NEW Tesla Model Launched | $61,990 With New Features

This episode covers a wave of major Tesla updates, headlined by record-breaking Q2 deliveries of 480,126 vehicles that beat even the most optimistic forecasts by over 60,000 cars, alongside energy storage deployments of 13.5 GWh. The first production Cybercab—fully unsupervised, with no steering wheel or pedals—is now driving on public streets in Austin, with safety details like 10 airbags and automatic parking revealed, while Miami appears to be the next launch site and rider pickups could begin within months. Tesla also introduced the Model Y L in the U.S., a three-row, six-seat Launch Series priced at $61,990, offering 325 miles of range, an 83 kWh battery, a low 0.216 drag coefficient, and full Power Share home backup capability with a Powerwall 3. Additional trims are expected later, likely at lower prices, but availability for the Launch Series is slated for September to October. The episode also teases "Giga Texas news" for July 7th, highlights a Cybercab production line that is roughly 90% automated and capable of producing a vehicle every 10 seconds, and notes the Optimus production line arriving at Fremont and a new TeraFab chip factory director hired.

• ▶ 0:03 Tesla finally released the Model Y L in the US, along with brand new Cybercab details.
• ▶ 0:08 Tesla reported record-breaking Q2 results.
• ▶ 0:11 The episode will also cover some of the most powerful AI models coming back online.
• ▶ 0:19 Tesla Q2 deliveries crushed all expectations at 480,126 vehicles, beating even the most optimistic analyst forecast by over 60,000 cars.
• ▶ 1:03 Energy storage deployments hit 13.5 GWh, up from 9.6 GWh a year earlier and above estimates.
• ▶ 1:14 BYD retook the global EV sales crown, but Tesla narrowed the gap to roughly 77,000 vehicles in a much closer race.
• ▶ 1:44 The first production Cybercab is now driving on public streets in Austin, fully unsupervised and with no steering wheel or pedals.
• ▶ 2:07 This is the first customer-spec Cybercab validated on public roads, with a person riding in the passenger seat because there are no driver-side controls.
• ▶ 2:19 The Cybercab was added to Texas’s autonomous vehicle first responder registry, and the safety guide reveals key details: at least 10 airbags, automatic parking if a belt unbuckles or door opens mid-ride, external microphones for remote support, and pressurized camera washers.
• ▶ 4:19 First-responder training with Coral Gables Fire Department signals Miami as the likely next Cybercab launch site.
• ▶ 4:37 Cybercabs could begin picking up actual riders within a couple of months, not next year.
• ▶ 4:54 Unlike an unsupervised Model Y, a Cybercab has no manual controls, so any takeover would require extra attachments or mechanisms.
• ▶ 5:18 Tesla released the longer-wheelbase, three-row, six-seater Model Y L in the US as a Launch Series, priced at $61,990 instead of the expected $54,000.
• ▶ 5:45 The Launch Series includes exclusive items like badging, 12 months of FSD, Supercharging, Premium Connectivity, puddle lights, suede dashboard wings, and floor mats.
• ▶ 7:04 The 12 months of FSD is now valued at roughly $1,200 since Tesla no longer allows a one-time buyout; FSD becomes a subscription afterward.
• ▶ 8:12 The Launch Series includes 20-inch wheels and a tow hitch rated for up to 3,500 lb.
• ▶ 8:20 Two interior choices are available: All Black (micro suede/textile) and new Zen Gray (grayish, not all white).
• ▶ 8:38 Performance specs: up to 325 miles range, 125 mph top speed, and 0–60 mph in 4.4 seconds.
• ▶ 8:40 The Launch Series Model Y L delivers a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds.
• ▶ 8:44 Additional trims and options for the Model Y L are expected later, likely after the Launch Series sells out.
• ▶ 8:51 Availability is slated for September to October, aligning with earlier market estimates.
• ▶ 9:02 The Tesla Model Y L will feature Power Share in the U.S., likely making it the second Tesla vehicle (after Cybertruck) to have the full version of this feature.
• ▶ 9:12 When paired with a Powerwall 3, owners can use the vehicle’s battery energy to extend the duration of their home backup power.
