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How EV adoption is soaring in unlikely circumstances, and what could make it better
The adoption of electric vehicles has continued to skyrocket over the past several years despite challenging supply chain conditions, less-than-ideal geopolitical scenarios, lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the soaring cost of EV materials. How this optimism remains was examined in a recent white paper from Cox Automotive, which outlined how EVs continue to defy all odds and gain market share, despite monumental challenges standing in the sector’s way.
EV Adoption grows despite rough conditions
The state of EV adoption is relatively healthy, with more Americans buying EVs than ever despite increased costs and extended wait times for delivery. Automakers across the EV manufacturing industry have been forced to adjust prices and vehicle lineups due to the increased cost of materials and supply chain deals. Tesla, for example, axed the $35,000 Standard Range+ Model 3, and its most affordable vehicle now starts at well over $40,000. Rivian was forced to push prices upward due to materials costs soaring after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and these examples are just two of many.
Supply chain bottlenecks have also forced consumers to push back wait times for EVs considerably. Some configurations of EVs are not available until next year due to extensive order logs; take the Long Range Tesla Model 3, for example, which won’t be available until 2023 because of its heavy demand.
Despite this, EV adoption has increased every year since 2019. “Americans are buying EVs at a record pace despite rising prices and long waits for delivery. The fleet industry is also taking note with fleet operators highly motivated to replace their gas-powered fleets with EVs to achieve sustainability goals, drive efficiency and reduce total cost of ownership,” Cox Automotive wrote in the summation of its white paper.
Price Parity and the EV Tax Credit
Price parity has always been talked about when it comes to EVs. It does not take a genius to figure out that the average person will choose an affordable car over an expensive one, even if the expensive one will not require weekly stops at the pump. However, one of the biggest things keeping EVs from extremely rapid adoption is the prices of the cars themselves, which have increased considerably over the past year due to materials costs soaring.
Luckily, consumers can take advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will provide EV buyers with tax credits based on where their vehicle was manufactured and whether the car equips a U.S.-manufactured battery. “Tax incentives available as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will be critical to consumer adoption, helping offset the cost of pricey EVs.” This is a key point in the mass adoption in EVs, and consumers will likely stick to gas-powered cars as long as they are able to if they are more affordable than a quality EV.
Supply Chain Disruptions have slowed EV adoption considerably
Related to other points already made, supply chain disruptions and constraints are slowing EV adoption. U.S.-based EV manufacturers are too reliant on foreign companies for parts, Cox said. Automakers are pushing to produce battery packs and other parts in the U.S., which will eventually help combat slow logistics times.
“Global computer chip and material shortages are impacting production, raising the price of new and used vehicles, and contributing to long waits to buy new EV models.” Consumers want affordable and they want it now. Costs will continue to remain high, and wait times will stay long if U.S. automakers do not adopt domestic supply chain strategies.
Superior EV tech is keeping the U.S. competitive
Domestic supply chain bottlenecks may have some consumers willing to spend a little extra opting for other vehicle options. If someone is willing to spend $160,000 on a car and they can buy a 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 and get it in two weeks, they’re more likely to buy that instead of waiting months for a Tesla Model S Plaid if environmental reasons and fuel savings are not being considered. Tech and the innovations of battery chemistries and recycling are keeping the U.S. automakers in focus. If battery makers can develop various battery chemistries comprised of materials that can be sourced in the U.S., wait times will reduce and cars will have more availability.
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News
Tesla FSD and Robotaxis are making people aware how bad human drivers are
These observations really show that Tesla’s focus on autonomy would result in safer roads for everyone.
Tesla FSD and the Robotaxi network are becoming so good in their self-driving performance, they are starting to highlight just how bad humans really are at driving.
This could be seen in several observations from the electric vehicle community.
Robotaxis are better than Uber, actually
Tesla’s Robotaxi service is only available in Austin and the Bay Area for now, but those who have used the service have generally been appreciative of its capabilities and performance. Some Robotaxi customers have observed that the service is simply so much more affordable than Uber, and its driving is actually really good.
One veteran Tesla owner, @BLKMDL3, recently noted that the Robotaxi service has become better than Uber simply because FSD now drives better than some human drivers. Apart from the fact that Robotaxis allow riders to easily sync their phones to the rear display, the vehicles generally provide a significantly more comfortable ride than their manually-driven counterparts from Uber.
FSD is changing the narrative, one ride at a time
It appears that FSD V14 really is something special. The update has received wide acclaim from users since it was released, and the positive reactions are still coming. This was highlighted in a recent post from Tesla owner Travis Nicolette, who shared a recent experience with FSD. As per the Tesla owner, he was quite surprised as his car was able to accomplish a U-turn in a way that exceeded human drivers.
