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Tesla May Be About To Lose A Bet With YouTube’s Biggest Tech Creator

  • Tech Youtuber MKBHD cast doubt on Elon Musk’s Cybercab timeline.
  • With less than four months to go, it looks like the bet could be safe.
  • However, MKBHD concedes that Tesla is at the forefront of change.

Back in October 2024, Tesla’s “We, Robot” event introduced the world to Optimus, the Robovan, and the Cybercab. Drawing design inspiration from the Cybertruck, the Cybercab offered yet another look at the proposed driverless car future, this time sans a steering wheel and pedals.

But the biggest shocker was the Tesla CEO’s claim that not only did he expect the Cybercab to be offered to customers at under $30,000, but that it would also enter high-volume production before 2027. Granted, by his own admission, Elon Musk said at the time that he tends to be “a little optimistic with timeframes,” but it got tech creator Marcus Brownlee, aka MKBHD, thinking.

More: Tesla Offers Rides In A Car With No Wheel Or Pedals, So Naturally The Feds Showed Up

So confident was MKBHD that Tesla wouldn’t meet such a timeline, he made a bit of a one-sided bet: he offered to shave his head live on camera if they made good. To be specific, Brownlee said that Tesla wouldn’t sell a Cybercab to a customer for $30,000 before 2027.

Semantics aside, that moment triggered a bunch of AI videos and memes, particularly from fans of Tesla, with Elon Musk even replying to one such post on X, saying, “Gonna happen. 😂”

A Long Time Coming

Since the Cybercab reveal, we’ve seen more information about the car trickle out, including it would likely deliver around 300 miles (482 km) of range, use large castings to save costs, and still projected to cost $30,000 or less. In February, the team even appeared to be ahead of schedule, with the first Cybercab rolling off Tesla’s Texan production line.

Brownlee himself admitted he was a little nervous when it came to light that a new Cybercab event had been scheduled for the 3rd of September. But luckily for him (and his hair), the event had nothing to do with customer sales. Instead, it announced that the Cybercab would be added to the Tesla Robotaxi network within their existing geofenced areas.

But while it looks like his hair is safe for now, the Tech Tuber went on to say that although he thinks Tesla may be ahead of its time with the Cybercab, he expects self-driving cars to become more mainstream in the next 10 years. Oh, and regardless of whether he wins the “bet” or not, he’ll be donating to Cancer Research in January.

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Tesla Cybercab

Tesla’s Cybertruck Isn’t Selling, So Naturally It Now Costs $5,000 More

  • Tesla’s entry-level AWD Cybertruck now costs $74,990, up from $69,990.
  • Price of Premium AWD trim also increases by $5,000, taking it to $84,990.
  • The increase arrives as Cybertruck sales remain far below Tesla’s ambitions.

Usually when a product isn’t selling as well as hoped, companies make it more affordable to persuade drivers to give it consideration. Tesla seems to have found that approach too conventional. Despite the Cybertruck struggling to attract buyers so badly it makes Ford’s Edsel look like a smash hit, two versions have just become $5,000 more expensive.

The Dual Motor AWD now starts at $74,990, up from $69,990, while the Premium AWD climbs from $79,990 to $84,990. Nothing else about the models appears to have changed.

Related: This Is All That’s Left Of A Ford F-150 After A Cybertruck T-Boned It At 111 MPH

The Dual Motor Cybertruck still claims 325 miles (523 km) of range, can tow 7,500 lbs (3,400 kg), and reaches 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds. The Premium promises the same 593 hp (600 PS / 441 kW), electric range and performance, but is able to tow 11,000 lbs (4,990 kg).

Tesla doesn’t break out Cybertruck deliveries, but third-party estimates paint an uncomfortable picture. Cox Automotive reckons US sales fell 48 percent in 2025 to 20,237 units, while first-quarter 2026 sales dropped 45 percent year over year to 3,519, Investor’s Business Daily reports. Those numbers look tiny beside CEO Elon Musk’s earlier suggestion that annual demand might eventually support more than 250,000 Cybertrucks.

Cybertruck pricing has been a roller coaster from the start, the first production models debuting in late 2024 with MSRPs far higher than originally promised. Tesla introduced a cheaper Dual Motor for $59,990 in February 2026 as a short-lived promotion, but that later returned to $69,990 and has now reached $74,990. That’s a $15,000 journey in only a few months for fundamentally the same truck. Tesla briefly offered a single-motor Cybertruck during 2025, but it was quickly axed due to weak demand.

Cyberbeast Now Within Reach

 Tesla’s Cybertruck Isn’t Selling, So Naturally It Now Costs $5,000 More

The flagship Cyberbeast is the one Cybertruck trim to escape this latest increase. A tri-motor, 845 hp (857 PS / 630 kW) monster capable of reaching 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, it’s still listed on Tesla’s website at $99,990. That means the Premium AWD now sits only $15,000 below the range-topper, making the Beast look like a better deal than last week.

Tesla has already scrapped the Model S and Model X to clear the way for production of the company’s Optimus robots, and between that and the Cybercab robotaxi, it feels like Tesla is focused on a new path. The Cybertruck is just being left to fade away, a rather embarrassing failure that serves to remind us that not everything Elon Musk touches turns to gold.

Maybe slapping $5k on the price will really help make the Cybertruck more profitable because it covers rising production costs and Tesla figures it won’t really affect sales. Or maybe it’s just one of Musk’s impish experiments, you know, just to see how much worse things can get.

 Tesla’s Cybertruck Isn’t Selling, So Naturally It Now Costs $5,000 More

Tesla

A Tesla Robotaxi Got Boxed In By Bollards, So It Bulldozed Its Way Out

  • Tesla is still having issues with its robotaxis as it gears up to launch the Cybercab.
  • Footage shows a Model Y robotaxi making an illegal and dangerous right turn.
  • Later this month, the Cybercab will be added to Tesla’s robotaxi fleet in Texas.

