Sup. This is Plugged In. We're the EV newsletter that's like the bacon in a BLT; without us, there's no sandwich.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• New Tesla Model Teased

• Ford's "Growing Pains" Bleeding Billions

• Full Self-Driving V11.4.1 Update: Are We There Yet?

• Zeekr 001: A New Challenger Has Appeared!

IS THIS THE TESLA MODEL 2?

Isn't this just the electric news to supercharge your day? Elon states that Tesla is currently building, not designing... but building, a new product that's set to square up with the Volkswagen ID 3 and the MG 4 in the battery-powered battle of the century. We've been sitting on the edge of our electrically-heated seats, waiting for a cheap and cheerful addition to Tesla's swanky line-up of pricey playthings.

The suspense was only heightened when a teaser image of this mysterious vehicle was unveiled at the 2023 Tesla Annual Shareholder Meeting - where all the cool kids hang out, obviously. Will this enigma be christened the Tesla Model 2? Will it actually materialize as two cars that are as inseparable as the Model 3 and Model Y? The anticipation is real, folks!

Elon Musk, the CEO who rarely manages to keep his mouth shut on Twitter, teased the crowd by saying, "There are two new products that I think you'll be very excited about. Both the design of the products and the manufacturing techniques are head and shoulders above anything else that is present in the industry.” Tall talk, Uncle Elon, but we want to see the goods!

Some sneak peeks of the ‘baby Tesla’ were already aired on social media, which were about as cryptic as Musk's tweets. The bare bodyshell image hinted at a more efficient, more affordable small-car platform (spilling secrets from the Model 3 and Y) as part of Tesla's master plan. We know, it all sounds very James Bond.

The goal seems to be to streamline the process and make it easier and cheaper for Tesla to churn out cars, potentially using a fully structural battery pack. But let's not forget about the dream of a more affordable, high volume model. At the 2023 Shareholder Meeting, Musk confidently estimated that “we’ll make in excess of five million units a year of these two products combined.” An affordable, short-range EV selling like hotcakes? SIGN ME UP.

Despite ending 2022 without delivering its much-delayed Cybertruck or the new Roadster, Tesla seems to be charging ahead with its plans for a smaller, cheaper model. Cybertruck deliveries are promised to start in 2023 and the Roadster in 2024. Will this be the car to drive mass EV adoption? We're keeping our fingers crossed, but remember - it's always best to buckle up for a potentially bumpy ride with Tesla's grand plans.

FORD'S EV ADVENTURE: WHERE LOSING BILLIONS IS THE NEW WINNING

Roll up your sleeves and secure your seatbelts, because Ford Motor Co. is taking us on a wild ride down the electric vehicle (EV) development highway. And guess what? There's no such thing as a free trip. This journey comes with a whopping price tag, with Ford's EV division set to part with a cool $3 billion in 2023. Ouch!

So, what's the low-down? Is this a big deal? Well, Ford deserves a gold star for transparency. They're not tippy-toeing around the fact that this EV quest is hitting their wallet harder than a 16-wheeler truck. They are giving it to us straight – electric vehicles are expensive, and the bills are piling up.

Now, losing $3 billion might sound like a disaster. But fear not! This isn't the doom and gloom story you might expect. Despite this major financial hiccup, Ford is still pegging a profit somewhere between $9 billion and $11 billion this year. Yes, you read it right. The EV division's loss looks a tad less tragic when the company is raking in triple the profit elsewhere.

Earlier this year, Ford's CEO, Jim Farley, fessed up during an earnings call about some EV hiccups. He spilled the beans on some unexpected surprises – like their Mach-E's wiring harness being 1.6 kilometers longer and 70 pounds heavier than necessary. Result? An extra $300 per battery. Farley called these 'oversights', but let's be real – they're growing pains.

Extra 1.6km of wiring? +$300 per battery? Just some oversights.

There are still some boulders on the EV road to success. Charging infrastructure? Let's just say it's on a "needs improvement" report card. The cost of charging an EV? It's still punching a hole in wallets. And the price of EVs? They're still more like luxury buys than a budget option.

Yet, Ford, along with fellow auto giants like General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., aren't afraid to put their money where their mouths are. They're doubling down on the EV bet, even if it means taking some painful losses.

Let's not forget, where there's high risk, there's often high reward. EVs aren't just about making profits – they're about painting a green future. Sure, these vehicles cost a pretty penny to make, but the potential payoff could be huge. And it's not just traditional auto companies betting on EVs. There's a whole crop of start-ups also jostling for a piece of the pie.

So, buckle up folks! The EV journey might be a bumpy one, but if Ford's drive is anything to go by, there's a whole lot of excitement in store.

FSD BETA V11.4.1. UPDATE: WHEN YOUR CAR GETS SMARTER THAN YOUR SMARTPHONE

Tesla has just let loose the hounds of innovation with the public release of their FSD Beta 11.4.1 update. Mark the day, folks, as this could be the stepping stone towards cars more intelligent than the average human (or at least, the average smartphone).

Post its debut to the Tesla family (the employees, that is), version 11.4.1 has now been gifted to a chosen few – the OG testers. It's no mere patch update, though; it’s a major overhaul building upon the grandeur of the features that version 11.4 introduced.

And just how did this magnificent update come to be? Well, version 11.4 spent around three weeks being put through its paces by the Tesla fam, before the new and improved 11.4.1 was unleashed. When I say 'unleashed', I mean it was gently handed over to the OG testers, representing a mere 0.25% of all Tesla owners with FSD Beta. A very exclusive club, indeed.

