Tesla to release mobile app update that allows window closing, venting features

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on September 26, 2019

Tesla has begun rolling out a new update for its mobile app that introduces a clever feature allowing owners to close and vent their vehicles’ windows through their smartphones. This simple yet immensely welcome function was initially reported by members of the Tesla community using iOS devices. 

An image depicting this new feature was shared by Tesla owner u/jwardell, who posted a screenshot of his mobile app’s home menu that includes the new feature. The close and vent buttons are situated at the top left corner of the Tesla mobile app, beside the button that allows owners to lock and unlock their electric car. 

Following his post, u/jwardell mentioned that his mobile app is running v3.10.0. That being said, the Tesla owner’s vehicle appears to be part of the Early Access Program, as evidenced by other owners remarking that they have the same app version but do not have access to the new feature.

A video of the new function in action was shared on Twitter by @coptertube, who provided a quick look at how the vehicle’s windows react to owners’ input from the app. Based on the brief footage of the app-based window function, it appears that pressing the window button once will drop all windows about 3 inches, and pressing it again closes all four. 

Interestingly, the avatar of the vehicle on the homepage of the mobile app does not seem to react to the window’s movements. This would likely be addressed by Tesla when the feature is released widely to the company’s fleet of vehicles, but for now, this minor flaw is fondly considered by Early Access Program members as a bonafide first world problem. 

While a feature allowing owners to close or vent their windows through their smartphone might be a minor function compared to Tesla’s other, more serious features such as Autopilot and Smart Summon, these small changes help make the overall Tesla ownership experience convenient and dynamic. It is these little improvements, after all, that proves that Teslas, unlike other vehicles, can actually get better over time. 

Based on the fact that the window close and vent function on the Tesla mobile app appears to be active only among members of the Early Access Program, there is a good chance that Tesla will conduct a mass rollout of the feature together with the V10 Update, which is expected to be released in the near future. V10 is expected to introduce several new improvements to Tesla’s new vehicles, including novel features like the Tesla Theater, Joe Mode, and the highly-anticipated Smart Summon.

Tesla to release mobile app update that allows window closing, venting features

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Tesla Model X Raven subjected to EV veteran’s real-world efficiency test

Joey Klender

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Posted on September 25, 2019

A veteran electric vehicle enthusiast has given the Tesla Model X a nod of approval after putting the SUV through his trademark real-world efficiency test.

YouTuber Bjørn Nyland recently gave his subscribers a look at the “Raven” Tesla Model X’s features, particularly with regards to the vehicle’s efficiency and range. Through two separate tests, one that would simulate both highway and city driving and another that involves highway speeds, Nyland was able to provide figures for the vehicle’s real-world energy consumption. Both tests were performed on the same stretch of highway that spanned around 46 km (28.5 miles) one way. Nyland would travel the 46 km and then turn around, making the total distance per test around 93.3 km (57.97 miles).

The first test required the vehicle to travel at 90 km/h, or 56 mph, a speed that Nyland stated would best simulate both city and highway driving. It was performed after a short charge that only had the function of resetting the dash’s “since last charge” measurement. The hour-long trip showed that the Model X Long Range used 16.5 kWh of energy and 177 Wh/km. If the SUV were to travel at this speed for an entire charge, the vehicle’s 100 kWh battery pack would likely last around 565 km, or 351 miles, on a single charge.

The “Raven” Tesla Model X Long Range’s statistics after Nyland’s first test (Credit: YouTube/Bjørn Nyland)

After running the first assessment with the Model X, comparisons were made between other manufacturer’s electric cars. The closest to the Model X Raven in terms of energy efficiency was the Mercedes EQC, a vehicle equipped with an 80 kWh battery pack that used 192 Wh/km in the same route. These figures are estimated to give around 417 km, or 258 miles, of range.