Developing and building fully autonomous vehicles isn’t easy. Just ask Tesla, which has been working on the technology for more than a decade and has yet to perfect it. Based on a recent video of a Model Y currently being used by its robotaxi fleet in Austin, Texas, Tesla still has a long way to go.

This clip was recently shared on Reddit by a frequent user of Tesla’s Austin robotaxi service, and it may make you think twice before trying it yourself. For whatever reason, the Model Y in question attempted to make a right turn at a large intersection, but failed to realize that the inside corner of the road was blocked off by bollards for pedestrian safety.

Read: Tesla’s Cybercab Is About To Carry Real Passengers

A human driver would have seen these bollards and realized you have to turn around them. Instead, the Tesla Model Y drove directly into the blocked-off area and sat there for several seconds, presumably because it realized it was now stuck. Unable to reverse out and correct its mistake, the robotaxi instead tried to thread its way through two of the bollards, hitting them in the process.

It didn’t take long for Redditors to identify the exact intersection where the incident took place, and a Google Street View search revealed the bollards had been there since at least February 2024.

Video Reddit /bladerskb

Cybercabs Are Coming

Despite incidents like this, Tesla appears to be plowing ahead with plans to expand its robotaxi fleet in Austin. According to a recent report, it completed a local trial with the Cybercab and company employees on private roads and is now preparing to add the Cybercab to its fleet and make it available to the public.

It remains to be seen whether the Cybercab’s self-driving capabilities will be better than those of other Tesla models. We do know it’s equipped with more RAM and an upgraded AI4 Fully Self-Driving computer. Whether it actually performs any better than a Model Y like this remains to be seen, but as we’ve seen so often from Tesla in the past, members of the public will be used as test dummies.

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Tesla’s Design Boss Sent Model S Plaid Signature #001 Straight To Unplugged Performance, But Not For Tuning

  • Franz von Holzhausen owns the Tesla Model S Plaid Signature #001.
  • The Tesla design chief took the special EV to Unplugged Performance.
  • The sedan received paint protection, ceramic coating, and window tints.

Franz von Holzhausen has run Tesla’s design studio since 2008, and most of what people picture when they see a Tesla came off his desk. The Model S is one of those cars, so it makes sense that he took delivery of the definitive version, the Plaid Signature Edition, chassis number #001, the one at the very front of the production line.

More: Tesla’s Hidden Door Handle Drama Could Change Every New Car In America

Before settling in with the car that closes out the Model S story, he drove it to Unplugged Performance in California. The tuner is better known for wheels, brakes, wraps and body kits, but detailing sits on the menu too, and that’s what he was there for. The bodywork he drew more than a decade ago stayed exactly as it left the factory. What he wanted was for it to stay that way.

Preserving His Own Handiwork

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Unplugged Performance

While the car was brand-new, the first step was a thorough chemical decontamination wash to remove bonded fallout, iron particles, and transport residue picked up before delivery. Once prepared, the Auto Spa team disassembled parts of the exterior so the film could be applied without a visible seam anywhere.

According to Unplugged Performance, paint protection film acts as a physical barrier that absorbs stone chips, scratches, and minor wear, shielding the factory paint underneath. For Signature Edition #001, that was only the starting point.

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Unplugged Performancean

Following careful inspection under dedicated lighting, technicians coated every panel and trim piece with a full ceramic treatment. The extra layer adds hydrophobic properties that repel dirt and make washing easier, while deepening the gloss of the paintwork.

More: The Cybertruck Finally Found Its Natural Habitat, A Fake Desert Planet

Finally, the team covered all glass surfaces with a window film that blocks 99% of ultraviolet radiation and 98% of infrared heat. That keeps the interior out of the worst of the Californian sun, so it should still look new years from now.

The Tesla Model S Plaid Signature Edition arrived earlier this year as a farewell special for the long-running nameplate. Production is capped at 250 units, offered by invitation to select customers at $159,420 apiece.

More: Tesla Tuner Dares You To Break Their New Wheels

As with the regular Plaid, the Signature Edition uses the tri-motor setup producing 1,020 hp (761 kW / 1,034 PS), with a handful of unique touches on top. Chief among them is the Garnet Red finish, paired with gold emblems, special badging, and 21-inch Velarium wheels with gold calipers over carbon-ceramic brakes. Inside there’s white Alcantara upholstery, a yoke steering wheel, and Signature branding.

This isn’t the first time von Holzhausen has handed a personal car to Unplugged Performance. Years earlier, he had his Model 3 fitted with coilover suspension, sway bars, adjustable suspension arms, and carbon-ceramic brakes, again leaving the bodywork alone.

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Unplugged Performance

Tesla Just Set A Date For The Semi’s European Debut

  • Tesla to reveal European Semi specifications and launch plans in September.
  • American versions offer between 350 and 500 miles of range on a full charge.
  • Existing electric rivals for the Semi in Europe include Mercedes eActros 600. 

It’s taken the scenic route, but Tesla’s Semi is finally getting serious about Europe. The electric truck will appear at September’s IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany, where Tesla says it’ll reveal specifications and launch details for the European version, possibly setting up a 2027 arrival.

Tesla confirmed the news on X this week, writing, “Specs & launch details for Semi in Europe to be unveiled at IAA Transportation in Hannover, Germany”. The show runs from September 15 through 20 and is widely regarded as the world’s most important commercial vehicle expo.