Yet another example of FSD’s smooth and safe driving was showcased in a recent video, which showed a safety monitor of a Bay Area Robotaxi falling asleep in the driver’s seat. In any other car, a driver falling asleep at the wheel could easily result in a grave accident, but thanks to FSD, both the safety monitor and the passengers remained safe.
These observations, if any, really show that Tesla’s focus on autonomy would result in safer roads for everyone. As per the IIHS, there were 40,901 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2023. The NHTSA also estimated that in 2017, 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers. These crashes led to an estimated 50,000 people injured and 800 deaths. FSD could lower all these tragic statistics by a notable margin.
News
Tesla lands approval for Robotaxi operation in third U.S. state
On Tuesday, Tesla officially received regulatory approval from the State of Arizona, making it the third state for the company to receive approval in.
Tesla has officially landed approval to operate its Robotaxi ride-hailing service in its third U.S. state, as it has landed a regulatory green light from the State of Arizona’s Department of Transportation.
Tesla has been working to expand to new U.S. states after launching in Texas and California earlier this year. Recently, it said it was hoping to land in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida, expanding to five new cities in those three states.
On Tuesday, Tesla officially received regulatory approval from the State of Arizona, making it the third state for the company to receive approval in:
BREAKING: Tesla has officially received approval from the Arizona Department of Transportation to launch its Robotaxi service on public roads in the state!
I just confirmed directly with the Arizona DOT that @Tesla applied for a Transportation Network Company permit on Nov 13th.… pic.twitter.com/iKbwfGfiju
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) November 18, 2025
Tesla has also been working on approvals in Nevada and Florida, and it has also had Robotaxi test mules spotted in Pennsylvania.
The interesting thing about the Arizona approval is the fact that Tesla has not received an approval for any specific city; it appears that it can operate statewide. However, early on, Tesla will likely confine its operation to just one or two cities to keep things safe and controlled.
Over the past few months, Robotaxi mules have been spotted in portions of Phoenix and surrounding cities, such as Scottsdale, as the company has been attempting to cross off all the regulatory Ts that it is confronted with as it attempts to expand the ride-hailing service.
It appears the company will be operating it similarly to how it does in Texas, which differs from its California program. In Austin, there is no Safety Monitor in the driver’s seat, unless the route requires freeway travel. In California, there is always a Safety Monitor in the driver’s seat. However, this is unconfirmed.
Earlier today, Tesla enabled its Robotaxi app to be utilized for ride-hailing for anyone using the iOS platform.
News
Tesla ride-hailing Safety Monitor dozes off during Bay Area ride
We won’t try to blame the camera person for the incident, because it clearly is not their fault. But it seems somewhat interesting that they did not try to wake the driver up and potentially contact Tesla immediately to alert them of the situation.
A Tesla Robotaxi Safety Monitor appeared to doze off during a ride in the California Bay Area, almost ironically proving the need for autonomous vehicles.
The instance was captured on camera and posted to Reddit in the r/sanfrancisco subreddit by u/ohmichael. They wrote that they have used Tesla’s ride-hailing service in the Bay Area in the past and had pleasant experiences.
However, this one was slightly different. They wrote:
“I took a Tesla Robotaxi in SF just over a week ago. I have used the service a few times before and it has always been great. I actually felt safer than in a regular rideshare.
This time was different. The safety driver literally fell asleep at least three times during the ride. Each time the car’s pay attention safety alert went off and the beeping is what woke him back up.
I reported it through the app to the Robotaxi support team and told them I had videos, but I never got a response.
I held off on posting anything because I wanted to give Tesla a chance to respond privately. It has been more than a week now and this feels like a serious issue for other riders too.
Has anyone else seen this happen?”
My Tesla Robotaxi “safety” driver fell asleep
byu/ohmichael insanfrancisco
The driver eventually woke up after prompts from the vehicle, but it is pretty alarming to see someone like this while they’re ultimately responsible for what happens with the ride.
We won’t try to blame the camera person for the incident, because it clearly is not their fault. But it seems somewhat interesting that they did not try to wake the driver up and potentially contact Tesla immediately to alert them of the situation.
They should have probably left the vehicle immediately.
Tesla’s ride-hailing service in the Bay Area differs from the one that is currently active in Austin, Texas, due to local regulations. In Austin, there is no Safety Monitor in the driver’s seat unless the route requires the highway.
Tesla plans to remove the Safety Monitors in Austin by the end of the year.
Tesla FSD and Robotaxis are making people aware how bad human drivers are
Tesla lands approval for Robotaxi operation in third U.S. state