The next test involved be a more realistic highway assessment, with Nyland traveling the same distance course at 120 km/h, or 75 mph. This 48-minute test used 21.3 kWh of energy and 229 Wh/km. These numbers would give the car 402 km, or 250 miles of range, outperforming its closest competitor in the test, the Jaguar I-Pace by a considerable margin. Nyland’s previous tests on the I-PACE showed that compared to tge “Raven” Model X, the Jaguar crossover SUV would only give about three-quarters of the range and use 15% more energy.

The “Raven” Tesla Model X Long Range’s statistics after Nyland’s second test (Credit: YouTube/Bjørn Nyland)

The “Raven” Model X Long Range’s efficiency results speaks once more to Tesla’s lead in the range and efficiency segment for electric vehicles. Despite the Model X being in the market for around four years now, rivals from veteran manufacturers such as Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz appear to be having problems catching up to the large, spacious vehicle’s range and efficiency. This is particularly evident in the Audi e-tron, an SUV with a 95 kWh battery pack that is pretty much gaining a reputation for being the electric equivalent of a gas guzzler.

Bjorn Nyland is among the EV community’s most experienced members. Having embraced EVs for years, Nyland has tested numerous electric and electrified vehicles, from Teslas to BMWs and Jaguars. Nyland owns a Model X, fondly named “Optimus Prime,” which was won through a Tesla referral program. He has also won other cars through referrals, including a Model S and the Next-Gen Roadster.

Watch Bjørn Nyland’s Model X Long Range Raven energy efficiency tests in the video below.

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Tesla Model X Raven subjected to EV veteran’s real-world efficiency test

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Tesla’s new Gigafactory 3 jobs puts Model 3 production, grassroots marketing in focus

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on September 24, 2019

The start of Gigafactory 3’s operations appears to be drawing closer, with Tesla’s China division posting a series of new job listings directly related to the manufacture and promotion of the Model 3. Amidst these updates, footage taken of the Gigafactory 3 complex suggests that the preparations for Phase 2 construction are hitting their stride. 

An announcement from Tesla’s recruitment team in China last week revealed that the electric car maker will be hiring first-line technicians and team leaders at an upcoming job fair on September 26. The announcement came shortly after a job listing for battery-related positions was posted online. 

Another set of job listings uploaded by Tesla China suggests that the company is currently looking to form Gigafactory 3’s Factory Firmware Team. Among the jobs that were listed include Firmware Integration Engineers and Firmware Integration Technicians. This team will be tasked to “deploy, integrate, and assess” smart hardware and programmable logic controllers for Tesla’s vehicles. 

Particularly interesting among Tesla’s new hiring initiatives is a post announcing that the electric car maker is looking to hire a strong “Creative CP” team for China. In its listing, Tesla mentioned that it is looking for individuals who could be part of a “superior” social media team that could effectively tap into the country’s massive online community. This is a key strategy that would likely pay off in spades for Tesla, particularly as the teams could end up fostering a formidable grassroots marketing campaign among real electric car owners in the country. 

Amidst these new hires, Gigafactory 3’s Phase 2 buildout appears to be progressing very well. As could be seen in recent footage from EV enthusiast and drone operator Wuwa Vision, Tesla’s construction partner appears to be progressing forward with the preparations for the buildout of Gigafactory 3’s Phase 2 stage. Few details have been announced about Phase 2, though speculations suggest that the project will involve the creation of a facility that will produce battery packs and drive units for the Model 3. 

Tesla Gigafactory 3 is expected to begin operations as soon as the southwest substation is completed. That being said, leaked images from the interior of Gigafactory 3’s general assembly building have revealed that trial assembly runs for the Model 3 are already starting. A recently shared image on Weibo, for one, featured two painted, partially built Model 3 units in what appeared to be a part of the massive structure’s assembly line. 

Watch a recent drone flyover of Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 complex in the video below. 

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Tesla’s new Gigafactory 3 jobs puts Model 3 production, grassroots marketing in focus

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