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First close-up look at Tesla’s Model 3 interior in production-ready form
Following this week’s sighting of a very refined looking blue Tesla Model 3 driving near the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters, the vehicle was sighted once again this time giving us a first close-up look at a very production-ready Model 3 interior.
The blue Tesla Model 3 was spotted on Thursday shortly before 4pm local time driving away from Tesla HQ and coming to a stop at the intersection of Arastradero road and Purrsima. It’s the very same road we first captured on video a black Model 3 doing a very spirited drive with a BMW chase car. However, unlike previous sightings of the highly anticipated electric car, Thursday’s sighting takes place while being directly next to the vehicle.
Teslarati obtained the following never-before-seen photos showing a close-up look at what’s presumably the final version of the Model 3 dashboard. As noted by Chief Elon Musk earlier this month, the dashboard doesn’t have a heads up display – much to the disappointment of HUD hopefuls worldwide. Noticeably present is the large landscape mounted center infotainment system which will also act as the main command center to the vehicle. The thin touchscreen device framed by what appears to be a hard plastic bezel with rounded corners rests several inches away from a shallow dashboard.
Tesla Model 3 drivers will not have an instrument cluster with speedometer. After all, Elon Musk says “you won’t care“. Nor will there be a “hump” on the dashboard in front of the steering wheel. Some Tesla community members speculated that there would be some form of an instrument cluster, after seeing a rounded dashboard protrusion appear on a rendering showing a Tesla Model 3 under a Supercharger with solar canopy.
In its place is a streamlined and simple looking horizontal strip of seemingly functionless interior trim. With the expectation that Model 3 will one day be fully self-driving, Tesla could eventually use the area as a storage compartment for passengers in the non-driving driver’s seat.
A large digital readout resembling that of an oversized analog speedometer appears on the left side of the infotainment system and occupies nearly a third of the overall screen size.
Also seen in our spy shots is a bamboo style interior finish that’s currently not available on either the Model S or Model X. The interior trim decor is angled on a downward slope away from the vehicle’s ventilation system that’s located directly above and runs the full width of the dashboard.
We’re also getting a clear look at how the steering wheel is mounted which swoops in and around the bottom section of the dashboard.
The center console of the Model 3 remains largely the same as early Alpha cars that we’ve seen. Two cupholders have been provisioned into the center console storage unit which appears to have pull handles similar to that of the Model S and Model X console.
Lastly, we’re seeing what appears to be the final trunk and glass roof design. Though black tape is seen across the entire car masking off any gaps between body panels and doors – presumably as engineers perform quality assurance wind testing – the Model 3, overall, appears to be very well-finished.
The rear defroster lines can be seen on the rear windshield leading to two unknown circular marks on the glass roof. A horizontal rear brake light can be seen mounted towards the bottom of the rear windshield.
Musk has said that the first deliveries of Model 3 will be the simpler rear wheel drive configuration followed by the dual motor variant and performance version in late 2017 and into 2018. With only a couple of months left before Tesla is expected to begin low volume production of the first Model 3 variants, we suspect that there will be very few updates, if any, to come. Tesla is expected to hold a Model 3 launch event in July.
Have you spotted a Model 3? Be sure to send us a tip at tips@teslarati.com or DM us on @Twitter or Facebook.
A big thanks to Wayne for providing Teslarati with the following exclusive photos. We’ve stitched together Wayne’s photos to create an animation that shows his perspective of the oncoming Model 3.
Tesla has officially put the Cybercab up for sale, revealing a bargain price and a $299 per month “Autonomy Subscription” that could hit customer hands as soon as December.
The offer requires a $299 monthly Autonomy Subscription, with the first month included in the purchase price, along with a $1,000 non-refundable order deposit. Tesla’s ordering interface shows deliveries targeted for Austin, Texas.
Tesla says that the Cybercab is making transportation more efficient, affordable and accessible than ever before, and that buyers can order their own Cybercab for personal use.
🚨🚨🚨 BREAKING: Tesla Cybercab is officially on sale for $29,990 with a $299/mo “Autonomy Subscription”
Delivery slotted for December! HUGE!
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 13, 2026
The Cybercab is Tesla’s dedicated robotaxi, a gold-finished, two-passenger vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, designed from the outset for unsupervised autonomous operation. It has been in limited Robotaxi service in Austin since September 2026, operating alongside Tesla’s larger fleet of Model Y vehicles.
Production takes place at Gigafactory Texas, which launched earlier this year. Tesla has stated for some time that it planned to put Cybercabs on sale by the end of the year, and it looks like they will come through on that promise if everything goes according to plan.
The Autonomy Subscription is mandatory for the vehicle to operate because it is void of a steering wheel and pedals. Tesla notes that the subscription and regular vehicle maintenance are required, indicating that personal owners will depend on the company’s software and service infrastructure rather than traditional ownership models.
One month of the subscription is included with purchase and subsequent months are billed separately until canceled.
This limited personal-sales opening marks a shift from Tesla’s earlier emphasis on fleet and transport-as-a-service operations. During the Q3 2026 Earnings Call, executives indicated that the vast majority of Cybercabs would remain Tesla-owned and used for rideshare service, while still aiming to place some vehicles with customers by year-end.
