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A Tesla Motors Hit Job via Australia’s News Limited

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FREMONT, CA - AUGUST 16: Tesla Model S sedans are seen parked in front of a row of new Tesla Superchargers outside of the Tesla Factory on August 16, 2013 in Fremont, California. Tesla Motors opened a new Supercharger station with four stalls for public use at their factory in Fremont, California. The Superchargers allow owners of the Tesla Model S to charge their vehicles in 20 to 30 minutes for free. There are now 18 charging stations in the U.S. with plans to open more in the near future. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Tesla-Dual-Charger

It’s great to see that Australia’s News Limited site is completely nefarious when it comes to a new automaker landing on its shores. How dare Tesla Motors bring innovation and a new drivetrain to our shores, and think Australians will get the truth about these electricity-draining, “special” vehicles from Rupert Murdoch’s media site news.com.au.

Last week, Teslarati documented deliveries of Model S vehicles to Australia and then I saw this article via Uncle Rupert’s site, “Tesla electric car has its plug pulled because its recharger needs too much power.

That was quick. Looks like the Australian market for Tesla is gone due to these Australian rubes not having electricity, right?

The article insinuates how the “dual-charger” option is not easy to install in residential homes and plus it “may” cost around $10,000 for it to installed.  However, the hit-job never describes the range of charging options for a Tesla product or, actually, uses the word “dual-charger” in its description.

It’s a doozy.

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This is the “beginning” of the article:  “Unlike other electric cars, the Tesla cannot be recharged via a normal power point and requires a special charger to be installed at home or work at a cost of up to $10,000—and may also need to have the local electricity substation upgraded at a cost of more than $50,000, according to experts.”

According to what experts? This is mind-numbing but what if you’re not an engineer, auto enthusiast or early adopter? This first sentence allows a person to draw a pretty quick conclusion on these “fancy, electric cars” from that Billionaire in the U.S.

The article does allow Tesla to chime in, though, in the thirteenth paragraph.

Here’s the quote from Tesla spokesman, Heath Walker,“Most houses can cope with (the 40 amp charger) due to off-peak (electricity demand),” said Mr Walker.

Or, he could have said, “Last time I checked, Australia is not on the moon.”

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Other evil tripe from the article:

  • Despite the uncertainty and restrictions, an estimated 50 Australians have placed orders for the new Tesla Model S which costs between $100,000 and $220,000 depending on options and battery range. ($222,000?)
  • Electric cars already on sale in Australia can be charged on 10 amp household power or require a relatively simple 15 amp upgrade for about $400. But because the Tesla requires a 40 amp single phase charger, the Master Electricians Association says there may be restrictions on upgrading household power supply and connecting to the local electricity grid. (Again, no mention of the charging options for the car.)

Wherever Rupert breathes, the Against-It freaks will be waiting to provide misinformation and “hit-jobs” about this American beauty.

"Grant Gerke wears his Model S on his sleeve and has been writing about Tesla for the last five years on numerous media sites. He has a bias towards plug-in vehicles and also writes about manufacturing software for Automation World magazine in Chicago. Find him at Teslarati

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Lufthansa Group to equip Starlink on its 850-aircraft fleet

Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release.

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Credit: Lufthansa

Lufthansa Group has announced a partnership with Starlink that will bring high-speed internet connectivity to every aircraft across all its carriers. 

This means that aircraft across the group’s brands, from Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines to Brussels Airlines, would be able to enjoy high-speed internet access using the industry-leading satellite internet solution.

Starlink in-flight internet

Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release

Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites are expected to provide significantly higher bandwidth and lower latency than traditional in-flight Wi-Fi, which should enable streaming, online work, and other data-intensive applications for passengers during flights.

Starlink-powered internet is expected to be available on the first commercial flights as early as the second half of 2026. The rollout will continue through the decade, with the entire Lufthansa Group fleet scheduled to be fully equipped with Starlink by 2029. Once complete, no other European airline group will operate more Starlink-connected aircraft.

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Free high-speed access

As part of the initiative, Lufthansa Group will offer the new high-speed internet free of charge to all status customers and Travel ID users, regardless of cabin class. Chief Commercial Officer Dieter Vranckx shared his expectations for the program.

