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Episode 564: Special Guests Franz and Lars Discuss Model S and X's Legacy

Episode 564: Special Guests Franz and Lars Discuss Model S and X's Legacy

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About this episode

The episode centers on the legacy of the Tesla Model S and Model X as “both cars are officially retired this week,” with hosts and guests reflecting on the final signature-series deliveries and the Fremont celebration. Inside a limited-run signature Model X, Franz and Lars unpack how the platform evolved—Euro NCAP updates, structural changes, and ongoing line tweaks—while also sharing ownership realities like over-the-air improvements. They debate whether to drive or preserve signature cars, and tie the transition to what comes next.

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Car

Tesla Model S

"...n me to discuss the legacy and the history of the Model S and Model X as both cars are officially retired t..."

The Tesla Model S is an all-electric car that runs on batteries instead of gasoline. It’s one of Tesla’s early, important models and is often talked about because it was a flagship EV. In this episode, it’s mentioned in the context of its history and retirement.

Car

Tesla Model X

"...uss the legacy and the history of the Model S and Model X as both cars are officially retired this week."

The Tesla Model X is an all-electric SUV. It’s known for having special rear doors and for being a more premium Tesla model. The episode mentions it because it’s part of Tesla’s history and is being retired.

Term

signature series edition

"the Model S and X celebration event where the final signature series edition S's and X's were delivered and the S and X's were officially retired."

A “signature series edition” is a special limited version of a car. In this episode, it’s mentioned as the final versions delivered before the Model S and Model X were retired.

Company

Tesla Fremont factory

"That event happened at the Tesla Fremont factory and my interview that I had already teased a couple episodes ago"

The Tesla Fremont factory refers to Tesla’s manufacturing site in Fremont, California, where vehicles are produced. When an episode ties an event to this factory, it usually signals a production milestone—like final deliveries—rather than just a marketing presentation.

Concept

retirement of the SNX

"knowing what this week was going to be about with the retirement of the SNX, I just asked you, which Tesla do you own?"

“Retirement” means the SNX model is being phased out. The hosts mention it because it affects what people own and how common each model is.

Car

Model Y

"from the fact that the Model Y is the top selling car on the planet, the tie goes to [278.9s] Model Y and I own multiple Teslas. [283.1s] So there's your enthusiast audience checking in, that would be what I would have to vote"

The Tesla Model Y is Tesla’s most popular car. It’s a crossover, and the hosts mention it because it sells more than the other Tesla models.

Car

Model 3

"So 28% of you said I own multiple Teslas, another 28% of you said I own a Model Y, 24% of you [300.2s] said I own a Model 3, 8% said I own a Model S, 3% Model X, 2% Cybertruck, 6% I don't own"

The Tesla Model 3 is Tesla’s popular electric car. The hosts bring it up because some listeners in the poll own one.

Term

service

"[664.9s] What matters next is how it's handled when it needs service. ... [765.8s] I don't know what number this is or if it's just the software and go to, you know, service"

Here, “service” means getting the car repaired or maintained. The point is that EV ownership is easier when the service process is smooth.

Term

extended warranty plan

"And if you do purchase a policy, a protection policy extended warranty plan for your EV, [685.9s] make sure to use the promo code LIGHTNING for $100 off any policy purchase."

An extended warranty plan is extra coverage after the original warranty ends. It can help pay for certain repairs so you’re not stuck with the full cost later.

Term

signature delivery event

"So my thoughts on that coming up, but for now, enjoy. ... [714.0s] and impressions from the signature delivery event, getting to attend all the little activities [720.5s] and things they had going on plus the presentation itself."

A signature delivery event is a branded customer handoff experience where the manufacturer presents the vehicle and related activities around delivery. It’s not a technical car term, but it’s a specific EV retail/ownership process being referenced in the episode.

Concept

sunset these cars

"was made that these cars were going to, were going to retire. Put me in the room with you when the decision was made to sunset these cars."

“Sunset” just means Tesla decided to end the model’s run. They’re asking who pushed for it and how people reacted internally.

Concept

Euro NCAP updates their protocols

"every five years or so, Euro NCAP updates their protocols. [903.1s] Okay. [904.4s] We passed five star crash safety protocols with Model S and Model X, where we did the refreshes a few years back and looking forward, you know, they're getting more and more stringent."

Euro NCAP is a safety testing organization. They update their crash tests over time, and the tests get harder—so car makers may need to change their cars to keep the same safety scores.

Concept

five star crash safety protocols

"We passed five star crash safety protocols with Model S and Model X, where we did the refreshes a few years back and looking forward, you know, they're getting more and more stringent."

A “five-star” rating means the car did very well in crash tests. They’re saying Tesla’s updates helped the Model S and Model X meet the safety rules at the time.

Term

IHS

"There's more, you know, especially with some of the North American stuff around IHS. And it's just like, we want to make the safest cars on the road."

IHS is an organization that helps evaluate vehicle safety. Here, it’s mentioned as another place that uses crash scenarios to judge how safe a car is.

