BMW is starting to see the merit of selling battery electric vehicles (BEV). The legacy automaker set new quarterly benchmarks for battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric cars in the United States during Q3 2022.
BMW’s U.S. brand sales increased by 3.2% in the third quarter, partly due to battery electric vehicle availability. The OEM sold approximately 78,031 vehicles in Q3 2022, compared to 75,619 units sold in the third quarter last year.
The increased availability of the battery electric BMW iX Sports Activity vehicle and BMW i4 Gran Couple significantly contributed to BMW’s sales growth in the third quarter. The legacy automaker sold 4,337 battery electric vehicles. It delivered approximately 10,858 BEVs and Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) combined.
“The customer demand and enthusiasm for BMW’s electric vehicles has been there from the start,” said Sebastian Mackensen, President and CEO of BMW of North America. “With the support of our dealer partners, we expect this momentum to accelerate through the fourth quarter, resulting in a strong finish to the year.”
BMW plans to expand its battery electric lineup in the fourth quarter with its first-ever all-electric i7 sedan, which has started arriving at U.S. dealerships. CFO Nicolas Peter told Bloomberg that BMW expects EV deliveries to range between 240,000 to 245,000 this year. BMW AG believes EV sales and deliveries will jump by 70% or up to 400,000 next year due to strong demand.
Peter stated that BMW’s global sales would be slightly lower this year than in 2021 because of the losses the company incurred in the first half of 2022. Due to the pandemic, BMW has had to deal with supply chain challenges, including shortages of semiconductors. Supply issues and similar challenges have disrupted BMW’s EV production in 2022. However, BMW’s CFO is looking forward to next year when the company aims to make “another big leap” with all-electric vehicles.
The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.
News
Tesla is bailing out Canadian automakers once again: here’s how

Tesla is bailing out Canadian automakers once again, as some companies in the country are consistently failing to reach mandated minimum sales targets for emission-free vehicles.
Many countries and regions across the world have enacted mandates that require car companies to sell a certain percentage of electric powertrains each year in an effort to make sustainable transportation more popular.
These mandates are specifically to help reduce the environmental impacts of gas-powered cars. In Canada, 20 percent of new car sales in the 2026 model year must be of an emissions-free powertrain. This number will eventually increase to 100 percent of sales by 2030, or else automakers will pay a substantial fine — $20,000 per vehicle.
There is a way companies can avoid fines, and it involves purchasing credits from companies that have a surplus of emissions-free sales.
Tesla is the only company with this surplus, so it will be bailing out a significant number of other automakers that have fallen short of reaching their emissions targets.
Brian Kingston, CEO of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, said (via Yahoo):
“The only manufacturer that would have a surplus of credits is Tesla, because all they do is sell electric vehicles. A manufacturer has to enter into an agreement with them to purchase credits to help them meet the mandate.”
Tesla has made just over $1 billion this year alone in automotive regulatory credits, which is revenue acquired from selling these to lagging car companies. Kingstone believes Tesla could be looking at roughly $3 billion in credit purchases to comply with the global regulations.
Tesla still poised to earn $3B in ZEV credits this year: Piper Sandler
Automakers operating in Canada are not putting in a lack of effort, but their slow pace in gaining traction in the EV space is a more relevant issue. Execution is where these companies are falling short, and Tesla is a beneficiary of their slow progress.
Kingston doesn’t believe the mandates are necessarily constructive:
“We’ve seen over $40 billion in new investment into Canada since 2020 and all signs were pointing to the automotive industry thriving. Now the federal government has regulations that specifically punishes companies that have a footprint here, requiring them to purchase credits from a company that has a minimal (Canadian) footprint and an almost nonexistent employee base.”
Kingston raises a valid point, but it is hard to see how Tesla is to blame for the issue of other car companies struggling to bring attractive, high-tech, and effective electric powertrains to market.
Tesla has continued to establish itself as the most technologically advanced company in terms of EVs and its tech, as it still offers the best product and has also established the most widespread charging infrastructure globally.
This is not to say other companies do not have good products. In my personal experience, Teslas are just more user-friendly, intuitive, and convenient.
Cybertruck
Tesla ditches key Cybertruck charging feature for very obvious reason
“Wireless charging something as far off the ground as the [Cybertruck] is silly.”

