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Tesla owner confronts enraged “Karen” who felt entitled to park at a charging space
A confrontation between a Tesla owner and a woman driving a combustion engine vehicle was caught on camera, and it resurfaces an age-old debate on whether electric vehicle parking spaces can temporarily be used by non-EVs.
The incident in question started after a woman blocked a Tesla charging station with her Hyundai and was called-out for the action.
The event took place at the Sherway Gardens retail shopping mall located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tesla currently holds a retail space within the Sherway Gardens Mall, including charging stations that are reserved for test-drive vehicles and Tesla owners who need additional range during their time inside the mall.
The space that’s reserved for Tesla vehicles is marked with a sign that clearly states that only battery-electric cars may occupy the spot. However, the woman in question said she couldn’t see or read the sign and parked there because it was open.
She also clarified that she was there to pick up someone who was recently in a motorcycle accident and was visiting the mall to attend an appointment with the optometrist.
The video was initially shared by @DUCKIGYALSTAN, but the person in charge of the account stated they did not take the video. The unknown owner of the Tesla who took the video was attacked verbally by the woman, who said that “disgusting young people” resort to their cell phones to deal with their problems.
She also went on to state that young people have no self-respect based on anecdotal opinions about millennial’s lifestyle choices.
In reality, the woman, who was upset and outraged by the driver’s request for her to vacate the space, was breaking the law. Her choice to park in an electric vehicle charging spot with her internal combustion engine car violates Ontario’s “Electric Vehicle Charging Act” of 2019. The law clearly states, “No person shall park a vehicle in an electric vehicle charging station that is identified by a sign that satisfies the prescribed requirements unless the vehicle is an electric vehicle and the vehicle is attached to the station’s charging equipment.”
The penalty for this offense is a fine of $125.
The act of a combustion engine car parking in an EV charging space is usually referred to as “ICEing.” It is a common practice among those who are against the electric vehicle movement. Often, ICEing is performed by the drivers of performance combustion engine vehicles or large trucks, who are vocally against clean transportation. This woman seemed to be parking somewhere that would be identified as a “prime” spot due to its location close to the front entrance of the mall.
When she was asked to leave by security guards, she continued to argue that she had done nothing wrong.
The act of ICEing is something most Tesla owners will eventually have to deal with. However, it was refreshing to see security guards take care of the issue with relatively no damage done, and the owner of the Tesla undoubtedly got a good story out of the situation.
Watch the full video below.
https://twitter.com/DUCKlGYALSTAN/status/1280606511086088195
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Tesla’s Sweden standoff draws UAW support as unions widen pressure campaign
In a post shared on social media, the United Auto Workers stated that it stands with IF Metall workers who are striking against Tesla Sweden.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) has publicly expressed solidarity with Swedish union IF Metall as its strike against Tesla continues, adding international attention to the extended labor dispute in the European country.
UAW supports IF Metall’s strike
In a post shared on social media, the United Auto Workers stated that it stands with IF Metall workers who are striking against Tesla Sweden. UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith stated that the union fully supports IF Metall’s efforts to secure a collective bargaining agreement with the automaker.
“UAW stands with IF Metall workers on strike against Tesla, fighting for a collective bargaining agreement. UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith pledged the UAW’s full support and solidarity,” the UAW International Union stated in its post.
IF Metall launched its strike against Tesla Sweden in late 2023 over the electric car maker’s refusal to sign a collective agreement. The action has since been supported by other unions through sympathy strikes affecting ports, logistics, and service operations.
Tesla Sweden has maintained that it complies with Swedish labor laws and offers competitive pay and benefits, though the company has not publicly commented on the UAW’s latest show of support.
Tesla owners get union attention
Pro-union groups in Sweden have recently expanded their outreach beyond Tesla’s facilities and workforce. Activists have begun distributing informational leaflets against the EV maker directly on Tesla vehicles parked across Stockholm, as per a report from Swedish outlet Dagens Arbete.
