Drone Captures Tesla Semi & Model X Plaid Testing At Fremont

A recent Tesla Fremont factory flyover shows the refreshed Model X, the Semi, and much more.

Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

Apr 16, 2021 at 9:24am ET

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Drone operator Gabeincal never disappoints, and his most recent flyover provides plenty of proof of that. The drone footage follows the usual path, taking us over the Fremont factory, past parking lots, the delivery area, car haulers, the Giga Press, the 4680 battery cell pilot plant, and the test track.

As the drone begins to fly over the Fremont test track (5-minute mark), we see a white Tesla Semi and a white Model 3. Just moments later, a black Tesla Model X pulls up beside the Semi. Reportedly, it's the refreshed 2021 model. According to some, it's actually a tri-motor Tesla Model X Plaid.

There's no way to know for sure what's inside the Model X in question. And, Teslarati reports that it's not wearing a Plaid badge. However, it appears to be refreshed. It has red brakes and Tesla's new 22-inch Turbine wheels.

Tesla recently updated its Model Y, refreshed its Model 3 to better match the Model Y, and announced completely refreshed versions of the flagship Model S and Model X, as well as Plaid and Plaid+ versions of the latter cars.

In addition, Tesla sent an email to Semi reservation holders claiming that the mammoth hauler has undergone some notable updates that will help with range, efficiency, and reliability. Just last night, the Cybertruck was spotted at Giga Texas, driven by Musk himself.

What do you think?

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Clearly, Tesla has a lot on its plate, and the spy shots, drone footage, and speculation are ramping up. However, it seems like it's still going to be some time before the Plaid vehicles are delivered, the Plaid+ vehicles are still pretty far off, and we really don't have any grasp on the timelines for the Semi and Cybertruck, not to mention Full Self-Driving Beta version 9.