Term

structural updates

"And that means always making structural updates. And it's like, we were at the point where this platform, like it was never designed for like the small overlap and like the offset cases that exist now in Euro NCAP and IHS."

“Structural updates” means changing the car’s main body parts that take crash energy. It’s the difference between the car’s body being designed for one kind of crash versus another.

Term

offset cases

"And it's like, we were at the point where this platform, like it was never designed for like the small overlap and like the offset cases that exist now in Euro NCAP and IHS."

“Offset” means the car hits something not straight-on, so one side takes more of the impact. Safety systems and the body structure have to handle that uneven crash load.

Term

small overlap

"And it's like, we were at the point where this platform, like it was never designed for like the small overlap and like the offset cases that exist now in Euro NCAP and IHS."

“Small overlap” means a crash where only part of the front of the car hits something. That kind of crash can be harder on the car’s structure, so safety design has to account for it.

Concept

massive overhaul

"But it was just like, man, it's going to be a massive overhaul. And at the same time, you know, going back to the room, it was like, we're talking about optimists and like, where do we put optimists?"

A “massive overhaul” means a big redesign, not just small changes. The idea is that the original design needs major work to meet tougher safety expectations.

Term

pilot factory

"we got to spend, you know, our many hundreds of millions of dollars to redo this in this factory, but we also need a pilot factory for optimists."

A “pilot factory” is a smaller, early production site used to validate a new manufacturing process before scaling up. For automotive platforms, it can be used to work out tooling, assembly steps, and quality control for new structural designs.

Term

autonomous

"...snowballed into like, you know, the future is autonomous. These cars were the first ones we designed."

Here, “autonomous” means the car can drive on its own. It’s about software and sensors doing the driving instead of the person behind the wheel.

Concept

mini refresh

"...you were still cooking up this 2026 kind of little mini refresh. Yeah, new France blue."

A “mini refresh” is a smaller update to a car partway through its life. Think tweaks like new looks or updated features, not a completely new model.

Brand

France blue

"...mini refresh. Yeah, new France blue. Yeah, we never stopped changing."

“France blue” sounds like a named paint color option for the car. It’s basically a way to offer a new look as part of an update.

Topic

shutting the line down

"...The changes on the line happened even last month, even when we knew we were shutting the line down."

“Shutting the line down” means stopping production at a factory line. The interesting part here is that they kept improving the cars even as they were preparing to end that production.

Term

48 volt

"You know, you've got all these cool technologies that people have been hoping would get into these cars like 48 volt and, you know, so at any point was basically a total redesign, a total,"

“48 volt” means the car uses a higher-voltage electrical system for some of its electronics. The goal is usually better efficiency and more capability for features that need extra power.

Concept

total redesign

"48 volt and, you know, so at any point was basically a total redesign, a total, you know, redo like a new, new, new S and X. Was that ever on the table?"

A “total redesign” means making a car from the ground up instead of just updating parts. It’s a bigger, more expensive change that can affect how the whole car is built and controlled.

Term

vehicles per square foot

"But like the, you know, the vehicles per square foot coming out of the S and X line is like one tenth of what Cybercap does."

This is a factory efficiency measure: how many cars you can build for each unit of floor space. Higher numbers generally mean the plant is using its space more effectively.

Term

Cybercap

"it was also just super inefficient. And so like, if, when, like, you know, we redo a vehicle, it's like you want to make a huge impact to do these, it would be to start from zero and start, you know, with the Cybercap type like technology and make a new one. ... We transitioned a lot of people to Optimus to work on that and to Cybercap."

Cybercap sounds like an internal Tesla manufacturing approach or technology. The point they’re making is that it’s more efficient than the older Model S/X production setup.

Term

render

"Even it looked gorgeous in the render, but you never know until you see it in person."

A render is a computer picture of the car. It can look slightly different from the real paint once you see it in person.

Concept

replicate the original signature series

"we knew right away we were going to have to replicate the original signature series that we had done. But make it better."

They’re trying to bring back an older special paint look, but make it better with newer paint know-how. It’s like updating a classic color so it looks even nicer today.

Term

paint shops

"We know so much more about our factory, our team. Our paint shops are better. We’ve done so much better."

Paint shops are the dedicated facilities where cars are prepared, coated, and finished. Improvements in paint shops—process control, equipment, and workflow—can directly affect color consistency and the final appearance of the clear coat and base color.

Term

Ultra Red

"Like how Ultra Red is just way nicer than Multicore Red."

Ultra Red and Multicore Red are two different red paint options. They’re saying Ultra Red looks better than Multicore Red.

Term

Multicore Red

"Like how Ultra Red is just way nicer than Multicore Red."

Multicore Red is an older red paint color they’re comparing against. The point is that newer paint work can make the color look better.

Term

body matched door handles

"That was one of the first things I noticed [1469.5s] was the body matched door handles. [1472.2s] It's like that's, it just, I don't know."

“Body matched” means the door handles are painted the same color as the car. It’s done to make the car look more seamless instead of having a different-colored handle.

Term

spot matching to the paint

"It's just spot matching to the paint. [1481.46s]"

“Spot matching” means they repaint just a small area and try to make it match the existing paint color. The goal is for the repaired spot to be hard to notice.

