Tesla (TSLA) has to replace computer in ~4 million cars or compensate their owners
Tesla (TSLA) has to replace the ‘self-driving’ computer inside about 4 million vehicles or likely compensate the owners of those vehicles.
The liability could be more significant than the largest automotive recall in terms of cost.
In 2016, Tesla claimed that all its vehicles in production going forward have “all the hardware necessary for full self-driving capability.”
Tesla’s use of the term “full self-driving” has changed over the years, but at the time and for years later, CEO Elon Musk claimed that it would mean Tesla owners would eventually receive a software update that would turn their vehicles into “robotaxis” capable of level-4-5 self-driving, which means unsupervised autonomous driving even with no one in the cars.
Almost 10 years later, this has yet to happen and won’t happen soon in most of the cars Tesla has delivered over the last decade.
Tesla’s claim that its vehicles have “all the hardware necessary for full self-driving capability” quickly proved untrue.
At the time, Tesla was producing its vehicles with cameras, a front-facing radar, ultrasonic sensors, and a “self-driving” computer, called HW2.5.”
Tesla quickly started building new vehicles with a new “HW3 self-driving computer” and admitted that its HW2.5 computer was not powerful enough to achieve self-driving capability.
The automaker started retrofitting existing HW2.5 vehicles for free with new HW3 computers owned by drivers who bought Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ (FSD) software package.
In 2023-2024, Tesla transitioned to another new and more powerful “self-driving computer”, HW4, in its new vehicles.
Unlike when it transitioned from HW2.5 to HW3, this time, Tesla claimed it would still be able to deliver its robotaxi self-driving capability to HW3 vehicles.
Musk even claimed that FSD will get better on HW3 first, as Tesla’s “focus needs to be on getting FSD on HW3 working super well and provided internationally”. He went as far as claiming that FSD performance on “HW4 will lag at least 6 months behind HW3” because of this.
That didn’t last long.
In 2024, we started to report that Tesla was reaching the limits of the HW3 computer, while the capabilities were nowhere near the promised unsupervised robotaxi-level autonomous driving.
It took another 6 months, but in January 2025, Musk finally admitted that HW3 computers are not powerful enough to achieve unsupervised self-driving capability.
There are about 4 million Tesla vehicles in the world with HW3 computers:
| Hardware Version | Production Timeframe | Estimated Vehicles Produced (Global) | Rollout & Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| HW3 (FSD Computer) | Apr 2019 – Late 2023 (phased out) | ~4 million (approx.) | Standard in all models from 2019–2022; remained in some cars through 2023. Overlap with HW4 during 2023. |
| HW4 (FSD Computer) | Jan 2023 – Present (ongoing) | ~2.5–3 million (approx.) | Introduced Jan 2023 (S/X first); became standard across all models by early 2024. Overlapped with HW3 in 2023. |
When admitting the computer won’t support the promised self-driving capabilities, Musk said that Tesla would retrofit the computers of all HW3 car owners who purchased the FSD package:
I mean, I think the honest answer is that we’re going to have to upgrade people’s Hardware 3 computer for those that have bought full self-driving, and that is the honest answer and that’s going to be painful and difficult but we’ll get it done. Now I’m kind of glad that not that many people bought the FSD package.
Musk says that replacing all the computers will be “painful,” and he is “glad” that “not that many people bought the FSD package.”
Tesla never disclosed the official take rate of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) package, but it did disclose having 400,000 FSD beta testers in North America by the end of 2022.
The take-rate is believed to be much lower globally due to the limited value in other markets where Tesla offers fewer ADAS features under the FSD package.
Globally, it’s safe to assume at least another 100,000 HW3 vehicles with the FSD package, which should bring Tesla’s retrofit requirement to over half a million units.
Musk is right to say that replacing the computers in over 500,000 Tesla vehicles will be “painful.” It will strain its service capacity tremendously, on top of the cost, which will easily surpass $500 million.
But that might just be the beginning.
