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Tesla China owners show love for their all-electric cars in new promo
Tesla owners are a special breed of car buyer. While everyone who buys a new car seems to become attached to it at some point or another, Teslas are increasingly appealing to many people because of their technology and environmental advantages. This has shaped Tesla to be one of the most brand-loyal companies globally in terms of its customers’ support.
In a recent promo for a new Tesla Service Center in the city of Shaoxing, owners in the world’s largest automotive market had the opportunity to share some of the reasons they bought their all-electric car from Tesla, and why some of themselves as lifelong owners of the company’s cars.
The new Tesla Center in Shaoxing, enjoy the beautiful old city in China😆#Tesla pic.twitter.com/i348PcOMtv
— Tesla Asia (@Tesla_Asia) November 3, 2020
Tesla has created a fairly loyal consumer base across the globe. With over 1 million all-electric vehicles roaming the streets of Planet Earth, Tesla has gone from a small, barely-surviving car company to a dominating automotive manufacturer who is changing the tides of what is considered normal within the industry. Before Tesla, nobody was really making electric cars or putting a hard-nosed focus on the need for a more sustainable form of transportation. It was Tesla who brought the issues to the forefront and showed time and time again that EVs didn’t have to be boring, slow, or whine like a remote-controlled car that you played with when you were a child.
Instead, Tesla has shown that EVs are the superior option for what car to buy and drive. Not only is it a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly option than driving a gas or diesel-powered car, but Tesla has brought cars and automotive back into the 21st century. For years, the coolest new feature on a new model year was a touchscreen radio, heated seats, or new safety features. While those are all great to have with a new car, they should be included in something worth between $20,000 and $80,000.
Enter Tesla, the company that changed it all. Tesla showed minimalistic interiors could work, that cars didn’t need to be from this year to be “up to date,” and that people didn’t need fossil fuels to get from one place to the other.
Since Tesla’s insurgence into the leader of the car industry, other car companies have adopted the company’s take on minimalistic interiors. Tesla showed that cars could be like phones, and new features could be downloaded to its cars via an internet connection. Lastly, it inspired some of the biggest car companies in the world to give EVs a shot. While many carmakers may be years away from electric powertrains, these companies are still attempting to bring something competitive and worthwhile to the market. At first, they may not be a manufacturer’s biggest seller, but it could eventually be the basis for which companies are developing new vehicles. Constant improvement from the first EV Ford, Chevy, or another legacy car company brings to the market could spell a concentration of highly-effective electric cars for the future.
Brand loyalty with Tesla is expected with its owners, but even people who have never driven one of the company’s cars are inspired by the design and the technology that the Elon Musk-headed company brings to the table. In China, the opening of a new Service Center is more than just another location for cars to be worked on; it’s proof that Tesla’s tenure in the country is just beginning.
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Tesla Sweden strikers see tax issues over IF Metall union error
To address the issue, IF Metall is encouraging Tesla strikers to return the refunded tax amounts to the union.
A tax correction is set to return two years of income tax payments to Tesla strikers in Sweden, after authorities determined that conflict compensation during a labor dispute should not have been taxed.
The issue is caused by a decision by IF Metall to treat strike compensation for Tesla workers as taxable income during the ongoing labor dispute with Tesla Sweden. That approach has now been reversed following guidance from the Swedish Tax Agency.
Strike compensation is typically tax-free under Sweden’s Income Tax Act, as noted in a report from Dagens Arbete (DA). However, two years ago, IF Metall’s board decided to classify payments to Tesla strikers as taxable.
“We did it to secure SGI, unemployment insurance and public pension. Those were the risks we saw when the strike had already dragged on,” Kent Bursjöö, financial manager at IF Metall, stated.
According to Bursjöö, the union wanted to ensure that members continued to register earned income with the tax agency, protecting benefits tied to income history. At the end of January, however, the Swedish Tax Agency informed the union that compensation during a labor dispute must be tax-free.
“Of course, we knew that it could be tax-free. But we clearly didn’t know that it couldn’t be taxable,” Bursjöö said.
Following discussions with auditors and tax authorities, IF Metall began correcting the payments. As a result, two years of paid income tax will now be credited back to the affected strikers’ tax accounts. The union will also recover previously paid employer contributions.
