Ride The Lightning: Tesla Motors Unofficial Podcast

I talk to a Robotaxi user who took lots of rides in phase one of Tesla’s autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin. Plus: the first self-delivering Tesla has found its new owner, Tesla is currently testing a virtual queuing system for Supercharging, and more! Thank you to all Patreon backers for your generous pledges! I hope you enjoy your ad-free early access to this one, and thanks for your continued support on Patreon! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. WIN AN EV WHILE GIVING TO A GREAT CAUSE: For your chance to win your dream EV in the 2025 ChesedChicago raffle, head to https://ccraffle.com?utm_source=ridethelightning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=06.15.25 . Hurry, tickets are limited and only 9,999 tickets will be sold, get your tickets today and use code RTL for $25 off of two tickets or $500 off of 15 tickets. Whether you win o

Tesla’s robotaxi service officially launches in Austin, marking a major milestone in the company’s decade-long quest to achieve autonomous driving. Plus: Tesla might be making another new Model Y variant, we may have just gotten a sneak peek at Tesla’s AI5 FSD Computer, and more! Thank you to all Patreon backers for your generous pledges! I hope you enjoy your ad-free early access to this one, and thanks for your continued support on Patreon! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. WIN AN EV WHILE GIVING TO A GREAT CAUSE: For your chance to win your dream EV in the 2025 ChesedChicago raffle, head to https://ccraffle.com?utm_source=ridethelightning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=06.15.25 . Hurry, tickets are limited and only 9,999 tickets will be sold, get your tickets today and use code RTL for $25 off of two tickets or $500 off of 15 ticke

Tesla has finally launched the updated Model S and X. I’ll tell you about all the changes and what I think of them. Plus: another new Model Y variant appears to be coming very soon, we’ve got a few new robotaxi updates to discuss, and more! Thank you to all Patreon backers for your generous pledges! I hope you enjoy your ad-free early access to this one, and thanks for your continued support on Patreon! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. WIN AN EV WHILE GIVING TO A GREAT CAUSE: For your chance to win your dream EV in the 2025 ChesedChicago raffle, head to https://ccraffle.com?utm_source=ridethelightning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=06.15.25 . Hurry, tickets are limited and only 9,999 tickets will be sold, get your tickets today and use code RTL for $25 off of two tickets or $500 off of 15 tickets. Whether you win or not, you're helpi

Tesla makes three very unique updates to the Model 3 that have absolutely nothing to do with each other but are nevertheless interesting. Plus: the state of New Jersey makes a baffling decision that forces Tesla to decommission Superchargers along the New Jersey Turnpike, Volkswagen plans to go big with Rivian’s software, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. CHECK OUT COOL NEW WHEELS FOR YOUR TESLA: Get The New Aero's beautifu

We’ve got a reported date for the first driverless robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, along with a long-ago autonomy forecast that might finally be on the cusp of coming true. Plus: Tesla’s letting you take a two-day test drive of any car you like, Rivian takes a big step towards the R2 going into full production, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. CHECK OUT COOL NEW WHEELS FOR YOUR TESLA: Get The New Aero's beautiful and aero

The new Model Y Performance, an updated Model S, and an updated Model X were all spotted out in the wild – separately! – suggesting that the debuts of those vehicles are imminent. Plus: owners of the refreshed Model 3 and Model Y can now get a subtle but premium upgrade to their dashboards, new details on the upcoming robotaxi rollout in Austin, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. CHECK OUT COOL NEW WHEELS FOR YOUR TESLA: Get

Tesla expands its military discount program to include additional American heroes, Tesla’s ‘Robotaxi’ and ‘Cybercab’ trademarks hit roadblocks, FSD is finally set to (partially) roll out in Europe, Toyota gets a bit more serious about EVs, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. CHECK OUT COOL NEW WHEELS FOR YOUR TESLA: Get The New Aero's beautiful and aero-efficient wheels designed for Teslas by Tesla owners at www.TNAwheels.com

Tesla has reintroduced the Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y, and the Juniper version of it offers incredible value. Plus: there’s good news and bad news for Cybertruck owners, Rivian ramps up in Illinois to prepare for the R2, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. INTERESTED IN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOUR TESLA? Be a part of the future of transportation with XCare, the first extended warranty designed & built exclusive

A new report suggests that Tesla might be readying a three-row Model Y with a longer wheelbase in China, but if it’s true, might it make its way to the US as well? Plus: Tesla’s regulatory path to getting the Cybercab approved just got easier, a newly announced EV pickup truck is taking a unique strategy to be as affordable as possible, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. INTERESTED IN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOUR TESLA? Be

Tesla held its quarterly earnings call for Q1 2025, and there was plenty covered, from the robotaxis launching in the near future to Optimus to the more affordable Teslas and more. I’ll have highlight clips from the Tesla executive team plus my recap and analysis. If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. INTERESTED IN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOUR TESLA? Be a part of the future of transportation with XCare, the first extended warranty desig

The more affordable Tesla that I’ve been calling the ‘Model 2.5’ is reportedly delayed, one Indiana police department has five years of fleet data that shows that using Teslas as police cars saves taxpayers a ton of money, the largest free EV charging park in the world is at Giga Berlin, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. INTERESTED IN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOUR TESLA? Be a part of the future of transportation with XCare,

Tesla has finally rolled out the rear-wheel drive Cybertruck, but it’s VERY different from the one they first announced. I’ll tell you all about what you get and what you don’t on this cheaper version of Tesla’s stainless steel truck. Plus: Tesla’s imminent Spring software update brings a much-requested new feature that should keep a lot of Model Y rear liftgates from getting dented, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. INTERE