Related: First Tesla Semi Fatal Crash Kills Two At A Nevada Red Light

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First revealed in 2017, the Semi began working in America in 2022. European availability, however, has remained a question mark until now. And what Europeans will actually get still remains unknown. In the US, the Semi comes in Standard Range and Long Range forms. The base version is good for 325 miles (523 km), while the latter stretches that to 500 miles (805 km). Both use three electric motors producing up to 1,073 hp (1,088 PS / 800 kW).

To achieve those range figures requires colossal batteries: 548 kWh in the Standard Range trucks and 822 kWh in the Long Range model. Trying to top them up with even a 250kW car charger would take forever, so the Semi can charge at up to 1.2 MW, potentially stuffing substantial energy back in during a simple coffee and bathroom stop.

Rivals Are Ready And Waiting

 Tesla Just Set A Date For The Semi’s European Debut

Europe hasn’t been standing by, helplessly waiting for Tesla to revolutionize trucking. Established manufacturers already sell battery-powered heavy trucks, including Mercedes’ eActros 600, which claims up to 348 miles (560 km) from a 621 kWh battery. Full comparisons will have to wait until the Euro Semi tech specs are revealed in September.

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Tesla switched from pilot builds to full-scale production of the facelifted Semi at its Nevada facility in April of this year, and hopes to crank out 50,000 units annually when it’s up to speed. The Standard Range costs $260,000 (equivalent to €222k) and the Long Range around $300,000 ($257k), but after taxes the prices could be higher in Europe, where the eActros 600 costs around €300-400,000 ($350-470k).

Specs & launch details for Semi in Europe to be unveiled at IAA Transportation in Hannover, Germany pic.twitter.com/eEXNUU2Y39

— Tesla Semi (@tesla_semi) August 20, 2026

Tesla

Tesla’s Cybercab Is About To Carry Real Passengers

  • Tesla is adding its Cybercab to the Austin robotaxi service this month.
  • Public roll-out of the Cybercab will come shortly after employee previews.
  • There are currently just 186 Model Y robotaxis in Tesla’s Austin fleet.

It’s been almost two full years since Tesla unveiled its autonomous Cybercab, and it now appears to be gearing up for a public launch of the vehicle, adding the EV to its existing robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.

Tesla has spent recent months testing its Cybercab on public roads but, up until this point, has not allowed any members of the public to experience the self-driving car. Last month, it started allowing employees to take the Cybercab on rides through private roads near its Austin headquarters.

Read: Tesla’s Cybercab Weighs 700 Pounds Less Than The Lightest Model 3

Unnamed sources have told The Information that, following the trial with employees, the public launch of the Cybercab is scheduled for later this month. Prior to receiving approval to roll out the new EV in its robotaxi service, Tesla recently completed emergency training with first responders across Austin, specifically on handling Cybercab-related issues.

Tesla this week teased the Cybercab’s impending introduction to its robotaxi fleet, announcing that those who use the current fleet before August 23 will go into the running to attend the launch event. It says the more rides someone completes, the better their chances are of securing an invite. Whether an invitation to the launch event will include a ride in a Cybercab remains to be seen.

Tesla Still Only Has A Small Robotaxi Fleet

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Although adding the Cybercab to its self-driving taxi service in Austin will be a big step for Tesla, it’s worth noting the service remains small and has failed to grow anywhere near the levels Tesla boss Elon Musk has promised. There are currently just 186 Model Ys registered in its Austin fleet. Production of the Cybercab started in Texas in July, although it’s not expected to reach volume production until next year, so it’s unlikely a large number will be added to the fleet in the coming months.

Recent prototypes of the Cybercab have been seen both with and without pedals and a steering wheel. There’s no word on whether the cars initially added to the fleet will have these traditional controls or forgo them. If this report about the impending launch is accurate, we won’t have to wait long to find out.

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Rivian, Hyundai, Toyota, And Cadillac Are Fighting For Tesla’s Scraps

  • A surge in sales helped Tesla secure a 55 percent market share in July.
  • The Tesla Model Y alone accounts for 37 percent of all EVs sold in the US in July.
  • Through the second quarter, Chevy had a 6 percent share, followed by Hyundai.

Tesla remains far and away the biggest seller of electric cars in the United States, and despite rivals’ efforts, very little progress has been made in eroding the EV leader’s commanding market share.

July brought 77,266 new EV sales, up 3.2 percent from June and down 41.5 percent from the same month last year. Electric models made up 5.6 percent of all new-vehicle sales. The year-over-year drop has a simple explanation. In July 2025, the federal EV tax credit was still alive, and buyers rushed to cash it in before the Trump administration killed the incentive in September.

Read: Tesla Delivered More Cars Than Any Q2 Ever, And Its Stock Had The Worst Day Ever

Of last month’s electric cars, 42,435 were Teslas, according to Cox Automotive, good for 55 percent of the market. Tesla’s volume climbed 4.9 percent from June. The Model Y did the heavy lifting, as it always does, accounting for 37 percent of every new EV sold in the country. Basically, the nameplate outsold every rival automaker’s entire electric portfolio.

 Rivian, Hyundai, Toyota, And Cadillac Are Fighting For Tesla’s Scraps

Tesla’s share throughout the entire second quarter was slightly lower at 50.5 percent, with the company selling a total of 124,800 EVs in the US during this period, down 13.1 percent from last year, when 143,535 were sold. In Q2, the brand with the next-largest slice of the EV pie was Chevrolet at 6 percent, followed by Hyundai at 5.8 percent, Cadillac at 4.9 percent, Toyota at 4.8 percent, and Rivian at 4.6 percent. Ford’s share remains a disappointing 3.9 percent, although its July sales were up 18.9 percent from June.

Hyundai posted the strongest month-over-month gain among the major brands in July, up 36 percent. Kia also moved higher, largely on the strength of the EV9.