“In our anniversary year, in which we are celebrating Lufthansa’s 100th birthday, we have decided to introduce a new high-speed internet solution from Starlink for all our airlines. The Lufthansa Group is taking the next step and setting an essential milestone for the premium travel experience of our customers. 

“Connectivity on board plays an important role today, and with Starlink, we are not only investing in the best product on the market, but also in the satisfaction of our passengers,” Vranckx said. 

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Elon Musk

Tesla locks in Elon Musk’s top problem solver as it enters its most ambitious era

The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.

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Credit: Duke University

Tesla has granted Senior Vice President of Automotive Tom Zhu more than 520,000 stock options, tying a significant portion of his compensation to the company’s long-term performance. 

The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.

Tesla secures top talent

According to a Form 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Tom Zhu received 520,021 stock options with an exercise price of $435.80 per share. Since the award will not fully vest until March 5, 2031, Zhu must remain at Tesla for more than five years to realize the award’s full benefit.

Considering that Tesla shares are currently trading at around the $445 to $450 per share level, Zhu will really only see gains in his equity award if Tesla’s stock price sees a notable rise over the years, as noted in a Sina Finance report.

Still, even at today’s prices, Zhu’s stock award is already worth over $230 million. If Tesla reaches the market cap targets set forth in Elon Musk’s 2025 CEO Performance Award, Zhu would become a billionaire from this equity award alone.

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Tesla’s problem solver

Zhu joined Tesla in April 2014 and initially led the company’s Supercharger rollout in China. Later that year, he assumed the leadership of Tesla’s China business, where he played a central role in Tesla’s localization efforts, including expanding retail and service networks, and later, overseeing the development of Gigafactory Shanghai.

Zhu’s efforts helped transform China into one of Tesla’s most important markets and production hubs. In 2023, Tesla promoted Zhu to Senior Vice President of Automotive, placing him among the company’s core global executives and expanding his influence beyond China. He has since garnered a reputation as the company’s problem solver, being tapped by Elon Musk to help ramp Giga Texas’s vehicle production. 

With this in mind, Tesla’s recent filing seems to suggest that the company is locking in its top talent as it enters its newest, most ambitious era to date. As could be seen in the targets of Elon Musk’s 2025 pay package, Tesla is now aiming to be the world’s largest company by market cap, and it is aiming to achieve production levels that are unheard of. Zhu’s talents would definitely be of use in this stage of the company’s growth.

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Tesla counters Norway’s VAT hike with dedicated consumer bonus

The move follows Tesla Norway’s stunning finish in 2025, where the company saw substantial sales during the final weeks of the year.

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Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East/X

Tesla has rolled out a price incentive in Norway, effectively offsetting a notable VAT increase that hit electric vehicle buyers at the start of 2026.

The move follows Tesla Norway’s stunning finish in 2025, where the company saw substantial sales during the final weeks of the year.

A “Tesla bonus”

Once the VAT increase kicked in at the start of 2026, Tesla Norway’s sales cooled almost immediately, as noted in a CarUp report. Tesla’s response was swift, with the electric vehicle maker rolling out what it calls a “Tesla bonus.”

This bonus effectively cuts prices by up to 50,000 kronor across eight model variants. All versions of the Tesla Model Y qualify for the incentive, along with most Tesla Model 3 trims, save for the base entry-level model.

This means that for Tesla Norway’s best-selling vehicles, the bonus effectively restores pricing to pre-VAT levels. This blunts the impact of the new tax and makes Tesla’s vehicle offerings competitive again in Europe’s most EV-saturated market.

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Stabilizing demand

In addition to the “Tesla bonus,” the electric car maker is also offering a promotional interest rate for up to three years, with terms varying by model. The incentive applies to orders placed between January 9 and March 31, 2026, with delivery required by the end of the first quarter.

The stakes are high in Norway, where electric vehicles dominate new-car registrations. From the vehicles that were sold in 2025, 96% of new cars sold were fully electric. And from this number, Tesla and its Model Y made their dominance felt. This was highlighted by Geir Inge Stokke, director of OFV, who noted that Tesla was able to achieve its stellar results despite its small vehicle lineup.

“Taking almost 20% market share during a year with record-high new car sales is remarkable in itself. When a brand also achieves such volumes with so few models, it says a lot about both demand and Tesla’s impact on the Norwegian market,” Stokke stated.

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