• ▶ 9:20 Unlike previous limited vehicle-to-load features, the Model Y L appears to include a full-fledged version that can draw on the full battery capacity and output full power for home backup.
• [9:29–9:31] The Model Y Launch Series can use its full battery capacity to output full power for home backup.
• [9:33–9:36] It comes with an 83 kWh battery pack to achieve the advertised range.
• [9:36–9:42] A 0.216 drag coefficient makes it one of the lowest-drag SUVs Tesla has built, boosting range and efficiency.
• ▶ 9:39 The Model Y L Launch Series achieves one of the lowest drag coefficients of any Tesla SUV.
• ▶ 9:52 This launch is a bigger deal than a typical refresh—it's Tesla's first actual three-row SUV, not just an updated Highland.
• ▶ 10:22 Tesla has been missing this more affordable SUV for a long time, with a genuinely comfortable third row for adults.
• ▶ 10:28 The host cautions that Launch Editions usually carry an elevated cost, so buyers are essentially paying for the excitement of getting the first version.
• ▶ 10:35 The price will likely come down later, with Tesla expected to introduce a rear-wheel drive version at a significantly lower price.
• ▶ 10:44 That future RWD version is expected to still deliver great power and offer more range, making the Launch Edition a weaker value proposition.
• ▶ 10:48 Ryan is filming from Madrid while on tour with Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, after a sold-out show at Royal Albert Hall.
• ▶ 11:14 Tesla VP Lars Moravi teased that "Giga Texas news is coming Tuesday, July 7th" with "cool news" about scaling efforts.
• ▶ 11:28 Ryan analyzes that the announcement likely involves expanded Cybercab production lines or the first US production lines for the Model Y L.
• ▶ 11:31 Tesla is ramping up manufacturing for both the Cybercab and the Model Y L in North America.
• ▶ 11:40 The Optimus production line is modular, with roughly 40 sublines, designed for quick reconfiguration as the robot evolves.
• ▶ 11:57 The first Optimus line, built and validated in Germany, has arrived at Fremont and installation is underway.
• ▶ 12:11 New Tesla vehicles drive themselves through the "bumps and rattles" test at the end of the factory line with no human inside.
• ▶ 12:24 The car's cabin microphones listen for squeaks and rattles during the drive, then automatically report findings to the quality team.
• ▶ 12:32 Tesla is also building an AI system for this automated quality-testing process.
• ▶ 12:36 The Cybercab manufacturing line is about 90% fully automated.
• [12:38–12:42] At scale, the line is designed to produce a Cybercab every 10 seconds or so.
• ▶ 12:34 The Cybercab is a two-seater whose simplified design enables the fast, highly automated production process.
• ▶ 12:46 Tesla hired 17-year Intel veteran Gary Jen as a director to help run TeraFab, with expertise in chip factory tooling and production ramps.
• ▶ 13:09 TeraFab is a joint chip factory project spanning Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, consolidating design, packaging, fabrication, and testing.
• ▶ 13:22 A Texas construction site has been filed in Grimes County, with the initial phase projected at around $119 billion in investment.
• ▶ 13:48 A teardown of the newest Tesla app reveals driver identification verification is "on the way," using the interior cabin camera to confirm the driver matches an authorized profile.
• ▶ 14:05 The system can block FSD and show a failure message in the app if it cannot confirm the driver matches the authorized profile.
• ▶ 14:29 The host speculates the realistic purpose is parental controls or restricting specific drivers like a valet, rather than blocking all borrowers.
• ▶ 14:50 Tesla confirmed FSD V14 Light is the version coming to older Hardware 3 cars, with international expansion planned after the US rollout.
• ▶ 15:02 No launch dates announced yet, as regulatory approvals are handled country by country; Canada stands out as an early candidate.
• ▶ 15:12 Other markets include South Korea (~50,000 Hardware 3 Teslas) and five European countries already approved, giving millions of older Teslas a new upgrade path.
