Tesla hypes ‘unsupervised full self-driving’ launch in June: here’s what it will actually launch
Tesla has started hyping its upcoming ‘unsupervised full self-driving’ launch in Austin in June. Let’s cut through the hype.
Here’s what Tesla will actually launch.
CEO Elon Musk has been talking about Tesla launching self-driving programs in Texas and California in Q2 2025 since last year.
Lately, he has turned Tesla’s focus to a specific paid ride-hailing service using self-driving in Austin, Texas in June. Here’s what he said precisely during Tesla’s last earnings call in January:
So, we’re going to be launching unsupervised full self-driving as a paid service in Austin in June. So, I talked to the team. We feel confident in being able to do an initial launch of unsupervised, no one in the car, full self-driving in Austin in June. We already have Teslas operating autonomously unsupervised full self-driving at our factory in Fremont, and we’ll soon be doing that at our factory in Texas.
The “unsupervised self-driving” operation in Fremont that Musk is referring to is simply Tesla’s vehicles driving themselves to loading areas at low speeds and on private roads – it’s a world of difference compared to operating unsupervised on public roads.
Speaking of the word “unsupervised,” it’s an important term that comes from Tesla’s telling owners that its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) features require “supervision” at all times.
Therefore, going “unsupervised” is an critical step for Tesla and something that Musk promised would happen for all owners who bought its ‘FSD’ package every year for the last 6 years.
Now, Tesla is hyping the upcoming launch as “the future is autonomous and it starts in Austin, this June”:
With the launch coming within just a few months, there’s still a lot of confusion around what Tesla will actually launch in Austin.
What will Tesla actually launch in Austin
Based on all the information released to date, Tesla plans to have an internal vehicle fleet, consisting of its existing vehicle lineup, although some believe Tesla will also use its new Cybercab, offering a paid ride-hailing service (à la Uber) in a geo-fenced area around Austin.
This is a significant shift for Tesla, which has been promising that all its consumer vehicles built since 2016 have all the hardware necessary for unsupervised self-driving and that it would come through a future over-the-air software update.
Musk has claimed that Tesla would turn a switch and enable millions of robotaxis overnight.
At the same time, he has criticized Waymo’s strategy of deploying its system in mapped geo-fenced areas for being too difficult to scale.
However, Tesla’s upcoming launch in Austin is extremely similar to what Waymo has been operating for years, with the main difference being that Tesla only uses cameras while Waymo uses a full array of different sensors, including lidar.
Musk also said that the Austin service will be “unsupervised” with “no one in the car,” but those are not exactly the same.
While there might be no one in the cars, we reported that Tesla was looking to hire people to work in teleoperation to support its self-driving vehicles shortly after announcing its plan for unsupervised ride-hailing services in Texas and California last year.
This would suggest that Tesla will use teleoperation to at least “supervise” the fleet of vehicles to be deployed in Austin.
Electrek’s Take
It’s pretty funny that Tesla would claim “the future is autonomous and it starts in Austin, this June” after Elon claimed that autonomous driving was a “solved problem” 10 years ago.
Furthermore, Waymo has been operating in several cities for years the exact service that Tesla plans to launch in Austin, including in Austin itself, since earlier this year.
To be clear, I’m not saying that Tesla’s launch of this service is a bad thing; I’m just saying it is a massive pivot compared to what Tesla, and Elon in particular, have been claiming it would launch for years.
It feels like after being consistently wrong about when unsupervised self-driving is coming for the last 6 years, Elon needs a win, and this enables Tesla to claim that it delivered self-driving – even if it’s not the unsupervised self-driving in consumer vehicles that it has been promising owners for years.
It will help distract from the current mess that comes with the recent admission that the millions of HW3 vehicles on the road will not be capable of self-driving. I also think that HW4 vehicles are going to be next.
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Ford is cutting prices on the electric pickup by up to $4,000 to offset the loss of the federal EV tax credit. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning now offers more driving range at a lower price.
2026 Ford F-150 Lightning prices and range by trim
After the Tesla Cybertruck took the title as America’s best-selling electric pickup last year, the Ford F-150 Lightning is back on top in 2025.
Ford sold over 10,000 Lightnings in the third quarter, nearly double the roughly 5,400 Tesla Cybertrucks sold. Through September, Ford has sold over 23,000 electric pickups. According to Cox Automotive, Tesla has only sold 16,097 Cybertrucks this year, 38% fewer than it did during the same period in 2024.
After the $7,500 federal EV tax credit expired at the end of September, many automakers, including Ford, are bracing for less demand.
To keep the momentum going, Ford is reducing prices for the 2026 F-150 Lightning by up to $4,000. Company spokesperson Martin Günsberg confirmed with Electrek that Ford is cutting prices on the flash trim by $4,000 and the Lariat by $2,000.
