News
Ford begins shipping all-electric E-Transit, beginning fulfillment of over 10,000 units
Ford Motor Company announced today that it has successfully started shipping its brand new all-electric E-Transit van to customers, working to fulfill the over 10,000 orders the automaker has to for the vehicle.
“Ford E-Transit™, the electric version of America’s best-selling commercial van1 and the first of two all-electric vehicles purpose-built for Ford Pro™ commercial customers, is now shipping across the U.S. The popular E-Transit already has more than 10,000 orders from businesses of all sizes, and Ford is working on ways to increase production,” Ford wrote in a press release today.
The all-electric E-Transit is assembled at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant, which is the automaker’s first plant to assemble batteries and all-electric vehicles in-house.
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- The new E-Transit is produced at Kansas City Assembly Plant – Ford’s first U.S. plant to assemble both batteries and all-electric vehicles in-house Photo by Dave Kaup Dave Kaup Photography 913-219-3569 davekaup.photo@gmail.com www.davekaup.com
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- The new E-Transit is produced at Kansas City Assembly Plant – Ford’s first U.S. plant to assemble both batteries and all-electric vehicles in-house Photo by Dave Kaup Dave Kaup Photography 913-219-3569 davekaup.photo@gmail.com www.davekaup.com
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- The new E-Transit is produced at Kansas City Assembly Plant – Ford’s first U.S. plant to assemble both batteries and all-electric vehicles in-house Photo by Dave Kaup Dave Kaup Photography 913-219-3569 davekaup.photo@gmail.com www.davekaup.com
Ford has received orders for the E-Transit all over the U.S. The company said that it has more than 300 customers who have placed orders for over 10,000 total units. Last week, Wal-Mart confirmed to Teslarati in a statement that it had ordered 1,100 E-Transit vans from Ford.
The E-Transit has been a staple vehicle for many businesses and companies since its introduction in 1965. “E-Transit is a testament to the fact that an electric commercial fleet is no longer a vision of tomorrow, but a productivity-boosting modern reality,” President of The Americas & International Markets Group for Ford, Kumar Galhotra, said.
-->Ford boasts over 167 percent growth in EV sales, announces Wal-Mart’s 1,100 E-Transit order
Ford is using the moniker Ford Pro to launch forward its commercial and government accounts. Ford Pro is the company’s “global business and brand within Ford dedicated to delivering solutions to government and commercial customers of all sizes to help accelerate productivity, improve uptime, and lower operating costs through connected services and work-ready gas and electric vehicles,” the automaker wrote. Ford Pro is helping Ford get these vehicles to customers and businesses in America, driving them forward.
“Ford Pro is committed to driving businesses forward – from the Transit vans and F-150 trucks assembled right here in America by American workers2, to the many businesses it will help grow, to the communities that benefit from the jobs and revenue,” said GM of Ford Pro North America Tim Baughman said.
The E-Transit is one of Ford’s most important projects in recent memory, mostly because of its placement as a keystone in the automaker’s electrified fleet, and it is a vehicle that fits the Ford Pro template. However, the E-Transit joins the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E as two cars highlighting Ford’s electrification transition. Ford recently indicated that it would boost production estimates for the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning, aiming to reach 600,000 deliveries in just 22 months. CEO Jim Farley believes Ford can be the first legacy automaker to scale EV production, and it has made the most progress thus far.
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News
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.
Hands-Off Demos
Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account.
Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.
“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”
-->Building trust towards an FSD Unsupervised rollout
Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.
FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.
FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.
News
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.
Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender
The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.
Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”
-->Two years on and plates are still being received
The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.
As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.
Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.
News
Czech Deputy excited for Tesla FSD, hints at Transport Committee review
The ANO party lawmaker shared his thoughts about FSD in a post on social media platform X.
Martin Kolovratník, a Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies member, has expressed his excitement for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) after an apparent constituent called for a quick approval for the advanced safety system.
The ANO party lawmaker, who drives both diesel and EV, shared his thoughts about the matter in a post on social media platform X.
The official’s initial statements
Kolovratník kicked off the exchange with a post outlining his coalition’s efforts to scrap highway toll exemptions for electric vehicles and plug-ins starting in 2027.
“Times have changed. Electric vehicles are no longer a fringe technology, but a full-fledged part of operations. And if someone uses the highway network, they should follow the same rules as everyone else. That’s the basis of fairness,” he wrote.
He emphasized equity over ideology, noting his personal mix of diesel and electric driving. “For this reason, there is no reason to continue favoring one technology at the expense of another… It’s not about ideology, it’s about equal conditions. That’s why we clearly agreed within the new coalition: the exemption for electric vehicles and plug-ins will end in 2027. The decision is predictable, understandable, and economically sound.”
-->Tesla FSD enthusiasm
The conversation pivoted to Tesla’s FSD when X user @robotinreallife, who seems to be one of the official’s constituents, replied that other matters are more important than ending highway exemptions for EVs.
“I’m happy to pay for the highway, but I have a question about a much more fundamental matter: The Netherlands will approve the operation of Tesla FSD in February 26, a technology that has been proven to reduce accidents. The Czech Republic has the option to immediately recognize this certification. Do you plan to support this step so that we don’t unnecessarily delay?” the X user asked.
Kolovratník responded promptly, sharing his own excitement for the upcoming rollout of FSD. “I know about it. I like it and it seems interesting to me. Once we set up the committees and subcommittees, we’ll open it right away in that transport one. Thanks for the tip, I’ll deliver the report,” the official noted in his reply on X.
Kolovratník’s nod to FSD hints at the system’s potentially smooth rollout to Czechia in the coming year. With the Netherlands possibly greenlighting FSD (Supervised) in early 2026, Kolovratník’s commitment could accelerate cross-border certification, boosting FSD’s foray into Europe by a notable margin.
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Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
