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Today we're getting into the latest tech, EV, and Tesla news, including Tesla's latest massive price increase, FSD 14.3 starting to roll out, robo taxi testing expanding to new states, the foldable iPhone, and more. So, let's get into it. And a special thanks to Monarch for sponsoring this video.
First up today, a quick update on Tesla's Q1 numbers and some changes happening at the factory level. Tesla delivered about 358,000 vehicles in Q1, which missed the analyst consensus of around 365,000. That is up about 6% compared to Q1 last year, but it's of course down pretty significantly from Q4's 418,000 deliveries. So, it's a mixed result overall.
One thing worth pointing out is that Tesla produced about 50,000 more vehicles than they actually delivered in Q1. So, there's a decent amount of inventory that has been building up. Of course, Q1 is typically a seasonally weaker quarter for Tesla, but the gap between production and deliveries is notable this quarter. Tesla has said they expect a strong ramp in the second half of the year, especially with the new models coming online. So, we'll see how that plays out. And with those new models, we're thinking mostly about those cheaper models. But hopefully another one coming online will be the Model Y L or some three row SUV.
Now, the stock did take a hit after the numbers came out, which is not surprising given the miss. But the bigger question is really about the second half of the year and whether the Cyber Cab in the refreshed lineup can drive the numbers back up.
Then separately, reports came out this past week that Giga Texas shrank its workforce by about 22%. Tesla hasn't commented on this directly, but it does seem like they're restructuring headcount at that factory strategically. This comes at a time when Tesla is ramping Cyber Cab production at that factory while also managing the existing Model Y and Cybertruck lines. So, the workforce changes could very well be tied to that shift in production focus rather than an overall reduction.
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Next up today, one thing we've been talking about on this channel for a while now is the end of the Model S and X. Now, it has officially happened. Production is over and there are reportedly less than 600 units remaining globally. So, if you've been on the fence about picking one up, you should know that Tesla just raised the price on every remaining Model S and X in inventory by a whopping $15,000. The Model S all-wheel drive is now $19,990. Model X all-wheel drive is $114,990. That brings Plaid up to a whopping $125,000 for the Plaid Model S and $130,000 for the Model X Plaid.
Of course, these still do come with that Lux package that Tesla introduced last year, which has FSD supervised, free supercharging for life, premium connectivity, and a 4-year premium service plan. But at this point, these are the final units Tesla will ever make of these vehicles. So, once they're gone, they're gone.
It's also worth noting that this is the third price increase in under a year. Tesla added $5,000 when they refreshed the lineup, then $10,000 for the Lux package, and now another $15,000 on the remaining inventory because it's just the last units of these cars. So, we've gone from around $80,000 for a base Model S to nearly $110,000 in just over a year. Tesla clearly is not trying to move these units quickly at a discount. They know that there's still a collector and enthusiast market for the final Model S and Model X, and they are pricing accordingly.
If you do want one, there are less than 600 units left between both models globally, as far as we can tell. So, the window is closing, but it might actually slow down a little bit because of this price increase. This is the end of an era for Tesla because these vehicles put Tesla on the map as a serious automaker, and now we're watching the final units get sold off. However, my advice would be that this is probably not worth the cost. I'm not sure who will buy at those elevated prices, but if you're actually looking for a deal here, it's definitely not here. And buying used, even just a couple years old, will get you significant savings over these.
But it will be interesting to see what happens with the Model S and X longterm. Do prices end up going up because they're no longer making them, or do they just kind of go down because that vehicle is no longer in existence? We'll have to see because they're just going to be focused on their cheaper models.
Now, on the opposite end of the pricing spectrum, Tesla just lowered the lease price on the Model 3 and the numbers are actually pretty compelling here. Tesla's official North American account posted the Model 3 lease now starts at $299 per month in the US. They also highlighted that it can of course drive itself anywhere with FSD supervised and needs almost no maintenance. So, I'll run through all of the current Model 3 leasing options. These are all $3,000 due at signing with 36 months and 10,000 miles per year.
The Model 3 rear wheel drive starts at $299 per month. That's the new cheaper model with some stripped-back features. I actually just reviewed this one and I will have a review coming out across the board for all Model 3 trims in a couple of weeks here. So, look out for that. But overall, it's still a very good car. Then there's the premium rear wheel drive at $349 per month. Premium all-wheel drive with dual motor is $449 per month and performance is $599 per month.