Tesla promised self-driving hardware in all cars
Musk and Tesla not only made promises to those who bought the FSD package, but they promised anyone buying Tesla vehicles since 2016 had “all the hardware necessary for full self-driving capability.”
As we previously reported, Tesla removed the claim from its website last year and changed the language around the FSD package, which was likely aimed at weakening claims for Tesla HW4 owners, but the case for HW3 owners is more straightforward.
In 2019, Musk claimed “Tesla vehicles are now appreciating assets” because of their future self-driving capabilities. Of course, this proved to be completely wrong.
But there’s one thing that’s true about the value of Tesla vehicles: they would be worth more if they had computers capable of supporting self-driving, which Musk just admitted is not the case. That’s regardless of whether they bought the FSD package or not.
Therefore, there’s a strong argument to be made that Tesla needs to replace computers in all HW3 cars or at the very least, compensate the owners for falsely claiming that the vehicles had “all the hardware necessary for self-driving.”
In fact, there’s already legal precedent for this.
In 2022, a judge ordered Tesla to upgrade a customer’s self-driving computer for free so that they can subscribe to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving program without any additional cost. It created a precedent for Tesla owners who don’t purchase the FSD package.
Based on Tesla’s statement that “all cars produced since 2016 have the hardware necessary for full self-driving capability,” the owners of those vehicles need to have all the hardware necessary to have access to these features.
It’s a clear case of false advertising. Tesla says, “Your car has all the hardware necessary for full self-driving,” and when an owner wants to try the features, Tesla tells them, “You have to pay $1,000 for us to upgrade your hardware.” Something doesn’t add up.
Electrek’s Take
I would be surprised if Tesla does as Musk claimed and replaces HW3 computers in any car, let alone over half a million cars, or as it should be, about 4 million vehicles.
It’s too complicated and costly. It would add hundreds of thousands of work hours to Tesla’s already ultra-busy service operations, and it may not even work.
After being wrong about HW2.5 and HW3, the level of confidence in Tesla achieving unsupervised self-driving on HW4 vehicles is not really high, despite HW4 vehicles not only having more powerful computers but also better cameras.
I don’t think it’s realistic to believe that Tesla will enable level 4 or 5 self-driving capabilities in what are, in some cases, almost 10-year-old vehicles through a computer retrofit.
My 2018 Model 3 Performance was originally a HW 2.5 vehicle, and I purchased the FSD package. Tesla upgraded my computer to HW3 in 2019. We are now in 2025, and Musk finally admitted that the computer I bought 6 years ago won’t enable the self-driving capacity I was promised.
My car will never be self-driving, and I don’t believe Tesla will ever offer a free computer upgrade.
I think Tesla will have to compensate every Tesla HW3 owner worldwide. That would mean about 4 million vehicles and a liability of several billion dollars.
At first, instead of the computer retrofit, I think Tesla will use this as an opportunity to encourage people to upgrade, like it did with the “FSD transfer windows.” Maybe it will offer buybacks at a higher rate to compensate owners.
As for those who didn’t buy the FSD package, I don’t think Tesla will offer anything based on Musk’s messaging. It will have to go through the courts.
There are already several lawsuits filed against Tesla over its self-driving claims, and that was before Musk’s admission that HW3 won’t support unsupervised self-driving. I believe that those lawsuits will ramp up this year.
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Duracell, the iconic US battery brand that started in the 1920s, is crossing the Atlantic to launch its first-ever EV fast charging network, Duracell E-Charge, in the UK.
Sales of gas and diesel cars will end by 2030 in the UK, which is driving EV sales and charging infrastructure growth. With more than £200 million ($266 million) in planned investment over the next decade, Duracell E-Charge is getting on the bandwagon with an aim to improve the fast charging experience.
Duracell has licensed its new network to Elektra Charge, a charge point operator set up to run the Duracell E-Charge network. The EV Network (EVN), one of the UK’s top charging infrastructure developers, will fund and build the charging hubs.