Concept

final signature series

"Why 250 S's and only 100 of the X's that we're sitting in? How did you guys land on how many of these to do for this final signature series?"

A “final signature series” is basically a limited, special batch of cars made to wrap up a certain version or time period. Here, they’re explaining how they decided how many to build based on who they thought would want to buy them.

Term

plaid powertrain

"Because, I mean, my guess was that the plaid powertrain specifically, you probably sell more plaid S's than plaid X's would be my guess there, right?"

“Plaid powertrain” means the high-performance drivetrain in Tesla’s top versions of the Model S and Model X. It’s what helps the car feel especially fast because it controls the motors and how power is delivered.

Term

350 total cars

"It's a lot of car in an X. How many of the 350 total cars are being bought by Tesla employees?"

They mention “350 total cars,” which sounds like a limited number of vehicles for that specific version. They’re using it to talk about how many of those cars go to certain buyers.

Term

over-the-air updates

"And with over-the-air updates, you know, you pioneered on these cars, the car gets better anyways. Yeah. So it's not like a snapshot in time and then you're screwed, you know."

Over-the-air updates are software updates that get sent to your car wirelessly. The point here is that your Tesla can improve over time instead of staying exactly the same after you buy it.

Term

rear-wheel drive

"I have my 2012 S, which I drove here today, 85 rear-wheel drive, like same battery, same driving. We were just talking about it, 65,000 miles."

Rear-wheel drive means the power goes to the back wheels. That can change how the car grips the road and how it feels to drive compared with all-wheel drive.

Car

Ford Falcon

"...azing with kids and dogs and everything else. The Falcon doors, when you have kids in baby seats, there's ..."

The Ford Falcon is a car model that can be used as a family vehicle. In the episode, it’s mentioned because the doors can make it easier or harder to put kids into car seats. The discussion is about how the car works in everyday situations.

Term

Falcon doors

"The Falcon doors, when you have kids in baby seats, there's no better car for dealing with getting kids in and out of baby seats in cars."

“Falcon doors” are the Model X’s doors that open upward. They can make it easier to reach into the car when you’re putting kids in car seats.

Car

Delorean DMC-12

"...mean, I mean, you guys know my backstory. I was a Delorean owner. That was my dream car as a kid."

The DeLorean DMC-12 is a sports car with a very recognizable look. In the episode, it’s mentioned because the speaker owned one and it was a dream car. The conversation is about personal connection and the car’s story.

Car

Mercedes-Benz Amg Sls

"I bet this is. But the AMG SLS was only, they're only like 2000 of those ever ma..."

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a high-performance sports car made by Mercedes. The episode mentions it because only a limited number were built, making it rarer than many cars. That rarity is part of why people talk about it.

Term

battery shells

"[1961.8s] with water, like a water cooler that day. [1964.6s] And I was like, well, we could give you a bunch of like bodies and battery shells and like put them in. [1968.6s] And then suddenly that was my project."

In an EV, the battery sits inside a protective case. A “battery shell” is basically that outer case/enclosure.

Term

spare parts

"[1970.5s] I had to like corral all these like spare parts to get to all those, [1975.2s] you know, the 30 showrooms we had so that they could have a display in the showroom for those. [1980.4s] Something."

Spare parts are extra pieces kept around so you can fill in gaps quickly. In this story, they’re used to make cars look complete in showrooms.

Concept

startup mentality

"[1988.1s] And we were just like scrounging and scrapping for parts [1990.8s] wherever we could get them to make those displays work. [1992.9s] But it was really that, I mean, it was the spirit of like the true startup mentality"

This phrase means the “make it work” attitude you often hear in early companies. They didn’t have finished cars yet, so they improvised with what they could find.

Term

acceleration

"[2038.7s] I remember the videos the most because like YouTube was just, [2040.9s] you know, kind of the thing then and you know, [2045.7s] all the videos of people just flooring it all over. [2049.3s] Yeah, because the acceleration was insane."

Acceleration just means how fast the car speeds up. With electric cars, it can feel especially strong because they can deliver power right away.

Term

400 Newton meters

"[2056.9s] About was maybe four months before production. [2059.6s] I remember the rear driving it at the at the driving. [2062.1s] It was 400 Newton meters. [2063.8s] And then like we were down."

“Newton meters” is a way to measure how much twisting force the motor makes. More torque usually means the car can feel quicker when you press the accelerator.

Term

600 Newton meters

"Gary Pinkley at the time. And he's like, hey, Lars, what do you think would happen to the chassis if we put 600 Newton meters through the motor?"

Newton-meters are a way to measure how much twisting force the motor produces. The higher the number, the harder the drivetrain is being “twisted” under load.

Term

half shafts

"And I was like, what, like 50% like break? You know, like I was like, I think the half shafts are going to break. And he's like, are you sure?"

Half shafts are the parts that send power from the drivetrain out to the wheels. In this story, too much torque caused the half shafts to fail.

Term

inverter

"And they realized it could eke more out of the inverter in the in the drive unit."

