Model S
Germany to offer a €5,000 incentive for electric vehicles starting in July
The German ministries of economics, transport and environment reportedly agreed on a new incentive program for electric vehicles that will include a €5,000 discount at the purchase starting July 1st. The amount is set to decrease by €500 every year and be completely phased out by the end of the decade. Under the new initiative, the government also plans to finance 15,000 new charging stations across the country and to subsidize battery research.
MIT Lists Tesla Autopilot Among Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies Of 2016
MIT Technology Review has bestowed one of its most prestigious awards upon Tesla. Tesla’s Autopilot system was listed by MIT as being among the Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies of 2016.
Tesla bill dies after car dealers couldn't make a deal
A bill that started out aimed at helping Tesla Motors overcome legal roadblocks to selling cars in Utah sputtered and ran out of gas Thursday after talks broke down and Tesla ended up opposing the legislation. Rep. Kim Coleman, R-West Jordan, abandoned efforts to pass legislation this session that would have allowed Tesla and other similar manufacturers to sell cars online directly to consumers after Tesla balked at a provision that would have required the carmaker to ship vehicles to customers, rather than keeping inventory anywhere in the state.
Model 3
Tesla sends out official invites to a select few for Model 3 unveiling in Los Angeles
Tesla has yet to confirm exactly who will be able to attend the unveiling of the Model 3 on March 31st, but it did already invite the select few who won invitations through the automaker’s Model S referral program. Through those first invitations, we now learn that the event will be held in Los Angeles.
Tesla’s Model 3 is a high-stakes car for the high-end automaker
The Model 3 sedan, which Tesla is expected to unveil — in some fashion — later this month and is expected to hit streets in late 2017, is the cornerstone of the company’s quest to become a mass-market American car manufacturer. How the marketplace responds to the car, experts say, could determine the company’s future.
Gigafactory
Protest at Tesla Gigafactory Is Just the Beginning, Union Boss Says
Several hundred union and non-union workers walked off the construction site for Tesla Motors’ massive $5 billion battery factory near Reno, Nevada today, after accusing a third-party contractor of using lower paid, out-of-state laborers. The walk-off is just the beginning, local union leader Todd Koch told Fortune.
TSLA
Gold Sachs analyst says Tesla is 80% vertically integrated
They report that the factory has changed a lot since they visited the last time over a year ago. For example, they said the automaker has grown into the space it has and now is more fully utilizing it. In fact, they expect future expansions will result in non-assembly functions being moved to satellite facilities. Currently Tesla has five facilities, including the main factory in Fremont, the gigafactory, facilities for metal casting and assembling seats, and another light manufacturing facility in the Netherlands. The automaker is running about an 80% vertically integrated operation.
Elon Musk
SolarCity Shares Up 20% As Rumors Of Musk Buyout Circulate
Following unconfirmed market chatter that Tesla Motors Inc's Elon Musk will acquire SolarCity Corp, the latter's stock has risen 20 percent on the day.
Promotion
Ride the Lightning: Tesla Motors Unofficial Podcast
If you listen to podcasts on your commute or run, check out Ryan McCaffrey's unofficial Tesla Motors podcast. He publishes the podcast every week and he does a great job.