The yellow slips, designed to resemble parking notices, urge regular Tesla owners to pressure the company into signing a collective agreement. Organizers involved in the effort have argued that the leaflets are intended to simply inform consumers rather than single out individual owners. When owners are present, however, activists stated that they explain the dispute verbally.
Tesla has not issued a public response regarding the leaflet distribution campaign as of writing.
News
Starlink goes mainstream with first-ever SpaceX Super Bowl advertisement
SpaceX used the Super Bowl broadcast to promote Starlink, pitching the service as fast, affordable broadband available across much of the world.
SpaceX aired its first-ever Super Bowl commercial on Sunday, marking a rare move into mass-market advertising as it seeks to broaden adoption of its Starlink satellite internet service.
Starlink Super Bowl advertisement
SpaceX used the Super Bowl broadcast to promote Starlink, pitching the service as fast, affordable broadband available across much of the world.
The advertisement highlighted Starlink’s global coverage and emphasized simplified customer onboarding, stating that users can sign up for service in minutes through the company’s website or by phone in the United States.
The campaign comes as SpaceX accelerates Starlink’s commercial expansion. The satellite internet service grew its global user base in 2025 to over 9 million subscribers and entered several dozen additional markets, as per company statements.
Starlink growth and momentum
Starlink has seen notable success in numerous regions across the globe. Brazil, in particular, has become one of Starlink’s largest growth regions, recently surpassing one million users, as per Ookla data. The company has also expanded beyond residential broadband into aviation connectivity and its emerging direct-to-cellular service.
Starlink has recently offered aggressive promotions in select regions, including discounted or free hardware, waived installation fees, and reduced monthly pricing. Some regions even include free Starlink Mini for select subscribers. In parallel, SpaceX has introduced AI-driven tools to streamline customer sign-ups and service selection.
The Super Bowl appearance hints at a notable shift for Starlink, which previously relied largely on organic growth and enterprise contracts. The ad suggests SpaceX is positioning Starlink as a mainstream alternative to traditional broadband providers.
Tesla engineers deflected calls from Apple on a daily basis while the tech giant was developing its now-defunct electric vehicle program, which was known as “Project Titan.”
Back in 2022 and 2023, Apple was developing an EV in a top-secret internal fashion, hoping to launch it by 2028 with a fully autonomous driving suite.
However, Apple bailed on the project in early 2024, as Project Titan abandoned the project in an email to over 2,000 employees. The company had backtracked its expectations for the vehicle on several occasions, initially hoping to launch it with no human driving controls and only with an autonomous driving suite.
Apple canceling its EV has drawn a wide array of reactions across tech
It then planned for a 2028 launch with “limited autonomous driving.” But it seemed to be a bit of a concession at that point; Apple was not prepared to take on industry giants like Tesla.
Wedbush’s Dan Ives noted in a communication to investors that, “The writing was on the wall for Apple with a much different EV landscape forming that would have made this an uphill battle. Most of these Project Titan engineers are now all focused on AI at Apple, which is the right move.”
Apple did all it could to develop a competitive EV that would attract car buyers, including attempting to poach top talent from Tesla.
In a new podcast interview with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, it was revealed that Apple had been calling Tesla engineers nonstop during its development of the now-defunct project. Musk said the engineers “just unplugged their phones.”
Musk said in full:
“They were carpet bombing Tesla with recruiting calls. Engineers just unplugged their phones. Their opening offer without any interview would be double the compensation at Tesla.”
Interestingly, Apple had acquired some ex-Tesla employees for its project, like Senior Director of Engineering Dr. Michael Schwekutsch, who eventually left for Archer Aviation.
Tesla took no legal action against Apple for attempting to poach its employees, as it has with other companies. It came after EV rival Rivian in mid-2020, after stating an “alarming pattern” of poaching employees was noticed.
SpaceX strengthens manufacturing base with Hexagon Purus aerospace deal
Tesla’s Sweden standoff draws UAW support as unions widen pressure campaign