• ▶ 15:30 The speaker wraps up a prior discussion with a point ending "...in the US," closing out the previous topic.
• ▶ 15:32 The segment pivots to software news, introducing "the Tesla app on Android" as the next item.
• ▶ 15:32 The phrasing "one more on the software side" signals this is the final software-related story, but the transcript cuts off before detailing the live updates feature.
• ▶ 15:34 Tesla introduced live updates to its Android app, showing real-time notifications on the lock screen.
• ▶ 15:37 The lock-screen notifications display the car avatar, charging progress, state of charge, session cost, and time until charge limit.
• ▶ 15:45 iPhone users have had this feature for over a year, with robotaxi ride tracking expected for Android later; Tesla typically rolls out features iOS-first.
• ▶ 15:58 GM's Q2 U.S. EV sales fell 41% year-over-year, with total deliveries at 27,395 vehicles.
• ▶ 16:08 The decline was broad-based: Equinox EV down 62%, Blazer EV down 68%, and Hummer EV down 57%; only the newer Cadillac Optic (+31%) and Vistique (+15%) grew.
• ▶ 16:31 The slump is largely attributed to the expiration of the federal tax credit, which hit GM's cheapest EV models hardest; Chevy plans to recover volume with new Bolt models and the newer Cadillac lineup.
• ▶ 16:42 Hyundai has moved over 20,000 Ioniq 5s in the first half, with the Ioniq 9 up 380%, and is "doing a lot better than GM" in EV sales.
• ▶ 16:53 Toyota's electric SUV cleared 17,500 sales, "outpacing several rivals" and giving Toyota meaningful EV traction.
• ▶ 16:59 Subaru's two new EVs — the $35,000 Uncharted and $40,000 Trail SEEKER — both outsold the Solterra in June, less than a year after launch.
• ▶ 17:13 Electrify America is adding Tesla-style NACS plugs at its busiest stations, concentrated in California and the East Coast, with four California stations converting to NACS-only.
• ▶ 17:30 This signals that Tesla won the connector war, as the NACS connector is better designed, quicker charging, more future-proofed, and much smaller — unifying the standard for all EVs.
• ▶ 17:46 Despite charging infrastructure transitions, people are still buying EVs, indicating continued market momentum.
• ▶ 17:49 Thieves have stolen entire trailers of Powerwalls from Giga Nevada at least 11 times since December, using fake IDs, forged commercial driver's licenses, and paperwork tricks to pose as legitimate freight carriers.
• ▶ 18:31 Stolen Powerwalls are nearly useless because Tesla remotely locks them, bricking the units and leaving almost no resale value beyond raw parts—similar to a stolen iPhone with activation lock.
• ▶ 18:46 Tesla's security team found stolen units on Facebook Marketplace, three suspects were arrested after police placed a GPS tag on a stolen trailer, and factory gate security has been tightened.
• ▶ 19:09 Tesla's $415 million Arana battery farm in New South Wales, Australia, has reached commercial operation.
• ▶ 19:19 The facility provides 415 MW capacity with up to 1.66 GWh of storage, delivering 4 hours of power to the grid.
• ▶ 19:30 It stores renewable energy and releases it during grid stress, marking a major milestone for Tesla Energy's large-scale battery storage.
• ▶ 19:38 The root cause of the home charging failures is a failing power conversion system, a combined unit integrating the onboard charger and DC-to-DC converter.
• ▶ 19:53 When this system fails, home charging drops from 48 amps, and in severe cases owners may lose the ability to charge at home entirely.
• ▶ 19:55 A common Cybertruck charging component failure causes charging to drop to 24 amps and quit; Tesla's firmware workaround keeps Supercharging working but disables home charging.
• ▶ 20:08 No official failure rate exists, but an owner poll found 91 of 223 Cybertruck owners had the part replaced, some under 10,000 miles; Tesla handles it case-by-case with no recall.
• ▶ 20:22 Replacement is free within the 4-year/50,000-mile warranty, but out-of-warranty owners get only $1,000 goodwill (down from $7,200) and long back-orders; newer 2026 trucks get a 7-year/70,000-mile warranty covering this part, though not retroactively.