 Rivian, Hyundai, Toyota, And Cadillac Are Fighting For Tesla’s Scraps

Sales Surge Pinches Supply

As EV sales climbed in July, the average days’ supply of new EVs fell 6.2 percent month over month to 80 days, and 1.7 percent below where it sat a year earlier. Electric inventory now runs four days above ICE models, down from a nine-day gap in June. Volkswagen carried the heaviest load at 147 days, with Porsche at 138 and Nissan at 133. Subaru ran leanest at 46 days, then Hyundai at 52, and Lexus at 58. Used EVs moved the other way, rising 14.2 percent from June to 46 days, above ICE models for the first time since February 2026.

Used EV sales rose 7.9 percent month over month to 36,810 in July, 10.1 percent better than a year ago. Secondhand electrics took 2.4 percent of the market.

The Price Gap Hasn’t Closed

Electric cars remain the more expensive choice on both the new and used side. Average transaction prices for new EVs rose 1.2 percent in July to $56,126, against $49,649 for the average combustion model, and 1.6 percent higher than a year earlier. Incentives shrank over the same stretch, from 13.1 percent of ATP, or $7,290 per vehicle, in June to 11.8 percent, or roughly $6,626, in July. Used electrics average $37,832 against $34,865 for gas equivalents. Those prices slipped 1.2 percent from June but hold 8.3 percent above where they were a year ago.

 Rivian, Hyundai, Toyota, And Cadillac Are Fighting For Tesla’s Scraps

The Best Fast Charging Experience In America Isn’t From Tesla

  • Ionna offers the best DC fast charging experience in America.
  • Mercedes and Rivian charging networks also received praise.
  • Tesla’s Supercharger network was only slightly above average.

Automakers recently waved the white flag and decided to adopt the North American Charging Standard popularized by Tesla. On top of that, they signed up to gain access to the company’s massive Supercharger Network, which consists of more than 80,000 chargers globally.

While Tesla is the gold standard, they’re not the best. That’s according to a new study, which examined the user experience at various charging stations.

More: Tesla’s V4 Set The Bar At 500 kW, ChargePoint Just Made It Look Slow

Conducted by JD Power, the U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study found Ionna provided the best experience. The firm – which is backed by numerous automakers including BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes, Stellantis and Toyota – operates a handful of “Rechargeries” across the country.

Despite coming out on top, Ionna has big gaps as there are zero stations in Michigan and only one in New York. However, the company inked a deal with Circle K earlier this year, which will see more than 350 gas stations outfitted with Rechargeries.

 The Best Fast Charging Experience In America Isn’t From Tesla

Second place went to the Mercedes-Benz Charging Network, which has a handful of locations mostly in the south and on the east coast. The final podium position was taken by the Rivian Adventure Network, which is “planned to grow to more than 3,500 fast chargers at over 600 sites across the US and Canada.”

Tesla came in fourth place, which is pretty surprising. Of course, McDonalds also has a lot of locations and you certainly wouldn’t say they have the best hamburger in America.

Rounding out the list is Red E, Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint. As you’ve probably noticed, consumers clearly prefer automaker-back charging networks over ones from private companies.

EV Charging Experience Largely Improves

 The Best Fast Charging Experience In America Isn’t From Tesla

While the rankings are surprising, the study found satisfaction with DC fast chargers improved. The overall score climbed 12 points to 666 out of 1,000, and JD Power said all ten attributes improved. The biggest gains were charger availability (+27), how safe customers feel at charging locations (+18), and charging cost (+18).

The good news didn’t end there as EV drivers are being greeted by fewer broken chargers. According to the study, the “industry non-charge visit rate” dropped to an all-time low of 12%. That’s down from 14% last quarter and JD Power said the newer OEM-backed networks had the “lowest failure rates.”

 The Best Fast Charging Experience In America Isn’t From Tesla

It wasn’t all good news as satisfaction with slower, Level 2 public chargers dropped 12 points from a year ago. This was largely due to problems related to “ease of payment and ease of charging.” Drivers were also underwhelmed by DC fast chargers located at dealerships and stand-alone parking lots or garages.

JD Power’s executive director of EV solutions, Brent Gruber, said “The public charging experience is becoming more consistent, and that’s critical as the EV market matures.” He added “data consistently shows that public charging is the top reason new-vehicle shoppers reject EVs,” so these improvements “go a long way toward supporting the infrastructure needed to meet the rise in forecasted EV sales in the coming years.”

 The Best Fast Charging Experience In America Isn’t From Tesla

Tesla Spent Two Years Calling Its Headlights Harmless. The NHTSA Called It A Recall

  • Tesla is recalling more than 20,000 cars over headlights.
  • The low beams exceed the intensity limit allowed on US roads.
  • A Canadian compliance test first flagged the fault back in 2019.

Few things grate more than driving at night while an oncoming car’s headlights sear your retinas. Usually that’s just the price of the powerful LEDs bolted to most new cars, but on certain Model 3s and Model Ys, Tesla has admitted the low beams genuinely exceed the maximum intensity allowed in the US, which is what triggered the recall.

The recall impacts 2017-2023 Tesla Model 3s and thousands of 2020-2023 Tesla Model Ys. According to Tesla, the headlights, sourced from Marelli Automotive Lighting, exceed the permitted intensity in the outer upper-right and outer upper-left areas. As Tesla’s recall notice rightly points out, this could reduce visibility for the driver and other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.

Read: Over 150 Complaints Of Teslas Losing Front Suspension Just Put 1.2 Million Under Probe

Interestingly, while the recall impacts Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from several different model years, surprisingly few vehicles are impacted. In the case of the Model 3, 1,614 examples are being recalled, all of which were manufactured from July 24, 2017, to December 2, 2023.