The inverter is the electronics box that turns battery power into the right kind of electricity for the motor. In this story, it’s part of how they got more power out of the car.

Term

splines

"And they realized it could eke more out of the inverter in the in the drive unit. And then sure enough, we just broke the splines right off the half shafts."

Splines are the “teeth” or ridges that help two parts lock together so torque can be transferred. They’re saying those spline connections failed under the extra stress.

Company

NTN

"And I had to go to NTN in Detroit and like convince them to change the spline in like four months, validate it, get on a car and like."

NTN is a parts supplier. Lars had to convince them to update the half-shaft spline design and validate it so the cars could be built without that failure.

Term

power upgrade over the air

"Well, and what I remember that you guys actually you threw out a power upgrade over the air for [2158.2s] those initials because you guys went from they were 4.4 seconds to 60."

This means the car can get more power after you install an update, like downloading new software. It changes how the electric motors are controlled so the car feels quicker.

Term

motor shaft

"And then that was when I quickly learned that, like, if it was in the powertrain, [2173.7s] like, you know, in from anywhere from the the the motor shaft to the wheel,"

The motor shaft is the part inside the motor that spins and sends that spinning motion onward. It’s part of the path that ultimately makes the wheels turn.

Term

production line

"And it turned into like three hours of just old stories from the production line. So he he was like, he said, oh, I wish I had a microphone on those guys."

A production line is the factory process where a car gets built step-by-step. Here, they’re talking about fixing issues while the cars were being made.

Term

Fabergé

"Because you know, this thing we're sitting in is famously the Fabergé. And that's right, your boss refers to it."

“Fabergé” is being used like a nickname for something that’s unusually special and carefully finished. In this conversation, it’s the name they give to the very notable car they’re talking about.

Company

Elon

"And we were having all sorts of quality issues. So Elon pulled me up and said, can you kind of go deal with quality and you know what we're supposed to look like?"

“Elon” here means Elon Musk. The story is that he stepped in to help push improvements in how the cars were being built and how they looked.

Term

quality issues

"And we were having all sorts of quality issues. So Elon pulled me up and said, can you kind of go deal with quality and you know what we're supposed to look like?"

In car manufacturing, “quality issues” means problems that cause the finished cars to come out wrong or inconsistent. In this story, they’re talking about fixing those problems on the production line.

Term

paint quality

"How do we get better quality at like driving inequality? All the all the issues that were happening, paint quality, all those things. And so it was really interesting to go from kind of the creation side and then have to"

Paint quality is how well the car’s paint job turns out. It can include whether the color looks right and whether the surface is smooth and consistent.

Term

drive unit

"And when we first put the battery and the drive unit in and into that prototype, [2418.6s] and it was..."

The drive unit is the main electric system that turns battery power into motion. Think of it like the EV’s motor-and-gear assembly that drives the wheels.

Concept

prototype test with wheels spinning

"When we first got wheels spinning, we're like, okay, let's get it down on the wheels and go. We put milk crates in the car."

They describe an early validation step: getting the wheels spinning to confirm the powertrain and controls are working. This kind of “first motion” test is common in EV development because it reduces risk before driving on public roads.

Concept

test track

"maybe once or twice on the test track here. Yeah, we've bombed around there. At speed, you know, where, like, you see that this thing is really real."

A test track is a special driving area where engineers can test cars safely and repeatedly. It helps them see how the car behaves when you drive faster or push it harder.

Term

wheelspin

"I remember that same moment you were talking about with Model S wheelspin with Model X... But I think it's, when you see those wheelspin, it's like, for me, that's when it's real."

Wheelspin is when the tires spin but don’t really move the car forward as efficiently as they should. It usually shows up when you accelerate hard and the tires can’t grip the road.

Term

firmware

"trying to get the firmware right and the wheels would just always go backwards. ... finally, it was like, I'm going to fix this."

Firmware is the software that’s built into the car’s computers. It tells the car how to react—like how it controls power to the wheels—so getting it “right” can change how the car drives.

Term

lugs

"And then finally, it was like, I'm going to fix this. And I just switched the lugs, like, hardware solution to the firmware problem."

“Lugs” are the wheel fasteners that hold the wheel to the car. They’re saying they changed those wheel connections to solve a problem the software was having.

Term

FSD

"People, it's hard to, it's hard to explain to anybody, even, you know, like, today with FSD, it's hard to explain to somebody until they actually experience it, and then you see their eyes go, wow, this is the future."

FSD means “Full Self-Driving.” It’s Tesla’s computer software that tries to help the car drive more on its own, but you’re still expected to pay attention and be ready to take over.

Topic

Motor Trend Car of the Year award

"we talked about the model, the, the motor-trend car of the year award that you guys won unanimously with the Model S."

This is an annual award from Motor Trend that recognizes a standout car. They’re bringing it up to show the Model S was taken seriously by major car publications.

Term

touchscreen

"That's, but like, Frans talked about over the year updates or the touchscreen that came out before the iPad or, or, or even just making lithium ion batteries a thing, a viable thing."

A touchscreen is the main screen you use to control the car’s features. In EVs, it often replaces a lot of physical buttons.

