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Former Ford CEO says the tough part of the EV story is coming
Former Ford CEO Mark Fields believes the toughest part of the electric vehicle story is coming.
Fields is currently the CEO of Hertz, a rental agency that reported a tough earnings call last week as the company pointed at EVs as the reason for its tumultuous quarter.
Tesla price cuts hinder Hertz earnings as it misses profit estimates
Before Hertz, Fields was President and CEO of Ford before Jim Farley, who has heavily pushed for the Detroit automaker to adopt EVs and become the leading name among legacy automakers that have transitioned to electrification.
Fields has been somewhat of a proponent in the EV transition as he has called Tesla the “EV benchmark” and also was a proponent for the massive order that Hertz put in for 100,000 Tesla vehicles in 2021.
Although there is plenty of support for EVs in Fields’ analysis of the sector, he is also somewhat of a realist, and is willing to talk about how the toughest part of the electric vehicle story is on the way, at least in his opinion.
Fields believes now that early EV adopters have come to the forefront, bought their cars, and become known as the first people to shift away from ICE in favor of a sustainable powertrain, the hard part will be getting those who have not yet switched to do so.
“Over time, you’re going to see the industry propulsion systems shift to full battery electric,” Fields said in an interview with CNBC. “The issue is, what’s the time frame for that? There’s a lot of excitement around the early adopters; now you’re getting to the tough part of mass adoption.”
He also pointed out that many legacy car companies are not yet turning a profit, and that their EV business is still being fueled by the ICE sales that make many companies money.
“You’ve got to keep that golden goose keep producing for them,” Fields added.
It took a long time for industry leader Tesla to turn a profit. In Q3 2018, it turned a profit for the first time, and 2020 was the first full year that Tesla actually made money as a company, although it started manufacturing its first vehicle in 2008.
Scaling EV platforms and projects is the key to profiting from the operation. Every legacy automaker is well aware of the fact that it takes time to make money, and even Farley, who currently runs Ford, has spoken about the fact that it may take Ford the better part of the decade to turn a profit on its EV business.
As EVs continue to become more affordable, they will also become more advanced and efficient, offering enough range and power to woo over some skeptics.
EVs will only get better and more advanced with time. Eventually, the people who are on the other side of the spectrum and could be called “early skeptics” will see a vehicle that may spark their interest.
This will eventually lead to more people making the ultimate switch and we will see EVs continue to be pumped out under new monikers that will attract new buyers every year.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on X @KlenderJoey.
News
Tesla makes a change to its ‘American Heroes’ $500 discount

Tesla has made a change to its “American Heroes” discount, which takes $500 off the price of a vehicle purchase if you work in a certain field.
Tesla first launched the American Heroes discount earlier this year on May 22, 2025, and it initially started as a $1,000 deduction on the price of any of the company’s vehicles.
It formerly allowed military veterans, retirees, active-duty members, their spouses, first responders, teachers, and students. It utilized ID.me to verify their occupation.
However, Tesla has added a few groups of workers to this discount, according to language on its website:
“Tesla vehicles are perfect for everyday American heroes. Offer available to verified military veterans, retirees, active-duty members, their spouses, surviving spouses, first responders, medical providers, nurses, students and teachers verified through ID.me1. Adjustments applied when you place your order after verification. Eligibility criteria detailed at ID.me.”
The discount applies to all five Tesla vehicles, so it is not restricted to just the S3XY lineup.
The American Heroes discount is one of the several offers and incentives that Tesla offers on its vehicles. Currently, it is one of four offers Tesla has on its vehicles, with the others being:
- Full Self-Driving (Supervised) Trial: Three-month trial for those who use a referral code to buy a vehicle.
- Premium Connectivity Trial: One-month free
- Financing Offers: Tesla has various financing offers, including a 3.99% APR with $5,000 on Model S and Model X orders in the U.S.
These incentives help drive sales, but they also show Tesla’s appreciation for those who work in challenging fields. The discount has no expiration, as of now, but with this recent addition, Tesla likely has no plans to eliminate the program.
Tesla has occasionally launched discounts for military members near the 4th of July as well.
News
Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles
It appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer.

Tesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles, as it could be looking to phase out something that very few owners utilize.
Tesla Key Cards are included when you purchase your vehicle, and they assist in the initial setup process. However, after that, they are not super useful or relevant to the owner, as many rely on their Phone Key through the Tesla App to access their cars.
As such, it appears Tesla is mulling the possibility of not including key cards with its vehicles any longer. According to some language that has been removed from vehicle Owner’s Manuals that talks about the inclusion of key cards with the car upon delivery:
“Tesla provides you with two Model 3/Y key cards, designed to fit in your wallet.”
That sentence was removed from Owner’s Manuals, according to Not a Tesla App, which first spotted the change.
Tesla Model 3 owner implants RFID key card chip into her arm as ultimate hack to unlock door
Interestingly, the timing of the phrase being removed from Owner’s Manuals comes just after Tesla launched its “affordable” Standard Models, and could be a small money-saving measure for the company.
Key Cards have been utilized by Tesla for its cars since 2017, as they became an included accessory with the vehicle. They still have their place and are useful for other applications, such as Valet service and even to be used by car owners if their phone is dead or if someone else needs to get into the car.
They can also be purchased in the Tesla Shop for $40.
It seems as if Tesla is planning to have owners be completely reliant on the Phone Key, which is more useful and convenient than carrying around the Key Cards.
Although it is minor, it is yet another strategy Tesla is using to trim any sort of costs that can be eliminated and could save money in the long run.
News
Elon Musk confirms Tesla FSD V14.2 will see widespread rollout
Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.

Elon Musk has confirmed that Tesla will be implementing a wide rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) V14 with the system’s V14.2 update. Musk shared the news in a post on social media platform X.
FSD V14.1.2 earns strong praise from testers
Musk’s comment came as a response to Tesla owner and longtime FSD tester AI DRIVR, who noted that it might be time to release Full Self-Driving to the fleet because V14.1.2 has already become very refined.
“95% of the indecisive lane changes and braking have been fixed in FSD 14.1.2. I haven’t touched my steering wheel in two days. I think it’s time, Tesla AI,” the longtime FSD tester wrote.
AI DRIVR’s comment received quite a bit of support from fellow Tesla drivers, some of whom noted that the improvements that were implemented in V14.1.2 are substantial. Others also agreed that it’s time for FSD to see a wide release.
In his reply to the FSD tester, CEO Elon Musk noted that FSD V14’s wide release would happen with V14.2. “14.2 for widespread use,” Musk wrote in his reply.
Mad Max mode makes headlines
One of the key features that was introduced with FSD’s current iteration is Mad Max mode, which allows for higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the previous “Hurry” mode. Videos and social media posts from FSD testers have shown the system deftly handling complex traffic, merging seamlessly, and maintaining an assertive but safe driving behavior with Mad Max mode engaged.
Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy recently noted in a post on X that Mad Max mode was built to handle congested daytime traffic, making it extremely useful for drivers who tend to find themselves in heavy roads during their daily commutes. With Musk now hinting that FSD V14.2 will go on wide release, it might only be a matter of time before the larger Tesla fleet gets to experience the notable improvements of FSD’s V14 update.
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