#tesla

Lost a bit in the holiday rush here at TTAC was a new Reuters story about Tesla blaming the buyers of its cars for parts failures.

Tesla recently began rolling out its refreshed Model 3 sedan in some global markets, and the automaker is now gearing up for an update to its best-selling model. Bloomberg broke the story, which claims that the Model Y is due for a thorough update next year.

Tesla earns a lot of bad press for its semi-autonomous driving features and misbehaving drivers, but the automaker’s charging network is rarely a target of criticism. Other companies have jumped on board with Tesla’s Superchargers, vowing to adopt the standard for new EVs, and now Tesla has a handful of new automakers joining the fray. Audi, Porsche, Scout, and Volkswagen will all move to Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) starting in 2025.

Tesla is famously non-union, but it’s not immune to the effects of a well-negotiated UAW contract. The automaker is significantly boosting pay for workers at its factory in Sparks, Nevada, by as much as ten percent, bringing it closer in line with the wage increases seen by union auto workers.

Tesla is recalling over 2 million vehicles in the United States that have been equipped with its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system. Efforts come after years of media attention and federal safety regulators suggesting that the system posed safety concerns. The automaker is reportedly issuing an over-the-air update that will add new safeguards against distracted driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been formally investigating the EV manufacturer for the last two years and believes Autopilot poses enough of a safety risk in its current format to push for the recall. That makes this the largest example in the company’s history, encompassing just about every Tesla model ever produced.

Now that I've had nearly a week to digest the Tesla Cybertruck news, I've come to the conclusion that the Cybertruck will neither revolutionize the automotive market nor be such a flop that it kills Tesla.

Today's QOTD is quite simple -- would you, if you have the dough, buy a Tesla Cybertruck?

Last night, Tesla finally unveiled the production Cybertruck. Four years after we first saw it -- "we" meaning society. Us TTAC folk weren't at either event.

Elon Musk has no trouble generating words, both the ones that come out of his mouth (and keyboard fingers) and the ones that breathlessly recap the first type. There was the post on X agreeing with an antisemitic statement, though Musk later apologized. More recently, the controversial CEO shared his thoughts (again) on unions, saying that he believes a Tesla employee union would be a mistake, among many other statements.

Tesla has revealed the maximum towing capabilities for the long-anticipated Cybertruck by including it in display materials located at some of the brand’s physical locations. As the company lacks a dedicated PR department, the information comes by way of social media accounts and dedicated forums. While this means Tesla hasn’t confirmed the figures, there is sufficient coverage to deem the number plausible. Until the manufacturer says otherwise, Cybertruck will be capable of towing 11,000 pounds.

A couple in Scotland expressed sticker shock after facing a bill of about 20,000 U.S. dollars to have their Tesla fixed when the battery was damaged by rain.

Tesla is adding seven new colors for Model 3 and Model Y vehicles sold in the United States. However, it’s not new paint you’ll be getting. The automaker has instead decided to utilize urethane-based wraps similar to vinyl wraps available on via aftermarket companies. While this is a convenient way for the automaker to offer new colors without having to upgrade factory paint booths, Tesla is asking quite a bit of money for these wraps.

Listening to pundits and some media outlets, it’d be easy to believe that EVs are nowhere near as popular as their gas-powered counterparts. But, while it’s true that electric vehicles still make up a tiny portion of the overall market, their numbers are growing. The latest data from Experian shows that EV registrations rose 67 percent over 2022’s numbers to an impressive 655,986 vehicles.

Like everything else in the modern era, vehicles have become another polarizing issue. The populace is split between gasoline-loving Luddites, endlessly bemoaning the current regulatory landscape and smug EV adopters who proselytize battery-powered vehicles with all the zealotry of a religious fanatic.

There’s plenty of overlap between the two groups. However, they tend to diverge in terms of disposable income, political preferences, and even geography. J.D. Power looked into the latter issue, hoping to identify purchasing trends around the United States. It found that, while EV adoption rates were increasing nationwide, there are plenty of places in America that now appear to be shunning electrified automobiles. 

Tesla builds cars, sells carbon credits, and operates an extensive EV charging network in the U.S., but its resume could be expanding. CEO Elon Musk hinted at building a diner and drive-in movie theater alongside a Tesla charging station in Southern California years ago, and it now appears the plan could become a reality, as Teslarati reported that the automaker got approval from local officials to proceed.