Tesla Model S
Tesla’s best advertisements are the much-hyped ‘Tesla Killers’ from veteran auto
In one of his recent excursions on Twitter, Elon Musk reaffirmed that Tesla does not advertise. While traditional car companies invest a lot in advertisements, Tesla has mostly relied on word-of-mouth and clever initiatives such as referral programs to promote its vehicles. As the auto industry shifts towards electric transportation with more and more EVs from traditional auto, it is evident that Tesla’s best advertisements can actually come from its vehicles’ rivals in the market.
Take Audi, for example. The German automaker has already released its first all-electric vehicle, the e-tron, an SUV expected to compete against the Tesla Model X. Audi has been promoting the SUV heavily, as shown in physical advertisements such as billboards and social media campaigns. Jaguar’s the same with the I-PACE, and the same is true with Porsche and the Taycan. These veteran carmakers know the auto business, and they are aware that ultimately, advertisements work. And they do.
Back in March, the I-PACE comprised almost 6% of Jaguar’s entire US sales. This is the company’s first all-electric vehicle, and it is competing in the market without a dedicated rapid charging network or the convenience of Tesla’s frequent over-the-air updates. Despite this, the I-PACE appears to be seeing a lot of interest, especially among buyers who are already committed to Jaguar’s brand. Porsche is experiencing something similar with the Taycan. The company is yet to reveal the production version of the high-performance sedan, but the number of paid reservations for the Taycan already exceed the company’s initial estimate for the vehicle’s annual production rate. Audi’s e-tron also appears to be getting a lot of interest from car owners committed to German-made vehicles too, even if the company is reportedly running into issues with the SUV’s production.
These electric cars from veteran auto, while packaged and hyped as potential “Tesla Killers” at some point, actually play a valuable part in Elon Musk’s plan to wean the world away from fossil fuels. Each I-PACE, e-tron, or Taycan that is sold is ultimately not a blow against Tesla; rather, it is a blow against vehicles equipped with the internal combustion engine. Despite this, it is still pertinent to note that even if veteran auto’s much-promoted electric vehicles are designed to take down Tesla’s entries like the Model S and Model X, it might still take some time before these companies can create a compelling EV comparable to one of Tesla’s offerings. This results in one of the most ironic twists for Tesla, as the existence and performance of rival EVs end up becoming the perfect advertisements for its electric cars.
The Audi e-tron will be yet another perfect example to illustrate this point. When the vehicle was unveiled, Audi hinted that the all-electric SUV’s range would be around 300 miles per charge, thanks to its sizable 90 kWh battery. The vehicle was only given a very conservative and almost underwhelming 204 miles of range per charge by the EPA, which is estimated to be caused by the vehicle’s poor efficiency. Ironically, range and efficiency is something that Tesla, which is still learning the challenges of mass producing vehicles, has mastered over the years, as proven by the Model S Long Range, which can travel 370 miles on a single charge. This learning curve that veteran auto is currently traversing with regards to electric vehicles is something that was felt openly by r/TeslaMotors subreddit member u/SilverTangerine5599, who recently took the Audi e-tron on a 260-mile test drive in Europe.
Similar to the Jaguar I-PACE, the Audi e-tron relies on an existing electric vehicle charging network to recharge its batteries. This became a problem during the test drive, since several public chargers that were compatible with the premium all-electric SUV proved unavailable. Ultimately, the r/TeslaMotors subreddit member noted that he ended up charging the e-tron at a 10 kW connector, which took a very long time to charge the vehicle’s batteries. This proved to be quite frustrating, since several Teslas finished recharging at a nearby Supercharger while the e-tron charged for hours at 10 kW. In a post about the experience, the electric vehicle enthusiast noted that at least for now, Tesla’s best advertisement could very well be a customer’s firsthand experience in an EV that is not a Tesla.
It should be noted that the Jaguar I-PACE and the Audi e-tron are both first-generation vehicles, and thus, are only bound to get better with time. Both carmakers already have their interior and build quality locked in from their experience in producing internal combustion vehicles. In the coming years, Jaguar, Audi, and every other large automaker going all-in on electric cars will have to master ideas that first movers like Tesla have refined over the years, such as software and efficiency.
When Tesla open-sourced its patents, Elon Musk admitted that the company could not transition the transportation sector away from the internal combustion engine on its own. For such a change to happen, other companies would have to join the movement. The arrival of the I-PACE, the e-tron, and other all-electric vehicles like the Taycan show that the electric car movement is now gaining speed.
A Tesla owner who purchased a Model S Signature Edition, one of the final 250 units of the all-electric flagship vehicle that the company discontinued earlier this year, is attempting to sell the car despite a no-resale clause that prohibits reselling for the first year.
The car is being sold by J&S Autohaus in Ewing, New Jersey, and is priced at $260,490, well above the $159,420 that Tesla sold it for earlier this year.
🚨 The first Tesla Model S Signature Edition is up for sale for $260,490
Tesla placed a no-resale clause on the Model S and X Signature, so it will be interesting to see if the company takes any action. https://t.co/N9rKGHnbD6 pic.twitter.com/6FZhDL1KNR
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 14, 2026
To those who do not know, the Model S Signature was a highly exclusive, limited-run farewell variant of the Model S Plaid that was produced this year to mark the end of production of both the Model S and Model X, Tesla’s two flagship vehicles.
Limited to just 250 units with invite-only sales, it serves as a collector’s item celebrating the legacy of the Model S, which helped pioneer Tesla’s electric vehicle success since its 2012 launch.