“The need for faster, more reliable charging to keep pace with EV adoption is clear,” said Reza Shaybani, CEO of The EV Network. “Duracell E-Charge is a direct response to that challenge.”
Duracell’s EV fast charging network will feature 400 kW ultra-fast chargers where drivers can pay via app, contactless, or plug-and-go. Each site will have intuitive interfaces, clear signage, and 24/7 support.
The first six Duracell E-Charge sites will come online in 2025. The Sunday Times reported that Duracell plans to grow its charging network to at least 100 charging stations with at least 500 charging points by 2030. The hubs will be strategically located along major motorways, near retail and hospitality venues, and at key city gateways.
“Charging your car should be as simple as changing the batteries in your remote,” said Mark Bloxham, managing director of Duracell E-Charge. “Plug. Play. Go.”
Electrek’s Take
I asked Duracell whether it had plans to launch Duracell E-Charge in the US, and I’ll update this story if I hear back. But if you want to know why this American legacy company launched its first DC fast charging network in the UK instead of the US, it’s a simple answer. Business-friendly, stable government policy.
Read more: InstaVolt is using GPS tracking to catch thieves stealing its EV charging cables
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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 model arriving, Ford is offering a few deals on current Lightning models that are hard to pass up. 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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Environment
Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station and bundles 50% off early-bird savings, Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus at new low, more
This week’s Green Deals are kicking off with a new release, as Anker launches its SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station 50% off early-bird savings that will score the power station (as well as bundle options) starting from $749 on October 28. Right behind it, as part of Jackery’s extended Prime Day Sale (lasting only a few more days), you can find the brand’s latest HomePower 3600 Plus Portable Power Station and bundles at new low prices starting from $1,519, which also comes with a FREE refurbished Explorer 300 Plus station ($299 value). We also have a selection of 1.3 to 18-gallon Camplux electric water heater discounts, BougeRV’s 2-bike carrier for SUVs and trucks back at its lowest price, and many extended/ongoing Prime Day Sales waiting for you below – with many more available to browse in our Post-Prime Day Green Deals hub here, like Lectric’s Better-Than-Prime e-bike Sale that is ending tonight.
Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.
Anker kicks off 50% early-bird discounts on new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station starting from $749
Anker has launched its early-bird savings promotion on its upcoming SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station which is offering up to 50% off the station and/or its bundle until its official launch on October 28. Subscribing on the page here before then gives you an emailed code to score this new power station at $749 shipped once it goes live on launch day, as well as its bundle options for either an expansion battery or a 400W solar panel at up to $1,249 off. This all-new second-generation model will carry a full $1,499 MSRP outside of sales, while the 400W solar bundle will go for $2,398 and the expansion battery bundle will go for $2,498 – and jumping on these savings now scores you 50% off all the options! Head below to get a rundown on what to expect, and be sure to make your decisions before this juicy deal ends.
Following the same trend as the C1000 Gen 2 model, the brand’s new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station comes as a redesigned update to the brand’s popular F2000 legacy unit, with more power output and faster recharging times, all packed into a lighter and more compact unit. It starts with the same 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity that can expand up to 4,096Wh with the extra battery bundle. It boasts 11 output ports (five ACs, one TT-30R RV port, three USB-Cs, one USB-A, and a car port) through which it can produce up to 2,400W of steady power and surge as high as 4,000W (beating the F2000 by 400W).
You’ll have six main ways to recharge the battery on the new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2, including an AC outlet, a gas generator, solar panels, AC and solar together for its fastest speeds (45 mins to 80%, 58 mins to 100%), your car’s auxiliary port, or by utilizing the brand’s new alternator charger that will launch next month. Some other notable features include its 9W idle power draw, which is quite impressive, as well as the brand’s claim that it can run an 190W refrigerator for up to 32 hours, and more.