Term

lithium ion batteries

"That's, but like, Frans talked about over the year updates or the touchscreen that came out before the iPad or, or, or even just making lithium ion batteries a thing, a viable thing."

Lithium-ion batteries are the rechargeable batteries that power most electric cars. They’re what let the car store electricity and drive on it.

Term

over the year updates

"Like, which is why we're all sad they're going away. That's, but like, Frans talked about over the year updates or the touchscreen that came out before the iPad or, or, or even just making lithium ion batteries a thing, a viable thing."

This means the car can get improvements over time. Instead of only changing with a new model, the software can be updated so the car improves after you buy it.

Term

driver profiles

"but like, actually, you know, these cars changed the whole industry and the whole climate of how vehicles are sold direct to customer, how they, you know, people interact with them, just the idea of driver profiles, phone is key, you know, the over the year updates,"

Driver profiles let multiple people save their preferred settings. So when you get in, the car can automatically adjust to your preferences.

Term

efficiency

"And like, everybody wants a door, the efficiency, mind in this. I mean, tires."

Here, “efficiency” means how far the car can go using the energy in its battery. More efficient cars usually get more range.

Term

EV tire lines

"I, you know, I love talking about tires like whole, all these companies now have like EV tire lines that are basically just what we asked for, what we designed."

EV tire lines are special tires made for electric cars. They’re often designed to waste less energy as the tire rolls, which can help the car go farther.

Term

supercharger network

"the whole energy business, you know, the supercharger network, true, like lithium ions you were mentioning, like no one thought they could be produced in this scale at this cost and be viable."

The supercharger network is Tesla’s network of fast charging stations. It helps EV owners travel farther without worrying as much about running out of battery.

Company

Reno factory

"Look at the Reno factory. Gigafactory one was deemed insane by a lot of people before he actually did it."

The Reno factory is where Tesla made batteries at scale. The point is that it helped batteries become cheaper and more practical for EVs.

Company

Gigafactory one

"Gigafactory one was deemed insane by a lot of people before he actually did it. It doubled the world's output of lithium ion batteries at that time, you know,"

Gigafactory one is Tesla’s big battery factory. The hosts are saying it massively increased battery production, which helped lower costs for EVs.

Concept

global EV adoption

"“...it's something like what, 17 to 18 percent? Yeah, global EV adoption from zero to zero. 14 years ago.”"

Global EV adoption is a way of describing how many electric cars are being sold and used around the world. The hosts are basically saying EVs have gone from almost nothing to a meaningful portion of the market.

Concept

dual-motor setup

"“...when you guys dropped a second motor in the Model S and suddenly,”"

A dual-motor setup means the car has two electric motors. That can help the car grip the road better and manage power more effectively to the wheels.

Term

ludicrous

"But when it became the P85D and then the P85D ludicrous after that, like when you guys said, hell, let's throw a second motor in this,"

“Ludicrous” is Tesla’s name for a more aggressive performance mode. It’s basically the car’s “go as fast as possible” setting for acceleration.

Concept

structural bits and integrity

"Like I remember though, like going back to like the structural bits and integrity, it was like, I remember early, early Model S, we made this like mental trade."

This phrase is about the car’s frame and body strength—how safe it stays in a crash. They’re saying changes to fit new drivetrain or battery parts can affect that strength, so engineers have to redesign carefully.

Term

all wheel drive

"Are we going to get five star crash? Or are we going to have an all wheel drive protection? Because, you know, you got to have a hole for that half shaft to go through in the frame."

All-wheel drive means the car can send power to more than just the rear or front wheels. In this story, adding AWD required extra drivetrain parts, which had to fit through the car’s frame.

Term

tower of cells

"Well, we always thought that the, that space that we kind of had allocated, we called the microwave, right, that that was going to be used up for batteries. We're just going to put our tower of cells in there and kind of never,"

A “tower of cells” is how the battery cells are physically stacked inside the car. They’re saying the battery design got more efficient, so the team didn’t need as much space as they originally planned.

Term

redundancy

"There's also redundancy play too. Now you had two motors, one failed, you weren't off-road."

Redundancy is like having a backup plan. If one part fails, the car can still keep going because it has other ways to drive.

Term

four motors

"Probably four motors in that, is I guess. For, you know, it's where the best motor technology gets."

Using four motors typically means one motor per wheel, or at least a four-motor architecture that can precisely control torque at each axle or wheel. That can improve traction, stability, and performance by letting the vehicle “vector” power to where it’s most effective.

Term

Nürburgring

"Yeah. I remember when Porsche ran that Nurburgring time in 2019 in Elon... In the Taycan, right?"

The Nürburgring is a well-known race track in Germany. People use it to compare how fast cars really are on a demanding course.

Car

Porsche Taycan

"...n that Nurburgring time in 2019 in Elon... In the Taycan, right? In the Taycan, Turbo S, and like Elon tex..."

The Porsche Taycan is an electric car designed for performance. It’s the kind of EV that’s built to drive quickly, including on demanding roads or tracks. The episode mentions it in connection with Nürburgring performance and a top trim.

