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My Tesla Autopilot & FSD Beta Background 3 years and 8 months ago, I purchased my Tesla Model 3 Long Range and paid $6,000 extra for Full Self Driving. If you want to add FSD to your current car or a new purchase, it will now cost you $15,000 for the same software suite. You can also rent the software for $199/month. With a referral*, your new Tesla will come with three months of FSD. At first, FSD only gave me automatic driving on limited-access (no-cross streets) highways. My car would navigate from one Interstate highway to another following the…
Today, we need to talk about a somewhat dirty topic. In fact, it’s one most people avoid at a deep level. When people perform this basic bodily function, we usually pretend like something else is happening, even in the very words our languages use. Whether we’re visiting the restroom, taking a leak, or trying to find the “little girl’s room,” we never just out and say that we’re going to poop (at least in polite company). While we don’t want to talk about it, we certainly expect to be able to do it. Every city is expected to have a…
In this episode of the CleanTechnica Ultimate EV Bracket Battle, we pit the standard-bearing grand-daddy of the modern EV movement against a slick, European upstart. It’s the Tesla Model S vs. the Audi e-tron GT, with CleanTechnica’s CEO, Zachary Shahan, championing the Model S while yours truly takes the side of the Audi e-tron GT. They’re both premium electric sedans with heart-stopping, pants-s**tting acceleration and high-end, audiophile-favorite sound systems, so how do you choose between them? Zach thinks that Tesla’s Netflix and Disney+ capabilities, nationwide charging network, and video-gaming capabilities tip it over the edge, while I argue that all…
Last year, Fanttik sent us one of their X8 APEX portable air compressors to review. At first, it seemed like a nice thing to have, but I figured out pretty quickly that it was a valuable piece of clean technology to keep around! In this article, I’ll recap what I said last year about the X8 APEX and then explain how valuable it has continued to prove itself to be over the last year. What We Learned Last Year Inflating tires at home can be a simple task. Many, including myself, use a large manual bike pump for our bicycles…
Tesla has changed its standard paint color for the Model 3 and Model Y. Now everything but Midnight Silver is at least $1,000. “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black,” that’s what Henry Ford supposedly said when asked why Ford was not offering different colors for the Model T. When first launching the Model 3, Tesla only made a black color option standard and everything cost a $1,000 or more premium – sort of following in Ford’s footstep. Much like Ford’s obsession with efficiency, Tesla also limited the option to streamline production.…
Kentucky joined Texas and Washington as the third state that would like to see Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charging connectors alongside CCS1, at publicly-funded, fast-charging stations. However, while Texas and Washington revealed only plans to require NACS plugs (which raised opposition from some charging companies), Kentucky already requires the NACS plugs. According to Reuters, Kentucky’s plan went into effect on Friday (June 30), which is the first such case in the United States. Companies that would like to participate in a state program to electrify highways using federal dollars, will have to add NACS plugs (CCS1 is required at…
Rivian built 13,992 vehicles and delivered 12,640 vehicles in the second quarter of 2023, the automaker reported Monday. These new Q2 numbers are up significantly versus the 9,395 vehicles made and 7,946 delivered in the first quarter. And they show that Rivian isn’t falling much farther behind on deliveries. A Rivian press release said these numbers “remain in line with the company’s expectations,” and that Rivian is on track to deliver 50,000 vehicles this year, in line with previously released annual guidance. Rivian EDV700 The Q2 numbers include the R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV for the retail…
A few days ago, I had a chance to ride the new 20″ SWFT BMX e-bike. It’s my son’s bike, and given both my and his own connections in the e-mobility world, I’m sure he didn’t pay for it. Still, it’s worth noting that this isn’t technically a paid review — but it might read like one, if you don’t have sufficient context. So, here’s some context. Pizza & Sex Image courtesy SWFT. For those of you that haven’t been following my posts over the last few years: I’ve ridden a lot of bikes. “Bikes,” in this case, covers both…
A few weeks ago, GOLDENMATE reached out to have us test its take on the deep cycle battery. From what we can tell so far, it works exactly as advertised, and it a fairly easy to use package! What Would You Use One Of These For? A deep cycle battery is a type of energy storage unit that is designed to be discharged and recharged repeatedly, often down to a very low level. This contrasts with starter batteries (like those in most cars), which are designed for short bursts of high power to start the engine, but then get quickly…
Canada’s recent wildfires have already scorched about 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres), serving as a wake-up call for heightened attention to wildfire preparedness. In recent years, the United States also has experienced record-breaking wildfire seasons, with an average of 22,946 wildfires per year between 2013 and 2022. In 2021 alone, the state of California had 9,260 fires, making it the first of the top 10 states with the most wildfires. The below chart shows the rest nine states: Nearly 45 million homes are adjacent to or intermingled with rural land, putting over 72,000 U.S. communities at risk. Preparing for wildfires…