Tesla is looking for a Chief Designer to oversee its production of China-specific model releases in the country. The company’s efforts to open a Design Studio in China have been well-known, but the search for someone to help design cars that will be geared toward the Chinese market in specific continues.
Tesla has been manufacturing its electric vehicles in China since late 2019, while the first public deliveries began in January 2020. Since then, the automaker has seen overwhelming growth, which has been driven by incredible demand in China. The Tesla Model 3 is coming off of a highly-successful 2020 where it dominated sales figures for the full year. The Model Y also began production in late 2020 in Shanghai at its manufacturing plant, but the two cars are not all the company has in its plans.
Sources familiar with Tesla’s operation in China told Reuters that the company had started a full-fledged search to find the person who will design China-geared designs moving forward. According to the sources, recruiters and human resources representatives have worked diligently for four months to find a “bi-cultural” candidate with at least 20 years of experience. It will require a subjective sense of automotive design and familiarity with Chinese tastes. Even though Tesla has done relatively well in the Chinese market with its cars, the company plans to attack the market with designs that will speak to local citizens, which should drive sales figures through the roof.
A handful of potential candidates have been interviewed by Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s Chief Designer, but it is unknown how many people Tesla has talked to thus far.
In June 2020, Teslarati reported that Tesla was requesting that everyone, regardless of design experience or automotive craftsmanship, design an all-electric car that would appeal to China’s masses. “Even if you are not a car designer, you are welcome to submit. It’s more than just a car designed for you,” Tesla stated. “Please think of China in your Tesla design work.”
This request from the automaker followed a January 2020 Reuters report that revealed Tesla’s plans to design a “Chinese-style” vehicle.
Tesla is coming off its biggest year as a company, successfully delivering 499,650 of its over 509,000 produced cars. Q4 2020 was the company’s biggest quarter yet in terms of production and deliveries, as the company worked diligently to attain the 500,000 vehicle guidance it set for itself well before the COVID-19 pandemic slowed production lines.
Chinese-Style Tesla Vehicles (Source: Tesla China WeChat)
The mission to increase the number of EVs on the road is far from over for Tesla. Now, it seems the automaker will begin adapting body styles to every market, looking to cater to each consumer base individually, instead of planning to release a universally-accepted vehicle that doesn’t require revisions. While Tesla’s cars have been successful in countries other than the U.S., there is still work to be done. With more cars on the road in China than any other country globally, focusing on China could ultimately lead to long-term success for Tesla and may lead to a more prolonged domination of the sector than originally anticipated. CEO Elon Musk has openly stated that other companies will catch up in terms of EV development, but Tesla would be able to remain in their lead due to manufacturing efficiencies.
Once a Chief Designer is hired, Tesla will begin to build a team that will turn renderings into clay models. This will eventually lead to new EV designs being built and a broader range of body styles for consumers to choose from.
It is unclear if the development of new Chinese designs has anything to do with the $25,000 vehicle that Tesla plans to manufacture in China soon. Tesla detailed this vehicle at the company’s Battery Day event in September, where Musk stated that a $25k, fully autonomous car would be available in 3-5 years.
Right now, China is swallowing up demand for small, compact cars, even if they are not electric. The Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf are two of the most popular, and Shanghai-based consultancy group Automotive Foresight says that a compact vehicle could be Tesla’s key to dominating the country and beyond. “A compact Tesla car would do well in China, as well as the rest of Asia and Europe,” Automotive Foresight’s Yale Zhang said. “It could potentially put a serious dent in sales of cars like Toyota’s Corolla and the Volkswagen Golf.”
Tesla has rolled out a new Supercharging safety feature in the United States, one that will answer concerns that some owners may have if they need to leave in a pinch.
It is also a suitable alternative for non-Tesla chargers, like third-party options that feature J1772 or CCS to NACS adapters.
The feature has been available in Europe for some time, but it is now rolling out to Model 3 and Model Y owners in the U.S.
With Software Update 2026.2.3, Tesla is launching the Unlatching Charge Cable function, which will now utilize the left rear door handle to release the charging cable from the port. The release notes state:
“Charging can now be stopped and the charge cable released by pulling and holding the rear left door handle for three seconds, provided the vehicle is unlocked, and a recognized key is nearby. This is especially useful when the charge cable doesn’t have an unlatch button. You can still release the cable using the vehicle touchscreen or the Tesla app.”
