you
could have that overnight. And I'll say this, I have actually been in that situation before. Now,
granted, it was much earlier on in Tesla's history when they let me take a vehicle overnight to see
how it truly works for my family. But I would just say Tesla is a little bit of a different car
company. I think we all know that, right? So don't be scared to work with your folks at the
center there to see if maybe you could take it overnight. If you could be maybe the last test
drive of the day and make sure to have it back first thing in the morning, that might be something
that they're willing to do. At least in the past, I had a little bit of luck talking to the right
person at the right time and being able to do that, which is what inevitably helps sell me
on the Model Y that I bought and love today. So anyway, I just wanted to share that with you.
Hope you're doing well, man. And keep up the great work. Love listening to you every week.
It's always a pleasure to hear from you, Kenny. And I appreciate you calling in with this because
you are absolutely right. It never hurts to ask politely. In fact, one of the personal mantras
that I live by, I know it might sound cheesy or schlocky or whatever, but it's true. I really do
live my life this way. I have a number of things that I sort of like to live by, but this is one
of them. And it's, you'd be surprised what you can get when you ask nicely. And it's true. It's
been true in my 45 years of life so far. So yes, you're right. It's always worth asking politely
because hey, what's the worst they can say? No, that's it. No big deal. Worst they can say is no.
So the best they can say is yes. You might, again, you might get what you are looking for if you
ask nicely. So thank you again for this, Kenny. Hope you're doing well. Take care. And I will look
forward to your next call. The final caller that I've got time for this week is Hubert from Austria
again with a response to last week's episode.
Hi, Ryan. This is Hubert calling from Austria, regular listener called a couple of times as well.
I'm just listening to your episode 557. And I have a few comments. First, I followed your advice
and went back to episode 35 and listened to that time capsule as you put it. And I must say
thumbs up. It really was a good hint. And I want to encourage everybody listening to
go back and relive it. Me for myself, I took delivery of a very early 2017
blue Model S 75D around June or July of 2017. I can't really remember.
So I was there, but in a different way. And yeah, that was a very good piece. Thanks for that.
Second of all, on the comment from your caller from Chile about enhanced autopilot,
here in Austria, we're in the same situation. In the EU, as everybody knows, there is no FSD so far.
I am on a almost four year old Model Y. And I have specifically ordered it with enhanced autopilot
because of its capability to do lane changes on freeways and highways.
Because I think it's just so much more useful. So if it's reasonably priced, I would go for it.
Thanks. Keep up the good show. And I'll speak to you soon.
Hubert, thank you so much for calling in. And hey, seriously, thanks for going back and listening
to episode 35. Like I'm honestly flattered and I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I appreciate you
chiming in with advice for that caller from Chile about enhanced autopilot since you're
in the same situation in your region. So I hope that your Model S is still treating you well.
And on top of that, I hope that Europe indeed, well, all of Europe gets FSD supervised very soon,
which is expected. It has begun. We're starting to see it in a couple of territories in Europe.
So hopefully it is Europe wide very soon. That is all the time I've got for this week's Ride the
Lightning hotline. If you've got, again, a question, comment or discussion topic, I'd love for you to
call in. I gave you the two call in methods earlier in this segment. So refer back there.
And I will look forward to hearing your phone call and playing it on an upcoming episode.
As for what's going on with me and my car, just today on the way back from the aforementioned
haircut, I saw my first cyber cab in the wild, which I had not, I'd seen one at, of course,
the, I was lucky enough to be at the event, the unveiling. But then I also had been fortunate
enough to see one at a, at the Tesla takeover event last summer, where it was roped off and,
you know, it was by itself. But I hadn't seen one like out in the sunlight, out just like in the
wild with other cars around. And I will be, as always, very honest with you guys. I was not,
I was like, I don't really like how it looks. Maybe it'll grow on me in time. Granted, I mean,
the cyber truck, I hated initially, like so many of us hated it right away and then came around on
it. But I, yeah, I was not, I didn't love it. I was like, man, it just doesn't look that cool.
