#Tesla

The Tesla Cybertruck has been a hot topic of conversation since its debut in 2019, but for all the fanfare and long wait for hopeful buyers, it launched missing a few key features. Among them is Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, and the automaker is just now rolling out a limited software update to a few owners for testing.

In most large companies, rank-and-file employees may go their entire tenure without seeing the CEO in person or hearing from them directly. Tesla’s German workers near Berlin may get more of Elon Musk than they bargained for, however, as the controversial CEO recently said that he would personally look into the plant’s rising rates of absenteeism.

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system (FSD) is impressive, but it’s not actually capable of driving a vehicle by itself. Rated at Level 2 on the SAE automation scale, FSD requires an attentive driver ready to take control at any time. Even so, independent research firm AMCI Testing’s recent study showed that the system functions almost flawlessly in most scenarios, boosting drivers’ confidence, but that sense of security can cause significant problems when things do go awry.

Following Ford’s announcement that it would join Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), General Motors jumped on board. The automaker recently made good on that promise, offering adapters to owners that allow access to Tesla Superchargers, but the older, discontinued Chevy Bolt needs a little more help to charge on the standard.

At this point, it’s pretty common knowledge that EVs tend to chew through tires in a way that surprises many new owners. Tesla Cybertruck buyers apparently didn’t get that message, as many are complaining that their polygonal trucks are destroying tires in as little as 6,000 miles.

Today's QOTD will be brief because I am on the West Coast to drive an updated Nissan and I need to seek out coffee after a long travel day before this dang debate begins.

Tesla is facing one of the most challenging times in its existence as other automakers are quickly catching up with new EVs and technologies. The company, helmed by Elon Musk, has a plan to stave off the competition over the next few years, which includes introducing lower-cost models, updates to existing products, and a rollout of the long-awaited robotaxi.

In some states, car dealer franchise laws help protect businesses by preventing automakers from selling directly to consumers. That policy has caused headaches for some companies, including Tesla and Rivian, which allow customers to purchase a car online for delivery. Tesla sued the state of Louisiana over its franchise laws in 2022, but the courts threw it out. Recently, however, an appeals court reversed that decision, opening the door for the automaker to proceed with its suit.

The Tesla Cybertruck’s launch has been anything but smooth, as several issues have popped up in the EV’s first year on the market. Owners have complained about everything from trim pieces falling off to the truck randomly shutting down, and now, some are saying their new, $100,000-plus trucks are arriving dirty.

This has been a weird year for Tesla owners trying to improve the charging times of their vehicles. The so-called wet towel trick came and went, with the automaker issuing a warning against using water to speed things up. More recently, a man in Tijuana, Mexico, discovered that his idea to plug his Tesla directly into a power line via an illegal electric hookup was not a bright one.

This week on the TTAC podcast we talk with Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds.com, about why Teslas are being traded in for gas cars -- and hybrids.

Tesla recently recalled almost two million vehicles for a problem that could cause the hood to come unlatched. The automaker said it had received reports of hoods opening in China, leading it to open an investigation here.

Despite limiting the data available to polling organizations like J.D. Power (JDP), Tesla has long dominated owner satisfaction studies. That’s changed in the most recent J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study, which showed that Tesla’s string of victories has come to an end.

A few years back, Tesla filed a lawsuit against Rivian, claiming that it stole trade secrets when it hired its ex-employees. The suit alleges that Rivian encouraged information thefts despite knowing that Tesla’s former workers were covered by confidentiality agreements. Things just got a bit more frustrating for Rivian, as a judge recently denied the automaker’s request to dismiss the suit.