As for the Model Y, a total of 18,735 need to be repaired. These were built between February 11, 2020, and December 24, 2023.

An Issue Uncovered In Canada

 Tesla Spent Two Years Calling Its Headlights Harmless. The NHTSA Called It A Recall

Tesla became aware of a potential issue on January 16, 2024, several months after Transport Canada’s annual compliance program found the low beam headlights of a 2019 Tesla Model 3 failed to comply with local safety standards. The automaker first announced a recall related to the fault on March 9, 2024, and a few weeks later, petitioned the NHTSA for an exemption, claiming the fault was inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. The NHTSA denied this petition three weeks ago.

Most of the Model 3s and Model Ys impacted by this latest recall are the same as those originally covered by the 2024 recall. However, Tesla has added 432 vehicles to the list after discovering non-compliant headlights continued to be used in service longer than it had originally thought. Tesla is still working on a fix.

 Tesla Spent Two Years Calling Its Headlights Harmless. The NHTSA Called It A Recall

Tesla Says Texas Supplier Demands $250,000 A Week To Release Its Own Cybertruck Tooling

  • It’s claimed that a supplier is demanding payment of $250,000 per week from Tesla.
  • Tesla attempted to retrieve equipment from the supplier in July but was denied access.
  • Without the key pieces of tooling, production of the Cybertruck could stall.

Demand for and sales of the Tesla Cybertruck still sit far below what Elon Musk first promised, and now the automaker says its own production and deliveries are being choked off by a Texas supplier allegedly holding key manufacturing equipment for ransom. It’s not a good look for a truck already struggling to find buyers.

According to court documents seen by Bloomberg Law, the supplier in question, Angstrom Automotive Group LLC, told Tesla on July 13 that it planned to close its facility in Troy, Texas. The EV maker wanted to pull important tooling out of the site before the doors shut, but according to Tesla, Angstrom refused to release the equipment and instead demanded $250,000 per week, on top of whatever is still owed on existing purchase orders.

Read: The Cybertruck Is Flopping So Hard It Could Knock Ford’s Edsel Off Its Throne

In a complaint filed July 23 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Waco Division, Tesla says its representatives showed up at Angstrom’s facility on July 21 to collect the equipment and were turned away. The filing claims the tooling house at the site exists solely to manufacture Cybertruck parts, and that each piece takes five to six months to build. Replacing them outright isn’t practical, especially with Tesla still taking orders for the truck.

Holding Tesla Hostage

 Tesla Says Texas Supplier Demands $250,000 A Week To Release Its Own Cybertruck Tooling

“Without the tooling, Tesla will be unable to manufacture several thousand Cybertrucks that are currently in or planned for production, most, if not all, of which are already committed to customers,” Tesla said in the lawsuit. The company added that “a parts shortage of this nature would cause irreparable harm for Tesla and others…including the erosion of other supplier and customer goodwill.”

Tesla says that Angstrom has never owned the tooling at its facility, nor has it ever paid a single dollar towards the design, manufacture, or acquisition of the equipment. If it doesn’t allow Tesla to retrieve the equipment, the automaker says it’s entitled to “obtain temporary and/or permanent injunctive relief or other equitable relief to retrieve the tooling without the necessity of posting any bond or proof of action, injury, or damage.”

 Tesla Says Texas Supplier Demands $250,000 A Week To Release Its Own Cybertruck Tooling

World’s Biggest Car Carrier Left Shanghai With Enough Teslas To Stretch 22 Miles

  • One Chinese-built ship carried a record 7,738 vehicles in a single voyage.
  • Every car aboard was a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y bound for Europe.
  • Shanghai’s export port sits barely six miles from Tesla’s Gigafactory.

China keeps tightening its grip as the world’s largest new car exporter, and a big part of meeting the extraordinary global appetite for its vehicles comes down to the enormous car-carrying ships now being built on home soil. One of the newest of them, the Glovis Nova, swallows enough cars to cover 9.5 football fields.

Read: China’s EV Giant BYD Now Exports Cars In Its Own Purpose-Built Mega-Ship

On Sunday, the Malta-flagged vessel was loaded with 7,738 electric vehicles at Shanghai’s South Port Terminal and set off for Zeebrugge in Belgium, where the cars will be distributed across Europe. The trip set a new Chinese record for the number of electric vehicles shipped from a domestic port on a single ship.

A Tesla-Only Cargo

Instead of hauling a mix of EVs and plug-in hybrids from several brands, the Glovis Nova carried nothing but Tesla Model 3s and Model Ys built in Shanghai. Sticking to passenger cars also squeezed the most out of its capacity, since bulkier loads like buses and engineering equipment eat up far more deck space.

A report from the South China Morning Post notes that the Glovis Nova can carry up to 10,800 vehicles at once and runs on a liquefied natural gas dual-fuel power system. It left port at the same time as the Panama-flagged Glovis Leader, another Chinese-built carrier with the same enormous capacity, which was bound for Busan, South Korea. Both came out of Guangzhou Shipyard International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation and one of the largest shipbuilding groups on the planet.

The record haul owed a lot to the Glovis Nova’s optimized deck layout. Lined up bumper to bumper, those 7,738 cars would stretch about 36km (22 miles) and cover roughly 67,600 square meters.

Why Tesla?

Tesla’s factory in Shanghai is perfectly positioned to make use of these new ships. The South Port Terminal in Shanghai, located just 6 miles away, serves as a roll-on, roll-off vehicle export hub, and it’s possible for newly built vehicles to leave Tesla’s factories and arrive on ships in just a matter of hours.

Of course, it’s not just Tesla that is benefiting from China’s expertise in building massive cargo ships. BYD operates its own fleet of car carriers, introducing the first of them, known as the Explorer No. 1, in early 2024. It has since added seven other ships to its fleet, allowing it to send thousands of its electrified vehicles to markets around the world.