Jackery’s latest HomePower 3600 Plus power station and bundles at new lows from $1,519 + FREE gifts
Jackery has changed up its Prime Day Sale into the renamed Fall into Power Sale for the last three days of the event, with continued low prices across many units, as well as two tiers of bonus savings and select free gifts. Among the lineup, you’ll find Jackery’s latest HomePower 3600 Plus Portable Power Station starting from $1,519.05 shipped, after using the code OFFER5 at checkout for an additional 5% savings, and you’ll even be getting a FREE refurbished Explorer 300 Plus power station (valued at $299). Last month, we saw it launch with early-bird savings from its $2,799 MSRP to $1,699, with these Prime Day savings promotions giving folks even greater savings of $1,280 ($1,579 with the free station) that lands it at a new all-time low price, which beats out Amazon’s pricing by $80.
If you want to learn more about this all-new station, as well as its bundle options and the other extra savings promotions, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here.
Camplux’s 8-gallon mini under-sink electric water heater back at $208 low, more from $136
Looking in on its official Amazon storefront, Camplux is offering some good savings on under-sink and floor/wall mountable electric water heaters, with the 8-Gallon Mini Electric Water Heater standing atop the hill at $207.99 shipped. Normally $260 at full price, discounts before July regularly brought the costs down to $225, with a fall to $212 in late March. We first saw things drop lower to this rate during July’s Prime Day event, with that deal having repeated a few times in the months since. You’re getting another chance at this all-time low price again today, with $52 cut from the going rate.
If you want to learn more about this under-sink water heater, or its alternate-sized counterparts that are also seeing discounts, be sure to check out our original coverage of these deals here.
BougeRV’s 2-bike carrier for SUVs and trucks boasts a tilting feature and 150-pound payload for a $180 low
Through its official Amazon storefront, BougeRV is offering its Lockable Hitch Mount 2-Bike Carrier for SUVs & Trucks at $179.99 shipped. Normally going for $260 at full price, this bike mount was mostly seen dropping as low as $200 until mid-September, when this lower rate first appeared. Now it’s coming back for a second time, giving you a 31% markdown that saves you $80 from the full rate, landing it back at its all-time lowest price.
If you want to learn more about this handy add-on rack, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.
Best Fall EV deals!
- Velotric Nomad 2X e-bike (camo) with DELTA 3 Plus station: $3,048 (Reg. $3,298)
- Velotric Nomad 2X e-bike (sage or fig) with DELTA 3 Plus station: $2,948 (Reg. $3,298)
- Aventon Ramblas Electric Mountain Bike: $2,599 (Reg. $2,899)
- Ride1Up Prodigy v2 Brose Mid-Drive Gates Belt CVT e-bike: $2,595 (Reg. $2,795)
- Ride1Up Revv 1 DRT Off-Road Moped-Style e-bike: $2,395 (Reg. $2,595)
- Ride1Up Revv 1 Full Suspension Moped-Style e-bike: $2,395 (Reg. $2,595)
- Heybike Hero 750W Mid-Drive Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike (new low): $2,299 (Reg. $3,099)
- Heybike Hero 1,000W Carbon-Fiber All-Terrain e-bike (new low): $2,099 (Reg. $2,599)
- Velotric Nomad 2 All-Terrain e-bike with $120 bundle (new): $1,999 (No price cut)
- Rad Power Radster Road Commuter e-bike: $1,999 (Reg. $2,199)
- Rad Power Radster Trail Off-Road e-bike: $1,999 (Reg. $2,199)
- Lectric XPedition 2.0 35Ah Cargo e-bike w/ up to $694 bundle: $1,999 (Reg. $2,693)