Term

carbon ceramics

"So like we had put on some carbon ceramics from, you know, Corvette kit that we figured out, white fit. Then we did one lap around this,"

Carbon-ceramic brakes are high-performance brake parts made to handle lots of heat. They’re often used on faster cars because they can keep braking strong during hard driving.

Brand

Corvette kit

"So like we had put on some carbon ceramics from, you know, Corvette kit that we figured out, white fit. Then we did one lap around this,"

They mention a “Corvette kit” as a source for brake parts. The idea is they borrowed a proven performance brake setup from the Corvette world for their testing.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"...e had put on some carbon ceramics from, you know, Corvette kit that we figured out, white fit. Then we did o..."

The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car built for performance. In this episode, it comes up in connection with performance brakes, specifically carbon-ceramic style brakes. That’s the kind of upgrade people use when they want stronger braking for fast driving.

Term

all four brakes were on fire

"One lap, one braking stop, all four brakes were on fire. I like got out of the car and like I like quietly went over to the, you know, get the fire extinguisher..."

They’re saying the brakes got so hot that they started burning. That can happen when the car is braking extremely hard and the brakes can’t cool down fast enough.

Term

braking stop

"One lap, one braking stop, all four brakes were on fire."

A “braking stop” just means one hard stop—slowing down quickly. If you do it extremely hard on a track, the brakes can get dangerously hot.

Term

1865

"Pano was doing some great things with the 1865, [3328.2s] but like we knew with what we had in the 2170s"

“1865” is a specific battery cell size Tesla was using at the time. They’re comparing it to newer cell formats to explain how battery tech improved over time.

Term

energy dense

"we knew with what we had in the 2170s with them and, [3332.7s] you know, with our other suppliers and our in-house 4680s, [3335.7s] we had like an opportunity to be more energy dense."

“Energy dense” means the battery can store more energy in the same space (or weight). That usually helps the car go farther on a charge.

Term

4680s

"with our other suppliers and our in-house 4680s, [3335.7s] we had like an opportunity to be more energy dense."

“4680s” are Tesla’s bigger cylindrical battery cells. Using a larger cell design can help the battery pack store more energy and be made more efficiently.

Term

720s

"we're already at 400 miles, [3360.2s] we're running 720s on the Nürburgring."

“720s” sounds like a specific test setup or target they used while running the car on the Nürburgring. The excerpt doesn’t fully explain what “720s” means, but it’s clearly part of their track testing discussion.

Car

Mclaren 720S

"...w, like we're already at 400 miles, we're running 720s on the Nürburgring. Like, what are we going to do..."

The McLaren 720S is a very fast sports car built for performance. The episode mentions it in the context of driving it on a demanding track like the Nürburgring. It’s brought up because it’s capable of being pushed hard.

Concept

making trades

"It's like, you have to make trades."

“Making trades” means you can’t do everything at once, so you choose what to focus on. Here, they’re saying they had to decide where to apply the best battery tech first.

Term

2170s

"I mean, so those, all of the 1865s came out of Japan and we over the last [3438.4s] months converted those to 2170s."

“2170s” are a newer, larger rechargeable battery cell type than the older 18650. The discussion is about switching to this newer battery format and why it’s better to build.

Term

wire bonding

"It's tiny cell though, and like the process to, to, to get the current collectors on [3457.2s] there is like wire bonding and like we've moved on the laser welding."

Wire bonding is a way factories electrically connect parts inside a battery. The point here is that the older, smaller cell design is harder to make because it needs this more delicate process.

Term

laser welding

"there is like wire bonding and like we've moved on the laser welding. [3460.2s] It's just a little bit, it's not as easy to manufacture as the bigger cells."

Laser welding is a method for joining metal parts using a laser. They’re saying newer battery cell designs are easier to build because the connections can be made with laser welding instead of more finicky steps.

Term

gigawatt hours per year

"when you just think about gigawatt hours per year, it wasn't a lot."

“Gigawatt hours per year” is a way to measure how much energy is used or produced in a year. They’re using it to talk about how big the production demand was.

Term

magnetite

"Is that magnetite? Am I remembering that correctly?"

Magnetite is an iron-based mineral. They’re mentioning it as a possible name for the wheel’s finish or material, but they’re not fully certain in the moment.

Term

turbine wheels

"I'm like the, the turbine wheels, the uber turbine wheels that we did, we debuted with model three... trying to figure out how to make an overture... get the essence of the twist of the turbine."

“Turbine wheels” are wheels designed to look like turbine blades—kind of like a fan or spinning-blade pattern. They’re saying they liked that look and worked to get the “twist” right.

Term

pseudo turbine

"“Laurentus… And it was like a pseudo turbine. We just grabbed something off the shelf that was reminiscent of the… design that we were working on for Model S.”"

“Pseudo turbine” means the wheel looks like it has turbine blades, but it’s not a real turbine. They’re saying they borrowed a look that reminded them of the design they wanted for the Model S.

Company

Prime Wheel

"“the very first part… for Model S was… the wheel. From prime… down there in Gardena, California.”"

Prime Wheel is the company they say supplied the very first wheel part they got for the Tesla Model S. It’s an example of how early car development relies on outside suppliers for major parts.