It doesn't. So we'll see in time. It's also, it was a pre-production model, you know, the final
version will be kind of polished up a little bit more with, you know, different, different little
touches. But yeah, that was, that was my big Tesla moment with this week was actually seeing,
it was on the freeway. So I have video of it from my, my dash cam of cruise and buy it. I was in,
it was in the sec, the second lane over and I passed it in the left lane. And yeah, it didn't
do it for me visually. So we'll see what you all think once you see them in the wild where you
live. Here's an entertainment recommendation, something I do think is very beautiful. It's
just out this week. It's on Xbox and PC. If you are a Game Pass subscriber, it's on the Game Pass
service. If you're not, it's only 20 bucks. So you can buy it on Xbox or buy it on PC. I haven't
quite finished it yet. That's my full confession there. I'm, I'm just kind of smack dab in the
middle of it. But boy, I, it's, I really, really enjoy it so far. It is a cinematic platformer,
kind of a cyberpunk themed pixel art, but with modern real time lighting.
It just creates this incredible visual style and the cinematography and it's really,
really good too. And it's got a, it's got a really nice sci-fi story. So at least so far,
story's been good. So check that out. Again, it's called replaced time now for your pro tip of the
week. It comes from Ryan over at Ryan's Model Y from both YouTube and TikTok. And he's got a dual
tip, two, two tips for the price of one here. So fellow Ryan, take it away. Hey Ryan, I wanted
to call in with two tips that have recently been really helpful for us. The first one is holding
down the rear door handle right next to the charge port for three seconds, which will unlatch the
charger. Sometimes I just find that's faster than waking up the car and using the app. So
that's a really neat thing that the Tesla software team did. The other thing that's kind of interesting
and worth knowing for any new Model Y or new Model three owners is because the new phone key uses
ultra wide band technology, it actually can determine the placement and direction of your phone.
So for example, if you unlock the car and you want it to stay unlocked, don't turn around or walk
past the car. You actually need to show your intention. So for example, if you want it to stay
unlocked, leave your phone like right next to the car and don't move away from it. Anyway, I hope
that is interesting and helpful to your audience. And thanks so much for your amazing podcast. Okay,
see ya. These are both great, Ryan. Thank you very much. In fact, I really need to start using
the pull the rear door handle move when I go to unplug my car before heading out. Tesla added that
trick a good little while ago now and I mean, not like forever ago, but I admit I'd kind of
completely forgotten about it when they added it. So thank you for calling in to mention these.
And if anybody else out there has a good Tesla or General EV pro tip of the week that you'd like
to share with your fellow Tesla and EV owners and enthusiasts, please do call in with it.
The way to do that is just call in like you would with a regular ride, the lighting hotline call,
which I gave you the instructions for a little while ago. It will find its way to me and then I
will have it find its way to you in an upcoming episode of the podcast. Some friends of the
podcast to mention before I go that can hopefully be friends of yours or at the very least useful to
you. First, my friends at abstract ocean.com. They've got a million great aftermarket Tesla
accessories. I'm going to click here on I'm on abstract ocean.com. Let me check out
model three today. In fact, specifically the new model three. Let's go to 2024 refreshed Highland.
Full color animated center console LED ambient light strip. That's cool. I actually might put
that in my car. That's really nice. So that's in there. You got a black logo emblem satin black
logo emblems. If you don't have a 2026, which was when they switched to the black emblems.
So you've got mud flaps. You've got door noise reduction seals expel PPF door edge guard protection.
Just again, the list goes on puddle lights in different colors, just all kinds of stuff.
Check them out abstract ocean.com. Click on whatever electric vehicle you own,
and they'll show you everything available for that vehicle. Put everything you like into your
online shopping cart, then use the coupon code RTL checkout. Excuse me. Let me try that again.
RTL podcast at checkout to get 15% off of your first order. That coupon code again,
RTL podcast. That's all one word. No spaces for 15% off of your first order at abstract ocean.com.
RPM Tesla. They've got a lot of great aesthetic accessories from steering wheel upgrades to
dashboard upgrades, spoilers, full carbon fiber body kits, all that and more over 1400 total Tesla
products. Check them out at rpm tesla.com. Their product return rate is super low, 3% less than
3%, allowing them to offer free returns, zero restocking fees and lifetime warranties in case
you have either a change of heart or an issue with anything, which statistically you won't.
They've also got over 600 DIY installation videos. So their products are simple to install and you
get a thorough walkthrough. Check them out again, rpm tesla.com. Use the promo code RTL plus for an
additional 5 to 10% off your next order on top of their already discounted sales prices. That's
RTL plus. That's the plus sign, not the word plus promo code RTL plus at rpm tesla.com.
