Connect with us

Published

on

A new Tesla prototype was spotted again, reigniting speculation among Tesla shareholders, even though it’s likely just a Model Y, potentially a bit smaller, and the upcoming stripped-down, cheaper version.

Over the last few months, there have been several sightings of what appears to be a Model Y with camouflage around Tesla’s Fremont factory.

It sparked a lot of speculation about it being the new “affordable” compact Tesla vehicle.

There’s confusion in the Tesla community around Tesla’s upcoming “affordable” vehicles because CEO Elon Musk falsely denied a report last year about Tesla’s “$25,000” EV model being canceled.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The facts are that Musk canceled two cheaper vehicles that Tesla was working on, commonly referred as “the $25,000 Tesla” in early 2024. Those vehicles were codenamed NV91 and NV92, and they were based on the new vehicle platform that Tesla is now reserving for the Cybercab.

Instead, Musk noticed that Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y production lines were starting to be underutilized as the Company faced demand issues. Therefore, Tesla canceled the vehicles program based on the new platform and decided to build new vehicles on Model 3/Y platform using the same production lines.

We previously reported that these electric vehicles will likely look very similar to Model 3 and Model Y.

In recent months, several other media reports reinforced this, and Tesla all but confirmed it during its latest earnings call, when it stated that it is “limited in how different vehicles can be when built on the same production lines.”

Now, the same Tesla prototype has been spotted over the last few days, and it sent the Tesla shareholders community into a frenzy of speculations:

Electrek’s Take

As we have repeatedly reported over the last year, the new “affordable” Tesla “models” coming are basically only stripped-down Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

They might end up being a little smaller by a few inches, and Tesla may use different model names, but they will be extremely similar.

If this is it, which is possible, you can see it looks almost exactly like a Model Y.

It’s hard to confirm if it’s indeed smaller because of the angle of the vehicle compared to the other Model Ys, but it’s not impossible that the wheelbase is a bit smaller – although it’s hard to confirm.

Either way, the most significant changes for these stripped-down, more affordable “models” are expected to be cheaper interior materials, like textile seats instead of vegan leather, no heated or ventilated seats standard, no rear screen, maybe even no double-panned acoustic glass and a lesser audio system.

As previously stated, the real goal of these new variants, or models, is to lower the average sale price in order to combat decreasing demand and maintain or increase the utilization rate of Tesla’s current production lines, which have been throttled down in the last few years to now about 60% utilization.

If this trend continues, Tesla would find itself in trouble and may even have to close its factories.

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

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla owner admits to driving drunk on Full Self-Driving, proving Tesla needs to do more

Published

on

By

Tesla owner admits to driving drunk on Full Self-Driving, proving Tesla needs to do more

A Tesla owner admitted on video that he drives drunk on Full Self-Driving (FSD) – showing that Tesla doesn’t do enough to prevent abuse of its driver assist system.

29-year-old social media personality Landon Bridges went on comedian Bert Kreischer’s cooking show ‘Something’s Burning’ this week.

During the show, they were drinking, and Bridges admitted to being drunk. While visibly intoxicated, he accepted another drink from Kreischeir and then added:

“You know what’s the biggest game changer for me in 2025? I bought a Tesla, and it has Autopilot.”

Advertisement – scroll for more content

He then looked at Kreischer suggestively – hinting that you can use it when drunk.

Kreischer responded: “Does it work like that?” – suggesting that it is good enough to use while intoxicated – and then said in a drunk voice: “Tesla, take me home.”

The only answer here would be: “No, it’s a driver assistance system and the driver is always responsible for the vehicle and therefore, they can’t be intoxicated to supervise the system.”

Instead, Bridges said:

Yeah. That’s the problem. That’s literally the problem. I’ll go after it. I’ll press the home button (in the navigation system), and as long as you look forward, you are home.

He then suggested that Kreisher, known for his heavy drinking, should consider getting a Tesla with Full Self-Driving.

Here’s the part of the episode where they have the conversation:

Electrek’s Take

This is wild. He openly admits to a potential felony on a YouTube show. The way he is thinking proves that Tesla is not doing enough to communicate to its owners that FSD is not a self-driving system, but rather a driver assistance system that requires the driver’s full attention, meaning sober, at all times.

He says “Autopilot”, but the way he describes the system points to it being “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” as Autopilot wouldn’t be able to take you through surface streets to take you home.

Tesla has been extremely careless in how it discusses its system publicly.

For example, Tesla recently tweeted that “FSD Supervised gives you back time”:

This suggests that you can do something else while driving, but this is not true based on the automaker’s own warnings and owner’s manual. The driver needs to be paying attention to the vehicle’s driving at all times and be ready to take control.

It is a direct contrast to how Tesla discusses FSD in court after being sued over the numerous accidents involving Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.

In court, Tesla is quick to remind everyone that the driver is always responsible for the vehicle and that, despite its name, Full Self-Driving is only a level 2 driver assistance system, not a level 3-5 automated driving system.

Tesla needs to bring that same energy to its communications with buyers. Otherwise, it contributes to these morons thinking that they can use FSD drunk.

