TESLA’S Mannequin Y is the primary electrical automobile to turn into the world’s best-selling automobile, beating the Toyota Corolla within the first quarter of this yr, regardless of being virtually twice the worth.
In additional optimistic Tesla information, Ford has additionally introduced that it could undertake the electrical automobile specialist’s proprietary charging port that might grant Ford prospects entry to the “superior” Supercharger DC speedy charging community.
However in a twist to the continuing saga of Tesla’s so-called Full Self Driving know-how, a whistleblower has leaked a tranche of damning information about security incidents relationship again to 2015 plus proof of inner insurance policies designed to maintain such studies from the general public eye.
First, the excellent news. In keeping with information sourced from Jato Dynamics, the Mannequin Y has surpassed the Toyota Corolla and RAV4 to take the highest spot, promoting 267,200 items globally in Q1 2024 towards 256,400 Corollas and 214,700 RAV4s. The numbers signify a 69 per cent year-on-year improve for the Mannequin Y.
Domestically, FCAI gross sales figures present Tesla is Australia’s seventh hottest automobile model with YTD gross sales of 14,083 (or a 4.0 per cent market share). The Mannequin 3 is Tesla’s best-selling automobile right here and it dominates the over-$60K medium passenger automobile phase with 8819 deliverie to the top of April, whereas the Mannequin Y has accrued 5264 unit gross sales inside the above-$60K medium SUV sector.
Now for some dangerous information. Including to studies of battery fires and autonomous driving glitches which have beset Tesla virtually since day one, a whistleblower on the firm leaked 100GB of knowledge to German enterprise journal Handelsblatt displaying over 2400 circumstances of self-acceleration and greater than 1500 braking issues referring to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) applied sciences relationship again to 2015.
Additionally among the many information are accounts of unintentional emergency braking and so-called phantom stops as the results of false collision warnings.
Thus far, Tesla has recalled some 362,758 autos geared up with FSD for points described by US Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Authority (NHTSA) as a “crash threat”.
Additional, the leaked paperwork state that it’s Tesla firm coverage to maintain studies of such points “underneath wraps”, with any correspondence referring to the problems to be made to the shopper on a verbal foundation solely.
“For every incident there are bullet factors for the ‘technical overview’. The workers who enter this overview into the system usually make it clear that the report is ‘for inner use solely’. Every entry additionally comprises the observe in daring print that data, if in any respect, could solely be handed on ‘verbally to the shopper,” reported Handelsblatt.
“Don’t copy and paste the report under into an e mail, textual content message, or depart it in a voicemail to the shopper. Car information must also not be launched with out permission. If, regardless of the recommendation, ‘an involvement of a lawyer can’t be prevented’, this should be recorded.”
In keeping with Handelsblatt, Tesla responded to its queries in regards to the information by “demanding that the info be deleted”.
To finish on a extra optimistic observe; removed from being the large dangerous wolf, it appears Tesla is making ready to pen a cope with Ford to share its Supercharger community with homeowners of the Blue Oval’s electrical autos.
As a part of a current assembly between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Ford CEO Jim Farley – who has publicly praised Tesla on a number of events – Ford introduced that it could undertake Tesla’s North American Charging Customary (NCAS) proprietary charging port that might permit Ford prospects entry to Tesla’s “superior EV charging community”.
In return, and in accordance with US publication The Verge, Tesla will get “essential buy-in for its charging know-how from one of many high automakers on the planet”.
“Farley stated all of Ford’s present and future prospects would get entry to 12,000 Tesla Superchargers throughout the US. And for present Ford EV homeowners, Musk says an adapter is predicted to be in manufacturing early subsequent yr,” reported The Verge.
In a Twitter publish, Mr Farley stated the power for Ford EV prospects to cost their autos utilizing Tesla’s Supercharger community would drastically speed up the transition towards electrical autos.
“To speed up EV adoption and make the transition profitable for our prospects, we should enhance the charging infrastructure. (We’re) excited to work with Elon Musk and Tesla to offer Ford EV homeowners entry to the Tesla charging community,” he tweeted.