Tesla announces its first-quarter vehicle production and delivery numbers, and the news isn’t the best – with fellow EV automakers Rivian and Lucid largely in the same boat. Plus: Tesla’s found its chef for its upcoming drive-in diner Supercharger in Hollywood, the regular version of the new Model Y is now available, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! And don't forget to leave a message on the Ride the Lightning hotline anytime with a question, comment, or discussion topic for next week's show! The toll-free number to call or Skype is 1-888-989-8752. INTERESTED IN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR YOUR TESLA? Be a part of the future

Tesla mod shop Unplugged Performance's president and founder Ben Schaffer joins me for an interview about the company’s approach to modifying the Cybertruck, the new Model 3 and new Model Y, as well as their big bet on making Tesla police vehicles through their UPfit program. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! FOR FIRST-TIME TESLA BUYERS: The referral program is back and it's the best one in a while! You can get $500 off your Model 3 or classic Model Y purchase (or $1000 off of Cybertruck, Model S, or Model X) by ordering through my referral link. Clicking this will take you to the Tesla website where you can order with the di

I've given this a lot of thought and wanted to talk to you about how I feel regarding what's happening around Tesla right now. If you're not interested in this, feel free to skip this one, as the regular episodes will remain on their normal schedule. If you listen and then choose to respond, I hope you'll be considerate towards me and your fellow listeners in the comments. Thank you.

A new report out of China says that Tesla is planning a smaller version of the Model Y. Plus: a new software update lets you check on your car’s battery health, the Cybercab gets one step closer to operating on public streets in California, and more! If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! FOR FIRST-TIME TESLA BUYERS: The referral program is back and it's the best one in a while! You can get $500 off your Model 3 or classic Model Y purchase (or $1000 off of Cybertruck, Model S, or Model X) by ordering through my referral link. Clicking this will take you to the Tesla website where you can order with the discount applied: https://ts.la/rya

Tesla is no longer offering custom orders for the classic Model Y, signaling the end of the line for the first generation of the world’s best-selling vehicle and the beginning of its second generation. Plus: Model 3 gets an impressive financing incentive, Cybertruck might finally be heading Down Under, Rivian is extending a hand to orphaned Fisker Ocean owners, and more! NOTE: The non-Tesla EV segment runs from 30:48-41:55 if you'd prefer to skip it. If you enjoy the podcast and would like to support my efforts, please check out my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/teslapodcast and consider a monthly pledge. Every little bit helps and there are stacking bonuses in it for you at each pledge level, like early access to each episode at the $5 tier and the weekly Lightning Round bonus mini-episode (AND the early access!) at the $10 tier! And NO ADS at every tier! FOR FIRST-TIME TESLA BUYERS: The referral program is back and it's the best one in a while! You can get $500 off your Model 3 or classic Model Y purcha

Tesla co-founder, current board member, and former Chief Technical Officer JB Straubel joins me to discuss Tesla’s early days, his interest in batteries, building the first Gigafactory, his battery recycling efforts at Redwood Materials, and more. Enjoy! TIMECODES 10:45 Interview starts 11:33 More of a car guy or engineering guy? 12:14 Origin of his interest in batteries 12:47 Building his first EV…long before Tesla 14:43 Did he always want to go to Stanford for engineering? 15:35 How JB met Elon 17:55 Recalling when he helped build the first Lotus Elise engineering mule for Tesla 18:43 JB still has his original Tesla Roadster 20:30 On the origins of Gigafactory 1, aka Giga Nevada 21:28 What car(s) JB daily drives 24:11 How Tesla acquired the NUMMI plant from Toyota 25:16 What were the challenges of building the Model S versus the Roadster 27:41 How JB felt when the Model S started winning awards, like Motor Trend’s Car of the Year 29:07 Did Panasonic get on board with Giga 1 right away? 32:21 How Model 3’s “

Tesla’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen joins me for the third time to celebrate my 500th episode. We discuss his longevity at Tesla, the new Model Y, paint colors, wheel design, the next-gen Roadster, and more. Enjoy! Timecodes: 8:28 Start of interview 10:02 What Franz worked on the day I came in for the interview 11:38 Why he has stayed at Tesla so long (16+ years so far) 12:20 His longevity at Tesla is unusual in the design world 15:10 Tesla’s mission is what drives Franz 16:28 How his year-one-at-Tesla self would feel if he saw what the 2025 version of Franz is building 17:33 Reacting to seeing his work every day on the roads 18:45 What Franz thinks when he sees modded/customized customer cars  22:03 What he’s daily driving right now 24:54 Franz’s favorite thing he’s ever designed at Tesla 26:48 How Optimus has challenged him as a designer 29:23 Who wins when the design and engineering teams don’t agree? 30:45 An example of what happens when engineering and design work with each other to achieve a mut

Tesla’s Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy joins me for a candid conversation spanning a wide-ranging number of topics, from the new Model Y to his memories of pivotal moments in Tesla history to the next-gen Roadster and even the upcoming more-affordable cars. Enjoy! Timecodes: 6:39 Interview begins 7:36 Lars on when he first got into cars 9:42 Remembering his first job in the auto industry, at Honda, and what led him to Tesla 14:01 Early days at Tesla 15:19 He knew the Model S was going to be a special car 17:22 Engineering the falcon-wing doors of the Model X 19:34 The charger snake prototype and its “hubris” 20:21 The Cybercab will be road trip capable 23:26 The most satisfying vehicle project he’s worked on 26:07 Why Tesla doesn’t have any plans to build any more HFS vehicles 26:43 The Cybercab isn’t “painted” in the traditional sense 28:44 Remembering Model 3’s “production hell” 31:20 Tesla fully expected the Model Y to become the world’s best-selling vehicle 33:50 Building the next-gen Roadster