The infinity shield. This is the garage door sensor to put all other garage door sensors to
shame rather than just have the one garage door sensor a couple inches off the ground. How about
the infinity shield that casts a 25 laser array all the way up your garage door opening at different
angles? It's again like it looks like the the lasers that protect the hope diamond and this
ensures that so it's like okay well why would you do this so that if you've got your rear lift gate
open you know if there's anything in the the garage door opening and you go to close the garage door
and you don't happen to see like oh there's something in the path of the door
the infinity shield will catch it and it will stop the door from coming down on whatever part
of your car is obstructing it. So I do recommend this product. You can get a discount on it of
$35. $35 discount using promo code RTL and the website is infinity-shield.com infinity-shield.com
promo code RTL for a $35 discount. The snap plate available at everyamp.com slash RTL.
They also kindly offer my listeners a discount code which is RTL so make sure you punch that in
at checkout whether you're purchasing the regular snap plate or the stronger snap plate plus both
are are made from recycled made in the USA plastics with stainless steel reinforcements.
They're a nice clean minimalist design that don't interfere with anything at the front of the car
be it the air intake radiator the autopilot you know the fsd cameras nothing so it's all
it's all really smartly engineered stuff if you either want or are legally required to have a
front license plate on your car where you live I do recommend the snap plate again available at
everyamp.com slash RTL and use the coupon code RTL for a discount. If you're in or going to be in
the greater San Francisco Bay area and you want to treat your car to a spa day at a professional
detail or immaculate reflections has you covered they offer the ride the lightning listener
discount on any service that you happen to have done whether that's ceramic coating whether
that's paint protection film on some or all of the car whether that is paint correction anything
that you have done the ride the lightning listener discount is waiting for you so go to the website
which is irdetailing.com click the contact button in either the middle of the page or in the upper
left corner and when you reach out and you talk to Jeff the owner there and you let him know what
you're looking to have done on your car he'll work with you work with your budget and he will
and make sure to mention that you're a ride the lightning listener and any work you have done
will have that ride the lightning listener discount applied the patreon which I mentioned
earlier in the show I'm going to mention it one more time here if you'll be so kind as to hear
me out patreon.com slash tesla podcast that's the way you can support this podcast if you so choose
the support tiers start at just five bucks a month so five bucks a month you're supporting what
I'm doing you're really helping me out helping my family out and in return you'll not only of
have what I hope is a good feeling of supporting me but more tangibly you'll get an ad-free
episode every week and you'll get early access to that ad-free episode which is typically it's
friday night as soon as I am finished recording it in fact the patreon backers will have it let's
see it's 10 13 p.m pacific now so probably in about half an hour from now they will have access to it
for anybody up late on the west coast or still enjoying their evening and say hawaii or you
wake up first thing saturday morning boom you've got early ad-free access to the show ready to go
for you so uh check it out patreon.com slash tesla podcast or click the link in the episode
description for all the information about the patreon there's also an annual pledge option
that has a 10 discount on it if you're kind enough to pledge for an entire year of support
I offer you as thanks a 10 discount on doing that again it's all on the site patreon.com
slash tesla podcast make sure to follow this podcast on whatever major podcast service you
prefer whether that's apple podcasts spotify tune in etc just search ride the lightning tesla
you should see this podcast pop right up then click the follow button and that's it you're done
it doesn't cost you anything and what you get in return there is a push notification every
time there's a new episode to help remind you oh yeah okay great time to listen to the new ride
the lightning the let's see here uh email address yes if you'd like to contact me for any reason
email is one way to do it my email address is tesla podcast at gmail.com you can also follow
me and or message me on social media on either x and or instagram i have the same username on both
and that username is dmc underscore ryan finally some shout outs and thanks to the top tier
patreon backers these folks are extra generous really appreciate their support first up the
maximum plaid to your thank you to jonathan wales cameron clark daniel grummer seth capello
the galpin family ryan from new york city darin nickle cos barns patrick wisneski
todd badger joe edgel kevin yank the tesla owners club of sandwalking valley willsteadman
