Sup. This is Plugged In. If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain, this is the EV newsletter for you.

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• New Tesla Model 3 Unveiled 🚗

• Are Robotaxis already safer than humans? 🚕

• Fisker PEAR: The Electric Fruit ⚡️

• Cherish your Uber drivers. Soon they will be robots 🤖

Well, well, well! You know those sneaky leaked photos that had everyone hyperventilating?

Yep, the ones of the Tesla Model 3 “Project Highland”. Well, the cat's out of the bag. Tesla’s official reveal is here and it’s not just a nip and tuck!

Most cars play by the "Let's look pretty every 3-7 years" rule, and now it’s Model 3’s turn.

Exterior Glow-Up:

Hello, revamped front-end! Gone is the nose-heavy look of the old Model 3. Instead, a sleeker, sharper face.

By the way, those leaked photos? Legit. The color? A sultry “Ultra Red”. Headlights? Sharper. Narrowing their gaze like a cat watching a laser pointer. And the rear is sporting the full “TESLA” name tag, ditching the lone "T".

Mileage Flex:

The updated Model 3 is boasting a range of up to 421 miles WLTP for the upper-tier version. But WLTP metrics are kinda like that friend who exaggerates their weekend stories. We'll have to wait for the US EPA digits for the real tea.

Much of the increased range comes from sleeker aerodynamics (that nose job wasn’t only for looks!) causing the drag coefficient to drop it like it’s hot.

Interior Pampering:

Where do we even begin? Let’s rapid-fire:

• Rear 8-inch touchscreen: Because backseat drivers need entertainment too.

• No more steering stalks: We're going touchscreen, baby! Plus, some fancy turn signal buttons.

• Ventilated front seats: Pre-warm or cool via the Tesla app. Never again sit on lava-hot leather in the summer.

• Plushier rear seating: Your bum will thank you.

• Sound system: Amplified to 17 speakers from 14. Eardrum heaven.

• Improved connectivity for those Spotify marathons and urgent calls.

• Ambient lighting to set the mood.

• A bigger trunk. Because shopping.

Early testers are all heart-eyes, loving that something that was already great became greater.

For our US readers, it's a wait-and-see game for hands-on time. If you're itching to drive this beauty in Europe, you can place your orders now. Deliveries expected to start in October!

ARE ROBOTAXIS ALREADY SAFER THAN HUMANS? 🚕

Buckle up, pluggers! Or don't. I don’t really care. The cars in question don't seem to want you driving anyway. Time to dive into the spicy world of robotaxi safety.

First off. On August 10, the big heads gave the green light to Waymo and Cruise. They can now start making green (money, not avocados) for their robotaxi rides. Yay!

A week after, Cruise was a bit like that friend who can’t hold their liquor. Crashing not once, but twice within mere hours. Yikes! The next day Cruise was in trooubbbleeee and DMV put half of Cruise’s fleet in the naughty corner for time-out.

To further stir the pot, New York Times reporter, Cade Metz, hopped on The Daily podcast. He pointed out the increasingly obvious fact that self-driving cars have flaws. Cue immediate argument and the big question of "Are Robotaxis safer than humans?" Metz played it cool with an "I don't really know." But that answer isn't good enough for us.

So let's find out. Shall we?

Geek mode on: Waymo and Cruise have logged a whopping 8 million driverless miles combined. Of that, there's been 102 scrapes or bumps. This translates to one mishap around every 60,000 miles. To put that in perspective, that’s about as often as I clean under my sofa.

Also, most of these were little "oopsies". Oopsies due to humans.

Waymo's biggest oopsie not involving humans? Brushing against an abandoned shopping cart.

Some key stats:

• We humans (bless our cotton socks) drive almost 100 million miles between fatal accidents. So, to give a verdict on driverless cars' safety, we’d need them to cruise through hundreds of millions of miles.

• Looking at Waymo's record so far, they've had a few hiccups. But most of these accidents were minor and not Waymo's fault.

• Waymo needs to up its game when it comes to dodging rogue shopping carts.

• Waymo also needs to up its game when it comes to avoiding potholes big enough to be portals to Narnia.

The conclusion?

While there's room for improvement, Waymo seems to be on track to outdo us humans when it comes to safe driving. As for Cruise, they’ve got a bit of homework to do.

So next time you spot a driverless car on the road, give them a break. They might be the good drivers we've all been waiting for. Plus, they probably won’t honk at you for no reason. Probably.

FISKER PEAR: THE ELECTRIC FRUIT ⚡️

The Fisker PEAR. It’s not a fruit; it's an electric car intended to make the Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf look rotten. Although it hasn't launched yet, Fisker have released some new photos and details.

So, how big is this electric fruit? The Pear's a tidy package at about 15 feet (4550mm) and comes in a flexible five- or six-seater version. The trunk? It's got a few magic tricks. So they named it the "Houdini trunk". The door opens downward, so it's easy to get to even in tight parking or low-ceiling garages.

Feeling sleepy or want to chill? Relax in the Pear's "Lounge Mode" by reclining the seats and resting your feet. Watch shows on a 17-inch screen that rotates. If you opt for the six-seater, you’ll get a two-seat bench up front, making it feel a bit like your grandpa's old pickup.

Let’s talk range. Fisker's aiming for 320 miles. For people who live in the city or don't drive long distances, there's a smaller 180 mile battery option too. And all this starting at a pretty $29,990? Fisker, I'm in.

CHERISH YOUR UBER DRIVERS. SOON THEY WILL BE ROBOTS 🤖

Picture a car driving on its own in the foggy San Francisco streets. One that avoids people and doesn't get stuck. This imaginary car is a peek into the Robotaxi promise.

It's weird to see a car drive by itself at first. Like the first time I saw my dog using the remote. Turns out he's a big fan of Animal Planet. But over time, it feels normal. The car shows up with your name on it. You hop in. Once inside, there's no driver to greet you - only a voice telling you to buckle up. Safety first, even for robots.

Though these robotaxis are new and fast, they're still learning. They sometimes get tricked by simple things, like putting a cone in front of them.

Companies are racing to make the best self-driving car. Waymo and Cruise use maps and sensors. Tesla uses cameras and computers. It's a new kind of car race, and everyone's watching to see who wins.

And when Robotaxis become the default, what happens to our unsung heroes: the taxi and uber drivers.

If we wave goodbye to them in favor of robotaxis, would we miss their stories and banter? Who will journalists corner for the real scoop on a city? How do they feel about this?

Well when asked about a world of driverless cars, Aleks, an Uber driver, had a sparkle in his eyes. He lit up like a kid in a candy store. Why?

He dreams of owning a self-driving car. It'd be on the road thrice as much as he could ever drive. "I'll relax, while my car racks up the cash." The car would hustle. Aleks would chill. Win-win.

So as robotaxis become more common, here’s a thought to remember:

We'll soon miss those drunken rambles on the way home at 2am. Cherish your Uber drivers.

THE JUICE 🔋

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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.