Tesla is officially ditching the development of a key Cybertruck charging feature, and the reason is very obvious, all things considered.
The Cybertruck is among the most unique vehicles available on the market, and, like all Tesla vehicles, it has continued to improve through Over-the-Air software updates that enhance performance, safety, and other technological features.
However, the development of some features, while great on paper, turns out to be more difficult than expected. One of these features is the presence of wireless charging on the all-electric pickup, a capability Tesla has been working to integrate across its entire vehicle lineup.
Tesla wireless charging patent revealed ahead of Robotaxi unveiling event
Most people who have used wireless charging for their phones or other devices have realized it is not as effective as plugging into a cord or cable. This is even relevant with Tesla vehicles, as the introduction of wireless charging for smartphones within the vehicles has been a nice feature, but not as impactful as many would hope.
It’s not necessarily Tesla’s fault, either. Wireless charging is a complex technology because much of the energy intended to be transferred to the phone is lost through heat.
Instead of the energy being stored in the battery, it is lost on the outside of the phone, which is why it becomes warm to the touch after sitting on a charging mat.
This is something that Tesla is likely trying to resolve with its vehicles before rolling out inductive charging to owners. The company has confirmed that it is working on a wireless charging solution, but it has yet to be released.
However, this feature will not be coming to the Cybertruck. Wes Morrill, the Cybertruck’s lead engineer, said that the vehicle’s height makes wireless charging “silly,” according to Not a Tesla App:
“Wireless charging something as far off the ground as the CT is silly.”
This is something that could impact future vehicle designs; the Cybertruck might not be the only higher-ground clearance vehicle Tesla plans to offer to customers. Therefore, being transparent about a design’s capabilities, or even developing technology that would enable this, would be useful to potential buyers.
At this point, wireless charging seems like it would be more advantageous for home charging than anything.
Due to its current inefficiency, it would likely be a great way to enable seamless charging in a garage or residential parking space, rather than something like a public charger where people are looking to plug and go in as little time as possible.
News
Tesla China’s new six-seat Model Y L already sold out through October
New Tesla Model Y L orders now show an estimated delivery date of November 2025 at the earliest.

Tesla’s new Model Y L is sold out for October in China, with new orders showing an estimated delivery date of November 2025 at the earliest.
The extended-wheelbase variant, launched in August and first delivered this month, has quickly become one of Tesla’s strongest-selling vehicles in its key overseas market.
Demand and expectations
Tesla China initially positioned the Model Y L for September deliveries, with Vice President Grace Tao confirming on Weibo that the vehicle would begin reaching customers this September. True to that promise, the first handovers of the vehicle started last week. Since its launch, the six-seat crossover has sold out its September and October allocations, hinting at healthy demand.
Industry estimates suggested that Tesla received more than 35,000 orders for the Model Y L on launch day alone. While some Model Y L orders may overlap with those of the standard Model Y, industry watchers have noted that the six-seat, extended wheelbase variant is expanding the company’s total addressable market by appealing to car buyers who need more space and seating.
Tesla China boost
The Model Y L’s strong momentum is significant as Tesla navigates a competitive Chinese EV sector. With deliveries now stretching into November, the new crossover could potentially lift Tesla’s quarterly sales performance and help maintain its relevance in a market dominated by fast-moving domestic brands.
Beyond China, the extended-wheelbase Model Y L may also serve as a strategic export product for markets where larger family vehicles are in demand. Its early sellout performance suggests that Tesla has tapped into a new growth lever within its most successful vehicle lineup. With a starting price of RMB 339,000 ($47,180), after all, the Model Y L has the makings of a true bang-for-the-buck vehicle.
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla is overhauling its Full Self-Driving subscription for easier access
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Elon Musk shares unbelievable Starship Flight 10 landing feat
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Elon Musk reveals when SpaceX will perform first-ever Starship catch
-
Elon Musk1 week ago
Tesla’s next-gen Optimus prototype with Grok revealed
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
SpaceX Starship Flight 10 was so successful, it’s breaking the anti-Musk narrative
-
News4 days ago
Tesla launches new Supercharger program that business owners will love
-
Elon Musk4 days ago
Tesla Board takes firm stance on Elon Musk’s political involvement in pay package proxy
-
News1 week ago
Tesla appears to be mulling a Cyber SUV design