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Mercedes-Benz EQC spotted mysteriously charging at Tesla destination charger [Update]

(Photo: auto motor und sport/YouTube)

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A recent video of the Mercedes-Benz EQC has featured the upcoming all-electric SUV topping up its battery at a rather unusual location — a Tesla Destination Charger in Sweden. What’s even more interesting is that the EQC was plugged into a Tesla-specific charger.

Tesla’s Destination Chargers, particularly those in Europe, usually feature two charging units, one red and the other white. Chargers with a red sign are exclusive to Tesla’s electric cars, while those with white signs are open for use by any electric vehicle. German publication auto motor und sport shared a video that seemingly shows the Mercedes-Benz EQC charging from a red, Tesla-exclusive charger, as evidenced by the cable running towards the rear passenger side of the SUV, where its charging port is located, and the charger’s green charging indicator.

The auto publication did not explain how the EQC was able to charge from the Tesla charger, leaving the community to speculate on whether Tesla might be opening its vast network of Superchargers and destination chargers to other carmakers. 

[Update] 

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A Tesla spokesperson has noted that according to company records, the destination charger in auto motor und sport‘s video is equipped with two universal and two Tesla-only connectors. The Mercedes-Benz EQC was connected to a universal charger that was mislabeled as a Tesla-only charging unit. 

Elon Musk might dislike the concept of competitive moats, but the company’s charging infrastructure is an undeniable edge against rival electric car makers. Nevertheless, Musk has openly stated in the past that Tesla is open to the idea of sharing its Supercharger Network to other carmakers. The CEO even emphasized his point by stating that Tesla does not in any way intend to make its Superchargers a “walled garden.”

As the company prepares for the EQC’s release, Mercedes-Benz has ramped its efforts to provide the upcoming electric SUV with viable charging infrastructure. Last December, for example, Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz, announced that it had selected ChargePoint to deploy charging solutions for retailers in Germany. With this in mind, is it possible that Daimler has also reached out to Tesla with regards to the EQC’s use of the company’s destination chargers? Such an idea is not too farfetched.

It should be noted that Daimler was among Tesla’s major investors in the past, with the Germany-based company taking a 10% stake in the electric car maker in 2009 with a $50 million investment. Over the next years, Tesla supplied electric powertrains for Daimler’s electric Smart Cars and the electric Mercedes-Benz B-Class. Daimler would eventually pull out is stake in the company in 2014. By this time, its $50 million investment had grown to $780 million.

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Signs of another possible Tesla-Daimler collaboration have been emerging recently, with Elon Musk and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche both mentioning references to an all-electric version of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, which Tesla uses in its service fleet.

Watch auto motor und sport‘s Mercedes Benz EQC feature in the video below. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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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.

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Credit: Tesla Energy/X

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.

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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.

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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.

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Elon Musk shares big Tesla Optimus 3 production update

According to Musk, Tesla is in the final stages of completing Optimus 3, which he described as one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that production of Optimus 3 could begin this summer. Musk shared the update in his interview at the Abundance Summit.

According to Musk, Tesla is in the final stages of completing Optimus 3, which he described as one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.

“We’re in the final stages of completion of Optimus 3, which is really going to be by far the most advanced robot in the world. Nothing’s even close. In fact, I haven’t even seen demos of robots that are as good as Optimus 3,” Musk said.

He also set expectations on the pace of Optimus 3’s production ramp, stating that the initial volumes of the humanoid robot will likely be very low. Musk did, however, also state that high production rates for Optimus 3 should be possible in 2027. 

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“I think we’ll start production on Optimus 3 this summer, but very slow at first, like sort of this classic S-curve ramp of manufacturing units versus time. And then, probably reach high volume production around summer next year,” he said.

Interestingly enough, the CEO hinted that Tesla is looking to iterate on the robot quickly, potentially releasing a new Optimus design every year.

“We’ll have Optimus 4 design complete next year. We’ll try to release a new robot design every year,” Musk stated.

Tesla has already outlined broader plans for scaling Optimus production beyond its first manufacturing line. Musk previously stated that Optimus 4 will be built at Gigafactory Texas at significantly higher production volumes.

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Initial production lines for the robot are expected to be located at Tesla’s Fremont Factory, where the company plans to establish a line capable of producing up to 1 million robots per year.

A larger production ramp is expected to occur at Gigafactory Texas, where Musk has previously suggested could eventually support production of up to 10 million robots per year.

“We’re going to launch on the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever, starting with building a one-million-unit production line in Fremont. And that’s Line one. And then a ten million unit per year production line here,” Musk said previously.

The comments suggest that while Optimus 3 will likely begin production at Fremont, Tesla’s larger-scale manufacturing push could arrive with Optimus 4 at Gigafactory Texas.

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Tesla showcases Optimus humanoid robot at AWE 2026 in Shanghai

Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show.

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Credit: Tesla/YouTube

Tesla showcased its Optimus humanoid robot at the 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE 2026) in Shanghai. The event opened Thursday and featured several Tesla products, including the company’s humanoid robot and the Cybertruck.

The display was reported by CNEV Post, citing information from local media outlet Cailian and on-site staff at the exhibition.

Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show. On-site staff reportedly stated that mass production of the robot could begin by the end of 2026.

Tesla previously indicated that it plans to manufacture its humanoid robots at scale once production begins, with its initial production line in the Fremont Factory reaching up to 1 million units annually. An Optimus production line at Gigafactory Texas is expected to produce 10 million units per year. 

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Tesla China previously shared a teaser image on Weibo showing a pair of highly detailed robotic hands believed to belong to Optimus. The image suggests a design with finger proportions and structures that closely resemble those of a human hand.

Robotic hands are widely considered one of the most difficult engineering challenges in humanoid robotics. For a system like Optimus to perform complex real-world tasks, from factory work to household activities, the robot would require highly advanced dexterity.

Elon Musk has previously stated that Optimus has the capability to eventually become the first real-world example of a Von Neumann machine, a self-replicating system capable of building copies of itself, even on other planets. “Optimus will be the first Von Neumann machine, capable of building civilization by itself on any viable planet,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

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