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When is Tesla coming to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates?

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If you think people living in one of the world’s most oil rich nations would not be interested in sustainable energy and driving electric automobiles, think again. Citizens of the United Arab Emirates are deeply involved in sustainability due to the harsh climates they live in. They’re also deeply interested in experiencing cutting edge technology and no better way to do that than to drive a Tesla, the most technologically advanced car in the world.

The UAE is comprised of 7 emirates located along the shores of the Persian Gulf on the eastern side of the Arabian peninsular. At the present time, the closest Tesla Superchargers are located hundreds of miles to the west in Jordan.

Tesla Supercharger in Jordan

Tesla Supercharger location in Jordan via Facebook, September, 2015

Back in 2015, Elon Musk tweeted that other nations in the area would soon be included in the Tesla community, but external factors like war and political insecurity have kept Tesla from developing more of a presence in the Middle East. At the present time, no new Superchargers in the area are planned, according to Tesla’s Supercharger map.

None of that has kept buyers in the UAE from bombarding Tesla with requests for information about purchasing a Tesla. In fact, some of the strongest interest the company has received in its upcoming Model 3 comes from that area.

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Last April, Ryan Kennedy, a sales manager at Tesla in the United States, told UAE news source 7days that the Middle East is now one of Tesla’s biggest markets even though charging infrastructure is almost nonexistent in the area. “Out of all our international requests, we get the most calls from the Middle East region… almost every day.”

Kennedy said that buyers are “eager to know how can they get Tesla cars over there,” then added, “We have a lot of buyers in that particular market and with Tesla Motors looking to expand locations across the globe by mid-2017, Dubai could be an important candidate.”

This week has been Sustainability Week in Abu Dhabi, an annual event sponsored by Masdar Corporation, a $15 billion dollar multinational business that promotes cleantech research and investments. Its CEO, Dr Ahmad Belhoul, has been involved in sustainability initiatives since 2006 — long before the world agreed to wide ranging climate protocols in Paris in December, 2015.

The buzz among the attendees at this year’s event is that Tesla is very close to opening a showroom in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai — or possibly both. It’s not official yet. A Tesla spokesperson would say only, “We don’t have anything to share yet but will certainly keep you posted on any news relating to the UAE.” according to a report from CleanTechnica.

If the rumors are correct, Tesla would be joining BMW in the Middle East market. The German company already sells its i3 electric sedan and i8 hybrid electric sports car there. The Emirates are also home to dealerships for McLaren, Ferrari, and other ultra luxury performance cars. Since the new Tesla Model S P100D is faster to 60 mph than any of those other cars, it could prove to be a very popular choice for wealthy residents of the Emirates.

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The United Arab Emirates has become a premium global brand thanks to the reputation for excellent service earned by Emirates airline. Adding Tesla’s own prestigious brand to the UAE international profile would make perfect sense. We will keep you informed of any official word from Tesla about expanding operations to include showrooms and Supercharger facilities in the UAE.

"I write about technology and the coming zero emissions revolution."

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Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia

The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago.

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UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk’s Grokipedia has grown to an impressive 5,615,201 articles as of today, closing in on 79% of the English Wikipedia’s current total of 7,119,376 articles. 

The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago. Needless to say, it would only be a matter of time before Grokipedia exceeds English Wikipedia in sheer volume.

Grokipedia’s rapid growth

xAI’s vision for Grokipedia emphasizes neutrality, while Grok’s reasoning capabilities allow for fast drafting and fact-checking. When Elon Musk announced the initiative in late September 2025, he noted that Grokipedia would be an improvement to Wikipedia because it would be designed to avoid bias. 

At the time, Musk noted that Grokipedia “is a necessary step towards the xAI goal of understanding the Universe.”

Grokipedia was launched in late October, and while xAI was careful to list it only as Version 0.1 at the time, the online encyclopedia immediately earned praise. Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger highlighted the project’s innovative approach, noting how it leverages AI to fill knowledge gaps and enable rapid updates. Netizens also observed how Grokipedia tends to present articles in a more objective manner compared to Wikipedia, which is edited by humans.

