Connect with us

Published

9 months ago

on

Tesla Cybercab steering wheel hero

A Tesla Cybercab, or Robotaxi, Tesla has been using the names alternatively, has been spotted with a steering wheel – raising questions.

Last year, Tesla unveiled the Cybercab, a two-seat steering wheel-less electric vehicle that the automaker claims will power a fleet of autonomous ride-hailing vehicles.

At the unveiling, Tesla gave some rides in the vehicle, but it was on a closed circuits on private roads with teleoperations. The vehicle didn’t display capabilities much more advanced than what it already deployed in customer vehicles.

Many industry watchers are skeptical about the vehicle because it relies on the same ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised)’ technology in Tesla’s existing vehicles. However, Tesla is betting that it will be able to make it “unsupervised” by the time this vehicle gets into production in 2026 since it doesn’t have a steering wheel to be “supervised” like Tesla’s existing customer fleet.

As we have often reported, the only data available on Tesla’s Full Self-Driving program suggests that this is highly unlikely.

But now, a Tesla Cybercab has been spotted with a steering wheel at Gigafactory Texas:

The picture was taken by Joe Tegtmeyer, who often flies drones over Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas in Austin.

Some questioned whether the image showed a wheel or a shadow, but it becomes quite clear that it is a steering wheel when playing with image’s contrast and exposure:

This is raising some questions. Some are questioning if it means Tesla is also planning a consumer version of the vehicle with a steering wheel, but that sounds like wishful thinking as Tesla insisted that this vehicle will launch without a steering wheel.

The more likely explanation is that Tesla is using a steering wheel to test the vehicle with driver supervision, as its current technology relies on it. This also enables it to avoid some reporting regulations regarding autonomous driving test programs.

The sighting is also interesting with the context of Elon Musk’s recent claim that Tesla is conducting ‘unsupervised self-driving trials’ with employees.

We questioned this claim, which he made off the cuff when playing a video game, as Tesla has no autonomous driving test permit. It sounds like he either confused it with the supervised ride-hailing service for employees in the Bay Area announced last quarter or the limited testing with Cybercabs at Gigafafactory Texas’ private roads that we have seen before.

This Cybercab with a steering wheel could show that Tesla is actually conducting these trials supervised, which would make more sense.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Environment

Lectric Spooky Sale takes up to $762 off e-bike bundles + FREE mystery gifts, save up to exclusive $970 on refurbished Anker SOLIX units, more

Published

2 hours ago

on

October 16, 2025

By

Lectric Spooky Sale takes up to 2 off e-bike bundles + FREE mystery gifts, save up to exclusive 0 on refurbished Anker SOLIX units, more


Leading today’s Green Deals is Lectric’s freshly launched Spooky Sale that is increasing savings on e-bike bundles up to $762 while also offering two FREE mystery gifts with select models. Among the lineup, we’re seeing Lectric’s XP4 750 Folding Utility e-bikes getting their largest bundles of up to $514 in free gear at $1,299, with plenty of other notable packages to jump on. From there, we also have up to $970 in exclusive savings on 10 refurbished Anker SOLIX power stations, solar bundles, and accessories starting from $113, as well as a spotlight on Segway’s ZT3 Pro All-Terrain Electric Scooter at its $850 low, Anker’s SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 station at its second-best pricing, a one-day-only deal on the EverFrost 2 58L Dual-Zone Electric Cooler, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Bluetti Pioneer Na(Sodium) power station launch with exclusive savings, the $1,116 in savings on Tenways’ largest AGO X e-bike bundle, and more.

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.

Lectric Spooky Sale offers increased savings up to $762 on e-bike bundles with bonus mystery gifts starting from $999

Lectric has launched its Spooky Sale lasting only a week that is increasing savings on e-bike bundles up to $762 while also offering two FREE mystery gifts on select models. Among this event’s bunch, we’re seeing this special Halloween promotion included with the XP4 750 Long-Range Folding Utility e-bikes at $1,299 shipped, which come with up to $514 in FREE bundled gear and the mystery gifts. You’d be paying $1,693 to $1,813 for these bundles at full price, depending on which colorways/frame you choose. The brand’s Labor Day Sale saw the largest previous bundles ($404) on this new model since releasing in May, which is getting beaten out by the Stratus White and Raindrop Blue Step-Thru models’ packages of $514, while the others are getting $394 bundles. You’ll also find its standard XP4 counterparts getting $79 bundles at $999 shipped. Find out more about this e-bike below or by reading our hands-on review here.