Ford introduced a new base STX model that replaces the XLT for 2026. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STX starts at $63,345, the same as the 2025 STX, but it delivers an extra 50 miles of driving range.
A 123 kW extended range battery powers the STX, providing an EPA estimated 290 miles of range. In comparison, the XLT delivered 240 miles of range from a 98 kWh battery.
Ford also raided the F-150 parts bin to add a few off-road goodies like running boards from the Tremor, new wheels, and more.
The 2026 F-150 Lightning Flash will start at $65,995, down from $69,995. Meanwhile, the 2026 Lariat and Platinum trims will be priced from $74,995 and $84,995.
| Ford F-150 Lightning trim | 2025 Starting Price | 2026 Starting Price | Range (EPA-est miles) |
| XLT | $63,345 | N/A | 240 |
| STX | N/A | $63,345 | 290 |
| Flash | $69,995 | $65,995 | 320 |
| Lariat | $76,995 | $74,995 | 320 |
| Platinum | $84,995 | $84,995 | 300 |
Although Ford decided not to move forward with plans for a program to extend the $7,500 EV tax credit, the company is still offering significant incentives to compensate for the loss of it.
The 2025 Ford F-150 Lighting STX is eligible for up to $11,500 in savings in California and other ZEV states. Ford is offering a $9,000 lease cash bonus and an additional $2,000 Ford Power Promise cash bonus. Alternatively, Ford is offering 0% APR financing for 72 months plus an extra $2,000 Power Promise bonus nationwide.
With the 2026 Lightning arriving, Ford is offering big savings on 2025 models. The 2025 F-150 Lightning XLT is currently listed for lease as low as $279 per month in California. You can use our link to find offers on the Ford F-150 Lightning near you (trusted affiliate link).
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Global EV sales passed the 2 million mark for the first time in September 2025, according to new data from EV research house Rho Motion – here’s how it breaks down.
A record-breaking September
Rho Motion’s data shows that 2.1 million EVs were sold worldwide in September, the highest monthly total ever recorded. The US, UK, South Korea, and China all hit major milestones, with tax credit deadlines, new registration cycles, and local incentives fueling the global boom.
“Global EV sales topped 2 million units in a single month for the first time, driven by record-breaking demand across major markets,” said Rho Motion’s data manager Charles Lester. “The US surged ahead as buyers raced to claim expiring tax credits, the UK hit new highs on the back of fresh registration plates and the Electric Car Grant, and South Korea set records thanks to Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, and rising BYD imports. Year to date, EV sales have reached 14.7 million – up 26%.”
EV sales by the numbers YTD (Jan–Sept 2025)
- Global: 14.7 million (+26%)
- China: 9.0 million (+24%)
- Europe: 3.0 million (+32%)
- North America: 1.5 million (+11%)
- Rest of World: 1.2 million (+48%)
Europe surges on incentives
Europe had a record-breaking month with 427,000 EVs sold, up 36% year-over-year and 55% from August. The UK led the charge with record demand tied to the launch of new license plates and the government’s Electric Car Grant, introduced in July. BEV sales rose 30% year-over-year, while PHEVs jumped nearly 60%.
Germany’s EV market is expected to get another boost in 2026 after the government approved a new €3 billion ($3.5 billion) incentive package targeting low- and middle-income households. It replaces the subsidy scheme that expired in December 2023. Italy and Spain also continue to see strong growth, with sales up two-thirds and more than double, respectively, compared to 2024.
US buyers rushed to beat tax credit deadlines
In North America, EV sales soared 66% year-over-year in September as US consumers scrambled to take advantage of federal incentives before they expired on September 30. The tax credits supported both purchases and leases.
But Rho Motion expects Q4 2025 demand to dip sharply as those credits disappear. Some automakers are already taking defensive steps: Hyundai has cut prices, while Mercedes-Benz has paused production of four EV models. GM has suspended a production shift at its Spring Hill, Tennessee, plant, and Volkswagen is stopping ID.4 production in Tennessee in October. Nissan has gone further, scrapping its plans to manufacture EVs in the US altogether.
China is the world’s EV powerhouse
China still dominates the global EV market, selling 1.3 million EVs in September, a record-breaking month powered by strong BEV demand. Pure-electric sales rose 28% year-over-year to 800,000 units, while PHEVs and range-extended EVs dipped by 2% to 470,000.
China has sold nearly 9 million EVs YTD, up 24% from 2024, cementing its position as the world’s largest and most mature EV market.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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On today’s hyped up hybrid episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the first extended range electric Jeep in North America – the 500-mile new Grand Wagoneer PLUS news that Mazda is getting into the plug-in price war, and a whole lot more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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