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Tesla Model 3 nails 0-60 mph in 2.9 sec after OTA software update

Credit: YouTube/DragTimes

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The Tesla Model 3 Performance variant broke the three-second 0-60 MPH barrier after receiving a 5% performance update.

Popular Tesla YouTuber Brooks Weisblat of DragTimes shared data from numerous acceleration runs he performed in a Model 3, capturing before and after the 5% power update.

When he first received his car from Tesla, Weisblat benchmarked the vehicle’s performance in four separate 0-60 MPH runs, noting the fastest time as 3.050 seconds and quicker than Tesla’s advertised 0-60 MPH time of 3.2 seconds. After the update, Weisblat performed four more runs to test acceleration and was able to break the 0-60 MPH three-second barrier by recording a time of 2.998 seconds, giving the vehicle a rough theoretical horsepower increase of 23.7%.

Weisblat also tested his Model 3 Performance in a quarter-mile assessment. His vehicle’s pre-update time was 11.637 seconds, with a top speed of 115.485 MPH, but this time was beaten by the 5% power increase, capturing an 11.486 second time and a top speed of 117.495. “That is a pretty significant top-end increase from 115 to 117,” Weisblat added. “Overall…I think there definitely is a noticeable increase in power. I can’t say driving the car, you actually notice a huge difference, but the numbers right here actually show a little bit of a difference.” He believes if owners utilized lighter wheels or other performance parts that hold less weight, times could be reduced even further, perhaps into the 11.3 second mark for the quarter-mile.

CEO Elon Musk and VP of Technology Drew Baglino first hinted at the over-the-air power update for Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles during the company’s Q3 earnings call in October. “We’re also expecting there is going to be an over-the-air improvement, that will improve the power of the Model S, X, and 3. By the way, it’s coming in a few weeks. It should be on the order of 5% power improvement due to improved firmware,” VP of Technology Drew Baglino said. “We are continuing to learn how to optimize motor control in our products. But yes, a 5% improvement for all Model 3 customers, and 3% for S and X,”  The update was not only geared toward power improvements, however, as Tesla also announced there would be positive changes in Supercharging.

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CEO Elon Musk was sure to add his two cents regarding the power and convenience of the company’s utilization of Over-the-Air updates to improve its products. “I don’t think there has ever been a situation in history where you buy a car and it gets way better over time, through software,” Musk said. Updates have provided power improvements like the one tested by Brooks Weisblat. However, Tesla has been able to add numerous entertainment options through the updates as well, making the Tesla ownership experience new and exciting.

Watch DragTimes results of the Model 3 Performance before and after the 5% power update below.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla Cybertruck slapped with world’s least intimidating ticket, and it’s pure cringe

One cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of these babies.

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Credit: Ryan Torres/X

A Cybertruck parked at Stanford Shopping Center in California was recently hit with what might be the most try-hard piece of paper ever slipped under a wiper blade: a “fake citation” accusing the driver of supporting a “fascist car.” 

The note, shared on X by Tesla staff program manager Ryan Torres, quickly made the rounds on X, where it quickly gained attention as an example of how not to protest.

The world’s least intimidating ticket

According to the citation, the supposed “violation” was “driving a fascist car.” The remedial action? Take the bus, call an Uber, or ride a bike. The note also dubbed Elon Musk a “chainsaw-wielding Nazi billionaire.” Now, protests against Tesla and Elon Musk have become commonplace this year, but one cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of fake anti-Tesla/Musk citations.

Torres pointed out the irony himself in his post on X. Tesla currently employs over 140,000 Americans, and SpaceX has put the U.S. firmly back at the top of space technology. As Torres put it, maybe the person behind the world’s least intimidating ticket should “read a book on innovation before vandalizing” other people’s property.

Peak performative clownery

Not to mention that the fake ticket’s logic collapses under its own weight. EVs like the Cybertruck are literally designed to reduce emissions, not “destroy the economy.” If anything, Tesla has bolstered the United States’ economy by fueling jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and clean energy. It’s not the first time a Tesla has been the target of vandalism or politically charged notes, but this one stands out for sheer cringe value. 