Lectric’s XP4 750 e-bike has become my go-to means of traveling around Brooklyn in the few months I’ve had it, and I’m certain it will be winning the brand another award as the top-selling e-bike in America, which was my conclusion after going hands-on in my review. The standard XP4 e-bike sports a capable 500W brushless geared hub motor (that peaks at 1,092W) alongside a 10.4Ah battery, whereas the XP4 750 e-bike brings along a larger 750W motor (1,310W peak) and a 17.5Ah battery combo that boosts travel times from the standard 50-mile pedal-assisted range up as far as 85 miles. Both e-bikes utilize Stealth M24 tech in the motors for quieter performance, with top 20/28 MPH top speeds, depending on your state-specific laws.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

If you’re unaware, Lectric made some serious redesigns with this new generation, including the zero-degree stem, detachable TFT display, and the highly applauded repositioning of its side key location/charging port on top of the keyless riding functionality. Of course, there’s plenty more to love, like the hydraulic brakes, puncture-resistant mixed-terrain tires, the integrated taillight with both brake lighting and turn signals, the Shimano Altus 8-speed derailleur, and more.

Lectric XP4 e-bikes with up to $514 bundles (and gifts):

XPedition 2.0 e-bikes with up to $762 bundles (and gifts):

Trike2 offers with up to $558 bundles (and gifts):

XPress 750 e-bikes with $439 bundle (and gifts):

XP Lite 2.0 LR e-bikes with $414 bundles (and gifts):

XPeak 2.0 offers with up to $404 bundles (and gifts):

ONE LR Belt-Drive e-bike with $288 bundle (and gifts):

family brings anker solix f3800 power station with them towards RV

Save up to an exclusive $970 on refurbished Anker SOLIX units like the F3800 power station at a second-best $1,709

We’ve secured exclusive discounts from Wellbots on a collection of 10 different refurbished Anker SOLIX power stations, solar generator bundles, and add-on accessories that total up to $970 in savings. One of the notable standouts that is also seeing the largest price cut is the Anker SOLIX F3800 Portable Power Station at $1,709.05 shipped, after using the exclusive code 9TO5RBANKER at checkout for an additional 5% off. This renewed model is dropping from $2,679 to $1,799 with the starting discount, and the exclusive code cuts an extra $90 from the tag – which beats out the best pricing we’ve seen on a new unit by $490. We’ve had two previous exclusive deals on this refurbished station over the year, with today’s deal only beaten out by a drop to $1,699 from May. You’re getting the second-best price here with a $970 markdown, landing it just $10 shy of the May low.

If you want to learn more about this power station, or check out the full 10-unit lineup of refurbished units, be sure to check out our original coverage of these exclusive deals here.

man riding segway zt3 pro electric scooter through mud

Travel all terrains on Segway’s ZT3 Pro e-scooter with Apple Find My and proximity locking at its $850 low

Looking in on Segway’s extended Fall Prime Day Sale, you have through the rest of the week to hop on the ZT3 Pro Electric All-Terrain Scooter at $849.99 shipped, which also matches the price at Amazon. While it may carry a $1,300 MSRP direct from Segway, you can normally find it down at $1,000 at Amazon. We saw it previously drop to this rate for the first and only time during July’s Prime Day event, with this being the second chance at its best pricing. You’ll be scoring $150 off the going rate (and $450 off the MSRP) for the all-time lowest price we have tracked. Be sure to check out the full lineup of Segway EV Prime Day deals in our original coverage here.

If you want to learn more about this e-scooter, specifically, be sure to check out our original spotlight coverage of this deal here, while you can also browse the full lineup of Segway EV Prime Day deals in our original coverage of the sale here.

anker solix c1000 gen 2 power station in kitchen powering coffee machine for man and woman

Missed Prime Day? Anker’s new SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 power station is at its next-best $429 price

If you pop in on Anker’s official Amazon storefront, you can currently pick up the new SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station at $429 shipped, which beats out the brand’s direct website by $70. We saw this new backup power solution fall to a new $379 low at Amazon during its Prime Day event last week, while the brand’s direct Prime sale only saw it discounted to today’s rate. If you missed out on that two-day all-time low, you can score it at the next-best price while these savings last. Learn more about it in our hands-on tested review here, while also checking out the early-bird savings on the new SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station here.