However, the correction creates secondary effects. Since the payments will now be treated as tax-free, pension contributions tied to those earnings will be withdrawn, potentially affecting state pension accrual and income-based benefits such as parental or sickness benefits.
To address this, IF Metall is encouraging members to return the refunded tax amounts to the union. In exchange, the union plans to pay 18.5% into occupational pensions on their behalf. “Otherwise, it will be a form of overcompensation when they get the tax paid back,” Bursjöö said.
That being said, the IF Metall officer acknowledged that the union’s legal ability to reclaim the funds from its improperly paid Tesla Sweden strikers is limited. “The legal possibilities are probably limited, from what we can see. But we assume that most people see the value of securing their pension,” Bursjöö said.
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Tesla sues California DMV over Autopilot and FSD advertising ruling
The complaint seeks to remove the agency’s conclusion that Tesla falsely promoted the capabilities of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.
Tesla has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in an effort to overturn a prior ruling that found the automaker engaged in false advertising related to its driver-assistance systems.
The complaint seeks to remove the agency’s conclusion that Tesla misled customers about the capabilities of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.
Tesla’s legal action follows a decision by California’s Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), which concluded that Tesla’s earlier marketing of “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” violated state law, as noted in a CNBC report.
While the DMV opted not to suspend Tesla’s license after determining the company had updated its marketing language for its advanced driver-assistance systems, Tesla is asking the court to go further and reverse the agency’s conclusion.
In its Feb. 13 complaint, Tesla’s attorneys argued that the DMV “wrongfully and baselessly” labeled the company a “false advertiser” for its Autopilot and FSD systems. The filing argued that regulators failed to demonstrate that consumers were actually misled about the capabilities of Tesla’s systems.
According to Tesla’s complaint, the DMV “never proved consumers in the state had been confused about whether its cars were safe to drive without a human at the wheel.”
Tesla’s legal team further stated: “It was impossible to buy a Tesla equipped with either Autopilot or Full Self-Driving Capability, or to use any of their associated features, without seeing clear and repeated statements that they do not make the vehicle autonomous.”
Tesla now promotes its driver-assistance system as “Full Self-Driving (Supervised),” a name that overemphasizes the need for active driver attention.
Tesla’s autonomous driving program is a pivotal part of the company’s future, with CEO Elon Musk stating that self-driving technology will truly be the solution that will push Tesla into its full potential. The company is currently operating a Robotaxi pilot in Austin and the Bay Area, and the company recently announced that it has produced the first Cybercab from Giga Texas’ production line.
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Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, coding shows
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
Tesla is making two big upgrades to the Model 3, one of which is widely requested by owners and fans, and another that it has already started to make on some trim levels of other models within the lineup.
The changes appear to be taking effect in the European and Chinese markets, but these are expected to come to the United States based on what Tesla has done with the Model Y.
According to coding found in the European and Chinese configurators, Tesla is planning to make two big upgrades: Black Headliner offerings and a new 16-inch QHD display, similar to that on the Model Y Performance.
These changes in the coding were spotted by X user BERKANT, who shared the findings on the social media platform this morning:
🚨 Model 3 changes spotted in Tesla backend
• New interior code: IN3PB (Interior 3 Premium Black)
• Linked to Alcantara-style black headliner
• Mapped to 2026 Model 3 Performance and Premium VINs• EPC now shows: “Display_16_QHD”
• Multiple 2026 builds marked with… pic.twitter.com/OkDM5EdbTu— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 23, 2026
It appears these new upgrades will roll out with the Model 3 Performance and Tesla’s Premium trim levels of the all-electric sedan.
The changes are welcome. Tesla fans have been requesting that its Model 3 and Model Y offerings receive a black headliner, as even with the black interior options, the headliner is grey.
Tesla recently upgraded Model Y vehicles to this black headliner option, even in the United States, so it seems as if the Model 3 will get the same treatment as it appears to be getting in the Eastern hemisphere.
Tesla has been basically accentuating the Model 3 and Model Y with small upgrades that owners have been wanting, and it has been a focal point of the company’s future plans as it phases out other vehicles like the Model S and Model X.
Additionally, Tesla offered an excellent 0.99% APR last week on the Model 3, hoping to push more units out the door to support a strong Q1 delivery figure at the beginning of April.
Tesla Sweden strikers see tax issues over IF Metall union error
Tesla sues California DMV over Autopilot and FSD advertising ruling
