News
Tesla Model Y loses another rival after BMW cancels iX3’s US launch
It appears that the Tesla Model Y will be competing with one less vehicle when it starts deliveries later this month. In a recent announcement, BMW confirmed that it is canceling the US launch of its iX3 crossover, a vehicle that was considered as a potential rival to the Tesla Model Y in the crossover market.
The BMW was initially expected to enter the United States market in the first half of 2021, which would only be a few months later than the original estimated Fall 2020 delivery date of the Model Y. Then, a spokesperson from the German automaker confirmed to Automotive News that the company abandoned its plans to sell the iX3 in the United States, at least for now.
“At this time we do not have plans to bring the iX3 to the US market,” the spokesperson said.
The automaker has not disclosed its reasons for canceling the iX3’s American release. Although speculations suggest that it was a combination of higher demand in Europe and the vehicle’s potential underperformance in the US. This is likely due to the iX3’s range, which will likely fall behind other competitors such as the Jaguar I-PACE and the Tesla Model Y.
BMW has not disclosed the estimated range of the iX3 with the EPA. Its 74-kWh battery pack does not really inspire a lot of confidence. The Jaguar I-PACE and the e-tron are equipped with batteries that are closer to 100 kWh, but their EPA range remains below 250 miles per charge. With this in mind, the China-made iX3’s 74 kWh battery will likely not hold up well against the competition, both mainstream and EV veterans like Tesla.
Sam Abuelsamid, the principal analyst at Navigant Research, stated that the BMW iX3 wouldn’t be competitive in the US market, considering the EVs that are currently sold in the country. “To be competitive, you really want to have closer to at least 240 to 250 miles of EPA range. Anything less than that, and I think you’re going to be struggling in the marketplace,” he said.
One BMW retailer, who wished to remain anonymous, had sharper words about the upcoming all-electric crossover. In a statement to the publication, the retailer explained that unless the iX3 had a range of at least 300 miles, “it’s not worth bringing to the table.”
Interestingly enough, the Tesla Model Y does not have a battery pack that is as large as the Model S and X. The Model Y shares 75% of its parts with the Model 3, whose Long Range AWD version is equipped with a 75 kWh battery pack. That’s just a hair larger than the iX3’s 74-kWh battery, but it allows the Performance Model Y to go 315 miles on one charge.
Elon Musk
Brazil Supreme Court orders Elon Musk and X investigation closed
The decision was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following a recommendation from Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has ordered the closure of an investigation involving Elon Musk and social media platform X. The inquiry had been pending for about two years and examined whether the platform was used to coordinate attacks against members of the judiciary.
The decision was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following a recommendation from Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet.
According to a report from Agencia Brasil, the investigation conducted by the Federal Police did not find evidence that X deliberately attempted to attack the judiciary or circumvent court orders.
Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet concluded that the irregularities identified during the probe did not indicate fraudulent intent.
Justice Moraes accepted the prosecutor’s recommendation and ruled that the investigation should be closed. Under the ruling, the case will remain closed unless new evidence emerges.
The inquiry stemmed from concerns that content on X may have enabled online attacks against Supreme Court justices or violated rulings requiring the suspension of certain accounts under investigation.
Justice Moraes had previously taken several enforcement actions related to the platform during the broader dispute involving social media regulation in Brazil.
These included ordering a nationwide block of the platform, freezing Starlink accounts, and imposing fines on X totaling about $5.2 million. Authorities also froze financial assets linked to X and SpaceX through Starlink to collect unpaid penalties and seized roughly $3.3 million from the companies’ accounts.
Moraes also imposed daily fines of up to R$5 million, about $920,000, for alleged evasion of the X ban and established penalties of R$50,000 per day for VPN users who attempted to bypass the restriction.
Brazil remains an important market for X, with roughly 17 million users, making it one of the platform’s larger user bases globally.
The country is also a major market for Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, which has surpassed one million subscribers in Brazil.
Elon Musk
FCC chair criticizes Amazon over opposition to SpaceX satellite plan
Carr made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.
U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Amazon after the company opposed SpaceX’s proposal to launch a large satellite constellation that could function as an orbital data center network.
Carr made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.
Amazon recently urged the FCC to reject SpaceX’s application to deploy a constellation of up to 1 million low Earth orbit satellites that could serve as artificial intelligence data centers in space.
The company described the proposal as a “lofty ambition rather than a real plan,” arguing that SpaceX had not provided sufficient details about how the system would operate.
Carr responded by pointing to Amazon’s own satellite deployment progress.
“Amazon should focus on the fact that it will fall roughly 1,000 satellites short of meeting its upcoming deployment milestone, rather than spending their time and resources filing petitions against companies that are putting thousands of satellites in orbit,” Carr wrote on X.
Amazon has declined to comment on the statement.
Amazon has been working to deploy its Project Kuiper satellite network, which is intended to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink service. The company has invested more than $10 billion in the program and has launched more than 200 satellites since April of last year.
Amazon has also asked the FCC for a 24-month extension, until July 2028, to meet a requirement to deploy roughly 1,600 satellites by July 2026, as noted in a CNBC report.
SpaceX’s Starlink network currently has nearly 10,000 satellites in orbit and serves roughly 10 million customers. The FCC has also authorized SpaceX to deploy 7,500 additional satellites as the company continues expanding its global satellite internet network.
Energy
Tesla Energy gains UK license to sell electricity to homes and businesses
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
Tesla Energy has received a license to supply electricity in the United Kingdom, opening the door for the company to serve homes and businesses in the country.
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
According to Ofgem, the license took effect at 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday and applies to Great Britain.
The approval allows Tesla’s energy business to sell electricity directly to customers in the region, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.
Tesla has already expanded similar services in the United States. In Texas, the company offers electricity plans that allow Tesla owners to charge their vehicles at a lower cost while also feeding excess electricity back into the grid.
Tesla already has a sizable presence in the UK market. According to price comparison website U-switch, there are more than 250,000 Tesla electric vehicles in the country and thousands of Tesla home energy storage systems.
Ofgem also noted that Tesla Motors Ltd., a separate entity incorporated in England and Wales, received an electricity generation license in June 2020.
The new UK license arrives as Tesla continues expanding its global energy business.
Last year, Tesla Energy retained the top position in the global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year. According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest rankings, Tesla held about 15% of global market share in 2024.
The company also maintained a dominant position in North America, where it captured roughly 39% market share in the region.
At the same time, competition in the energy storage sector is increasing. Chinese companies such as Sungrow have been expanding their presence globally, particularly in Europe.
Brazil Supreme Court orders Elon Musk and X investigation closed
FCC chair criticizes Amazon over opposition to SpaceX satellite plan
