Connect with us

News

Porsche Taycan 12V battery complaints prompts NHTSA investigation

The Porsche Taycan. (Photo: Sean Mitchell/Teslarati)

Published

on

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) told Teslarati earlier today that it is investigating 2020 and 2021 Porsche Taycan models for 12-volt battery issues that are leading to a “loss of motive power,” according to an Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) Resume document.

There have been nine total complaints from owners who have driven either 2020 or 2021 Porsche Taycans. According to the ODI document, the 12v battery is losing power and is causing the entire vehicle to halt operation. This has lead to a loss of motive power when the vehicle is in motion but has not resulted in any crashes, injuries, or fatalities, the document says. There have also been a few reports of the same issue from TREAD (Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation) field reports. The loss of motive power occurs at any speed without warning to the driver.

The Porsche Taycan unveiled. (Photo: Sean Mitchell/Teslarati)

The NHTSA document states that the loss of charge in the 12-volt battery “may deactivate the entire electrical system and prevent the vehicle from operation.” An error message only occurred during or after the vehicle’s ultimate loss of power. Six owners stated that they could not restart the vehicle after the motive power was lost.

The Taycan’s 800-volt system utilizes an auxiliary 12-volt battery for things such as interior lights, windows, and media units. In a combustion engine car, it is used to start the engine. After the motor is started, the alternator takes over and handles the vehicle’s electrical needs for the duration of the drive.

The ODI does indicate that the Porsche Taycan investigation is in the preliminary evaluation stages. The real intention at the current time is to determine the scope and severity of the issue and “fully assess the potential safety-related issues related to a loss of motive power for the MY 2020-2021 Porsche Taycan.”

The NHTSA estimates that 12,146 Taycans are still active on the road in its jurisdiction, so less than .0008% of the Taycans that Porsche has on the road in the U.S. are affected by this issue. However, there could be something as simple as a software update or as invasive as a full-blown recall from Porsche to fix the issue. The important task at hand currently is identifying what is causing the problem and addressing it so that people do not have any potential safety hazards in the future to deal with.

Advertisement

Porsche revealed it delivered 20,015 Taycans in 2020, despite a six-week pause in production as the all-electric model was ramping up.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

News

Tesla Giga Berlin makes big move amid strong sales and demand

“We currently have very good sales figures and have therefore revised our production plans for the third and fourth quarters upwards.”

Published

on

Credit: Tesla Manufacturing

Tesla is making a big move at its factory in Germany, known as Giga Berlin, as managers at the plant have indicated the company plans to increase its production rate for the remainder of the year.

Giga Berlin is responsible for manufacturing Model Y vehicles for several markets worldwide, including those outside of Europe. It was opened in March 2022, and it recently built its 500,000th Model Y in March and its 100,000th new Model Y just three weeks ago.

Due to some encouraging sales figures in the markets it provides vehicles for, Tesla said it is planning to increase production at the factory for the remainder of the year.

Andrè Thierig, plant manager at Giga Berlin, said to German news outlet DPA on Sunday that market data has encouraged a move to be made regarding the production at the factory:

“We currently have very good sales figures and have therefore revised our production plans for the third and fourth quarters upwards.”

Advertisement

It is interesting to see this kind of narrative from Thierig, especially as data has shown Tesla has struggled in various markets, including Germany, this year.

Sales drops have been reported, but other markets are holding strong, especially those in Northern Europe, such as Norway, where the Model Y saw a nearly 39 percent increase in sales in August compared to the same month the previous year.

Tesla Model Y leads sales rush in Norway in August 2025

Gigafactory Berlin supplies vehicles for other markets, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, which are strategically important to avoid tariffs. It also builds cars for the Middle East.

Thierig reiterated this point during the interview with DPA:

Advertisement

“We supply well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there.”

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

Tesla analyst says Musk stock buy should send this signal to investors

“With Musk’s (Tesla stock) purchase, combined with the upward momentum for delivery expectations and robotaxi rollout, we are becoming more bullish.”

Published

on

(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk purchased roughly $1 billion in Tesla shares on Friday, and analysts are now breaking down the move as the stock is headed upward.

One of them is William Blair analyst Jed Dorsheimer, who said in a new note to investors on Monday that Musk’s move should send a signal of confidence to stock buyers, especially considering the company’s numerous catalysts that currently exist.

Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever

Dorsheimer said in the note:

“With Musk’s (Tesla stock) purchase, combined with the upward momentum for delivery expectations and robotaxi rollout, we are becoming more bullish. This purchase is Musk’s first buy since 2020. To us, this sends a strong signal of confidence in the most important part of Tesla’s future business, robotaxi.”

Advertisement

Musk putting an additional $1 billion back into the company in the form of more stock ownership is obviously a huge vote of confidence.

He knows more than anyone about the progress Tesla has made and is making on the Robotaxi platform, as well as the company’s ongoing efforts to solve vehicle autonomy. If he’s buying stock, it is more than likely a good sign.

Tesla has continued to expand its Robotaxi platform in a number of ways. The project has gotten bigger in terms of service area, vehicle fleet, and testing population. Tesla has also recently received a permit to test in Nevada, unlocking the potential to expand into a brand-new state for the company.

In the note, Dorsheimer also touched on Musk’s recent pay package, revealing that William Blair recently met with Tesla’s Board of Directors, who gave the firm some more color on the situation:

“We recently participated in a meeting with Tesla’s board of directors to discuss the details of Musk’s performance package. The board is confident of its position in the Delaware case and anticipates a verdict by end of year. It does not expect a similar situation to occur under new Texas jurisdiction. Musk has the board’s full support, and we expect he’ll get more than enough shareholder support for this to pass with flying colors.”

Advertisement

Tesla stock is up over 6 percent so far today, trading at $421.50 at the time of publication.

Continue Reading

News

Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas dubs Tesla FSD a “game changer” after marathon drive

Jonas reported that FSD handled more than 99% of the miles.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East/X

Morgan Stanley’s analyst Adam Jonas shared a notable endorsement of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software after completing a 1,400-mile round trip from New York to Michigan in his Model Y. 

Jonas reported that FSD handled more than 99% of the miles, calling the system “a game changer” for long-distance driving.

Hands-free experience

Jonas drove his 2021 Tesla Model Y equipped with Hardware 3 and FSD Supervised v12.6.4, and he used the system nearly the entire trip. “Having your hands off the wheel and feet off the pedals for nearly 12 hours of driving is a real game changer that is hard to appreciate without experiencing it for yourself,” he noted.

He explained that outside of two heavy downpours, one on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and another in suburban Detroit, plus some light maneuvering in fast food parking lots, FSD handled the drive without any human intervention. “FSD made no mistakes or close calls that I recall. The system handles highways very safely and confidently. I cannot imagine buying another EV without FSD.”

Broader implications

Jonas added that he has used FSD consistently over the past 18 months, and the $8,000 he paid for the feature feels like a bargain considering the value. He also praised Tesla’s Supercharging network, which supported his trip without issue.

Advertisement

Jonas has been one of Wall Street’s most closely followed voices on Tesla, and his comments add weight to the ongoing debate about the role of autonomy in the company’s future. His current price target for Tesla stock stands at $410. During Morgan Stanley’s 13th Annual Laguna Conference, he echoed similar experiences with Tesla’s software, emphasizing that FSD “probably drove well over 99% of the miles” on his recent trips.

Continue Reading

Trending