In early June, almost 5,000 plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles were exported from China to Australia on the BYD Zhengzhou ship thanks to a surge in demand for the brand’s models in part due to the war in Iran and surging oil prices.

 World’s Biggest Car Carrier Left Shanghai With Enough Teslas To Stretch 22 Miles

Tesla Quietly Raised Its Cheapest Model 3 Lease By 12%

  • The cheapest Model 3 lease now works out to $418 per month in the US.
  • The Performance version comes to $731 monthly over 36 months.
  • Lease prices across the lineup have climbed by as much as 12 percent.

Leasing a Tesla Model 3 in the US has just gotten more expensive, so anyone hoping to get behind the wheel of a new one may find that paying cash makes more sense than signing a lease, at least in some cases.

Lease prices have crept up quietly across the entire Model 3 family, and the increases start with the base Rear-Wheel Drive model, which now runs $379 per month over 36 months with an annual mileage cap of 10,000 miles. That figure looks reasonable enough on its own, but it leaves out the $4,075 due at delivery, a sum made up of a $3,000 down payment, the first monthly payment, and an acquisition fee.

Read: Tesla’s First Model Y Price Hike In Two Years Skips The Cheapest Version

After factoring this in, you get an effective rate of $481 per month, which is roughly 12 percent higher than earlier this year. As recently as last week, the EV was offered at $329 per month with a lower $4,024 fee due at signing.

Lease prices have also increased for other Model 3 variants. For example, the Premium Rear-Wheel Drive commands $399 per month over 36 months, excluding the $4,094 fee that’s due up front. Add that into the equation, and you’re looking at an effective rate of $501. The Premium All-Wheel Drive is more expensive at $479 per month with a higher fee of $4,174, meaning it works out to $581 per month over the life of the lease.

 Tesla Quietly Raised Its Cheapest Model 3 Lease By 12%

Then there’s the Model 3 Performance. It has a monthly lease of $629 plus the $4,324, which is due at delivery. Do the math, and it works out to $731 per month for 36 months.

While this is roughly 4.3 percent higher than previously, it’s not necessarily a bad deal. Earlier this year, Hyundai was offering the Ioniq 5 N for $699 per month over 36 months with $3,999 due at signing, working out to $810 per month.

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Used Porsche 911 Prices Drop $14,000 As Used EVs Get More Expensive

  • Used EV prices rose sharply in the US while overall used market softened.
  • Tesla models dominated price increases but 911 values dropped by 10 %.
  • Higher fuel costs due to Iran war may have pushed shoppers back to EVs.

For the past few years, buying a used EV has been a waiting game, with would-be buyers often waiting for prices to fall a little further. That strategy may no longer be paying off. Used electric vehicle prices are climbing rapidly while the rest of the used car market continues to drift in the opposite direction, making dream cars like the Porsche 911 more affordable.

New data from iSeeCars suggests the turnaround isn’t a one-month anomaly, either. Used EV prices have now posted three straight months of year-over-year gains, moving from a 2.7 percent increase in April to 5.2 percent in May before reaching 7.4 percent in June.

Related: This Is How Much A 17K-Mile EV From A Dead Brand Sells For After 3 Years

That pushed the average price of a one- to five-year-old used EV to $33,305 in June. Compared with the same month last year, that’s an increase of $2,308. Meanwhile, the average used vehicle price fell by 1.3 percent year over year, highlighting just how differently the EV segment is behaving.

Rising fuel costs may have helped trigger the shift, iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer logically suggests. Gasoline prices rose sharply during the Iran conflict earlier this year, but it took several weeks before buyers adjusted their shopping habits and begin gravitating back toward EVs.

Average 1-5 YO EV Prices
 Used Porsche 911 Prices Drop $14,000 As Used EVs Get More Expensive

Tesla was the biggest beneficiary of the trend. All four of the brand’s core models landed among the 10 used vehicles with the largest year-over-year price increases. The Model X led the entire market, jumping 17.5 percent to an average price of $60,950.

The Model 3 wasn’t far behind with a 13.5 percent increase, while the Model S climbed 13.1 percent and the Model Y gained 12.0 percent. “Tesla makes up nearly half of the top 10 used models with the highest price increase,” Brauer noted.

Perhaps just as telling is what didn’t appear in the rankings. Not a single EV showed up among the 20 used vehicles with the steepest price declines. Instead, that list was populated by a mix of luxury vehicles, pickups, SUVs, hybrids, and conventional gasoline-powered models. The Lincoln Corsair posted the biggest percentage value drop (-14.7 %), but the Porsche 911 was right behind it (-10.6 %), and reminds us that there’s a silver lining to every cloud.

Used Cars With The Biggest Price Increases
 Used Porsche 911 Prices Drop $14,000 As Used EVs Get More Expensive
RankModelAvg Price$ Diff YoY% Diff YoY
1Tesla Model X$60,950$9,06617.5%
2BMW X2$33,956$5,03517.4%
3MINI Countryman$30,535$4,23116.1%
4Ford Mustang (convertible)$32,524$4,02514.1%
5Tesla Model 3$28,520$3,38813.5%
6Alfa Romeo Giulia$30,320$3,59113.4%
7Tesla Model S$52,787$6,11613.1%
8Honda Pilot$37,301$4,17212.6%
9Tesla Model Y$32,916$3,52912.0%
10Lexus ES 300h$43,057$4,36511.3%
11INFINITI QX80$48,756$4,87111.1%
12Lexus ES 350$41,289$4,10211.0%
13Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid$33,619$3,25510.7%
14Cadillac CT5$36,613$3,47910.5%
15MINI Hardtop 2 Door$27,428$2,58710.4%
16Acura TLX$35,470$2,9299.0%
17Porsche Taycan$85,147$6,9478.9%
18Nissan Murano$27,917$2,2128.6%
19Nissan Armada$40,513$3,1578.5%
20Lexus IS 300$36,421$2,7468.2%
OverallAverage$32,395-$412-1.3%
SWIPE