Now, let's talk strategy. If this 11.4.1 version behaves itself (i.e., doesn't spawn any earth-shattering bugs), we could be looking at a larger scale rollout. Think slow and steady expansion initially, followed by substantial user waves, echoing the rollout pattern of version 11.3.6.

As for the lucky ducks eligible for the FSD Beta 11.4.1, the list currently includes Tesla owners already blessed with an FSD Beta, or those twiddling their thumbs on update 2023.6 or earlier. But don't lose heart if you're already on the 2023.12 update. The next beta update might be based on this, letting more Tesla owners in on the FSD fun. However, Tesla isn't known for their software rollbacks, so this beta update may remain elusive for some. Yet, with update 2023.16 knocking on the door, it's anyone's guess what's next.

The FSD Beta 11.4.1 is a testament to Tesla's relentless push towards the holy grail of full AI driving. This update practically transforms your car into a smooth-operating, lane-slicing, road-edge-detecting maestro. Its enhanced perception of city lanes, forks, merges, and turns would make a seasoned taxi driver jealous.

In addition to the improved detection capabilities, there's an upgrade in lane-guidance inputs and long-range roadway feature detection. Sprinkle in some enhancements to motorbike recall and vehicle detection precision, and you've got a system that could probably handle a game of Twister on the highway. Probably.

Elon Musk himself has gushed about the massive improvements in FSD Beta 11.4.1, even suggesting that it could've easily donned the version 12 moniker. However, that lofty title is reserved for when Full Self-Driving matures into a full-fledged AI system, ruling everything from video input to control output.

All said and done, the release of FSD Beta 11.4.1 is a mammoth leap for Tesla. It's the harbinger of enhanced driving experiences, nudging Tesla a step closer to its dream of granting full AI capabilities to your car. Who knows, your Tesla might just outsmart you in a game of chess someday!We've shared a video showing a full FSD trip with zero takeovers in The Juice🔋 below.

ZEEKR: NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Strap in for some electric news, folks! Zeekr, the luxury electric vehicle (EV) brand of Geely, is now starting deliveries of their Zeekr 001 shooting brake model, equipped with the much-hyped CATL Qilin Battery. This comes hot on the wheels of the delivery of the Zeekr 009 MPV which started a month ago. What a treat for EV enthusiasts - more choice, more range, and hopefully fewer pit stops!

Zeekr's 001 model, now loaded with the optional 140 kWh Qilin Battery, is claiming to offer the longest EV range on the market with a staggering 1,032 km on a single charge. In a recent press release, Zeekr bragged this should put an end to all those range anxiety nightmares EV users lose sleep over. Mileage anxiety, meet your match!

A quick refresher: Zeekr burst onto the scene as a stand-alone company in March 2021. Not one to waste time, their first model, the Zeekr 001, hit the market on April 15, 2021, with deliveries beginning in October. Moving at lightning speed, they followed up with the Zeekr 009 MPV, launched on November 1, 2022, and deliveries started this January.

Adding another feather to their cap, Zeekr launched the Zeekr X this April, with lofty hopes of setting the gold standard for luxury compact cars. That's some grand ambition right there.

For those not in the know, CATL dropped their Qilin Battery, or the CTP (cell to pack) 3.0 battery, last June, boasting that its energy density could reach a whopping 255Wh/kg. This little powerhouse is supposedly capable of carrying a vehicle over a 1,000 km journey.

Zeekr and CATL teamed up last August to declare the Zeekr 009 the world's first vehicle to sport the Qilin Battery. Not to be outdone, the Zeekr 001 opted for the ultra-long range version of the Qilin Battery, claiming the title of the world's first production vehicle with a 1,000 km range Qilin Battery.

Fast forward to this January, Zeekr dropped the 2023 Zeekr 001, with four basic versions, including two WE versions, one ME version, and one YOU version. Confusing, I know. They also offered a 140-kWh Qilin Battery option for the single-motor WE version with a 100-kWh battery pack, pushing the CLTC range to the aforementioned 1,032 km.

But hold onto your hats, folks! This Qilin Battery option is only available to the first 1,000 customers willing to cough up an additional RMB 103,000 ($14,790). Starting at RMB 403,000, the Zeekr 001 with a 1,000 km range is not for the faint-hearted - or light-walleted.

Hot on the heels of this news, Zeekr recently announced the start of deliveries of the Zeekr 009 MPV with the CATL Qilin Battery. The company reported a massive 279.08 percent increase in vehicles delivered in April, up from 2,137 in the same month last year. Now that's some shocking growth!

Well, it's certainly clear that Zeekr is not just another player in the EV game. They're shaping up to be quite the contender, looking to leave their competitors in the dust...

THE JUICE 🔋

Watch Tesla Shareholder Meeting Highlights. Elon showcases the latest on Tesla Bot, Optimus, and hints at two new cars. Hell yeah.

China vs America in the Battery Race. A defining battle of the 21st century.

Tesla FSD Beta 11.4.1. Is Full Self Driving Ready in 2023? Is this finally it?

The biggest myths about electric cars, debunked. EV myths get demystified.

PLUGGED IN WEEKLY MEME

That's a wrap for today. Charge your batteries & see ya tomorrow! If you want more, be sure to follow our Twitter (@PluggedInEmail)

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.