• ▶ 21:27 Volkswagen is ending its Bosch self-driving partnership after investing ~€1.5 billion, concluding its system cannot compete with Tesla's FSD — especially on hands-free city driving.

• ▶ 22:02 VW is shifting from building its own stack to buying an existing system, saving nearly €1 billion, with possible suppliers including Chinese companies, Mobileye, Nvidia, or eventually Tesla's FSD.

• ▶ 22:35 Xpeng is spending ~$500 million per year on AI training, claims near parity with FSD v13 and v14 by summer, and its CEO has a public bet to streak across the Golden Gate Bridge if it doesn't match FSD by August 30.

• ▶ 23:45 Ford’s $30,000 electric pickup is the first vehicle on its new universal EV platform, launching in 2027 from the Louisville plant, and replaces nothing since the F-150 Lightning is discontinued.
• ▶ 23:57 The truck is a low-slung midsize four-door with Maverick-like proportions, claims over 15% better aerodynamics than any other pickup, and includes a native NACS port, LFP batteries, and mega casting to hit the price.
• ▶ 24:47 A $30,000 EV truck with real range targets a market gap Tesla hasn’t filled, making it Ford’s most important EV—but 2027 is far off, the price may rise, and a premium version will likely launch first.
• ▶ 25:22 BMW revealed the all-electric EX-5 X5 with up to 435 miles of EPA range, priced at $79,800, arriving end of 2026.
• ▶ 25:32 It uses a 140 kWh battery, new 800-volt architecture, dual motors with 570 hp, 0–60 mph in 4.7 seconds, 450 kW fast charging, and bidirectional charging capability.
• ▶ 26:15 BMW is keeping the same X5 body with three powertrains: electric at $79,800, plug-in hybrid at $77,500, and gas at $69,800 — so the EX-5 adds to the lineup rather than replacing the gas version.
• ▶ 26:40 The Genesis GV90 flagship SUV will be revealed on September 9th, with the US version starting around $100,000 and arriving as a 2027 model.
• ▶ 26:53 It features a battery pack over 100 kWh and a Tesla-style NACS charge port built in.
• ▶ 26:58 The flagship trim includes coach doors and four VIP captain seats, positioning Genesis above German premium rivals.
• ▶ 27:03 Toyota’s China sales fell nearly 32% in May to ~102,000 vehicles, with global sales down for a fourth straight month.
• ▶ 27:14 Toyota attributed the slump partly to rising gas prices, but all top 16 bestsellers in China in May were EVs while most Toyota models remain gas-powered.
• ▶ 27:43 BYD’s Great Tang large electric SUV earned an industry-first anti-motion sickness certification, thanks to its adaptive suspension system.
• ▶ 28:00 A new vehicle feature aims to prevent passenger motion sickness; the presenter notes they've never seen it and wonders if it will become standard.
• ▶ 28:10 New Delhi announces an EV incentive: drivers get more than $1,000 to scrap an older car and buy an electric vehicle.
• ▶ 28:15 The incentive also waives road tax on the new EV, to encourage replacing aging vehicles and boost EV adoption.
• ▶ 28:18 Apple cut iPhone 17 production by ~15% despite record sales, best-selling iPhone ever, and #1 global Q1 spot—part of an industry-wide 15–30% pullback driven by timing ahead of the iPhone 18 Pro and first foldable expected in September.
• ▶ 28:57 The iPhone 18 lineup is rumored to include the 2nm A20 chip, 24MP front camera, and a memory bump, with Pro models and a ~$2,000 foldable launching this fall, while standard iPhone 18/18e shift to spring 2027—likely pushing consumers toward Pro.
• ▶ 29:33 Apple's Mac/iPad roadmap: the entry MacBook Pro gets the M6 chip late this year with the current design, a redesigned MacBook Pro with M7 follows in H1 2027, and iPad Pros stay on the current design with chip upgrades and redesigns across the lineup.
• ▶ 29:51 Apple Maps Flyover will be rebuilt using AI to produce much sharper 3D city views.
• ▶ 30:01 A new “trending restaurant” section will appear directly in Apple Maps search results to help users discover popular dining spots.
• ▶ 30:23 A security researcher found that Apple's Hide My Email aliases can be cracked to reveal real email addresses, and the flaw remains unfixed even after Apple claimed it was addressed.
• ▶ 30:59 Until the fix arrives, Hide My Email protection isn't airtight: a leaked real address can be linked to a person's name and home address via people-search sites.
• ▶ 31:07 Apple released iOS 27.5.2 early with over 25 security fixes, and recommends updating now because AI is accelerating attackers' ability to exploit bugs.

