Elon Musk mandates Tesla to install and demo Full Self-Driving Beta for every new delivery
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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Starting at under $35,000 with up to 319 miles of range, class-leading tech, and more, the Chevy Equinox EV is hard to beat. But, is “America’s most affordable 315+ miles range EV,” really the best value?
The Chevy Equinox EV wins best value electric vehicle
The fastest-growing EV brand in the US is not Tesla or Rivian, it’s Chevy, largely thanks to the electric Equinox. After launching the lower-priced LT model last year, starting at just $34,995, Chevy’s electric SUV has been flying off the lot.
GM expects the Chevy Equinox EV will be the third top-selling electric vehicle in the US in 2025, behind the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
Considering what it offers, the electric Equinox is hard to beat, but is it really the best value? According to Cars.com, it is. The online marketplace released its latest Top EV picks ahead of the Federal EV tax credit, set to expire on September 30, naming the 2025 Chevy Equinox EV the best value electric vehicle.
The online car-shopping marketplace sifted through the 77 EV models now available, naming the best for 2026 across value, usability, performance, and technology.
Other top EV picks included the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 for best 2-Row SUV, the 2026 Kia EV9 for best 3-Row SUV, and the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 6 for top electric car.
The 2026 Lucid Air was named the top luxury EV, while the 2026 Chevy Silverado EV took the title for top electric pickup truck.
“The federal EV tax credit helped make EVs more affordable, and while its expiration at the end of September may slow demand in the short term, it doesn’t mean the end of affordable EVs,” Aaron Bragman, Detroit Bureau Chief at Cars.com, explained.
Many automakers, including Chevy, Nissan, and Hyundai, are planning to launch lower-priced electric vehicles, while several state and local incentives will remain.
| 2025 Chevy Equinox EV trim | Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range | Monthly lease Price (September 2025) |
| LT FWD | $34,995 | 319 miles | $249 |
| LT AWD | $40,295 | 307 miles | $319 |
| RS FWD | $45,790 | 319 miles | $324 |
| RS AWD | $49,090 | 307 miles | $367 |
With leases starting at just $249 per month, the Chevy Equinox EV is hard to match right now. Chevy is offering pretty significant discounts across its entire EV lineup, including a $10,000 bonus on most models and 0% APR financing on any 2025 model year EV.
The Equinox EV is not only one of the most affordable to lease, but it’s also one of the cheapest to insure. According to a recent study from Insurify, the Chevy Blazer and Equinox are the most affordable EVs to insure.
If you’re looking to grab the savings while they are still available, we can help you get started. You can use our links below to find deals on the top electric vehicles in your area.
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EV Realty just broke ground on its first big truck charging hub in San Bernardino, California. The site sits in a prime location: by the San Bernardino Intermodal Facility, 60 million square feet of warehouse space, and Interstates 10 and 215 – a major freight route from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The hub will pack 9.9 megawatts of grid capacity and 76 DC fast charging ports, including megawatt charging pull-through stalls designed for big rigs. It’s built to serve regional and short-haul fleet customers in the Inland Empire metropolitan area, a hotspot for logistics and home to nearly 17,000 medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
EV Realty’s California charging hub is backed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. It has a conditional award from California’s EnergIIZE Commercial Vehicles Project, funded by the California Energy Commission. It’s scheduled to open later this year.
EV Realty also announced today that it’s secured another $75 million in growth equity from private equity firm NGP, with contributions from the company’s management team. The funding will help scale its Powered Properties portfolio, including construction of the San Bernardino hub.
Founded in 2022, EV Realty is focused on delivering turnkey, scalable charging solutions for commercial truck fleets. Last month, it partnered with Prologis to give drivers charging access across both networks. Earlier this year, EV Realty acquired a portfolio of assets from charging provider Gage Zero.
Read more: Greenlane launches a second long-haul EV truck corridor pilot
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Solid-state EV batteries will be here before you know it, Mercedes-backed Farasis Energy claims. During a recent investor meeting, Farasis said it will begin delivering solid-state EV batteries by the end of 2025.
Farasis Energy will deliver solid-state EV batteries in 2025
The new battery tech, promising to unlock more driving range, faster charging, and longer life-spans, is finally moving from the lab to the real world.
Farasis Energy confirmed during the meeting, held on September 15, that its all-solid-state EV batteries are now entering pilot production and delivery. The company is building a 0.2 GWh pilot line for the new sulfide-based solid-state batteries, with deliveries set to begin by the end of 2025.
In a filing released the following day, viewed by IT Home, the company said it’s fully committed to bringing the new battery tech to market.
Farasis uses a high-nickel ternary cathode and a high-silicon anode, claiming an energy density of 400 to 500 Wh/kg.
The report said R&D has progressed “smoothly,” and the company plans to begin deliveries by the end of 2025. Initially, they will be delivered in small batches to select customers.
Meanwhile, Farasis’ second-gen sulfide-based all-solid-state EV batteries are moving past the tech development phase. The second-gen batteries have an energy density of 500 Wh/kg, which would be among the highest in the industry. It’s expected to roll out in 2026.
In 2027, the company plans to launch the third-generation, promising to unlock an energy density of over 500 Wh/kg.
The report claims that the semi-solid-state batteries only cost 5% to 10% more than liquid batteries, and Farasis expects shipments to ramp up significantly next year.
Just this year, Farasis Energy said it has secured new clients, including XPeng, GAC Group, and “a leading domestic new energy commercial vehicle client” for its core products, SPS (Super Pouch Solution) batteries, and semi-solid state batteries.
The company plans to expand overseas and into new segments, including humanoid robots. Farasis is already using all-solid-state batteries in humanoid robots and has sent samples to leading humanoid robot companies.
Mercedes-Benz bought a stake in Farasis Energy in 2020 to secure battery supply for its upcoming electric vehicles.
The news comes after Mercedes announced just last week that it drove an EQS, equipped with solid-state batteries, from Stuttgart, Germany, to Malmö, Sweden, covering 750 miles (1,205 km). Mercedes said the vehicle still had another 85 miles of range to go. US-based Factorial Energy supplied the battery cells.
Mercedes’ tech boss, Markus Schäfer, called solid-state batteries “a true gamechanger” for electric vehicles. Schäfer added the new battery tech “delivers not only in the lab but also on the road.”
Farasis Energy, Mercedes-Benz, and Factorial Energy are just a few of the companies racing to unlock the “holy grail” of EV batteries. Toyota, Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Honda, to name a few, are aiming to launch solid-state batteries by the end of the decade. BYD and CATL are reportedly aiming for around 2027.
Earlier this week, SK On said it plans to commercialize all-solid-state batteries by 2029, a year ahead of schedule.
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