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Torres summed it up neatly: “Peak clownery.” On that point, at least, the citation earns full marks. In a way, though, perhaps cringe fake tickets are not as bad as the literal firebombs that were being thrown at Tesla stores and cars earlier this year because some critics were gleefully misinformed about Elon Musk.

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Why a Tesla Model Y led to a teen’s failed driving exam in Ontario

The issue was due to the driver using the Model Y’s regenerative braking system.

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A North Bay, Ontario man has raised concerns after his teenage daughter failed her G driver’s license road test while driving his Tesla Model Y. The issue, the Tesla owner noted, was due to his daughter using the Model Y’s regenerative braking system to bring the car to a stop.

Regenerative braking bias

Eric Simard, the Tesla owner, told CBC News that his daughter borrowed his car for her driving test. Because of this, she was not fully familiar with how to disable the Model Y’s regenerative braking system. Unfortunately, the examiner did not allow his daughter to call him for help in turning off the feature.

Simard noted that his daughter ultimately failed her driving test because she never used the car’s physical brake pedal. In his daughter’s road test results from Drive Test Ontario, the examiner marked a box stating that the Model Y was “out of order. 

“I find it pretty frustrating because even though it’s regenerative braking and you’re not using the brake pedal, you’re clearly the one that is in full control of making the vehicle come to a stop or to slow down,” Simard stated, adding that his daughter was also penalized for the Model Y’s feature that alerts drivers when a traffic light turns green. 

Discussions on driver-assist technologies

In a comment, Julia Caslin, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation, stated that the province’s graduated licensing system “requires drivers to always demonstrate safe vehicle operation and full control, regardless of the vehicle’s features.” 

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“Applicants are expected to understand how their vehicle’s system — including lane centring, regenerative braking, adaptive cruise control and automated parking — may affect handling and performance during a road test,” Caslin stated. 

Driving instructors also expressed differing views about Simard’s experience. Saad Tariq of Greater Sudbury Driving School said he advises students against relying on driver-assist features because sensors can fail.

Meanwhile, Amanda Lacroix of Northern Lights Driving School suggested road tests should adapt to the technologies drivers use daily, while still requiring mastery of basic skills like mirror checks and manual braking.

“If the world’s going to change and we’re all going to have assisted driving, then we should be learning how to do it properly,” Lacroix said.

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Tesla says it is working on rides for the handicapped and disabled with Robotaxi

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that this was a focus by responding, “Absolutely,” to the embedded post on X above. Tesla said it is developing its own “wheelchair-accessible vehicle,” also known as a WAV. 

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Credit: Teslarati

Tesla says on its Robotaxi app that it is working on enabling “accessibility rides” that would give the handicapped and disabled the ability to hail a Robotaxi to get to an appointment.

While Robotaxi will obviously revolutionize the way we travel for our work commutes, daily activities, and other things, but there is true potential to enable serious change for those who cannot drive.

Autonomous transportation would make life easier for those who are unable to obtain a driver’s license. Of course, with today’s ride-sharing platforms, things are much easier than they once were.

However, rides from Uber and Lyft, while plentiful, always have an opportunity to be unavailable in some regions, especially rural ones, due to a lack of drivers.

Robotaxi aims to solve this problem through autonomous transportation, a technology that Tesla has been developing for years.

However, new language in the Robotaxi app shows that Tesla is working on a solution for people who need rides for medical reasons, and it uses a picture of the Robovan to hammer this point home:

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that this was a focus by responding, “Absolutely,” to the embedded post on X above. Tesla said it is developing its own “wheelchair-accessible vehicle,” also known as a WAV.

This is likely the Robovan, which was unveiled on October 10 at the Robotaxi event last year:

Tesla unveils the Robovan at ‘We, Robot’ event

It is pretty interesting to see two Musk ventures working on solutions for those who are physically impaired or have other disabilities. With Tesla, Robotaxi will unlock immense potential for those who are unable to drive themselves, addressing a genuine need in today’s world.

Additionally, Neuralink is continuing its development of technology to fight against various physical and mental disabilities. A great question to ask is, “Which will be more beneficial for humans?”

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