You can also learn more about this all-new model by checking out our original coverage of this deal here.

anker solix everfrost 2 electric cooler in the middle of the desert

Forget ice runs with Anker’s SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L dual-zone electric cooler at $720 (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L Cordless Dual-Zone Electric Cooler at $719.99 shipped, which beats out Amazon’s current pricing by $179. While it carries an $1,100 MSRP, you’ll more regularly find it around $900 these days, with discounts having gone as low as $719 since it hit the market in March, with that price having only appeared once back during July’s Prime Day event. You’re looking at the next-best rate that only lasts through the rest of the day, giving you up to $380 off the MSRP and equips your outdoor gatherings with a reliable means to keep things chilled and/or frozen.

You can learn more about this cooler by checking out our original coverage of this one-day-only deal here.

Best Fall EV deals!

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.


Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google
Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla brings back ‘Mad Max’ ‘Full Self-Driving’ mode that ignores speed limits

Published

2 hours ago

on

October 16, 2025

By

Tesla brings back 'Mad Max' 'Full Self-Driving' mode that ignores speed limits

Tesla Mad Max Mode

Tesla has brought back its ‘Mad Max’ mode for its ‘Full Self-Driving (Supervised) that ignores speed limits amid several regulatory investigations into Tesla’s system being dangerous.

Between wrongful death lawsuits from customers and pressure from regulators, including the California DMV and NHTSA, one would think that Tesla would be more careful about its communications regarding its advanced driver assist systems.

But no.

On the contrary, Tesla is bringing back the controversially named “Mad Max” mode in its Full Self-Driving (Supervised), a level 2 advanced driver assistance system that Tesla claims will become level 4 fully autonomous in the near future – something it claimed every year for the last 7 years.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Last week, Tesla released its FSD v14 update, the first significant update in a year, and it included a new mode: Sloth Mode, which drives slower.

Now, Tesla has pushed another update, FSD v14.1.2, which adds another mode on the other end of the spectrum: Mad Max.

The automaker wrote in the release notes:

Introduced new speed profile MAD MAX, which comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than HURRY.

It’s not the first time Tesla has introduced this mode, whose name is borrowed from the popular series of post-apocalyptic movies, in which people are known for driving aggressively.

The Mad Max mode was first introduced in the early days of Tesla Autopilot, the precursor to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD), back in 2018.

At the time, CEO Elon Musk presented the feature as being more aggressive in doing lane changes and navigating more challenging traffic situations. He specifically mentioned Los Angeles.

The new Mad Max mode in Tesla FSD is marketed similarly. It hasn’t been out for 24 hours, and it has already been spotted rolling stop signs and driving more than 15 mph (24 km/h) over the speed limit.

In 2022, Tesla was forced by NHTSA to recall FSD Beta due to making rolling stops.

Electrek’s Take

Tesla loves to play with fire.

NHSTA initiated four separate investigations into FSD over the past year. The company is awaiting a judge’s decision in a case against California DMV over the naming of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.

Amid all that, Tesla decides to launch a feature called Mad Max.

Even if it were incredibly safe, it would be pretty dumb.

As usual, I like to remind readers that Tesla doesn’t take any responsibility for its ADAS system, Autopilot, and Full Self-Driving. They require drivers to pay attention at all times and be ready to take control. They can make dumb mistakes at the worst time.


Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google
Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

NACFE study: electric semi trucks can go the distance, TODAY

Published

2 hours ago

on

October 16, 2025

By

NACFE study: electric semi trucks can go the distance, TODAY

The death of range anxiety

A new study from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) challenges the notion that battery electric semi trucks can’t serve long-haul logistics, but they’re not presenting a slide deck made by pencil-pushers and spreadsheets. They’re proving HDEVs are ready with real-world electric semi trucks covering hundreds of miles every day.

NACFE recently wrapped its “Run On Less – Messy Middle” technology demonstration showcasing a mix of “clean” trucking technologies that includes diesels, bio-diesel, natural gas, hydrogen, and (of course) BEVs in a full range of duty cycles across 13 active fleets in the US and Canada — and, while I’ve criticized NACFE for taking Shell’s money and continuing to promote a “Messy Middle” message that I find disingenuous, they’re doing some pretty heavy lifting here to show that battery electric semis are more ready for prime-time than most fleet managers might believe.

