Elon Musk has mandated Tesla employees to install and demo Full Self-Driving Beta for every customer taking delivery in North America.
Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta is a level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) that automates all aspects of driving on city streets and highways, but it requires the driver’s attention at all times – hence why it is still only a level 2 system despite its name.
Tesla’s goal is to improve the system until it can eventually remove the requirement to have the driver’s attention, making it a true self-driving system.
The automaker is currently rolling out version 12 of its FSD Beta system. which has been touted has a major step forward for the system by powering vehicle controls with neural nets.
Tesla sells its Full Self-Driving package for $12,000 or a $200 a month subscription.
The automaker has never revealed the take rate of the package, but some data would point to a lower than 20% take rate in North America. It is likely much lower globally as other markets don’t have access to FSD Beta.
In order to boost the take rate, Elon Musk has informed Tesla employees this morning to install the FSD Beta software on all new cars being delivered and give short test drives to the new buyers.
The CEO wrote in an email to employees:
Going forward, it is mandatory in North America to install and activate FSD V12.3.1 and take customers on a short test ride before handing over the car.
Musk says that he wants more people to realize “FSD actually works”:
Almost no one actually realizes how well (supervised) FSD actually works.
Over the years, Tesla has continuously cut down on the tasks related to delivering vehicles as it often becomes a bottleneck in the automaker’s operations.
It is not rare these days to take delivery of a Tesla vehicle in minutes and Tesla employees would refer you to videos available on the car’s center display in order to inform the new owners of any functionality inside the vehicle.
Requiring a demo drive with every new delivery is going to greatly increase the delivery workload at Tesla stores and delivery centers.
The CEO seems aware as he finished his email on this note:
I know this will slow down the delivery process, but it is nonetheless a hard requirement.
The new initiative also matches Tesla’s referral program incentives. If a new buyer buys a Tesla with a referral code, they get 3 months of free Full Self-Driving package.
Electrek’s Take
Sorry Tesla delivery people. This is going to create a massive backlog, especially now at the end of the quarter.
As for the effectiveness of this, I don’t know. To be fair, I have yet to try v12. Speaking of, it’s weird that Tesla is going to push it to every new car before delivery, but that many long-time FSD owners like myself have yet to receive the update.
Maybe v12 is so impressive that Elon really believes it will increase the take rate to demo it at delivery – even though everyone who buys with a referral code gets it for free for the first 3 months and presumably tries it during that period of time.
Now, I do like the fact that the first time someone is exposed to FSD Beta, it will be in the presence of a Tesla employee, who presumably is going to emphasize the fact that this is a level 2 ADAS and it requires your attention at all times. No exception.
But I think that Tesla and Elon, in particular, are again ignoring the only real thing that would significantly increase confidence in FSD Beta: strong and transparent data.
Yes, personal experience with the system is useful, but like Youtube videos, it’s all anecdotal data. Tesla is now getting close to 1 billion miles of FSD Beta data and it hasn’t released anything of value from this data.
If Tesla wants to people to realize that FSD “actually works”, it needs to show the data it does.
Because let’s be honest “supervised FSD Beta” actually works, but that’s because of the “supervised” part. There would be tens of thousands of FSD Beta crashes if it weren’t for driver supervision.
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Climate XChange’s Annual EV Raffle is back for the 10th year running – and for the first time ever, Climate XChange has two raffle options on the table! The nonprofit has helped lucky winners custom-order their ideal EVs for the past decade. Now you have the chance to kick off your holiday season with a brand new EV for as little as $100.
About half of the raffle tickets have been sold so far for each of the raffles – you can see the live ticket count on Climate XChange’s homepage – so your odds of winning are better than ever.
But don’t wait – raffle ticket sales end on December 8!
Climate XChange is working hard to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. Every ticket you buy supports this mission while giving you a chance to drive home your dream EV.
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Here’s how Climate XChange’s 10th Annual Raffle works:
Image: Climate XChange
The Luxury Raffle
Grand Prize: The winner can choose any EV on the market, fully customized up to $120,000. This year, you can split the prize between two EVs if the total is $120,000 or less.