I hope Bridges realizes the carelessness and the danger of his behavior and suggests that others, like Kreischer, should do it.

But it wouldn’t be the first time a Tesla owner would think it OK to use FSD while drunk. We even learned of a crash in 2022 where a Tesla employee decided to use FSD, according to a witness, after day drinking, and his drive ended in a crash, leaving him dead.

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

Continue Reading

Environment

Honda launches the N-ONE e: An $18,000 small EV that delivers big where it counts

Published

on

By

Honda launches the N-ONE e: An ,000 small EV that delivers big where it counts

It may be small, but Honda’s new EV offers “class-leading” range and more interior space than you’d expect. Honda introduced the N-ONE e on Thursday, its first electric kei car, with prices starting at just over $18,000.

Honda launches the N-ONE e, an $18,000 mini EV

It’s pretty rare to find any vehicle, let alone an all-electric one, for under $20,000 these days. In the US, the average asking price for a new car was nearly $52,000 last month.

While some of the biggest names in the auto industry, including Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, and GM, to name a few, are gearing up to launch more affordable EVs, Honda just got a head of the game.

Honda introduced the N-ONE e on Thursday, its first electric kei car. The N-ONE e is Honda’s second mini-EV, following the N-VAN e, launched last year. However, unlike the van, Honda’s new model is designed for passenger use rather than commercial.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The new EV will go on sale in Japan on September 12, priced from just ¥2.7 million ($18,300). It’s based on the current gas-powered N-ONE, Honda’s retro-looking kei car sold in Japan.

Powered by the same 29.6 kWh battery as its electric van, Honda said the N-ONE e delivers “class-leading range” of up to 295 km (183 miles). That’s even more than the Nissan Sakura, Japan’s best-selling electric car with a WLTP range of up to 180 km (112 miles).

Although it may not seem like much with most EVs offering over 300 miles of range nowadays, it’s perfect for daily commutes in Japan.

Honda said the biggest challenge was ensuring it had enough space to make it fit for everyday use. To open up the interior, the company developed a thinner battery pack that lies flat beneath the floor.

It already has the most popular kei car and best-selling vehicle in Japan, the N-Box, but Honda believes its new EV could be an even bigger hit.

Mini EVs account for about 40% of new car sales in Japan. With more range, interior space, and more, Honda is betting on its small new EV to stay ahead of the competition. Honda expects the market to heat up with rival brands, including global EV leader BYD, Toyota and others, preparing to launch mini-EVs soon.

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

Continue Reading

Environment

Offshore wind has no future in the U.S. under Trump administration, Interior Secretary says

Published

on

By

Offshore wind has no future in the U.S. under Trump administration, Interior Secretary says

U.S.’ Burgum: Reducing Russian gas sales stops funding for Moscow’s war

Offshore wind has no future as a source of electricity generation in the United States under the Trump administration, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said at an energy conference in Italy this week.

“Under this administration, there is not a future for offshore wind because it is too expensive and not reliable enough,” Burgum told an audience at the Gastech conference in Milan on Wednesday.

It is the clearest statement yet from a senior Trump administration official that the president aims to shut down the nascent offshore wind industry in the U.S. Burgum oversees the leasing and permitting of offshore wind farms in federal waters as head of the Department of Interior.

President Donald Trump barred new leases for offshore wind farms on his first day in office through an executive order that was framed as “temporary.” Trump also ordered a review of permits, but the industry had hoped projects under construction would be allowed to move forward.

But Interior is “taking a deep look” at five offshore wind farms that are already under construction in the U.S., Burgum said Wednesday without naming the projects.

The offshore wind farms under construction are Revolution Wind off Rhode Island; Vineyard Wind 1 off Massachusetts; Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind; Sunrise Wind off New York; and Empire Wind also off New York.

“Yes, they were permitted but they got moved through a very fast ideologically-driven permitting process,” Burgum said at the conference in Italy.

Interior ordered Danish renewable energy company Orsted to halt construction of Revolution Wind on August 22, citing national security concerns. The project is fully permitted and 80% complete with billions of dollars invested, according to Orsted.

Energy Sec. Wright: Big demand for U.S. to displace Russian gas to Europe

Interior had issued a stop-work order for Empire Wind in April, but ultimately let the project resume construction in May after apparently striking a deal over new natural gas capacity.

Burgum told CNBC’s Brian Sullivan this week that the Trump administration is in discussions with Orsted and New England governors on Revolution Wind, though he wouldn’t say that the project might restart work.

“I can’t say for certain because some of these projects are a literal train wreck in terms of their economics,” Burgum told CNBC. “If we were to complete them then we’re just locking in billions and billions of taxpayer money which might be going to a hedge fund.”

Renewable energy executives told CNBC in August that the Trump administration’s attacks on solar and wind will lead to a power crunch that increases electricity prices.

(Learn the best 2026 strategies from inside the NYSE with Josh Brown and others at CNBC PRO Live. Tickets and info here.)

Continue Reading

Trending