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Tesla's lead in batteries and energy efficiency validated by Consumer Reports
Tesla’s lead in electric car batteries and energy efficiency was recently acknowledged fully by Consumer Reports, a publication that has extensively tested the company’s vehicles and features over the years. CR’s recognition was partly encouraged by the range of the Model Y, which was improved by Tesla as the crossover neared its release.
The Tesla Model Y Performance was initially announced with a range of 280 miles per charge. This is not bad at all, considering that fellow premium crossovers such as the Jaguar I-PACE and even larger vehicles like the Audi e-tron were in the low to mid-200s when it comes to their EPA rated range. Yet, in a recent announcement, Tesla revealed that the Model Y Performance would actually have a range of 315 miles per charge.
This, according to Consumer Reports, shows the company’s dedication to fighting and completely eliminating range anxiety among its consumers. It also highlights Tesla’s extensive experience in EV-making, particularly with regards to their vehicles’ batteries and energy efficiency. Both of these points are perfectly represented by the Model Y.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted during the company’s Q4 2019 earnings call that the range upgrade to the Model Y will give the vehicle 4.1 miles/kWh, making the upcoming all-electric crossover one of the most efficient SUVs on the market. Jake Fisher, senior director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports, noted that it is these factors that make Tesla the undisputed leader when it comes to efficiency in the EV market.
“They are absolutely the leader. Through the years, they’ve made multiple changes to their motors and batteries and other things under the skin of their vehicles. This is a continual thing that they do,” Fisher said.
Consumer Reports explained that Tesla’s efficiency is not just rooted in its industry-leading batteries. For Teslas, efficiency is maximized through several means, including aerodynamics, weight reduction, and its equipment. The publication observed that Tesla is even using a different type of chip to optimize the transfer of energy within its cars’ electrical systems. This adds up to lower energy consumption, freeing up more of its vehicles’ batteries for actual driving tasks.
Sam Abuelsamid, an automotive technology analyst with Navigant, acknowledged that it is this attention to detail that makes the difference between Tesla’s electric cars and their rivals in the market. This is also what allows Tesla to draw out far more miles from a battery pack that’s almost identical in size compared to its competitors, all of which have vehicles that boast far less range per charge.
“They’re able to get more miles out of each kilowatt-hour. They have shown the way for EVs. They’ve demonstrated that if you do this right, there are people who will want to buy it,” he said.
In a way, it is a bit ironic to see Consumer Reports fully acknowledge Tesla’s battery and efficiency lead now, considering that the firm had been testing the electric car maker’s vehicles for years. Perhaps it’s simply because, after all these years, the well-publicized “Tesla Killers” have arrived. But so far, it appears that nothing is up to the task.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk tops Forbes’ list of America’s 250 greatest innovators
The ranking places Musk at the top of modern American innovation.
Elon Musk has been ranked No. 1 on Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s 250 Greatest Innovators. The ranking places Musk at the top of modern American innovation as the publication kicks off a series celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Forbes described innovation as “the grease in the economic engine” and the force that transforms industries and creates new ones. The publication highlighted that its honorees are not just inventors, but business leaders who successfully bring breakthroughs to market.
Musk, 54, was ranked No. 1 in this year’s list. Forbes noted that he is “the only person in history to have founded (or grown from nearly nothing) five companies, each with multibillion-dollar valuations, each in a different industry.” Those companies include Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, xAI, and The Boring Company.
Forbes’ methodology began with nearly 1,000 nominees submitted by its reporters. A panel of judges, including venture capitalist Jim Breyer, journalist Kara Swisher, and strategy expert Rita McGrath, ranked candidates based on creativity, breadth, engagement, disruption, and commercial impact. Artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT and Gemini, were also used to assess candidates before editors finalized the rankings.
The publication noted that more than one-third of the list consists of women and people of color, reflecting shifts in innovation and entrepreneurship over time. All individuals listed are also American citizens, though many were born abroad, including Musk himself. Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa.
Ranked No. 2 is Jeff Bezos, 61, who Forbes credited with upending America’s $7.4 trillion retail industry through Amazon before pioneering cloud computing with Amazon Web Services. The publication highlighted that Bezos now focuses on space exploration through Blue Origin and artificial intelligence manufacturing systems at Prometheus.