So $299 for a Model 3 is a really competitive number. It puts it right in line with what people are paying to lease something like a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla and you're getting a vehicle that's capable of FSD supervised and basically has no maintenance cost.
But of course, a lot of people are more interested in the Model Y and lease prices there are also worth looking at. Model Y rear wheel drive starts at $459 per month with all-wheel drive at $499 per month. Premium rear wheel drive is $569 per month. Premium all-wheel drive is $669 per month. And then performance is $799 per month. A $200 difference between performance Model 3 and Model Y per month.
Overall, for the time being, it really seems that that Model 3 starting at $299 is kind of a standout. So, while flagship sedans are getting more expensive and going away, the entry-level vehicles from Tesla are more affordable than they've ever been on a lease. It's a very different Tesla lineup than we had even just a couple of years ago. And there are some in inventory that are marked down at even cheaper lease prices. And of course, you can get that price lower if you put more down per month if you choose to do so. Regardless, if you've been waiting for the right time to get into a Tesla and you want a lease and you were specifically looking at the Model 3, now seems to be a very good time.
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Next up today, some big news for full self-driving. Elon Musk has been calling FSD version 14.3 the quote last piece of the puzzle for Tesla's autonomous driving system. It's now rolling out to Tesla employees and some early testers, and this is the version that's expected to be a significant step toward fully unsupervised driving. Meanwhile, FSD version 14.2.4 is also rolling out to select owners right now through software version 2026.2.95. The release notes are the same as the previous version, but the important thing here is that Tesla is continuing to push updates to the broader fleet while employees beta test 14.3.
FSD has now passed 9 billion cumulative driving miles, and that's a massive data set that really no other company in this space comes close to matching. 14.3 is built on top of all of that data. So, when Tesla says this is the version that unlocks unsupervised driving, they're not just making a claim here with software. They really do have a lot of real-world data to back it up. But of course, Elon Musk has been saying this kind of thing for over a decade at this point. We'll see how quickly 14.3 makes it out of an employee beta and into a wider release. But it does sound like Tesla is getting very close to what they consider ready for unsupervised operation.
If this version performs the way that Tesla expects, it could change the timeline for when FSD goes fully driverless in the robo taxi fleet. For today, it's only select vehicles that are driverless and unsupervised there.
Now, regarding that robo taxi fleet, they keep expanding there. A Tesla robo taxi was spotted testing in Denver, Colorado this past week. It's a brand new state for that program, and we've seen them in Texas, California, and a handful of other states, at least just getting ready, but Colorado is the newest to this list. Also in Phoenix, about 60 Model Y's with the rear sprayers were spotted. They're clearly getting ready to deploy in this market as well as a few others. Really, Tesla is set up for something amazing here. An overnight fleet wakeup or they are set up for a huge failure with tons of inventory sitting on lots just waiting for that next version of FSD. Which do you think is going to happen? Leave a comment below to let me know your thoughts.
Then separately, two cyber cabs were spotted in Santa Clara, California with validation equipment mounted on the roof racks. These aren't the regular cyber cabs that we've seen around Austin and California. These have additional sensor equipment, which seems to suggest they're running a lot of validation and testing. Now, on the production side of things for that car, a Tesla VP posted about the Cyber Cab line being active at Giga Texas. So, production really is moving along.
Then, the robo taxi app itself got an update this week with version 26.3.0 that adds Apple Pay and Google Pay as payment options. It's a very important step for mainstream adoption because not everyone wants to put a credit card into the app and Apple Pay especially is what people expect now. So between the new testing locations, the cyber cab production ramping and the app getting payment features, the robo taxi program is moving on multiple fronts at the same time. We're just waiting to see the unsupervised version actually get delivered. A lot of the pieces are ready to fall into place if the software actually gets there.
Now, speaking of FSD expanding, we have an update on Tesla's first European approval. The Netherlands is still expected to approve FSD by the now delayed date of April 10th, and that's just a few days away at this point. It would be the first country in Europe to fully allow it. The latest software version, version 2026.8.6, is now rolling out in both North America and Europe. In Europe, this is the update that renames Navigate on Autopilot to Navigate on Auto Steer because it's a regulatory compliance move to align with European naming requirements. But the bigger detail is that FSD version 14 is already deployed in shadow mode with this update in Europe. So the hardware is in there and it's running collecting data and preparing for the moment that it actually gets switched on for these drivers.