• ▶ 31:35 Claude "Fable 5" is back online for all users as of July 1st after the government lifted export controls.

• ▶ 31:39 The restoration ends an 18-day shutdown of Anthropic's "most capable model yet," which was ordered offline in June on national security grounds along with Mythos 5.

• ▶ 31:55 Reports say Amazon researchers documented a method to bypass Fable 5's safety controls, allowing it to identify real software vulnerabilities and begin writing exploit code.

• ▶ 32:01 Anthropic found software vulnerabilities in a model, built an automated safety classifier to fix the issue, and had the model (Mythos 5) restored after government review.
• ▶ 32:16 Anthropic launched Claude Sonnet 5, a cheaper model ($2/M input, $10/M output through August) that handles Opus-level work and is their "most agentic Sonnet yet" for autonomous multi-step tasks.
• ▶ 32:44 Anthropic signed a federal early-access agreement giving researchers pre-release access to models, shifting security review to before launch instead of after.
• ▶ 33:03 GPT 5.6 is tightly gated, initially limited to roughly 20 government-approved organizations.
• ▶ 33:17 The model scored 96.7% on internal hacking evaluations, crossing OpenAI's own "high risk" threshold and justifying the restricted rollout.
• ▶ 33:29 The quick turnaround surprised many, but public access to top models from both labs is expected within a few weeks, testing the new approval system.
• ▶ 33:53 Meta is entering the cloud computing business by selling AI model access and leasing data center compute power, directly competing with Amazon and Google.
• ▶ 34:16 Meta's hardware advantage includes the Prometheus gigawatt-scale supercluster and the Hyperion site designed for up to 5 gigawatts, making large-scale compute leasing possible.
• ▶ 34:28 Meta's $600 billion infrastructure commitment is the key financial driver — renting out compute capacity is how it starts paying for itself, a model expected to spread across big AI data center builders.
• ▶ 34:50 Sony will stop producing new PlayStation games on physical discs starting January 2028; existing discs and pre-2028 releases remain unaffected.
• ▶ 35:01 The move is unsurprising since physical discs generated only about 3% of PlayStation revenue last year, and the trend accelerated when the PS5 Pro launched without a disc drive in 2024.
• ▶ 35:19 For consumers, digital-only libraries mean the store controls pricing forever, and games are locked to accounts—unable to be resold or transferred like physical discs.
• ▶ 35:30 Xbox is testing a disc-to-digital program, diverging from typical trade-in models by tying a digital copy to the physical disc and Xbox account, enabling cloud streaming.
• ▶ 35:44 If the physical disc is traded or sold, the linked digital copy is lost — the entitlement transfers away with the disc.
• ▶ 35:47 The program covers Xbox One and Xbox Series X titles, with an official announcement expected within the next few weeks or months.
• ▶ 35:52 Samsung teases a "completely different" foldable shape, a major departure from existing designs.
• ▶ 35:54 Cryptic teasers of broken chocolate bars and puzzle pieces hint at a segmented or reconfigurable form factor.
• ▶ 36:02 Key design hint suggests a shorter, more compact device compared to current tall foldables.