“Take a moment, plan your route from Seattle, Washington, to Bozeman, Montana, on I-90. Your mapping program will tell you that it is 677 miles and will take an estimated 10 hours and 2 minutes. Then day two of your drive from Bozeman to Fargo, North Dakota, on I-94 racks up another 750 miles taking an estimated 10 hours and 29 minutes [and so on],” writes Rick Mihelic, Director of Emerging Technologies at NACFE, for the Commercial Carrier Journal. “On the fifth day, push on into New York City, adding 614 miles. In five days, you’ve taken your truck the width of the country, accumulating 2,967 legal hours-of-service miles.”

“Congratulations,” he adds, somewhat sarcastically. “You’ve just proven a battery electric truck can’t do what a diesel truck can.”

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Instead of presenting a hypothetical scenario specifically designed to showcase the strength of existing diesel infrastructure, however, Mihelic proposes an alternative perspective: a real-world example, from a real-world fleet.

“Start in Midland, Texas, and head south to Laredo, racking up a 470 mile day,” . On day two, run around Laredo picking up loads then head north to Junction, Texas, to complete a 301 mile day. Then on day three head to Santa Teresa, New Mexico, getting in 447 miles. On day four, head to Phoenix, another 473 miles. On day five, push on into San Bernadino, California, adding 293 miles. Five days in a truck, a total of 1,984 miles.”

That route? It’s 100% electric. And it’s not the only one.

Real road ready

Granted, 1,984 miles is significantly less than 2,967, but that’s not the point. Over the course of their telematics driven research, the NACFE team tested three BEV semis — a Volvo VNR Electric, a Freightliner eCascadia, and a Windrose R700 — and all of them successfully fulfilled their duties, covering hundreds of miles each day with loads of up to 55,000 lbs.

And they did it, in the real world, without burning a drop of diesel.

Some diesel advocates often over-emphasize the narrative about long-haul trucking, giving the impression that all Class 8 trucks run more than 600 miles per day and they all are running heavy at 80,000 lbs. maximum weights. Facts don’t seem to bother those people. The reality is that the average truck loading is often less than 70,000 lbs., that anywhere from one-tenth to half the time the trucks are running empty back hauls. And especially, they ignore all the telematics data out there from multiple credible sources that show that most trucks are operating less than 500 miles per day.

It’s called misinformation, and it has served vested interests very well. But facts are facts. Battery electric trucks can go the distance.

RICK MIHELIC | NACFE

The NACFE study is the latest in a string of real-world, fact-based reports looking at real-world fleet operations and telematics and coming to the conclusion that, while BEVs may not be ready to replace all diesel trucks today, they can certainly replace a lot of them.

Back in June, we covered an Altitude by Geotab study published earlier this quarter analyzed 2024 aggregated data from Geotab-connected commercial vehicles, revealing that 58% of medium-duty trucks and 41% of heavy-duty trucks drive less than 250 miles between depots. The study focused on medium-duty (Classes 3-6) and heavy-duty (Classes 7-8) truck data gathered from driving patterns, routes, and stops on real roads to determine the feasibility of electric and alt-fuel truck adoption and to help identify the most strategic locations for charging infrastructure build out.

“The trucking industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need for efficiency, sustainability, and economic benefits,” explains Nate Veeh, AVP of Market Development at Altitude by Geotab. “Our analysis reveals that a substantial portion of medium- and heavy-duty trucks have daily driving patterns that are well-suited for electrification … by using data insights, utilities and other key stakeholders can pinpoint where truck concentrations are and understand their aggregate driving behaviors, to make informed decisions in terms of truck electrification and the subsequent demands on energy grids and location of EV charging networks.”

Telematics integrations can also help optimize a fleet’s charging schedules, both by scheduling EV charging for lower priced, off-peak hours and by identifying the most dependable high-speed charging stations along regular routes to minimize down time for both vehicles and drivers.

Finally, these data-driven platforms can provide fleet managers tools for tracking and reporting things like carbon emissions and overall energy consumption, which can streamline ESG reporting processes and make it easier for the worker bees to get regulators, administrators, and managers the sort of charts, tables, and graphs they love.

You can check out the data for yourself at the source links, above, then let us know what you think about the future of electric heavy transport in the comments.

SOURCES | IMAGES: CCJ Digital; featured image by Maersk, via Volvo Trucks.

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.


Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google
Add Electrek as a preferred source on Google

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending