Tesla uses this Cybertruck wiper Easter Egg to help efficiency and aerodynamics

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Tesla uses a little-known Cybertruck Easter Egg with the massive windshield wiper to help with efficiency and aerodynamics.

The Easter Egg is called “Aero Mode,” and it all has to do with the positioning of the obnoxiously large windshield wiper that Tesla installed on the Cybertruck.

According to the Cybertruck’s Lead Engineer, Wes Morrill, Aero Mode positions the wiper vertically along the A Pillar of the all-electric pickup.

It activates the mode automatically at higher speeds and helps decrease drag, which is a very important metric to minimize, especially for EVs, as it can greatly decrease range if it is not managed correctly.

The tidbit was shared by Morrill with Matt Wallace:

The wiper will physically move to this position at higher speeds to help with range and aerodynamics.

Wallace said he has seen the wiper shift to this position while he drives his Cybertruck on the highway at certain speeds. Initially, he thought it was an issue with the wiper itself, thinking it was loose or not installed properly.

“Turns out it has a purpose,” he said.

It is just one of many features across the Tesla lineup that goes under the radar but was drafted up by company engineers to make the vehicle more efficient. Range loss and combating drag while driving an EV are usually always on the minds of the engineers at any manufacturer.

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Please email me with questions and comments at joey@teslarati.com. I’d love to chat! You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla uses this Cybertruck wiper Easter Egg to help efficiency and aerodynamics





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Tesla eyes first city for Robotaxi operation with preliminary talks

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Tesla is already eyeing the first city where it plans to launch some sort of Robotaxi operation as it has initiated preliminary talks with the authorities in the area, a new report states.

At its Robotaxi unveiling event in October, Tesla said it planned to kick off fully autonomous ride-sharing operation in Texas and California as early as 2025. It has already started talks with local authorities in one of those states.

The company is now in touch with officials in Austin, Texas, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The publication saw emails between Tesla and Austin city officials that showed the talks had already started.

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However, they are in the earliest of stages, which means there are plenty of things to iron out before any true progress is made, including a date or terms of what the Robotaxi fleet may look like in terms of size and operation.

This would be quite different from what the company offers currently. Tesla drivers can currently use the company’s Full Self-Driving suite to navigate anywhere in a semi-autonomous fashion. While it does not require hands on the steering wheel, it does require a driver’s complete attention, and it is monitored through a cabin-facing camera.

What Tesla is aiming for with its Robotaxi fleet is totally different. This would not require anyone in the vehicle to pay attention or contribute anything to the vehicle in terms of its operation.

The vehicle would get the passengers from point A to point B without any human intervention, something that has been done with other companies in the past like Waymo.

However, these companies have used geofenced areas and teleoperation to keep these rides driverless. They are just confined to a certain area. Tesla does not want to use geofencing, but there has been speculation the company will use teleoperation in the early days of its Robotaxi fleet operation.

It would make sense for Austin to be the first city where Tesla operates the Robotaxi fleet. The company’s Gigafactory Texas is located just outside the city, and Tesla moved its Headquarters to Texas from Palo Alto, California in 2022.

Need accessories for your Tesla? Check out the Teslarati Marketplace:

Please email me with questions and comments at joey@teslarati.com. I’d love to chat! You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla eyes first city for Robotaxi operation with preliminary talks





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‘I feel fortunate to have worked and fought’

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Tesla has reportedly lost its plant manager at the Gigafactory Shanghai plant in China.

Song Gang, who has been with Tesla for six years, confirmed in an internal memo seen by Reuters that his time with the electric automaker has come to a close.

As of this writing, he has not updated the experience portion of his LinkedIn page, as it states he is still the Vice President of Manufacturing at Gigafactory Shanghai.

However, the description below his name states he is “EX-Tesla.” His about me on his LinkedIn page states:

“As the No. 1 employee in Telsa GFSH, I have built up the world No. 1 vehicle factory, Battery factory and Drive Unit factory. All factories are intellegent and digitalized. Now I am leading the 1st Mega factory project outside US, aiming to build the No. 1 energy product factory in the world.”

He is set to leave his post on Wednesday, the memo said. He also wrote:

“Today is my last day at Tesla and I feel extremely fortunate to have worked and fought with everyone on this plot of land.”

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The reason for his departure is not currently known, but Bloomberg is reporting that Senior Director of Quality at the plant, Fei Wenjin, will be the new frontman for Gigafactory Shanghai.

Need accessories for your Tesla? Check out the Teslarati Marketplace:

Please email me with questions and comments at joey@teslarati.com. I’d love to chat! You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla loses Giga Shanghai plant manager: ‘I feel fortunate to have worked and fought’





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