Under EU mutual recognition rules, once the Netherlands approves FSD, other EU countries should follow. So, this thing that will happen in days could open up the entire European market relatively quickly. This could open up a huge revenue stream for Tesla because FSD revenue has been basically non-existent for them because it hasn't really been delivered.
Next up today, over at Tesla, the Supercharger network just passed 80,000 stalls globally. Tesla has really been on a tear over the past year building out supercharger stations and that number continues to climb. Just to put that into context, they added over 200 stalls in Q1 alone, which was 19% growth year-over-year. They also launched a Supercharger for Business program, which lets commercial property owners install Supercharger stations at their locations. The Supercharger for Business program seems to be a smart move because it means Tesla doesn't have to fund every single new station. Property owners foot the bill and then Tesla expands the network. So, the network is continuing to grow and it continues to be one of the best parts of owning a Tesla. But it's also something that's great for the EV market as a whole because in places like North America, tons of other brands can use Tesla Superchargers pretty seamlessly as well.
Now, speaking of the general EV space, EVs swept every single category at the 2026 World Car Awards this year. Every category. That's never happened before. and it seems to be a pretty big signal of where this industry is headed. On the other hand, Ford's EV sales dropped in Q1. They actually collapsed down 70% compared to last year. It's a huge drop, and it raises some questions about Ford's EV strategy going forward. They've been back and forth on their EV plans for a while now, and a 70% decline is hard to spin in any positive direction, but they do have these cheaper models hopefully coming soon with a new platform built from the ground up. And that's the thing that could probably make them really successful.
Meanwhile, at the New York Auto Show, Kia unveiled the EV3 for the US market, and that starts around $35,000 with 320 miles of range. It's a very solid value proposition. That much range actually getting delivered in a vehicle starting at this price point is very good to see. It's the kind of vehicle that could bring a lot of new people into this market. And it's happening at the same time that gas prices just hit $4.99 per gallon nationally. So, we're seeing EV purchase considerations surging. If you have a bunch of people considering whether an EV is economical or not, and there are cheaper ones coming out, it's really just a best-case scenario for EV adoption as a whole. Really, the economic case for EVs just keeps getting stronger. But a lot of legacy automakers are struggling to capitalize on it.
And actually, speaking of FSD and autonomy, some good regulatory news for Tesla this week. Nitsa just officially closed its investigation into Tesla's actually smart summon feature. For anyone who doesn't know, actually Smart Summon lets you summon your Tesla through a parking lot to come pick you up. You pull up the app, tap a button, and the car navigates the parking lot on its own to wherever you are standing. This investigation covered about 2.6 million vehicles, Model S, X, 3, and Y from 2016 through 2025. And you'll notice the Cybertruck is not included in there because even though it's a promised feature of the full self-driving package, they've never delivered Smart Summon on the Cybertruck.
Nitsa documented 159 total incidents over the life of the investigation and they were all minor damages, zero injuries and zero fatalities. So out of millions and millions of summon sessions, Nitsa themselves said a fraction of 1% resulted in an incident here. Tesla pushed six over-the-air software updates throughout 2025 to address this issue. Better camera blockage detection for things like snow and condensation on the lenses, improved perception for dynamic gates, and additional neural network object detection. Nitsa cited low incident occurrence and low incident severity is the reason for closing this evaluation, and no recall was issued. The agency did say they reserve the right to reopen the investigation if new issues pop up, but for now, this is done.
This is a pretty clear validation of Tesla's approach to fixing things over the air with software updates rather than physical recalls. And it's one of those things where yes, this isn't perfect, but even a full-blown investigation here showed that Smart Summon actually works pretty well the vast majority of the time. Six software updates resolved the concerns without pulling a single car off the road. Now, at the same time, it is worth mentioning that this is the same Nitsa that has been very active with Tesla investigating over the past few years. I'm curious to see if they ever actually deliver this on the Cybertruck and then when we get that vanish auto park feature where it's supposed to be doing the reverse of smart summon today.
Next up today, a quick Model Y update. Tesla has been rolling out the black headliner as a standard feature across Model Y's in multiple markets. And it looks like this will become standard going forward across the board, including the standard model. In China, all Model Y trims now come standard with the black headliner and the 16-in QHD touchscreen. Canada just got the same treatment as well. The ordering page now confirms the black headliner and 16-inch screen across all trims there. In the US, the premium and performance trims already have the black headliner. So, it seems like Tesla is moving toward making this the default everywhere. The old gray headliner was one of the more common interior complaints from Model Y owners. It showed dirt very easily, and the black interior just looks more premium overall. Also, it's not really gray. It's more of a white tannish color. Then the 16-in display is actually a pretty significant upgrade. It's bigger, higher resolution, and we've seen it across the board in certain trims, but it might actually become standard even in the base model soon. We'll have to see. We're still waiting for these updates to come to the Model 3.