It bundles top-tier performance with bespoke cosmetic and luxury upgrades, plus Tesla’s Luxe Package. Here’s what the Model S Signature has over the typical Model S Plaid:
- Exclusive Exterior – Unique Garnet Red Paint, matching door handles, gold Tesla “T” badges upfront, gold Plaid and Signature badging at the rear.
- Premium Interior – White Alcantara upholstery with gold piping/accents, gold Plaid seat badges, Signature-marked door sills, individually numbered dashboard plaque, gold puddle lights, special interior lighting sequence, and a custom Signature key fob.
- Performance Upgrades – Carbon-ceramic brakes with gold calipers
- Bundled Luxe Package – Full Self-Driving (Supervised), four years of Premium Connectivity, free lifetime Supercharging
- Performance Metrics – ~1,020 horsepower, sub-2-second 0-60 MPH, ~390-mile range
Tesla quickly introduced a No Resale Agreement for the Signature Editions of the Model S and Model X, which would penalize the seller for “the amount of $50,000 or the value received as consideration for the sale or transfer, whichever is greater.”
The company continues:
“If you sell or otherwise transfer the ownership of your Model S or Model X, the remainder of the Recommended Maintenance, Wheel and Tire Protection Plan, and Windshield Protection Plan will transfer automatically to the buyer. The Full Self-Driving (Supervised), Free Supercharging and Premium Connectivity will not transfer with the vehicle and will terminate once the ownership of the Model S or Model X is transferred.”
Tesla will likely come after the seller, especially as it has been about two months since Tesla launched deliveries.
Lifestyle
Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program
California just signed a $270 million EV rebate into law and it starts this summer.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168 into law on Monday, July 13, 2026, creating a $270 million EV rebate program that delivers money directly at the dealership rather than as a tax credit applied months later. The program, called MyFirstEV, is funded equally by California’s state budget and participating automakers, with each contributing $135.5 million to make the math work.
The timing is directly tied to the loss of federal support when the $7,500 federal EV tax credit ended, removing the most significant consumer incentive that had driven EV adoption in the U.S. California, which accounts for roughly one-third of all EVs sold nationally, moved to fill that gap with a state-level replacement.
The rebate structure is straightforward. First-time EV buyers can receive $3,500 off any new battery-electric vehicle with an MSRP up to $50,000. Used EVs priced at $25,000 or below qualify for a $1,750 rebate. The credit is applied at the point of sale, which removes the friction of the old federal system where buyers had to wait for tax season to see the benefit. The program goes live later this summer, with the California Air Resources Board expected to release full participation details next month.
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For Tesla buyers, the implications are mixed. The Tesla Model 3 RWD at $42,490 and the Model 3 Long Range at $47,490 both fall under the $50,000 cap and would qualify for the full $3,500 rebate for first-time buyers. The Model Y, which starts at $44,990 after Tesla’s recent price adjustment, also qualifies. The Model X, Model S, and Cybertruck all exceed the cap and receive no benefit. As Teslarati has reported, the program also includes a carve-out exempting California-based automakers like Rivian and Lucid from the price cap entirely, a provision that puts Tesla at a disadvantage since it relocated its headquarters to Texas in 2021.
Other qualifying vehicles include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Volkswagen ID.4.
Elon Musk
Trump’s invite for Elon just reshuffled Tesla’s big Signature Delivery Event
Tesla rescheduled its final Model S farewell to May 20 after Musk joined Trump in China.
Tesla has rescheduled its Model S and Model X Signature Edition delivery event to Wednesday, May 20, 2026, after abruptly calling off the original May 12 celebration. The event will take place at Tesla’s factory at 45500 Fremont Boulevard in Fremont, California, the same location where the Model S first rolled off the line in 2012. Invitees received a follow-up email asking them to reconfirm attendance and download a new QR code ticket, with Tesla noting that all travel and accommodation expenses remain the buyer’s responsibility.
The reason behind the original cancellation came into focus the same day it was announced. President Trump invited Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Cook, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Boeing’s Kelly Ortberg, and executives from Goldman Sachs, Blackstone, Citigroup, and Meta to join his trip to China this week for a summit with President Xi Jinping. The agenda covers trade, artificial intelligence, export controls, Taiwan, and the Iran war, following weeks of escalating friction between Washington and Beijing over AI technology, sanctions, and rare earth exports. Trump wrote on Truth Social, “I am very much looking forward to my trip to China, an amazing Country, with a Leader, President Xi, respected by all.”
Tesla launches 200mph Model S “Gold” Signature in invite-only purchase
The vehicles at the center of all this are the last Model S and Model X units Tesla will ever build. Priced at $159,420 each, the 250 Model S and 100 Model X Signature Edition units come finished in Garnet Red with a one-year no-resale agreement, giving Tesla right of first refusal if the owner decides to sell. As Teslarati reported, the Model S defined Tesla’s early identity as a serious luxury automaker, and the Fremont factory line that built it is now being converted to manufacture Optimus humanoid robots.
Musk’s inclusion in the China delegation drew attention given his very public relationship with Trump, and the invitation signals the two have moved past and past grievances. Trump originally brought Musk on to lead the Department of Government Efficiency following his inauguration, and despite a sharp public dispute in mid-2025, the two have appeared together repeatedly in recent months. A seat on the China trip, the most diplomatically consequential visit of Trump’s current term, puts Musk back at the table on U.S. economic policy at a moment when Tesla’s China revenue remains one of the company’s most important financial pillars.
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