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Elon Musk’s ambitious plans

With 5,615,201 total articles, Grokipedia has now grown to almost 79% of English Wikipedia’s article base. This is incredibly quick, though Grokipedia remains text-only for now. xAI, for its part, has now updated the online encyclopedia’s iteration to v0.2. 

Elon Musk has shared bold ideas for Grokipedia, including sending a record of the entire knowledge base to space as part of xAI’s mission to preserve and expand human understanding. At some point, Musk stated that Grokipedia will be renamed to Encyclopedia Galactica, and it will be sent to the cosmos

“When Grokipedia is good enough (long way to go), we will change the name to Encyclopedia Galactica. It will be an open source distillation of all knowledge, including audio, images and video. Join xAI to help build the sci-fi version of the Library of Alexandria!” Musk wrote, adding in a later post that “Copies will be etched in stone and sent to the Moon, Mars and beyond. This time, it will not be lost.”

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Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025

More than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/Twitter

The Tesla Model 3 became the most popular used electric car in the Netherlands in 2025, cementing its dominance well beyond the country’s new-car market. 

After years at the top of Dutch EV sales charts, the Model 3 now leads the country’s second-hand EV market by a wide margin, as record used-car purchases pushed electric vehicles further into the mainstream.

Model 3 takes a commanding lead

The Netherlands recorded more than 2.1 million used car sales last year, the highest level on record. Of those, roughly 4.8%, or about 102,000 vehicles, were electric. Within that growing segment, the Tesla Model 3 stood far ahead of its competitors.

In 2025 alone, 11,338 used Model 3s changed hands, giving the car an 11.1% share of the country’s entire used EV market. That means more than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3, Auto Week Netherlands reported. The scale of its lead is striking: the gap between the Model 3 and the second-place finisher, the Volkswagen ID3, is more than 6,700 vehicles.

Rivals trail as residual values shape rankings

The Volkswagen ID.3 ranked a distant second, with 4,595 used units sold and a 4.5% market share. Close behind was the Audi e-tron, which placed third with 4,236 registrations. As noted by Auto Week Netherlands, relatively low residual values likely boosted the e-tron’s appeal in the used market, despite its higher original price.

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Other strong performers included the Kia Niro, the Tesla Model Y, and the Hyundai Kona, highlighting continued demand for compact and midsize electric vehicles with proven range and reliability. No other model, however, came close to matching the Model 3’s scale or market presence.

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Tesla Model Y Standard Long Range RWD launches in Europe

The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.

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Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East/X

Tesla has expanded the Model Y lineup in Europe with the introduction of the Standard Long Range RWD variant, which offers an impressive 657 km of WLTP range. 

The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.

Model Y Standard Long Range RWD Details

Tesla Europe & Middle East highlighted some of the Model Y Standard Long Range RWD’s most notable specs, from its 657 km of WLTP range to its 2,118 liters of cargo volume. More importantly, Tesla also noted that the newly released variant only consumes 12.7 kWh per 100 km, making it the most efficient Model Y to date. 

The Model Y Standard provides a lower entry point for consumers who wish to enter the Tesla ecosystem at the lowest possible price. While the Model 3 Standard is still more affordable, some consumers might prefer the Model Y Standard due to its larger size and crossover form factor. The fact that the Model Y Standard is equipped with Tesla’s AI4 computer also makes it ready for FSD’s eventual rollout to the region. 

Top Gear’s Model Y Standard review

Top Gear‘s recent review of the Tesla Model Y Standard highlighted some of the vehicle’s most notable features, such as its impressive real-world range, stellar infotainment system, and spacious interior. As per the publication, the Model Y Standard still retains a lot of what makes Tesla’s vehicles well-rounded, even if it’s been equipped with a simplified interior.

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Top Gear compared the Model Y Standard to its rivals in the same segment. “The introduction of the Standard trim brings the Model Y in line with the entry price of most of its closest competition. In fact, it’s actually cheaper than a Peugeot e-3008 and costs £5k less than an entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron. It also makes the Ford Mustang Mach-E look a little short with its higher entry price and worse range,” the publication wrote. 

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