The feature was first spotted by Not a Tesla App.
This is an especially nice feature for those who commonly charge at third-party locations that utilize plugs that are not NACS, which is the Tesla standard.
For example, after plugging into a J1772 charger, you will still be required to unlock the port through the touchscreen, which is a minor inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.
Additionally, it could be viewed as a safety feature, especially if you’re in need of unlocking the charger from your car in a pinch. Simply holding open the handle on the rear driver’s door will now unhatch the port from the car, allowing you to pull it out and place it back in its housing.
This feature is currently only available on the Model 3 and Model Y, so Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck owners will have to wait for a different solution to this particular feature.
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LG Energy Solution pursuing battery deal for Tesla Optimus, other humanoid robots: report
Optimus is expected to be one of Tesla’s most ambitious projects, with Elon Musk estimating that the humanoid robot could be the company’s most important product.
A recent report has suggested that LG Energy Solution is in discussions to supply batteries for Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot.
Optimus is expected to be one of Tesla’s most ambitious projects, with Elon Musk estimating that the humanoid robot could be the company’s most important product.
Humanoid robot battery deals
LG Energy Solution shares jumped more than 11% on the 28th after a report from the Korea Economic Daily claimed that the company is pursuing battery supply and joint development agreements with several humanoid robot makers. These reportedly include Tesla, which is developing Optimus, as well as multiple Chinese robotics companies.
China is already home to several leading battery manufacturers, such as CATL and BYD, making the robot makers’ reported interest in LG Energy Solution quite interesting. Market participants interpreted the reported outreach as a signal that performance requirements for humanoid robots may favor battery chemistries developed by companies like LG.
LF Energy Solution vs rivals
According to the report, energy density is believed to be the primary reason humanoid robot developers are evaluating LG Energy Solution’s batteries. Unlike electric vehicles, humanoid robots have significantly less space available for battery packs while requiring substantial power to operate dozens of joint motors and onboard artificial intelligence processors.
LG Energy Solution’s ternary lithium batteries offer higher energy density compared with rivals’ lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are widely used by Chinese EV manufacturers. That advantage could prove critical for humanoid robots, where runtime, weight, and compact packaging are key design constraints.
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Tesla receives approval for FSD Supervised tests in Sweden
Tesla confirmed that it has been granted permission to test FSD Supervised vehicles across Sweden in a press release.
Tesla has received regulatory approval to begin tests of its Full Self-Driving Supervised system on public roads in Sweden, a notable step in the company’s efforts to secure FSD approval for the wider European market.
FSD Supervised testing in Sweden
Tesla confirmed that it has been granted permission to test FSD Supervised vehicles across Sweden following cooperation with national authorities and local municipalities. The approval covers the Swedish Transport Administration’s entire road network, as well as urban and highways in the Municipality of Nacka.
Tesla shared some insights into its recent FSD approvals in a press release. “The approval shows that cooperation between authorities, municipalities and businesses enables technological leaps and Nacka Municipality is the first to become part of the transport system of the future. The fact that the driving of the future is also being tested on Swedish roads is an important step in the development towards autonomy in real everyday traffic,” the company noted.
With approval secured for FSD tests, Tesla can now evaluate the system’s performance in diverse environments, including dense urban areas and high-speed roadways across Sweden, as noted in a report from Allt Om Elbil. Tesla highlighted that the continued development of advanced driver assistance systems is expected to pave the way for improved traffic safety, increased accessibility, and lower emissions, particularly in populated city centers.
Tesla FSD Supervised Europe rollout
FSD Supervised is already available to drivers in several global markets, including Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States. The system is capable of handling city and highway driving tasks such as steering, acceleration, braking, and lane changes, though it still requires drivers to supervise the vehicle’s operations.
Tesla has stated that FSD Supervised has accumulated extensive driving data from its existing markets. In Europe, however, deployment remains subject to regulatory approval, with Tesla currently awaiting clearance from relevant authorities.
The company reiterated that it expects to start rolling out FSD Supervised to European customers in early 2026, pending approvals. It would then be unsurprising if the company secures approvals for FSD tests in other European territories in the coming months.
Tesla rolls out new Supercharging safety feature in the U.S.
LG Energy Solution pursuing battery deal for Tesla Optimus, other humanoid robots: report