Term

zero G

"“This is zero G for like track wheel. Because like that wheel… I want thin spokes… and thick spokes… because that's like the stress pattern.”"

“Zero G” is the name they’re using for a particular wheel style meant for track driving. They’re discussing how its spoke shape is designed to handle forces better during hard use.

Term

stress pattern

"“I want thin spokes at the end and thick spokes at the… hub, because that's like the stress pattern.”"

A “stress pattern” is where the wheel experiences the most force when you drive. They’re saying the spoke thickness changes to handle those forces more effectively—thinner where it’s less stressed and thicker where it’s more stressed.

Term

removable caps

"So we're really trying to find ways, even the performance wheels, you see like the removable caps, you know, we, we did the on the model."

Removable caps are like wheel covers you can take off. They can be used to make the wheel more aerodynamic (less air resistance) when you want the efficiency benefit.

Term

aero fins

"I pulled the aero fins out of my model. But even the black around the rim of the model, the model three down there, like those help"

Aero fins are small aerodynamic pieces on the wheel. They help the air flow more smoothly around the wheel, which can improve efficiency.

Term

aero disc wheel

"Oh, the original aero disc wheel. The original aero disc wheel. That one is, that's a bit of a unicorn."

An aero disc wheel is a wheel design meant to cut through the air more smoothly. That can help the car use less energy, which is especially important for EV range.

Concept

unicorn

"That one is, that's a bit of a unicorn. You and I talked about that last time. Yeah, but that one, I remember who pushed that one through."

In this context, “unicorn” just means “super rare.” They’re saying this specific wheel setup (and the cars with it) is hard to come across.

Car

Toyota Prius

"...own in the peninsula over here. Probably a former Prius owner that's just like really all about efficienc..."

The Toyota Prius is a car that uses both a gas engine and an electric motor. It’s designed to be efficient, meaning it tries to use less fuel than many other cars. The episode mentions it because it’s commonly associated with efficiency-minded drivers.

Term

wind noise

"There's a new NVH deal for wind noise in the hood ... It's like two DBs of wind noise."

Wind noise is the sound you hear when air flows around the car. They’re describing a fix meant to reduce the wind noise coming from the hood area.

Term

NVH

"Any, I will say for me, it's the, there's a new NVH deal for wind noise in the hood on the call screen."

NVH is a way engineers talk about unwanted noise and “roughness” in a car. In this case, they’re working to make the hood area quieter against wind noise.

Term

retrofitable

"They came into production about a month ago. Totally retrofitable. So the last like, thousand or two cars have that?"

A retrofit is an update added to an existing vehicle after it left the factory. The team is saying the hood-area wind-noise change is “totally retrofitable,” meaning it can be applied to older cars, not just the newest production units.

Term

DBs

"I'm like, yeah, it's like two DBs of wind noise. We should totally do it."

dB (decibels) is how loud sound is measured. Mentioning “two dB” means they expect a measurable drop in the noise level.

Car

Aston Martin DBS

"...ld we really do it? I'm like, yeah, it's like two DBs of wind noise. We should totally do it."

The Aston Martin DBS is a luxury sports car meant for fast, comfortable driving. In the episode, it’s mentioned because the speaker is talking about noise—like wind noise—when driving. It’s part of a conversation about how the car feels and sounds.

Concept

museum pieces

"So are you guys going to drive your signature S's or are you going to just sit on them and preserve them like museum pieces? What's what's the move?"

A “museum piece” is something you keep mainly for display. They’re joking about whether to keep the older Tesla untouched instead of driving it.

Concept

daily driving

"Oh, you're going to drive a car to drive it. I know you're daily, you've been daily driving Cybertruck... So are you going to daily drive the signature S? Sure. These cars are meant to be driven."

“Daily driving” just means you use the car every day for normal errands and commuting. They’re debating whether to keep the older Tesla as a collector item or actually drive it.

Car

Cybertruck

"Oh, you're going to drive a car to drive it. I know you're daily, you've been daily driving Cybertruck. Cybertruck. So are you going to daily drive the signature S?"

The Tesla Cybertruck is Tesla’s electric pickup truck. They’re saying they daily drive it, and then asking whether they’ll also daily drive the older “signature” Model S.

Car

Ford F-150 Lightning

"...s, it's always a pleasure to have you on Ride the Lightning. Thank you guys so much. Awesome. Thanks, Brian. ..."

The Ford F-150 Lightning is an electric pickup truck. Instead of using gasoline, it runs on batteries. The episode brings it up because it’s an important example of electric trucks becoming real alternatives for everyday use.

Concept

founder series

"they handed off the, the first founder series Model S is the first actual legally for sale Tesla built cars from the Fremont factory."

“Founder series” means an early limited batch of cars made for Tesla’s earliest customers. In the segment, they’re talking about the first Model S deliveries that marked the start of Tesla selling cars legally.

Term

factory tour

"And then after that, I got to go on a short [4324.8s] factory tour of basically of what is now the former S and X production line."