At No. 3 is Bill Gates, 70, who helped launch the personal computing revolution and built Microsoft into the dominant force in workplace software. Forbes also highlighted Gates’ reinvention at age 50 as a data-driven philanthropist, including his role in helping eradicate polio from India.
Elon Musk
Tesla Model Y tops California vehicle sales despite Elon Musk backlash
Data from the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) showed the Model Y outsold its nearest competitor by more than 50,000 units.
The Tesla Model Y was California’s best-selling new vehicle in 2025 for the fourth straight year, despite protests against CEO Elon Musk and a changeover to the Model Y’s updated variant that caused a pause in production and deliveries early in the year.
Data from the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) showed the Model Y outsold its nearest competitor by more than 50,000 units, according to KRON4.
The Model Y recorded 110,120 registrations in California in 2025. The second-best-selling vehicle, the Toyota RAV4, posted 65,604 units, followed by the Toyota Camry at 62,324. The Tesla Model 3 ranked fourth with 53,989 sales, ahead of the Honda Civic at 53,085 units.
Despite leading the state, Model Y sales have trended downward year-over-year. Registrations fell from 132,636 in 2023 to 128,923 in 2024, and then to 110,120 in 2025. Overall Tesla sales in California also declined, dropping from 238,589 in 2023 to 202,865 in 2024 and 179,656 in 2025.
The slowdown comes as the federal $7,500 EV tax credit ended, removing a key incentive that had supported electric vehicle demand for years.
“Tesla has a few advantages. Tesla, as a brand, has a status, cache, so I think folks in certain parts of the Bay. Owning a Tesla is a thing. I think that’s breaking down over time, especially given the political controversies surrounding Mr. Musk,” CNCDA President Brian Maas said.
California saw multiple anti-Musk protests in 2025, along with notable reports of consumer-owned Teslas being vandalized and attacked by protesters and activists. The fact that the Model Y and Model 3 remained strong performers in California is then a testament to the quality and value of the two vehicles.
Tesla’s sales of the Model Y and Model 3 might see an increase this year, as the company has announced that it is sunsetting its two more expensive cars, the Model S and Model X. With the Model S and Model X retired, more consumers will likely go for the Model Y and Model 3.
“Maybe the Model S has outlived its usefulness in terms of attracting customers. It’s no surprise the ones they kept are the Model Y and Model 3,” Maas noted.
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Tesla Supercharger left offline as Swedish court backs union strike
The completed Supercharger has been stalled for nearly two years amid Tesla’s conflict with the IF Metall union in Sweden.
Tesla’s Supercharger station in Ljungby, Sweden will remain without power after a Swedish administrative court rejected the company’s appeal to force a grid connection to the site. The completed Supercharger has been stalled for nearly two years amid Tesla’s conflict with the IF Metall union in Sweden.
The court ruled that the ongoing union strike against Tesla Sweden is valid grounds for the Supercharger’s connection delay, as noted in an Allt Om Elbil report.
The Ljungby Supercharger was one of the first charging stations that were denied grid access after IF Metall launched its strike against Tesla Sweden in late 2023. Electricians at local grid operator Ljungby Energinät were pulled into a sympathy strike by the Seko union, preventing the site’s connection.
Tesla reported both Ljungby Energinät and Gävle Energi Elnät AB to the Swedish Energy Market Inspectorate, arguing that grid operators failed to meet their legal obligation to provide connection to the location within a reasonable time frame.
The regulator ruled that the strike represented a valid exception under Swedish law, however, citing constitutional protections for industrial actions.
Tesla responded by appealing to the Administrative Court in Linköping, claiming it had the right to connection within a reasonable period, generally no more than two years. Tesla Sweden also argued that the country’s Electricity Act conflicts with EU law. The court rejected those arguments.
“The Administrative Court today finds that granting the company’s request in practice applies to the same thing as the blockade and that it would mean that the blockade would be ineffective.
“Such a decision would contradict the principle that labor market conflicts should be resolved to the greatest extent possible by the labor market parties, not by the state. The industrial action is also constitutionally protected,” Chief Councilor Ronny Idstrand stated.
The court also concluded that the Electricity Act does not conflict with EU regulations and that special reasons justified the extended delay.
While the ruling was unanimous, Tesla Sweden may appeal the decision to a higher administrative court.
Elon Musk tops Forbes’ list of America’s 250 greatest innovators
Tesla Model Y tops California vehicle sales despite Elon Musk backlash