Next up today, over at Toyota, while Ford's EV numbers were down, Toyota had the complete opposite this quarter. The Toyota BZ sold over 10,000 units in Q1, which is a 79% increase year-over-year. That made it the third bestselling EV in the US behind just the Model Y and Model 3. One Toyota EV outsold Ford's entire lineup in Q1, and it also outsold the Chevy Equinox, which did about 9,500 units. It actually outsold the Prius for the first time as well, which for Toyota is a very significant shift. The refreshed BZ got some major upgrades that clearly made a difference. The range went from 252 up to 314 miles. And the starting price dropped to around $34,900. It also now has an NACS charge port and can use Tesla's superchargers. Then it got a new front-end design, a 14-in touchscreen as standard, and more power. So, Toyota basically fixed every complaint people had with the original BZ, and it's a compelling electric vehicle coming from a company that a lot of people trust. Later this year, Toyota will have the three row electric Highlander coming out, and they're planning seven electric models in the US by 2027. So, their path seems to be kind of the opposite of others like Honda at this point. In general, we can see that the EV market is clearly rewarding companies that actually put in the work on range, charging, and pricing. If the product is good, people will buy it.
Next up today from Subaru, they have revealed the 2027 Getaway. This is a fully electric three row SUV with seating for 7. It has 420 horsepower from dual motors, standard symmetrical all-wheel drive, 0 to 60 in under 5 seconds, and over 300 miles of range from the 95.8 kWh battery pack. A smaller standard range option will be coming as well in early 2027. It charges via NACS, so it has full supercharger access, and they say it does 10 to 80% in about 30 minutes at up to 150 kW. For the Subaru crowd, this thing tows 3500 lb, has 8.3 inches of ground clearance, and comes with Subaru's X mode off-road system. So, it's actually built to go places, which is what Subaru owners really want. This is Subaru's first three row vehicle ever and their most powerful production car. It arrives at dealerships in late 2026, but there is no pricing available yet. Hopefully, it will be reasonable. It seems like this will be competing with the likes of the Kia EV9 and the Hyundai Ionic 9. Right now, Tesla does not have a competitor in this space, and it seems like there will actually be a number of competitors before they bring the Model Y L to market. Hopefully, that comes soon.
Last up today over at Apple, some big news on the hardware side of things. Bloomberg's Mark German is reporting that the foldable iPhone will be quote the most significant overhaul in the iPhone's history. We've been hearing about a foldable iPhone for years at this point, but it does seem like it's actually happening now, at least based on what many sources are saying. If Apple gets this one right, it could be a big deal for the smartphone market. Samsung has had foldables for years, and they've been slowly improving, but an Apple version would bring a lot more attention to this category. It's just what happens anytime Apple decides to get to a market later.
At the same time, Apple also released the first public beta of iOS 26.5 this past week, and that includes a new suggested places feature in maps and some other refinements. On the CarPlay front, Google Meet and audio Mac are now available through CarPlay. And we've previously talked about how chat GPT is coming to CarPlay along with other AI assistants. This is expanding in general to make CarPlay that much better. And it might actually be getting more and more to a point where Tesla just has to integrate it. Otherwise, they may find themselves behind a lot of other automakers. However, at the same time, Rivian doesn't use CarPlay and GM is pulling back as well.
Now, to finish things out today, a few quick mentions. Lucid's Q1 numbers also came in short this quarter. A supplier issue actually halted Gravity deliveries for nearly a month, which really hurt deliveries this quarter. Tesla topped the Korean imported car market in Q1, out selling every other imported brand in the country. Tesla is now running free supercharging promotions across several Asian markets to boost adoption. And Tesla added a tire choice option on the Model 3 performance configurator in the US. You can now choose between all-season and track-focused tires with the 20-in warp wheels, which is a nice addition for people who want to configure their car for how they actually plan to drive it.
That's all the latest tech, EV, and Tesla news for today. So, in the meantime, if you want to see my full in-depth 18-month ownership review of the Cybertruck, you can check out that video linked up here or in the description below. Thanks so much for watching, and I'll see you on the next one.