- Ride1Up Prodigy v2 Brose Mid-Drive 9-Speed e-bike: $1,995 (Reg. $2,495)
- Tenways AGO X All-Terrain e-bike with $307 bundle: $1,899 (Reg. $2,499)
- Lectric ONE Long-Range Belt-Drive e-bike with $220 bundle: $1,899 (Reg. $2,619)
- Velotric Fold 1 Plus e-bike (gray or white) with DELTA 2 station: $1,898 (Reg. $2,198)
- Velotric Fold 1 Plus e-bike (mango or blue) with DELTA 2 station: $1,828 (Reg. $2,198)
- Rad Power RadRunner Plus Cargo Utility e-bike with extra battery: $1,799 (No price cut)
- Aventon Abound SR Smart Cargo e-bike (new, first discount): $1,799 (Reg. $1,899)
- Lectric XP Trike2 750 Long-Range eTrike with $455 preorder bundle: $1,799 (Reg. $2,254)
- Velotric Breeze 1 Cruiser e-bike with $150 bundle (new, first discount): $1,699 (Reg. $1,799)
- Aventon Pace 4 Smart Cruiser e-bike (new, second-ever discount): $1,699 (Reg. $1,799)
- Rad Power RadExpand 5 Plus Folding e-bike (lowest price): $1,699 (Reg. $1,899)
- Lectric XPedition 2.0 26Ah Cargo e-bike w/ $545 bundle: $1,699 (Reg. $2,244)
- Lectric XPeak 2.0 Long-Range Off-Road e-bike with $415 bundle: $1,699 (Reg. $2,114)
- Rad Power RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike with extra battery: $1,599 (Reg. $1,799)
- Aventon Abound Cargo e-bike: $1,599 (Reg. $1,999)
- Ride1Up VORSA Modular Multi-Use e-bike (first discount): $1,595 (Reg. $1,695)
- Rad Power RadRunner Cargo Utility e-bike with extra battery: $1,499 (No pirce cut)
- Lectric XPeak 2.0 Standard Off-Road e-bike with $247 bundle: $1,499 (Reg. $1,746)
- Lectric XP Trike2 with $257 bundle: $1,499 (Reg. $1,756)
- Rad Power RadWagon 4 Cargo e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,799)
- Tenways CGO600 Pro e-bikes with $118 bundle: $1,499 (Reg. $1,899)
- Velotric Nomad 1 Plus All-Terrain e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,899)
- Aventon Aventure 2 All-Terrain e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,999)
- Aventon Sinch 2 Folding e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,699)
- Lectric XPedition 2.0 13Ah Cargo e-bike with $346 bundle: $1,399 (Reg. $1,745)
- Aventon Level 2 Commuter e-bike: $1,499 (Reg. $1,899)
- Rad Power RadRover 6 Plus Step-Thru Fat Tire e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,599)
- Velotric T1 ST Plus Lightweight e-bike: $1,399 (Reg. $1,649)
- Heybike ALPHA All-Terrain e-bike (new low): $1,399 (Reg. $1,699)
- Ride1Up Roadster V3 Lightweight Premium e-bike: $1,395 (Reg. $1,495)
- Hiboy TITAN Pro Electric Scooter (new model, code HSTP10): $1,350 (Reg. $2,000)
- Lectric XPress 750 Commuter e-bikes with $415 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,714)
- Lectric XP4 750 LR Folding Utility e-bikes with $394 bundle: $1,299 (Reg. $1,693)
- Heybike Hauler Dual-Battery Cargo e-bike (new low): $1,299 (Reg. $1,899)
- Heybike Horizon Full-Suspension e-bike (second-ever low): $1,299 (Reg. $1,999)
- Heybike Mars 2.0 Folding Fat-Tire e-bike with extra battery: $1,199 (Reg. $1,848)
- Lectric XP Lite 2.0 JW Black LR e-bike with $439 bundle: $1,099 (Reg. $1,538)
- Ride1Up Portola Folding e-bike: $1,095 (Reg. $1,095)
- Hiboy TITAN Electric Scooter (new model, code HST9): $1,001 (Reg. $1,700)
- Lectric XP4 Standard Folding Utility e-bikes with $79 bundle: $999 (Reg. $1,078)
- Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes with $439 bundles: $999 (Reg. $1,438)
- Heybike Hauler Single-Battery Cargo e-bike (new low): $899 (Reg. $1,499)
- Segway E3 Pro Electric Scooter: $600 (Reg. $700)
Best new Green Deals landing this week
The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.
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