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Porsche welcomes Taycan buyers with official “certificate of participation” as first production nears
Porsche Taycan reservation holders are starting to receive the first of several welcome packages and promotional material, as the company gears up to deliver its first all-electric car later this year. “Certificates of Participation in the Taycan Deposit Option Program” have been mailed to enthusiastic buyers from across the world who landed spots on the Taycan waiting list with their local dealership.
Porsche has reported a warm reception to the reservation program on the highly-anticipated electric sports car, specifically citing customer reaction as “fantastic”, well before the final version of the production model has been revealed. In an interview with CNET’s Roadshow in December last year, Porsche Cars North America CEO Klaus Zellmer would not provide specific pre-order amounts but hinted at a promising number by saying, “If all the people [who placed reservations] buy this car, then we are sold out for the first year.” A further review of discussions taking place in Taycan forums reveals customer placements in line anywhere from number 20 to over 150 across a sample of dealerships in North America and Europe.
After patiently watching the Taycan’s (formerly Mission E) development over the last year, including high-speed track testing on the famed Nurburgring and the promise of an ultra-fast charging network, Porsche’s sign of appreciation is, as one certificate recipient described it, a “nice little gesture to tide us over.”
In Porsche’s participation package, a logo-and-signature adorned certificate greets recipients under the document’s title along with the words, “In recognition of your support in helping us write the next chapter of Porsche, this certificate is issued to:” followed by the reservation holder’s name. A beveled outline of a Taycan sketch above the vehicle logo is beneath that and above the signature of Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Porsche Cars North America. The black folder securing the certificate has a white print version of the same sketch on the left side and the words “Welcome to an Electric New Era” also printed in white on the right side. According to related comments made in Internet forums dedicated to the Taycan, certain customers in Europe also received silhouetted color photos of the car in the tri-fold and a neon yellow-green charging cord with their participation packages.
Also of interest in the Taycan development world is the background of reservation holders. Zellmer commented on this point as well: “More than half of the people that are signing up for the Taycan have not owned or do not own a Porsche…Typically, if we look at our source of business, people coming from other brands, it’s Audi, BMW, or Mercedes. The number one brand now is Tesla,” he stated. The findings certainly make sense considering Tesla’s reputation as a manufacturer of electric luxury performance vehicles versus Porsche’s longstanding position in the automotive industry as the maker of high-performance vehicles with a similar reputation amongst their peers. Additionally, a comparison of the core metrics of Tesla’s Model S and the Taycan makes them likely to appeal to the same customer base.
“Welcome to an Electric New Era”
Some Taycan buyers-in-waiting have directly expressed this connection. In a statement to Teslarati, Mike, a former Tesla Model 3 reservation holder who traded his place in line for the opportunity to own Porsche’s first electric car, detailed the specifics of his journey from one electric vehicle to the other.
“I was a day one, 9 AM March 31, 2016, Tesla Model 3 reservation holder…So I held a very early Model 3 reservation for over 18 months before falling out of love with the delays, price, and looks,” he explained as a reason for canceling his reservation. Mike’s lifelong support of the German automaker prompted him to join Porsche’s online deposit program for the Taycan as soon as it was made available. “I drove a restored Porsche 914 in high school and have been a huge fan of the brand ever since. Early 2018 I found a nice used Porsche 991 that matched (ok, slightly stretched) the projected Model 3 budget.”
The tri-fold mailer combo received is reminiscent of the “token of appreciation” gifts sent by Tesla to early Model 3 reservation holders containing sketches of the vehicle and a note from CEO Elon Musk.
Mike, who provided Teslarati with the participation certificate images, regularly posts photos related to his automotive hobbies and projects on Instagram. The electric car enthusiast wanted to make it clear that there were no hard feelings in the choice, just a decision made from personal preference. “I’m still a huge fan of Tesla and Elon for the record.”
Porsche originally revealed the Taycan in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Originally called “Mission E”, the name has since been broadened to refer to the global project for the company’s developing line of electric vehicles while the vehicle itself adopted an artificial name devised from a Eurasian word meaning “young wild horse.” Porsche has also teamed up with the BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford, and the Volkswagen Group in a project to develop the IONITY fast-charging network in Europe, and there are further plans to install 500 ultra-fast chargers in the United States.
