Tesla had a difficult first half of the year on many levels, but the second half of the year could prove to be quite interesting as we learn that Tesla is planning a series of surprises to be unveiled by the end of the year.
It’s not that the first half was without big announcements.
We have seen the Model Y for the first time and Tesla finally launched its Supercharger V3 – though the rollout has been quite slow. And Tesla did actually launch its $35,000 Model 3 though it did come with some consequences.
However, we expect that things will ramp up for Tesla during the second half of 2019 with a series of increasingly more exciting announcements starting with…
Tesla Model S and Model X Refresh
We have already seen a partial refresh of Tesla’s flagship sedan and SUV earlier this year with a motor and suspension upgrade, but we expect something bigger to be released in a few months.
It will mainly consist of an interior design refresh, which we have been talking about for a year now.
In July of last year, we reported that Tesla is planning a significant interior refresh for Model S and Model X and we even leaked the first design drawings:
As seen in the images above, Tesla plans to bring to Model S and Model X a similar interior design as currently found in Model 3 but with an extra screen and more “premium materials.”
At the time, we were told that Tesla was planning to release the new interior early in the third quarter 2019 – although plans might have changed since last year.
While Tesla introduced a new exterior for Model S and Model X in 2016, the interior design of those vehicles has only received minor incremental improvements since launching the Model S back in 2012.
It would make a new interior long overdue, but it is also expected not to be the only significant change introduced to the lineup by the end of the year.
Tesla’s Own New Battery Technology with Maxwell
We expect Tesla to introduce a new battery technology, probably starting with Model S and Model X, by the end of the year.
Tesla’s recent acquisition of Maxwell and its dry electrode technology is a clear indicator that the automaker is upgrading its battery chemistry, but we are also expecting an announcement about Tesla making its own battery cells.
We have recently analyzed a conversation between CEO Elon Musk, CTO JB Straubel, and VP of Technology Drew Baglino about Tesla’s battery technology and we concluded that the automaker all but confirmed that they aim to introduce a plan to produce their own battery cells with Maxwell’s technology.
The new battery cells should result in lower cost, more volume, higher energy density, and even better longevity.
We have high expectations for the new technology and we expect the details to be announced by the end of the year at Tesla’s Battery and Powertrain Investor Day, which currently doesn’t have an official date.
Tesla Pickup Truck
This one is not as much of a “surprise” since Tesla has been guiding the unveiling of its pickup truck for “this summer” or “by the end of the year” for a while now, but the truck itself is apparently going to be surprising.
Musk has been talking about a futuristic design and everyone is struggling to figure out what it will look like.
We recently shared a bunch of renderings and drawings of Tesla’s Pickup truck based on new information about the official teaser:
On top of the design, we are expecting some incredible specs following comments from Musk about the truck.
The CEO recently said that the Tesla Pickup truck will cost less than $50,000, be better than a Ford F150 and a Porsche 911.
Tesla is expected to unveil the truck during the second half of 2019.
Tesla Insurance
Musk has been promising a new Tesla insurance program to launch in the next few months.
Two years ago, we published an exclusive report revealing that Tesla was working on a new car insurance program, which it started offering to its customers in Australia and Hong Kong. It has since expanded into several other markets including North America.
But we learned earlier this year that it was only a first step toward building Tesla’s own insurance products and the automaker is aiming to soon release a “more compelling product.”
It was originally supposed to launch last month, but Musk said that they need to complete an undisclosed acquisition before they can launch the insurance product.
Tesla has been applying for regulatory approval of the product and it is expected to launch in the coming months.
Maybe More
There could be some more surprises before the end of the year, but it would already be a pretty full year for Tesla in terms of product announcements either way.
If Tesla was to announce something else by the end of the year, what do you think it would be? Let us know in the comment section below.
