I drove 472 miles to Vegas and back, 95% of it on FSD 14.3.3. That sentence alone would have been impossible six months ago. The Cybertruck’s FSD used to frustrate me so much that I barely touched it, but this spring update changed everything.
The Route: SoCal to Vegas With Three Charging Stops
We took the Cybertruck for a quick overnight trip to bring Abby’s brother to Vegas before Memorial Day. The plan was straightforward: charge at Eddie World in Yermo, then Baker, then figure out the rest on the way.
First hiccup: the Sunset Crossing Supercharger was temporarily closed, so we ended up at Eddie World. These are 150 kW chargers, and with power splitting we were pulling a painful 50 kW. I was at 27% and only needed to get to about 40% for the next leg to Baker, so we grabbed some jerky and moved on.
Baker was a different story. The 325 kW Mojave chargers are the ones I prefer now. At 32% state of charge, we were pulling 237 kW. I’m a 325 kW snob at this point, and I’m not going back to the slow stuff unless I have to.
Primm Valley: One Last Visit Before It Closes
We stopped at Primm to see the casino one more time before it shuts down. Buffalo Bill’s has been closed for a while already, and Primm Valley Resort is next. The security truck in the parking lot had flat tires. They’re not even maintaining the place anymore.
We charged there to about 80% because I like arriving at the hotel with enough range to not think about it. Call it peace of mind.
FSD 14.3.3: Night and Day on the Cybertruck
Here’s the thing. I drove over 460 of those 472 miles on FSD. Before these recent updates, my Cybertruck FSD usage sat at 39%. After this trip, it jumped to 46%. That tells you everything.
The lane-change hesitation that plagued earlier versions is gone. It used to sit there, thinking about it, while traffic piled up behind you. Now it’s quick when it’s safe and smart about timing. It even moves out of the way when faster cars approach from behind.
One thing it still does: it lingers in the far-left lane like it thinks it’s a Toyota Corolla. I have to manually signal right to get it to move over. Not a dealbreaker, but Tesla AI team, if you’re reading this, fix that.
I did take over once on the Cajon Pass. Traffic slowed to a near stop about half a mile ahead, and FSD was still cruising at 72 mph. I dropped from Standard to Chill, then tried Sloth mode at 68. When it still didn’t slow down fast enough, I took over. I’ve seen too many Teslas with rear-end damage to test that theory personally.
The turn signals also engage slightly later than I’d like. It’s subtle, but noticeable enough to make me think “Hey, aren’t you going to signal?” right before it does. Minor, but worth mentioning.
The 64-Stall Terrible’s Supercharger
On the way back, we stopped at the brand new Terrible’s Supercharger near Jean, Nevada. 64 stalls, all 325 kW. These are V4 cabinets, though they cap at 325 kW rather than the true 500 kW V4 speed that’s available at a few locations in Northern California.
The signage is confusing. Some stalls say “do not charge from this side,” and I watched a Model Y owner use the wrong one. These chargers are also compatible with non-Tesla EVs, which is a solid addition to the Vegas corridor. The closest alternative for non-Tesla vehicles was either Baker or the older Primm chargers, which aren’t NACS-compatible.
Inside is a White Castle, possibly the only one left in the area since the Strip location closed. It’s basically the southwest version of Buc-ee’s.
Vegas: Korean BBQ, Vdara, and the Bellagio
We had Korean BBQ at Hwaro for a late lunch, then checked in at Vdara. Corner suite with a kitchen, a view of the Bellagio Fountains, and a full-size fridge. We bring our own breakfast to save money when we stay multiple nights, but this was a one-nighter.
We walked around, checked out the Bellagio conservatory (still had what looked like Easter decor), and Abby and her brother both won at the tables. I did not. The Starbucks downstairs now has in-app ordering, which is 30% more expensive but worth it when the line is 20 deep.
We also spotted an Amazon Zoox robotaxi cruising around the property. Vegas is getting wild with the autonomous vehicles. Very different energy from our last Cybertruck Vegas run when FSD was barely usable.
The Numbers: 472 Miles, 522 Wh/mi, $126 Total
The spring update’s new multi-trip tracker is excellent. You’re no longer limited to just Trip A and Trip B. Here’s the final breakdown:
- Distance: 471.9 miles
- Energy consumed: 246.6 kWh
- Efficiency: 522.5 Wh/mi
- Drive time: 8 hours, 14 minutes
- Charging stops: 5
- Total charging cost: $125.94
- Average cost per kWh: $0.46
That 522 Wh/mi isn’t great, but we’re running Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires, blasting AC at 68-69 degrees through the desert, and driving on Standard profile most of the way. The all-terrains add rolling resistance, and I was mostly on FSD’s Standard driving profile with occasional Hurry mode.
Should You Pay for FSD on the Cybertruck?
My one-year free FSD trial is about to expire, and I’m actually considering paying the $100/month. That was unthinkable before 14.3.3. The Model Y gets FSD no matter what because I use it constantly, and that one jumped from 70% to nearly 72% FSD usage since the update.
If you have a Cybertruck without FSD, this is a good time to try it for a month. Just make sure you’re on version 14.3.3 or later. The difference is real.
Shout out to everyone using my referral code for those Supercharging credits. They came in handy on this trip.
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