The letter mailed to Porsche Taycan reservation holders reads as follows:
We’d like to personally thank you for enrolling in the Porsche Taycan Depositor Option Program.
For over 70 thrilling years, Porsche’s mission has been driven by one question: What does the sports car of the future look like? This pursuit of innovation and embrace of the unexpected is what pushes us to bring concepts like the Taycan to fruition, and it wouldn’t be possible without the continuing support of enthusiasts like you.
The Taycan marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for us: the very first all-electric sports car with a Porsche soul. It is the embodiment of a marriage of electricity and emotion that could only be found in a Porsche.
We’ll continue to be in touch in the coming months as we eagerly await the arrival of the Taycan. Additionally, please find enclosed a certificate marking your official status as a participant in this program. We thoroughly appreciate your continued commitment to the future of sports cars.
Sincerely,
Klaus Zellmer
CEO, Porsche Cars North America
Pedro Mota
VP, Marketing, Porsche Cars North America
Tesla is planning to improve one of the best features on its lineup of cars, a new patent shows. Tesla’s massive glass roof on its premium models is among the coolest additions to the all-electric vehicles, but the design certainly has its complaints, especially from those who live in even slightly warm climates.
Tesla has published a new patent that promises to transform cabin comfort in its electric vehicles, particularly those equipped with the expansive glass roofs.
The document, identified as US20260091643A1 and titled “Airflow Optimization for Cabin Comfort“, addresses that common complaint. Sunlight streaming through windshields and panoramic roofs creates localized hot air pockets near the dashboard and headliner. These pockets generate significant temperature gradients that conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems struggle to manage evenly.
The exposure to direct sunlight can make the cabin extremely warm, and even after cooling down the interior temperature, combating the continuous stream of sunlight and heat is a challenge. It uses precious energy that is especially pertinent to range and efficiency.
The patent explains how standard dashboard vents push cool air upward, only to entrain warmer air from these stagnant zones and distribute it throughout the occupied cabin space. This process forces the blower to operate at higher speeds, increasing energy consumption and reducing overall efficiency.
In electric vehicles, where every watt impacts driving range, such inefficiencies prove costly.
🚨 THE MODEL Y L IS THE MOST WATCHED EV LAUNCH OF 2026. ITS GLASS ROOF HAS ONE WEAKNESS — AND A PATENT PUBLISHED THIS WEEK SHOWS @TESLA BUILT THE FIX
The Model Y L launched in China and is now arriving in Korea, Japan, and across Asia-Pacific. It also has a glass roof. So does… https://t.co/wr6XnBn1Oc pic.twitter.com/5sYpniXJbU
— SETI Park (@seti_park) April 5, 2026
Research from AAA indicates that air conditioning can diminish range by up to 17 percent under hot conditions. Tesla’s innovation shifts the approach by extracting heat at its source rather than attempting to dilute it after mixing occurs.
Engineers describe a suction HVAC unit connected to dedicated intakes positioned strategically on the upper dashboard surface and within the headliner.
These intakes link to a hot air pocket extraction duct that channels the warmest air directly into the system’s plenum for conditioning. As the blower activates, it simultaneously draws recirculated cabin air and targeted hot pocket air through filters and cooling coils before redistributing conditioned airflow.
It seems somewhat reminiscent of the Tesla heat pump, which aims to combat colder temperatures.
Tesla highlights Model Y’s heat pump innovations in new promotional video
This method reduces entrainment, lowers peak temperatures, and achieves more uniform comfort levels. Testing data reveals that facial temperature gradients drop from 21 degrees Celsius, or 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit, in conventional setups to just 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees F) with the new system. Blower speeds and compressor power requirements decrease appreciably as a result.
The design incorporates smart controls that monitor sunlight intensity and internal temperature distributions in real time. Suction activates selectively only where needed, optimizing energy use without constant high demand. Furthermore, the extraction duct serves a dual purpose.
In the summer months, it pulls hot air inward for cooling; in winter, it reverses to direct warm air outward for rapid windshield defrosting. This versatility allows the reuse of existing hardware with minimal modifications, potentially enabling retrofits in current Tesla fleets.
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
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.
Tesla plans ingenious improvement to one of its best features
Tesla saves its passengers again – This time after a 300-foot cliff fall in Malibu