A factory tour is a visit inside a car factory to see how cars are made. Here, they’re walking through the old production areas for Model S and Model X and describing what they could (and couldn’t) see.

Concept

dormant S and X lines

"...But it was a little sad to see the dormant S and X lines in there. So eventually, we make our way inside..."

A “dormant” production line means the factory area isn’t actively making cars at that moment. They’re saying the Model S and Model X areas were basically paused, which made the tour feel bittersweet.

Term

Raven refresh

"and then there was a 2012 signature red Model S, production Model S, and then a 2016 Raven refresh when they got rid of the nose cone and updated a lot of things on the car"

“Raven refresh” is Tesla-speak for a major update Tesla made to the Model S and Model X around 2016. In this segment, they mention it as the time when the front styling changed and other things were updated too.

Term

nose cone

"a 2016 Raven refresh when they got rid of the nose cone and updated a lot of things on the car"

In this context, “nose cone” means the Model S’s earlier front-end aerodynamic bodywork piece. Tesla removed it during the 2016 “Raven refresh,” which is why the host ties the change to updated styling and other revisions.

Term

Palladium cars

"next to that was one of the Palladium cars, the quote unquote new Model S and X as we came to know them, the 2021."

“Palladium” is a nickname people use for Tesla’s big 2021-era refresh of the Model S and Model X. The host is using it to point out that this is when the cars started to look like the versions most people recognize today.

Term

Garnet red

"the final signature in the Garnet red paint. And let me tell you folks... Garnet red spectacular in the sun."

“Garnet red” is the name of the red paint color on the final special car they’re showing. The host thinks it looks amazing in bright light.

Term

signature red

"the final signature in the Garnet red paint... Garnet red spectacular in the sun... it’s basically a next generation signature red"

“Signature red” is a particular red paint color Tesla used on special edition cars. They’re saying it looks especially good in the sun, and connecting it to the later “Garnet red” version.

Concept

keynote

"should I play the audio of the entire keynote from the, from the delivery event... If you'd like to go watch it... they have, like I said, they have a, like a PowerPoint presentation"

A keynote is a big presentation where a company shows off what’s new. Here, they’re talking about Tesla’s presentation connected to deliveries and cars coming off the production line.

Term

PowerPoint presentation

"They have, like I said, they have a, like a PowerPoint presentation with some stuff on there."

PowerPoint is the slide deck used in presentations. The host is saying the event includes slides with information you can follow while watching.

Concept

platform just sort of aging out

"which I appreciated them kind of shedding some more light on it in terms of [5220.7s] the platform just sort of aging out and Tesla wanting to make room for a product"

“Aging out” here means the underlying vehicle platform (the shared engineering architecture) is getting old relative to newer designs. Automakers often retire or redesign platforms so they can build newer models with updated technology and packaging.

Term

voice memo feedback option

"but yes, Brett, good reminder that you can still use the voice memo feedback option. I personally, I always do the voice..."

This is a feature where you can send feedback by recording a short voice message instead of typing.

Company

abstractocean.com

"I will start with abstractocean.com. They have so many great aftermarket accessories for your Tesla from the lighting kits for both the inside and outside of the car..."

Abstract Ocean is a company that sells aftermarket add-ons for Teslas, like lighting and screen protectors.

Part

lighting kits

"They have so many great aftermarket accessories for your Tesla from the lighting kits for both the inside and outside of the car, different color lighting, different, you know, like puddle lights..."

Lighting kits are add-on lights you install to change the look or add features like puddle lights.

Part

tempered glass screen protectors

"They've got the tempered glass screen protectors custom made for each of the different Tesla center screens."

These are tough glass covers that you put over the Tesla screen to help protect it from scratches and damage.

Term

crash tested

"Apparently because the S's were crash tested with that on there, so every single one has to be delivered with it on and then you can take it off, but use the snap plate."

“Crash tested” means the vehicle (and specific installed components) is evaluated in controlled impact tests to verify safety performance. If a part like a license plate bracket is included during testing, Tesla may require it to be installed on production cars to match the tested configuration.

Term

snap plate

"use the snap plate. Get the snap plate, whatever Tesla you've got, everyamp.com slash RTL, and don't forget the coupon code RTL"

A “snap plate” is a front license plate holder that clips on instead of being stuck on with tape. The point here is to keep it looking clean and not block the car’s front cameras.

Term

ceramic coating

"whether it's ceramic coating, whether it's paint correction or maybe paint protection film, or maybe some combination of those three."

Ceramic coating is a protective layer put on top of your car’s paint. It helps water bead up and can make the car easier to wash, but it works best when the paint is properly prepared first.

Term

paint protection film

"whether it's ceramic coating, whether it's paint correction or maybe paint protection film, or maybe some combination of those three."

Paint protection film is a clear protective sheet that gets put on the car’s paint. It helps prevent rock chips and minor scratches, especially on the front of the car.

Term

paint correction

"whether it's ceramic coating, whether it's paint correction or maybe paint protection film, or maybe some combination of those three."

Paint correction is polishing a car’s paint to reduce scratches, swirl marks, and other surface blemishes. It’s usually done before adding protective coatings.

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