• ▶ 36:04 Samsung is teasing a new foldable form factor that is wider and boxier than current models, both when closed and when opened.
• ▶ 36:09 The reveal is expected at Samsung's Unpacked event on July 22nd, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, though it's unclear if it's a permanent new direction or a limited run.
• ▶ 36:23 A wider screen would be more useful for video playback and split-screen multitasking, potentially representing the first truly new foldable shape vs. current tall/narrow cover displays.
• ▶ 36:34 SpaceX has built and tested its 1000th Merlin engine, the engine used on Falcon rocket first stages.
• ▶ 36:36 The Merlin powers Falcon first stages, marking a major production milestone.
• ▶ 36:38 The key significance is reusability: recovered boosters let the same engines fly mission after mission rather than being discarded.
• ▶ 36:41 The segment transitions from a closing remark about engine reuse to the Hyundai and Kia news.
• ▶ 36:43 Hyundai and Kia announce a new UV light system designed to sanitize or disinfect the vehicle cabin.
• ▶ 36:46 The section concludes as a brief teaser, offering no details on functionality, model availability, or release timing.
• ▶ 36:48 Apple is reportedly cracking down on iPhone 18 Pro leaks.
• [36:50–36:52] The crackdown follows a leak traced back to a supplier.
• ▶ 36:54 Leak videos have started appearing, possibly linked to the enforcement action and ongoing disclosure concerns.
• ▶ 36:56 A Rivian R2 test prototype was spotted near the company's headquarters, with images quickly surfacing online before being taken down.
• ▶ 37:00 The R2 was seen with its roof lidar exposed, revealing Rivian's sensor testing setup.
• ▶ 37:03 The lidar unit is far smaller and more built-in than typical bulky test rigs, hinting at more advanced, production-intent driver-assist hardware.
• ▶ 37:06 Notes the bulky sensor rigs on most self-driving test cars as a passing observation.
• ▶ 37:08 Shifts focus to Audi, the main subject of the segment.
• ▶ 37:10 Audi admits recent interiors have slipped in quality and promises improvements for the next generation.
• ▶ 37:14 Planned fixes include more physical buttons and better cabin materials.
• ▶ 37:14 The host wraps up the discussion about materials automakers are using in next-generation cars.
• ▶ 37:18 The host recaps that all tech, EV, and Tesla news is covered and promotes a related video about problems with newer Tesla vehicles.
• ▶ 37:26 The host thanks viewers for watching and signs off.

• ▶ 0:00 Tesla Q2, Cybercab, and Model Y Launch Series (0:00 - 10:48) - Covers Tesla's Q2 deliveries and energy storage, Cybercab safety and robotaxi rollout, plus the full Model Y Launch Series breakdown.
• ▶ 10:48 Jeff Goldblum Tour and Lars Moravi Interview (10:48 - 11:36) - Covers the Madrid tour news and Lars Moravi's comments on Giga Texas.
• ▶ 11:36 Optimus, FSD, EV Market, and Cybertruck Updates (11:36 - 21:27) - Covers Optimus/Fremont/Terafab, FSD verification and V14, Android app, GM EV sales, charging, Powerwall/Arana, and Cybertruck issues.
• ▶ 21:27 VW and Xpeng Self-Driving News (21:27 - 23:34) - Covers Volkswagen ending its Bosch partnership and Xpeng's goal of catching Tesla FSD.
• ▶ 23:34 Ford, BMW, Genesis, and Toyota EV News (23:34 - 37:31) - Covers Ford's $30,000 electric pickup, BMW's EX5, Genesis GV90, and Toyota's China sales slump.