News
Anti-Tesla protestors call for gradual dismantling of Giga Berlin: “expropriate, strike, loot”
Over the weekend, groups of Tesla protesters and supporters held events against and in support of Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. A look at the messaging in each event shows that Tesla may have its work cut out for it if it wants to convince its critics that the Grünheide-based Model Y factory is a net positive for the region.
Following the forced shutdown of Giga Berlin due to a suspected arson attack on a power pylon, Tesla employees at Giga Berlin took a stand against the company’s critics. Gathering around Giga Berlin with lights in their hands, the Tesla employees pledged to stand strong and come back from the alleged arson stronger than before. Tesla critics, for their part, organized a protest against Tesla on Sunday.
Lights On pic.twitter.com/3Py4BERjfK— Tesla Manufacturing (@gigafactories) March 8, 2024
As noted in a report from BZ, the anti-Tesla protesters on Sunday numbered about 800. The group, which was reportedly comprised of leftists, environmentalists, and masked anarchists, demanded that Tesla be stopped and Giga Berlin be demolished. Amidst Palestinian scarves, Antifa, and Kurdistan flags, some banners from the group read, “Don’t demand, fight. Expropriate, strike, loot.”
Over a loudspeaker system powered by a diesel generator, Lou Winters, who is from the Tesla den Hahn abdrehen (Turn off Tesla’s tap) group, also called for a “gradual dismantling” of the Tesla Model Y factory. Other discussions from the protesters included complaints about capitalism, colonialism, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Hundreds of Environmental Activists Protest in Germany Against Tesla's Expansion Plans for 'Gigafactory'#BNN #Worldnews #Dailynews #Breakingnews #Newsupdate #Germany #Grünheide #Savetherainforest #Tesla #Gigafactory pic.twitter.com/ve2hzI4nHN— Nitish Verma (@nitsonnet) March 11, 2024
Tesla supporters, for their part, supported Tesla’s presence in Grünheide through a counter-protest. Organizer Albrecht Köhler noted during the demonstration that the community wants Tesla in the area. “We want a future with Tesla here. This is an important settlement, we can’t turn back anymore,” Köhler said.
Tesla supporter Silas Heineken noted on X that while the anti-Tesla protest was much larger than the pro-Giga Berlin counter-protest, those who attended the pro-Tesla event were almost all Grünheide residents. Participants of the anti-Tesla protests were reportedly eco-activists from all over Germany.
Grünheider residents fighting full time Againsters supporting "the current thing" with peace and techno.
Big thanks to everybody who joined to stop this irrationalism! We are not alone. pic.twitter.com/uu1uLtxO3S— Silas Heineken (@silasheineken) March 10, 2024
BZ noted that the police have so far filed some criminal charges during the anti-Tesla demonstration. Three were reportedly apprehended because they were masked, and another reportedly gave a banned Hitler salute to a group of protesters. Reports and videos also seemed to depict YouTube streamer Björn Banane and his wife and dog being attacked by protesters with sticks and other objects.
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News
Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.
Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.

The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.
Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:
- Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
- Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
- Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
- Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
- 89 cubic feet of trunk space
- Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
- Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
- Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
- Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
- 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
- 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
- 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
- FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI
Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:
- Door Trim Puddle Lights
- Suede Dashboard Wing
- Exterior and Interior Badging
- Floor Mats
- Sill Plates
The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.
- Credit: Tesla
- Credit: Tesla
It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.
Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.
News
Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.
Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.
The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.
The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”
Looking forward to the long weekend pic.twitter.com/URzH6zOUdn
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 1, 2026
Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.
With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.
However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.
Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:
This looks like a Model Y L https://t.co/TpnBwrLmH9
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 2, 2026
This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.
Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.
Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.
News
Tesla is using vehicle microphones to improve build quality: here’s how
Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.
It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.
As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.
The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.
It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.
Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements
While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.
This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.
Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.
The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:
🚨 If you’re a Tesla investor, this is one interview you don’t want to skip. The full video posted below.
Jeff Lutz @thejefflutz and I sat down with Tesla VP of Engineering Lars Moravy, and it was packed with insights!
A few of the biggest takeaways:
• Cybercab is expected to… pic.twitter.com/fhYSr2dCqP
— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) July 1, 2026