Taxes covered: This raffle comes with no strings – Climate XChange also pays all of the taxes.
Runner-up prizes: Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance at the 2nd prize of $12,500 and the 3rd prize of $7,500.
Ticket price: $250.
Grand Prize Drawing: December 12, 2025.
Only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle.
The Mini Raffle (New for 2025)
Grand Prize: Choose any EV on the market, fully customized, up to $45,000. This is the perfect raffle if you’re ready to make the switch to an EV but aren’t in the market for a luxury model.
Taxes covered: Climate XChange pays all the taxes on the Mini Raffle, too.
Ticket price: $100.
Only 3,500 tickets will be sold for the Mini Raffle.
Why it’s worth entering
For a decade, Climate XChange has run a raffle that’s fair, transparent, and exciting. Every ticket stub is printed, and the entire drawing is live-streamed, including the loading of the raffle drum. Independent auditors also oversee the process.
Plus, your odds on the Luxury and Mini Raffles are far better than most car raffles, and they’re even better if you enter both.
Remember that only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle and only 3,500 for the Mini Raffle, and around half of the available tickets have been sold so far, so don’t miss your shot at your dream EV!
Climate XChange personally works with the winners to help them build and order their dream EVs. The winner of the Ninth Annual EV Raffle built a gorgeous storm blue Rivian R1T.
How to enter
Go to CarbonRaffle.org/Electrekbefore December 8 to buy your ticket. Start dreaming up your perfect EV – and know that no matter what, you’re helping accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Who is Climate XChange?
Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies because they’re critical in accelerating the transition to a zero-emissions economy. CXC advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) – a community of more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers – and its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.
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The CSC Monterey – one of the most charming little electric scooters on the US market – has dropped to a shockingly low $1,699, down from its original $2,899 MSRP. That’s nearly half off for a full-size, street-legal electric scooter that channels major Honda Super Cub energy, but without the gas, noise, or maintenance of the original.
CSC Motorcycles, based in Azusa, California, has a long history of importing and supporting small-format electric and gas bikes, but the Monterey has always stood out as the brand’s “fun vibes first” model. With its step-through frame, big retro headlight, slim bodywork, and upright seating position, it looks like something from a 1960s postcard – just brought into the modern era with lithium batteries and a brushless hub motor.
I had my first experience on one of these scooters back in 2021, when I reviewed the then-new model here on Electrek. I instantly fell in love with it and even got one for my dad. It now lives at his place and I think he gets just as much joy from looking at it in his garage as riding it.
You can see my review video below.
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The performance is solidly moped-class, which is exactly what it’s designed for. A 2,400W rear hub motor pushes the Monterey up to a claimed 30 mph or 48 km/h (I found it really topped out at closer to 32 mph or 51 km/h), making it perfect for city streets, beach towns, and lower-speed suburban routes.
A 60V, roughly 1.6 kWh removable battery offers around 30–40 miles (48-64 km) of real-world range, depending on how aggressively you twist the throttle. It’s commuter-ready, grocery-run-ready, and campus-ready right out of the crate.
It’s also remarkably approachable. At around 181 pounds (82 kg), the Monterey is light for a sit-down scooter, making it easy to maneuver and park. There’s a small storage cubby, LED lighting, and the usual simple twist-and-go operation. And it comes with full support from CSC, a company that keeps a massive warehouse stocked with components and spare parts.
My sister has a CSC SG250 (I’m still trying to convert her to electric) and has gotten great support from them in the past, including from their mechanics walking her through carburetor questions over the phone. So I know from personal experience that CSC is a great company that stands behind its bikes.
But the real story here is the price. Scooters in this class typically hover between $2,500 and $4,500, and electric retro-style models often jump well above that.
At $1,699, the Monterey is one of the least expensive street-legal electric scooters available from a reputable US distributor, especially one that actually stocks parts and provides phone support.
If you’ve been curious about swapping a few car errands for something electric – or you just want a fun, vintage-styled runabout for getting around town – this is one of the best deals of the year.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss a big Tesla Robotaxi setback, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, Bollinger is over, and more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. Sales end on Dec. 8th for its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
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After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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