Used Cars With The Biggest Price Drops
 Used Porsche 911 Prices Drop $14,000 As Used EVs Get More Expensive
RankModelAvg Price$ Diff YoY% Diff YoY
1Lincoln Corsair (hybrid)$37,312-$6,454-14.7%
2Porsche 911$118,025-$14,063-10.6%
3Audi Q5 (hybrid)$36,890-$3,012-7.5%
4Mercedes-Benz G-Class$127,727-$9,927-7.2%
5Audi A5 Sportback$33,495-$2,495-6.9%
6Ford Bronco$45,341-$2,763-5.7%
7Buick Encore GX$21,038-$1,116-5.0%
8Ford F-150 (hybrid)$46,201-$2,299-4.7%
9GMC Sierra 1500$45,426-$2,222-4.7%
10Nissan Rogue$22,401-$1,093-4.7%
11Audi A6$34,872-$1,700-4.6%
12Genesis GV80$44,892-$1,990-4.2%
13Mercedes-Benz GLB$30,863-$1,355-4.2%
14Jeep Wrangler$36,067-$1,479-3.9%
15Volkswagen Atlas$30,149-$1,044-3.3%
16Audi Q5 Sportback$37,189-$1,276-3.3%
17Chevrolet Blazer$26,706-$878-3.2%
18Ford Explorer Hybrid$29,979-$981-3.2%
19Chevrolet Malibu$18,619-$590-3.1%
20Mercedes-Benz S-Class$77,349-$2,371-3.0%
OverallAverage$32,395-$412-1.3%
SWIPE

iSeeCars

Cybertruck Ripped In Two After Runaway Truck Triggers 10-Car Pileup

  • Runaway truck reportedly triggered chain-reaction crash in Silver Spring, MD.
  • Tesla Cybertruck was torn apart, separating the bed from the truck’s cab area.
  • 10 people suffered minor injuries and were hospitalised, including three children.

We’ve seen Tesla Cybertrucks in all kinds of trouble, from minor fender benders to getting beached or rolling over on trails. One even drove into an empty swimming pool. But a Cybertruck being split cleanly into two pieces after a multi-vehicle crash is probably the most visually extreme Cyber-related accident we’ve come across so far.

The incident unfolded Saturday afternoon in Silver Spring, Maryland, where a moving truck reportedly lost control and plowed into a line of traffic. By the time emergency crews reached the scene, numerous vehicles had been damaged and one Cybertruck had been transformed into something that looked less like a pickup and more like a cutaway auto show display.

Related: Family Wants Cybertruck Off The Roads After Teen Killed In Crash

According to Montgomery County authorities, the crash involved at least 10 vehicles. Firefighters responding to the scene reportedly had to rescue multiple occupants who were trapped inside damaged cars, WTOP News reports. Images from the aftermath show debris scattered across the roadway and vehicles positioned at all kinds of angles following the impact.

One black SUV can be seen lying on its side behind the Nation Capital Movers truck, and another is directly in front of the same truck, looking like its been T-boned and pushed along the road.

But it’s the Cybertruck that has attracted the most attention. Tesla’s stainless steel pickup has been a divisive vehicle ever since it debuted. People generally seem to either love the futuristic wedge-shaped truck or absolutely hate it. Following this crash, though, it’s no longer merely divisive in a figurative sense. It became divisive in a very literal one, with the cab half of the truck entirely separated from the rear end, and high-voltage cables left to dangle in mid-air.

Three Children Injured

Silver Spring, MD – Aerial of a reported crash involving entrapment in the area of Columbia Pike/Fairland Rd. @mcfrsPIO @HHFireProds @ArmisteadIsaac @mcfrs #mcfrs @MoCoFireWire @Lawzfirephotos @command11b @MCFRSNews @DavidPazos15 @mcpnews #mcpd pic.twitter.com/O0lPtgqMu3

— MyDrone.Pro (@MyDronePro) July 18, 2026

Police later provided an update on X, saying, “10 people transported to area hospitals with minor injuries. 3 pediatric patients.”

The department added that “the initial report is that a moving truck lost control and collided with at least 10 vehicles.”

Thankfully, the outcome appears far less severe than the wreckage might suggest. Given the extent of the damage visible in photographs from the scene, things could have been much worse.

Investigators are still working to establish exactly what happened before the moving truck lost control. Officials haven’t yet released additional information regarding potential contributing factors, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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Montgomery County Police Dept, MyDrone.Pro

The Feds Might Let Robotaxis Skip The Steering Wheel

  • The NHTSA says it doesn’t make sense for robotaxis to have manual controls.
  • Tesla originally only ever intended to build the Cybercab without normal controls.
  • Recent Cybercab prototypes have been spied testing with a wheel and pedals.

If the current administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gets his way, driverless cars sold in the United States could shed their steering wheels for good. A ruling like that would ripple through the robotaxi business, and Tesla, deep into developing and testing its Robocab, stands to gain more than almost anyone else.

Speaking with CNBC, NHTSA administrator Jonathan Morrison said that, “If you’re developing a vehicle that is designed never to be driven by a human operator, it doesn’t make any sense to require manual controls.” Evidently, he was referring to companies that have deployed or are developing fully autonomous robotaxis, including Waymo and Tesla.

