News
Mercedes more than doubles EV sales in 2022, announces upcoming model
Mercedes-Benz has announced its sales statistics for 2022, revealing that the company more than doubled its EV sales compared to 2021.
Mercedes has distinguished itself as a leader in electrification in Europe. Compared to its traditional rivals, BMW, Audi, and Porsche, it has a far more aggressive electrification plan and has introduced significantly more EV models than its competitors. In turn, the market took notice, and Mercedes announced that its EV sales grew by 124% in 2022 compared to 2021.
Led by the Mercedes EQA, which sold 33,100 units, the luxury German automaker sold a total of 117,800 EVs in 2022. This was far from the majority of sales, with the brand selling a total of 2.04 million vehicles during the year. Nonetheless, EVs continue to represent an increasing percentage of the automaker’s sales.
Other popular models include the Mercedes EQB and EQS, selling 24,200 and 19,200 units, respectively. The newest model to the family, the Mercedes EQE, sold a respectable 12,600 units globally.
“2022 marks another successful year in the transformation of Mercedes-Benz,” says Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes’ Board of Management. “We more than doubled our BEV sales, we demonstrated our high ambition in electric with the 1,200 km EQXX test drive, and we achieved a new record year for Mercedes-Maybach with sales up 37%. In 2023 we will continue our mission to offer the most desirable electric cars and further grow our BEV and Top-End sales.”
Besides the brand’s increasing number of electric offerings, the automaker’s impressive production ramp significantly contributed to its success. Mercedes announced its incredibly detailed production switch at the end of last year, and it has had a positive effect as it allowed the brand to overcome its chip shortage and exit from the Russian market. The EQS was the biggest benefactor of this production shift, as Q4 of 2022 was its best-selling quarter ever.
Asia was Mercedes’ biggest market, continuing its sales trend, selling 987,800 units. China, in particular, received the lion’s share of sales; 751,700. In comparison, Europe sold 635,100 units, North America sold 327,000, while the rest of the world sold only 94,000 units, a dramatic 24% decrease from the previous year.
The German auto group’s path forward is clear; continue with aggressive electrification. This will include introducing new electric models and the electrification of new segments of its business. One such upcoming vehicle is the Maybach EQS SUV, the first all-electric ultra-luxury vehicle from the brand. This follows the announcement of the all-new eSprinter, which is beginning the electrification of Mercedes’ commercial offerings.
On top of these new product introductions, Mercedes has a series of new physical upgrades that it is introducing. Most notably, the company will be creating its own EV charging infrastructure, consisting of 10,000 chargers worldwide. Furthermore, after constructing the world’s first all-electric “EQ dealership” in Japan last year, many expect the company to shift its dealerships toward more electric offerings.
With its aggressive electrification and continuing leadership within autonomous driving software, Mercedes is set to dominate its docile traditional competition in the coming year. However, with Tesla still firmly controlling EV sales in many major markets, Mercedes isn’t without significant competition.
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Lifestyle
Tesla saves its passengers again – This time after a 300-foot cliff fall in Malibu
A Tesla Model 3 fell 300 feet off a Malibu cliff and both passengers survived.
A Tesla Model 3 plunged roughly 300 feet off a cliff on Mulholland Highway in Malibu on Friday morning, May 29, 2026, and both occupants survived. The crash was reported at approximately 7:30 a.m. near the 2500 block of Mulholland Highway, triggering a multi-agency rescue operation involving Malibu Search and Rescue, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, and McCormick Ambulance.
When first responders arrived, the male driver was outside the vehicle shouting for help while the female passenger remained pinned inside the Tesla. Rescue crews rappelled down the cliffside on ropes to reach the wreckage. A flight medic was lowered by helicopter to begin treating both victims, and the driver was hoisted up to the roadway before crews used the Jaws of Life to free the trapped passenger. Both were airlifted to a local trauma center with moderate injuries despite a remarkable result for a fall that steep.
The outcome is not surprising, considering Model 3 earned an overall 5-star rating from NHTSA in every category and sub-category, and recorded the lowest probability of injury of any car ever evaluated by the U.S. New Car Assessment Program. The absence of a traditional engine in the front of the vehicle creates a longer crumple zone that absorbs impact energy before it reaches occupants, and the battery pack running along the floor gives the car an unusually low center of gravity that reinforces structural rigidity.
This is not the first time a Tesla has kept passengers alive after going off a cliff. A Tesla Model Y carrying a family of four survived a plunge off a cliff at Devil’s Slide near San Francisco in January 2023, with two adults and two children walking away from a 250-foot fall. That incident drew widespread attention to how the structural integrity of Tesla’s electric platform performs in extreme crash scenarios that most vehicles would not survive.