Elon Musk has previously targeted a price below $30,000, which was a huge point of emphasis for the Cybercab being the central point of Tesla’s “transportation-as-a-service” model.
Availability remains restricted to invited customers rather than a public order page, and the initial deliveries are expected only in the Austin area where unsupervised Robotaxi operations are already active. Buyers will need to accept the geographic and operational constraints of current autonomous deployment, as the vehicle cannot be driven manually outside supported zones.
The move gives a small number of early buyers the chance to own Tesla’s dedicated autonomous vehicle at the long-discussed sub-$30,000 price point, while the bulk of production continues to support the company’s expanding Robotaxi network.
UPDATE: The FAA has granted the license for Starship Flight 15.
Starship Flight 15 License has been granted by the FAA!
Let’s go! https://t.co/DugsgjvYAe
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 13, 2026
SpaceX is set to attempt its 15th test flight of Starship this evening from Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX is targeting Starship Flight 15 for a launch as soon as today, Friday, November 13, pending an FAA Flight License, during a 75-minute window that opens at 4:45 p.m. CT (5:45 p.m. ET) from Orbital Launch Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. The flight remains pending final regulatory approval.
WATCH Starship Flight 15 here:
https://t.co/C6GnCHyF8p
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 13, 2026
The mission, using Booster 22 and Ship 42, aims to achieve the first full recovery of an orbital launch system. Primary objectives include a tower catch of the Super Heavy booster roughly six and a half minutes after liftoff and the first-ever tower catch of a Starship upper stage after more than 22 hours in space.
SpaceX will perform Starship double catch attempt with Flight 15
Between those catches, Ship 42 is planned to enter a low Earth orbit of about 275 km, complete roughly 14 orbits, and deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites (Starlink Group 31-2). Three of those satellites carry cameras to inspect the ship’s heat shield in orbit and help controllers decide whether the vehicle is healthy enough for a return to the tower.
Contingency ocean splashdown options exist if either stage is not cleared for catch.
To watch the attempt, check the link to the broadcast in both X posts in this article. The live webcast is scheduled to begin about 30 minutes before liftoff and is planned to continue through the ship catch the next day, with the possibility of extended onboard views during the orbital coast via Starlink.
Because the schedule is dynamic, check back here or on our social media channels for the latest updates on window timing and regulatory status. A successful dual catch would mark a major milestone toward making Starship a rapidly reusable rocket capable of frequent flights.
WATCH Starship Flight 15 here:
https://t.co/C6GnCHyF8p
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 13, 2026
Tesla has trimmed its Model Y offerings as its Standard All-Wheel-Drive configuration has been removed from the online configurator after roughly nine months on sale. The move follows the removal of the Cybertruck, as its trims have also been minimized as that vehicle heads for total discontinuation at the end of Summer 2027.
Launched in February 2026 as a mid-tier dual-motor option between the Rear-Wheel-Drive model and the Premium trims, the Standard All-Wheel-Drive Model Y offered 294 miles of range and a 4.6-second 0-60 mph time in a stripped-down package.
🚨 Tesla has pulled the $41,990 Model Y AWD from its U.S. configurator after nine months on sale.
The cheapest AWD Model Y you can order is now the $49,990 Premium AWD, with Premium deliveries quoted for Jan–Mar 2027.
The $39,990 RWD stays, and AWD units remain in inventory. https://t.co/uROJp2lVpx
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 13, 2026
With it gone, the cheapest new AWD Model Y buyers can configure is now the Premium AWD at $49,990, with estimated deliveries pushed into January–March 2027. The $39,990 rear-wheel-drive Model Y remains available for custom orders, and some AWD units are still listed in inventory.
The move arrives days after Tesla sharply narrowed its Cybertruck lineup. New orders for the Dual Motor AWD and Premium AWD versions have been disabled, leaving only the high-performance Cyberbeast—priced around $109,990 before fees—as the sole configurable option.
Elon Musk has stated that Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas will wind down around the middle to late summer of 2027 to free manufacturing space for greater Cybercab output. Tesla has raised prices on remaining trims and is prioritizing higher-margin builds while working through an existing order backlog that exceeds what the line can complete before conversion.
These parallel decisions reflect a broader effort to simplify Tesla’s retail customer lineup. Lower-volume or lower-margin variants are being phased out or deprioritized in favor of core, higher-spec models that generate stronger profitability and clearer production planning.
For the Model Y, this concentrates volume on the remaining RWD and Premium configurations while Premium deliveries already stretch into 2027. For the Cybertruck, it accelerates the transition away from a stainless-steel pickup that underperformed relative to initial volume expectations.
Tesla Model Y Standard Full Review: Is it worth the lower price?
The freed capacity and reduced complexity directly support Cybercab scaling. Tesla began pilot Cybercab production at Giga Texas in early 2026, launched paid autonomous rides in Austin in September, and is preparing for substantial volume growth.
By streamlining the existing vehicle portfolio, the company is reallocating factory space, engineering attention, and supply-chain resources toward its purpose-built Robotaxi, which lacks a steering wheel or pedals and is designed exclusively for unsupervised autonomy.
The result is a leaner retail lineup today and a clearer path to high-volume Cybercab deployment tomorrow.
Tesla Cybercab goes on sale for $29,990, slated for December deliveries
SpaceX Starship Flight 15: How to watch the double catch attempt