Read: The Feds Could Soon Clear The Way For A Tesla With No Brake Pedal

The agency moved last month to rework existing federal safety standards, and part of that effort would strip away the rule forcing autonomous vehicles to carry manual brake pedals.

Tesla To Benefit

 The Feds Might Let Robotaxis Skip The Steering Wheel

If these changes are implemented, Tesla will reap the rewards. Its Cybercab, unveiled in late 2024, was originally conceived without a steering wheel or pedals, aiming to be fully autonomous, all the time.

However, last year, Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm acknowledged that, given the regulatory landscape at the time, Tesla would equip the robotaxi with a steering wheel and pedals if necessary. Before long, it had been seen testing multiple Cybercabs with these traditional controls.

Even if the law eventually lets Tesla sell the Cybercab stripped of a wheel and pedals, building it both ways would be the smarter play. Fleet versions could go without, while private buyers might want to drive their own Cybercabs part of the time and then turn them loose as autonomous taxis to earn their keep. One car, two lives, depending on who is behind the glass.

There’s no word on whether Elon Musk, who contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to President Trump’s campaign, has had any sway on the NHTSA rushing to update its regulations.

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A Tesla Driver Appears To Nap At 62 MPH With Two Kids Reportedly In The Back

  • This Tesla driver was spotted sleeping while traveling at up to 62 mph.
  • According to a fellow motorist, two kids were sitting in the back seats.
  • It appears the driver’s sunglasses fooled the driver monitoring system.

Footage circulating online appears to show a woman behind the wheel of a Tesla Model Y traveling along the Trans-Canada Highway between Golden and Revelstoke, all while seemingly fast asleep. If accurate, the episode points to some worrying gaps in the vehicle’s driver-monitoring system.

Fellow Canadian motorist Carleigh King spotted the drowsy driver on Sunday afternoon. In the video, the woman’s head is slumped over, and she appears blissfully unaware that she’s snoozing at approximately 62 mph (100 km/h). It’s a terrifying watch, though far from the only time we’ve come across something like it.

Also: A $10 Ronaldo Doll Head Is Fooling Tesla So Drivers Can Doze Off

The Tesla in question is presumably fitted with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) package, which includes a driver-monitoring system. This setup uses the Model Y’s in-car camera to track the driver’s eye movements and torque sensors in the steering wheel to detect whether the driver is alert. However, as we’ve seen in the past, the camera system can be easily fooled by wearing sunglasses, like this driver did.

She Wasn’t Driving Alone…

Speaking with CBC, King says that, shockingly, the woman wasn’t driving by herself. In fact, there were reportedly two children sitting in the Tesla’s rear seats, meaning their lives were also in danger because of the driver’s slumber. It’s unclear how the driver circumvented the steering wheel’s torque sensors, but we do know that several companies sell cheap accessories to bypass them.

Watch: Viral Video Shows Older Tesla Driver And Passenger Both Asleep At Highway Speed

According to Cpl. Michael McLaughlin from the B.C. Highway Patrol, the driver could face some serious charges for her careless behavior.

“Anything from a simple violation ticket all the way up to criminal charges for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle,” he said. “There could also potentially be criminal charges related to negligence if there are children in the vehicle and those children are put at risk by the driver not supervising as the vehicle is traveling down the highway.”

 A Tesla Driver Appears To Nap At 62 MPH With Two Kids Reportedly In The Back

Lead Image: Castanet News

First Tesla Semi Fatal Crash Kills Two At A Nevada Red Light

  • A Tesla Semi rear-ended stopped cars at a Nevada red light.
  • Two people died and a third has life-threatening injuries.
  • Police suspect the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

A Tesla Semi rear-ended two passenger vehicles in Nevada on Sunday, killing two people and leaving another with life-threatening injuries, in what appears to be the first known fatal crash involving the fully electric truck. Early information gathered by the sheriff’s office at the scene suggests the driver may have fallen asleep, though the official cause has yet to be determined.

More: The Driver Said Self-Driving Was On, Tesla Says He Floored It To 73 MPH In Fatal Home Crash

The incident happened Sunday morning on US 50 in Dayton, Nevada. Two vehicles, one of them a classic VW Beetle, had reportedly stopped at a red light when the Tesla plowed into them from behind.

Two Dead At The Scene

The force of the collision and the sheer mass of the semi claimed the lives of the married couple, who were pronounced dead at the scene. A third person was flown to a local hospital and remains there with life-threatening injuries.

Both directions of US 50 were shut for a few hours while crews cleared the debris. Photos of the aftermath show the heavily damaged Beetle at the roadside, right next to the white semi that appears to have a broken front bumper. The other vehicle, a red Toyota RAV4 SUV, is left with a crumpled rear end.

More: Another Tesla Crash, Another Owner Says It ‘Drove On Its Own’

The accident is currently under investigation by the Nevada State Police. Preliminary statements obtained at the scene by deputies from the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office “suggest the driver of the truck might have fallen asleep,” though that account has yet to be confirmed by investigators.

The Semi is not available with Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, but it does come with various safety features, including autonomous emergency braking, which is meant to help in situations like this.

The Tesla Semi is being manufactured at the Gigafactory Nevada, which is about an hour away from the site of the accident. The name of the driver and the operator of the semi truck have not been made public.

 First Tesla Semi Fatal Crash Kills Two At A Nevada Red Light
The updated Tesla Semi, introduced in late 2025 for 2026 production.

Support for Electric Vehicles

By: newenergy

New Poll: American Voters Support Federal Investments in Electric Vehicles Broad, Bipartisan Support for EV Investments and Incentives that Lower Costs, Expand Access, and Help the U.S. Beat China in the Race for Auto Manufacturing WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new bipartisan national poll conducted by Meeting Street Insights and Hart Research finds broad public support …

The post Support for Electric Vehicles appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.

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