Tesla Model Y driver who drove off cliff with family attempts to avoid criminal conviction
News
Tesla Full Self-Driving expansion in Europe continues with new addition
Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) has taken yet another significant step forward in Europe. On May 29, Estonia became the third European Union country to approve the advanced driver-assistance technology, following approvals in the Netherlands and Lithuania.
Tesla Europe announced the news on X, confirming the expansion has continued across the continent that, at one time, seemed to be taking its sweet old time giving any approval to the FSD suite.
FSD Supervised now approved in Estonia🇪🇪. Rollout will begin soon pic.twitter.com/y5a64qlp5m
— Tesla Europe, Middle East & Africa (@teslaeurope) May 29, 2026
Estonia’s Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) granted the approval by recognizing the type certification issued by the Dutch vehicle authority RDW. This mutual recognition mechanism, enabled by EU regulations, allows other member states to fast-track deployment without repeating extensive local testing.
The Estonian authority noted that Tesla’s FSD had undergone rigorous evaluation on European roads for approximately 18 months before the initial Dutch approval in April 2026.
FSD Supervised remains classified as a Level 2 advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS). Drivers must maintain full attention, keep their hands on the wheel, and stay ready to intervene at any moment.
The system assists with tasks such as automatic lane changes, navigation through city streets, and responding to traffic objects, but it does not constitute full autonomy. Estonian officials emphasized this distinction, underscoring that safety responsibility lies entirely with the driver.
The rapid progression across the Baltic region highlights Tesla’s strategic approach to European expansion. The Netherlands provided the foundational type approval in April, unlocking doors for neighboring countries.
Lithuania followed swiftly in mid-May, with rollout beginning shortly thereafter. Estonia’s decision, coming just days later, demonstrates how smaller, digitally progressive nations are accelerating adoption.
Tesla owners in Estonia can expect an over-the-air software update in the coming weeks, bringing the latest FSD capabilities to compatible vehicles
This expansion builds on Tesla’s global momentum. FSD Supervised is now available in 11 countries worldwide, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Korea. In Europe, the approvals signal growing regulatory confidence in Tesla’s vision-based AI approach, which relies on cameras and neural networks rather than lidar or radar-heavy alternatives used by some competitors.
For Tesla, these European milestones are more than symbolic. They validate years of data collection and software iteration while opening new revenue streams through FSD subscriptions and purchases.
As the company continues refining its AI models with real-world miles from diverse driving environments, including Estonia’s variable winter conditions, the dataset grows richer, potentially benefiting global users.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk strikes down reports on SpaceX IPO rumors
Elon Musk has firmly denied recent media reports suggesting that SpaceX has reduced its target valuation for an upcoming initial public offering.
The denial came directly from the SpaceX and Tesla frontman on his social media platform X, where he responded with a single word, “False,” to a post from ZeroHedge that cited Bloomberg sources.
This swift rebuttal underscores Musk’s ongoing effort to manage speculation surrounding one of the most anticipated market debuts in recent history.
False
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2026
According to the disputed reports, SpaceX had lowered its IPO valuation goal to at least $1.8 trillion from previous ambitions exceeding $2 trillion.
The claims emerged amid growing anticipation for the company’s confidential S-1 filing, which positions it for a potential public listing as early as June.
Some had pointed to strong revenue growth, particularly from the Starlink satellite internet service, which contributed heavily to the firm’s 2025 figures of $18.7 billion. Yet challenges persist in other areas, including substantial investments and losses tied to ambitious projects like Starship development and artificial intelligence initiatives, which plan to make life multiplanetary eventually.
Musk’s response highlights a pattern in which he actively counters what he views as inaccurate portrayals of his companies’ trajectories.
SpaceX, already valued privately at extraordinary levels, stands as a cornerstone of Musk’s empire alongside Tesla and xAI. The entrepreneur has long emphasized the transformative potential of reusable rockets and global broadband access, factors that fuel investor enthusiasm despite operational hurdles.
By rejecting the valuation downgrade narrative, Musk signals confidence in SpaceX’s fundamentals and its readiness for public markets on terms favorable to its long-term vision. People have been waiting a very long time to invest in SpaceX, and the valuation, as well as the introductory share price, is not going to need adjusting.
They’ll have plenty of suitors.
This episode reflects broader dynamics in the technology sector, where rumors often swirl around high-profile entities. Musk’s direct engagement with media narratives serves to maintain transparency and control the narrative around his ventures.
As SpaceX prepares for greater scrutiny in public markets, the founder’s denial reinforces optimism about its prospects. Supporters argue that the company’s innovative edge positions it for enduring success, far beyond short-term valuation debates. With the denial now public, attention turns to forthcoming regulatory filings that could provide clearer insights into SpaceX’s strategy and financial health.
The coming weeks promise to reveal more about how SpaceX will transition into a publicly traded powerhouse.