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Tesla China owners show love for their all-electric cars in new promo

Credit: Twitter | @TeslaCN

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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.

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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.

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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.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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New details emerge on The Boring Company’s Universal tunnel plans

The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Newly released bidding documents have shed light on how Elon Musk’s Boring Company plans to connect Universal Orlando Resort’s north campus to Universal Epic Universe. 

The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public about the planned Loop system.

The Shingle Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District voted Feb. 11 to begin contract negotiations with The Boring Company after ranking it the top bidder for the Universal Orlando transport project. Now, evaluation documents obtained by local news media reveal how the company intends to execute the project, according to Attraction Insight.

The proposal describes a twin-tunnel configuration, with one tunnel in each direction. It also noted that permitting, design, and construction could take roughly a year and a half once approvals are secured. The company indicated it could deploy multiple tunnel boring machines and install temporary support infrastructure, including muck storage pits and stormwater systems, during construction.

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Bid documents list eight internal specialists assigned to the project, including tunnel engineers, structural engineers, and tunnel boring machine experts. Six subcontractors would handle fire protection, communications, soil treatment, and concrete work.

The company stated it “has the necessary internally produced tunneling equipment and personnel immediately available to complete this project for the district as quickly as permits and approvals can be obtained.”

Operationally, the system would mirror the company’s Las Vegas Loop model, using Tesla vehicles to provide point-to-point transport rather than fixed-route buses. The proposal frames the concept as “on-demand, express transportation,” with vehicles dispatched as needed and capacity adjustable in real time.

Stations could be built underground or above ground with ramp access into tunnels. The documents also referenced potential future integration of a configurable Robovan for passengers and cargo, though capacity projections for the Orlando tunnels have not yet been disclosed.

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The proposal states that the Loop can integrate “easily into environmentally sensitive areas,” but it does not provide detailed mitigation plans for Central Florida’s high water table and limestone geology, which is susceptible to sinkholes. The company has stated that it intends to hire an Orlando-based geotechnical firm to evaluate soil conditions.

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Tesla Giga Berlin dispute against IG Metall union leads to investigation

As per a report from rbb24, police seized a laptop belonging to an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday afternoon.

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Credit: Tesla Manufacturing/X

German authorities have opened an investigation into an IG Metall union representative following allegations that a confidential works council meeting at Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin was secretly recorded. The probe follows a criminal complaint filed by Tesla management last week.

As per a report from rbb24, police seized a laptop belonging to an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors in Frankfurt (Oder) confirmed that an investigation is underway into a possible unauthorized audio recording of an internal works council meeting.

Under German law, recording a non-public meeting without consent may constitute a criminal offense.

Tesla stated that Gigafactory Berlin employees alerted management after allegedly discovering that an external union representative, who was attending the event as a guest, had recorded the session. Plant manager André Thierig stated in a post on X that the representative was “caught in action,” prompting the company to contact police and file a criminal complaint.

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The seized device is now part of the investigation, and authorities will determine whether any unlawful recording had indeed occurred.

IG Metall has denied the accusation. In comments to German media, representatives rejected Tesla’s claim and described the electric vehicle maker’s allegation as an election campaign tactic ahead of upcoming works council elections.

The election at Tesla’s Grünheide plant is scheduled for March 2–4, 2026, with about 11,000 employees being eligible to vote. Regular works council elections in Germany are held every four years between March and May.

The incident comes amid tensions between Tesla and organized labor in Germany. While works councils operate independently from unions, IG Metall has been active at the plant and has previously criticized Tesla’s labor practices. Authorities, for their part, have not yet announced whether charges will be filed, though the investigation remains ongoing.

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Tesla rolls out xAI’s Grok to vehicles across Europe

The initial rollout includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain.

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Tesla is rolling out Grok to vehicles in Europe. The feature will initially launch in nine European territories.

In a post on X, the official Tesla Europe, Middle East & Africa account confirmed that Grok is coming to Teslas in Europe. The initial rollout includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain, and additional markets are expected to be added later.

Grok allows drivers to ask questions using real-time information and interact hands-free while driving. According to Tesla’s support documentation, Grok can also initiate navigation commands, enabling users to search for destinations, discover points of interest, and adjust routes without touching the touchscreen, as per the feature’s official webpage.

The system offers selectable personalities, ranging from “Storyteller” to “Unhinged,” and is activated either through the App Launcher or by pressing and holding the steering wheel’s microphone button.

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Grok is currently available only on Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck vehicles equipped with an AMD infotainment processor. Vehicles must be running software version 2025.26 or later, with navigation command support requiring version 2025.44.25 or newer.

Drivers must also have Premium Connectivity or a stable Wi-Fi connection to use the feature. Tesla notes that Grok does not currently replace standard voice commands for vehicle controls such as climate or media adjustments.

The company has stated that Grok interactions are processed securely by xAI and are not linked to individual drivers or vehicles. Users do not need a Grok account or subscription to enable the feature at this time as well.

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