After scoring a major win in the election this week, President-elect Donald Trump is widely expected to move quickly on a broad agenda when taking office next January. He has made it clear this will include a number of issues critical to the auto industry, including tariffs and EVs. That presents some significant opportunities for manufacturers, but also poses quite a few risks, said a senior Toyota executive who spoke to Headlight.News shortly after Trump’s victory was confirmed.
After a rough start, Tesla appeared to get back on track during the third quarter, beating both sales and earnings estimates. But, buried amidst all the financial data, CEO Elon Musk said there won’t be a $25,000 Tesla and the EV maker’s potentially rocket-powered Roadster is delayed – again. But he may be working on a flying Tesla.
When Tesla finally delivered the first Cybertruck 11 months ago it missed the mark in a number of ways, starting with range. While CEO Elon Musk originally promised a version that would clock 500 miles per charge, its currently delivering a max 301 miles. To get close to the original target would require purchasing a range-extender battery, Tesla said. But that now is missing the mark, too.
It’s a put-up-or-shut-up-day for Elon Musk as Tesla prepares to reveal its long-promised Cybercab, but the company has plenty of other challenges facing it right now, starting with the departure of four top-level executives leading an exodus of talent as insiders balk at the CEO’s increasingly erratic behavior.
Tesla announced a recall covering more than 27,000 vehicles. More precisely, 27,185 Cybertrucks. This marks the fifth time the all-electric pickup has faced a safety-related callback since the first dozen Cybertrucks were handed over to customers by Tesla CEO Elon Musk at the end of November 2023. And it comes at a time when Tesla has had more recalls than any other automaker.
As the CEO of Tesla and an outspoken advocate of green technology, Elon Musk developed a large and loyal fanbase and was frequently credited as a major force helping to build demand for the automaker’s EVs. But things have changed over the nearly two years since Musk purchased what was then Twitter and began a visible shift towards the political right. That’s changed perceptions of the South African-born Musk for many former fans. But is that costing Tesla sales? Headlight.News has this story.
The Tesla Cybertruck missed a number of earlier targets, coming in 50% more expensive than planned, while offering about a third less range than promised by CEO Elon Musk back in 2019. Now, the automaker is ready to address the range problem by offering a range-extender battery that sits in the forward part of the bed. But it creates other problems: adding substantial cost while reducing cargo capacity.
It will be up to a California court to determine the outcome of a long-running suit pitting two EV manufacturers, Tesla and Rivian. The bigger of the two has accused its rival of stealing trade secrets and a judge has ruled the case will have to go to trial after Rivian filed to get it dismissed earlier this week.
Tesla’s Cybertruck has gotten off to a rocky start since it finally started deliveries last November, two years late. And now, a new problem with its huge windshield wipers has forced the automaker to put deliveries of the all-electric truck on hold until it can figure out a solution.
Elon Musk celebrates yes vote by Tesla shareholders that secures his record-setting compensation plan after a judge in Delaware voided the proposed pay package in January.
A growing number of investors have announced they will vote against the $56 billion pay package Tesla’s board of directors wants to give CEO Elon Musk – though the South African-born executive insists he has lined up enough support for the proposals approval during a shareholder’s meeting this week. What happens if the plan is rejected? Musk already has fired a warning shot.
Elon Musk’s increasingly mercurial behavior is having a substantial impact on the Texas-based EV maker. But it may also have a serious impact on the Tesla CEO himself as shareholder resistance grows to the $50 billion pay package the automaker wants to give Musk. A key investor, and former Musk “fanboy,” voting no.