News
California to Ease Tesla Environmental Policy
Carmakers are going to hit the roof when they find out that the state of California is trying to loosen its Tesla environmental policy. Environmentalists are already on the war path.
California to relax Tesla environmental policy
According to the LA Times, Ted Gaines, a Republican Senator representing the Sacramento suburb of Rocklina, feels Tesla Motors should get a break from being exempt from some of the environment rules in the state. Sen. Gaines co-authored the bill with Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento). Notice how more and more of these bills are co-sponsored by both parties?
The Tesla environmental policy incentive package being discussed is designed to lure Tesla Motors into build its Gigafactory in California. Tesla has been dangling its Gigafactory carrot-on-a-stick in front of a few neighboring states, mainly, Nevada and Arizona. The tactic is simple and has already moved Arizona to start talking about Tesla selling directly, a state staunchly opposed to it, backed by the automobile dealership association.
The Californian Tesla environmental policy
According to Sen. Ted Gaines: “It would help them speed the process” He was quoted saying this after a meeting last Friday with Tesla officials at the company's Palo Alto headquarters. The plan is gaining traction with the office of Gov. Jerry Brown, who is looking into granting the automaker waivers for significant portions of the California Environmental Quality Act. The California Tesla environmental policy tax break could be as much as $500M. We are sure Tesla is waiting to see how other states will counter that bid. In the meantime, this is about 10% of the project's total cost, according to Gaines.
Environmentalists are crying foul, saying no manufacturer, regardless of the economic benefits should be allowed to pollute indiscriminately. We also wait to hear from BMW who has said repeatedly that the manufacturing of its all-electric i3 is carbon neutral.
Rushing policies to help the Tesla environmental policy
Musk said a quick environmental review was crucial to help getting the Gigafactory ready by 2017. The company released the following official statement: “Timing for the gigafactory is very important. So all five states in the running for the gigafactory need to demonstrate, among other factors, that they can help us deliver the factory on time.” There you go. Tesla spells it out very clearly, the Tesla environmental policy should be eased.
So the question is, should California allow a special Tesla environmental policy to skirt some of its environmental responsibilities for the sake of the economy, or should California stick to its policy guns? It would risk seeing the gigafactories sprout in competing states. And if so, where will the line be drawn with other battery and electric vehicle (EV) makers? With a chronic budget deficit, the state of California is once again sitting between a rock and a hard place. Loosening the Tesla environmental policy would be a boon to the company, and maybe to the state.
Image source: Reuters
Elon Musk
Tesla China posts strong February wholesale growth at Gigafactory Shanghai
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla China sold 58,599 vehicles wholesale in February, reflecting strong year-over-year growth. The figure includes both domestic deliveries in China and vehicles exported to international markets.
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla’s February wholesale result represents a 91% increase year over year, compared with 30,688 vehicles in February 2025. Month over month, the result was down 15.2% from January, when Tesla China recorded 69,129 wholesale units.
The February total reflects combined sales of the Model 3 and Model Y produced at Gigafactory Shanghai. The facility produces the two vehicles for both domestic sales and exports.
Gigafactory Shanghai continues to serve as Tesla’s primary vehicle export hub, supplying vehicles to markets across Asia and Europe. Data compiled by Tesla watchers shows that 18,485 vehicles were sold domestically in China in January 2026, while exports accounted for 50,644 units during the same period.
Tesla has also been extending financing programs in China as it pushes to strengthen domestic demand. The company recently extended its seven-year ultra-low-interest and five-year interest-free financing programs through March 31, marking the second extension of the promotion this year.
The financing initiative was first introduced on January 6 as a strategy aimed at offsetting higher ownership costs ahead of China’s planned 5% NEV purchase tax in 2026. The promotion was originally scheduled to expire at the end of January before being extended to February and then again through the end of the first quarter.
Tesla’s efforts come amid growing competition in China’s EV market. According to data compiled by CNEV Post, Tesla’s 2025 retail sales in China reached 625,698 vehicles, representing a 4.78% year-over-year decline. Part of that decline was linked to the Model Y changeover to its updated variant in early 2025, which temporarily reduced deliveries during the transition period.
News
Tesla Model Y L spotted on transport trucks in Australia
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
Tesla’s upcoming Model Y L has been spotted on transport trucks in Australia. Sightings of the six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y variant have been reported on social media platform X by members of the Australian Tesla community.
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
The sighting follows earlier observations by Tesla enthusiasts in Sydney, where a covered vehicle believed to be a Model Y L was spotted at a Supercharger.
The Sydney sighting drew attention after observers noted that the vehicle’s tare weight appeared to match the ADR approval listing for the Model Y L, suggesting it could indeed be the extended wheelbase variant of the electric SUV.
Tesla has previously confirmed that the Model Y L will launch in Australia and New Zealand in 2026. The confirmation was reported by techAU following a media release from Tesla Australia and New Zealand.
The Model Y L expands the existing Model Y lineup with seating for six passengers. The vehicle features a longer body compared with the standard Model Y in order to accommodate a spacious second and third row.
Tesla has opted for a 2-2-2 seating configuration instead of a traditional seven-seat layout for the Model Y L. The design includes two individual seats in the middle row to provide easier access to the third row and additional passenger space.
Tesla Australia and New Zealand has also stated that the Model Y L will be covered under the company’s updated warranty structure beginning in 2026.
Tesla has not yet announced pricing or official range figures for the Model Y L in Australia.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk shares timeframe for X Money early public access rollout
X Money is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.
Elon Musk has stated that X Money, the digital payments system being developed for social media platform X, is expected to enter early public access next month.
The update was shared by Musk in a post on X. “𝕏 Money early public access will launch next month,” Musk wrote in his post.
As noted in a Reuters report, X Money is being developed as a digital payment service that’s directly integrated into the X platform.
The system is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.
Musk has previously discussed plans to introduce payments and financial services as part of X’s broader development.
Since acquiring the platform in 2022, Musk has discussed expanding X to include a range of services such as messaging, media, and financial tools.
Elon Musk has shared his goal of transforming X into an “everything app.” During a previous podcast interview with members of the Tesla community, Musk mused about turning X into something similar to China’s WeChat, which allows users to shop, pay, communicate, and perform a variety of other tasks.
“In China, you do everything in WeChat… it’s kickass… Outside of China, there’s nothing like it, people live on one app. My idea would be like how about if we just copy WeChat,” Musk joked at the time.
To prepare for the rollout of X Money, X has partnered with payment company Visa to support the development of payment services for the platform’s users. The move could allow X to tap into the growing demand for digital and in-app financial transactions as the company builds additional services around its existing user base.