jeremy harris chris beach tom mills choreo donnell aron jolsap paul caserino chris osbourne kb
adam lavoie chase excuse me jason chelukas travis krenzel bruce otterstein tom behan
josh pennington john from cream ridge new jersey dustin hart derek finley charles clement daemon
kline jeff brown jerry slinger kenneth corbett brian vertoglio kim bae troy severs chip hooper
matt chinander robert moran rav christopher man michael williams eric harbert scott shepherd and
tom tharp next up the roadster in space tier backers these folks in addition to the ad-free
lightning round mini episodes in addition to the shout out at the end of each week show in
addition to the standing invitation to the monthly patreon zoom hangouts they also get a monthly
one-on-one hangout with me if they elect to choose it as a number of them do and it's always fun
to chat with these lovely folks so thank you very much to pete white lile austin steve radspinner
fernando cordero laughton from chicago shawn nightig neal weaver jackson wallace ralph and
jennifer evers howard anthony smith victoria aya coveto tesla hitchhiker 42 carol weston
robert from near philly american home contractors dug carry michael gallo and tony figaroa
and finally the grandfathered in plaid tier supporters big thanks for your continued support
to george cassiopo logan willis peter chalet eric randolph dory and steve guberman the tesla
owners club of taiwan ron lee charlie gillespie jeff angwin chase cabaneas the lydia family
erin alchol jared brown jamey dalton mike and barber from louisville matt nixon the tesla
owners club of wisconsin ish not elon musk in quotes peter and the bear boys of colorado
and that'll wrap it up for the 559th weekly edition of ride the lightning the weekly tesla
and ev podcast next week earnings call it'll always be fun it's always a sprint for me but
i do look forward to it we'll see what comes up clearly uh fsd will be a hot topic for both
where is unsupervised on ai4 and where is v14 light for hardware three so i expect that to
be a big topic next week we'll see if we hear about anything else fun and interesting typically we
do that's why i always do these special episodes when the art when the quarterly earnings call
happens with my highlights recap and analysis for you so i'll have that coming your way
on next week's episode in the meantime happy electric motoring my friends and i'll see you
back here next week
elon musk people don't like elon musk the guy found a paypal and tesla and people were like
yeah but he's a troll and a bad dad i'm like so is mine he did nothing to fight climate change
also have you been in a tesla have you been in a tesla my buddy let me drive his tesla
i laughed out loud at how fast it went been clinically depressed my entire life on dozens
of medications in a tesla for 13 seconds cured forever i mean i think a tesla is the most fun
thing you could possibly buy ever that's what it's meant to be our goal is to make it's not
exactly a car it's actually a thing to maximize enjoyment it's maximum fun
About this episode
Tesla’s flagship Model S and X get a final “Signature Edition” sendoff: 250 Signature Series S and 100 Signature Series X, all Plaids in Garnet Red with gold accents, Alcantara white interiors, numbered badges, special lighting, and (on the S) track-pack carbon-ceramic brakes. Pricing is steep at $160,000 before tax and sales were invitation-only—now sold out. The host also breaks down Tesla’s spring software update (AI-4 self-driving app, Grok voice, pet mode, blind-spot accent lighting, weather/dashcam upgrades) and discusses AI5 FSD chip progress. Rivian and Redwood Materials announce second-life battery energy storage at a Rivian plant.
Tesla sends the Model S and Model X off with an exclusive new Signature Edition run, and I've got all the details about what makes them special. Plus: Tesla has announced the new features coming in its Spring software update, a Tesla cofounder is partnering up with Rivian for a new battery recycling initiative, and more!
If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly or (10% discounted!) annual pledge. Every little bit helps, and you can support for just $5 per month. And there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every Patreon tier!
Also, don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call is 1-888-989-8752.
INTERESTED IN A FLEXIBLE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOUR TESLA? Be a part of the future of transportation with XCare, the first extended warranty designed & built exclusively for EV owners, by EV owners. Use the code Lightning to get $100 off their "One-time Payment" option! Go to www.xcelerateauto.com/xcare to find the extended warranty policy that's right for you and your Tesla.
P.S. Get 15% off your first order of awesome aftermarket Tesla accessories at AbstractOcean.com by using the code RTLpodcast at checkout. Grab the SnapPlate front license plate bracket for any Tesla at https://everyamp.com/RTL/ (don't forget the coupon code RTL too!). Enhance your car with cool carbon-fiber upgrades from RPMTesla.com and use the promo code RTL+ for 5-10% off your next purchase. And make your garage door foolproof with the Infinity Shield – get yours at https://www.infinity-shield.com and use the promo code RTL at checkout for a $35 discount.
