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Tesla confirms multiple registered Cybertrucks in Europe

Credit: Tesla Europe and Middle East/X

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Another Tesla Cybertruck has been registered in Europe, as was confirmed over the weekend by one of the company’s engineers for the unique electric vehicle (EV).

On Sunday, Tesla’s Lead Cybertruck Engineer Wes Morrill reposted an image on X of a Cybertruck driving in the Netherlands with a European license plate. The photo, which was originally posted by X user Dénis van Vliet on Saturday, shows the Cybertruck driving on a freeway in Eindhoven, though he also notes that the EV has an Albanian license plate.

“First Cybertruck registered in EU, driving in Netherlands? Someone was bound to figure it out eventually,” Morrill wrote.

Credit: Dénis van Vliet | X

READ MORE ON THE TESLA CYBERTRUCK: Tesla Cybertruck spotted at BYD facility in China

When implicitly asked by another user how European buyers could somehow get Cybertrucks registered, Morill responded by saying, “Make friends.”

Morrill also shared an update later in the afternoon, saying that he had missed the previously registered Cybertrucks, effectively confirming that those had also been fully registered.

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Upon further inspection, van Vliet confirmed that the Cybertruck is owned by rapper Kosso, who recently talked about purchasing the car is Oisterwijk, though he was considering getting plates from either the Czech Republic or Albania. On Sunday, the vehicle was seen again in Lanaken, Belgium in a story from Nieuwsblad that confirmed that it is Kosso’s Cybertruck.

Tesla Cybertrucks that were previously reported to be registered in the EU

The news follows a few other reports this year that some Cybertrucks had been registered in the European Union (EU). Most recently, a France-based Tesla Advisor reported that the first Cybertruck had been registered in the Czech Republic, though he did not disclose to Teslarati how exactly the vehicle had managed to gain registration.

During Tesla’s Annual Shareholder Meeting in June, Elon Musk said that the company may be able to certify the Cybertruck for markets outside of North America in 2025, though it would be “for sure just North America” this year. He has also hinted at the potential for a version of the Cybertruck developed specifically for European and Chinese markets, while many have expressed doubts around the EV’s ability to meet certain pedestrian safety regulations in the past.

In an interview with Top Gear last December, for example, Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy cast some doubt on the Cybertruck’s ability to be eligible for registration in Europe, largely due to its protruding edges.

“One, the truck market in the U.S. is huge and two, European regulations call for a 3.2mm external radius on external projections,” Moravy said. “Unfortunately, it’s impossible to make a 3.2mm radius on a 1.4mm sheet of stainless steel.”

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Despite this, Tesla has also made its ambitions to bring the Cybertruck to other countries clear through worldwide display tours of the vehicle, showing it off in several Asian and European countries throughout much of the year. The company first announced plans to bring the Cybertruck to the United Kingdom and parts of Europe in April, after previously displaying the vehicle in China, Japan, and other parts of Asia.

Tesla also brought the Cybertruck to its Gigafactory Berlin in March as a display, though these and others in its world tour didn’t seem to be registered units. Cybertrucks being registered in Europe have been rumored since around this time this year, though they likely have been imported by the buyers after being purchased in North America.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

Tesla Cybertrucks get faster charging ahead of V4 cabinet rollout

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Zach is a renewable energy reporter who has been covering electric vehicles since 2020. He grew up in Fremont, California, and he currently lives in Colorado. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, FOX31 Denver, InsideEVs, CleanTechnica, and many other publications. When he isn't covering Tesla or other EV companies, you can find him writing and performing music, drinking a good cup of coffee, or hanging out with his cats, Banks and Freddie. Reach out at zach@teslarati.com, find him on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla makes two big interior changes to several Model Y vehicles

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has made two big interior changes to several Model Y vehicles in its lineup, and the changes come just as the new model year begins production.

Last year, Tesla launched the Model Y Standard, which separated the previous models into the “Premium” category. The Standard vehicles lack several features, including more premium interior materials, acoustic-lined glass, and storage.

@teslarati There are some BIG differences between the Tesla Model Y Standard and Tesla Model Y Premium #tesla #teslamodely ♬ Sia – Xeptemper

The Model Y “Premium” trims are now getting several new upgrades, which come after the company launched a seven-seat configuration of the vehicle last night in the North American market for an upcharge of $2,500.

The new Model Y seven-seat configuration did not come with just an additional row of seating; it also came with a slew of other goodies that now come standard and were previously only available on the Model Y Performance, which was launched late last year.

All Black Headliner

The new Tesla Model Y Premium trims will now come standard with a black headliner, something that many owners have been requesting for some time.

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The previous grey headliner and trim within the vehicle is now gone; it will be all black on all of the Premium trims from here on out, a welcome change:

Credit: Tesla

Larger and Higher Resolution Center Touchscreen

The center touchscreen in the new Model Y Premium configuration is now larger and has a higher resolution than the previous version.

In last year’s Model Y configurations (apart from the Performance), the center touchscreen was 15.4″. Now, Tesla has decided to go with the 16″ version across all Premium trims, which is a nice step up. It was nice to see this in the Performance, but it is really great to see Tesla include this in the Model Y’s more Premium trim levels.

Tesla Model Y Seven Seater

Tesla launched the latest iteration of the seven-seater for the Model Y on Monday night. Traditionally, the Model Y seats five passengers in total, but there were calls for a more spacious version several years ago.

Tesla released it, but it was extremely tight in the back, basically reserving those back seats for only small people or children.

Credit: Tesla

The new configuration looks to be slightly more spacious in the third row, but not as much space as most would require or want. Instead,

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Lufthansa Group to equip Starlink on its 850-aircraft fleet

Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release.

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Credit: Lufthansa

Lufthansa Group has announced a partnership with Starlink that will bring high-speed internet connectivity to every aircraft across all its carriers. 

This means that aircraft across the group’s brands, from Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines to Brussels Airlines, would be able to enjoy high-speed internet access using the industry-leading satellite internet solution.

Starlink in-flight internet

Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release

Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites are expected to provide significantly higher bandwidth and lower latency than traditional in-flight Wi-Fi, which should enable streaming, online work, and other data-intensive applications for passengers during flights.

Starlink-powered internet is expected to be available on the first commercial flights as early as the second half of 2026. The rollout will continue through the decade, with the entire Lufthansa Group fleet scheduled to be fully equipped with Starlink by 2029. Once complete, no other European airline group will operate more Starlink-connected aircraft.

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Free high-speed access

As part of the initiative, Lufthansa Group will offer the new high-speed internet free of charge to all status customers and Travel ID users, regardless of cabin class. Chief Commercial Officer Dieter Vranckx shared his expectations for the program.

“In our anniversary year, in which we are celebrating Lufthansa’s 100th birthday, we have decided to introduce a new high-speed internet solution from Starlink for all our airlines. The Lufthansa Group is taking the next step and setting an essential milestone for the premium travel experience of our customers. 

“Connectivity on board plays an important role today, and with Starlink, we are not only investing in the best product on the market, but also in the satisfaction of our passengers,” Vranckx said. 

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Tesla locks in Elon Musk’s top problem solver as it enters its most ambitious era

The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.

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Credit: Duke University

Tesla has granted Senior Vice President of Automotive Tom Zhu more than 520,000 stock options, tying a significant portion of his compensation to the company’s long-term performance. 

The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.

Tesla secures top talent

According to a Form 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Tom Zhu received 520,021 stock options with an exercise price of $435.80 per share. Since the award will not fully vest until March 5, 2031, Zhu must remain at Tesla for more than five years to realize the award’s full benefit.

Considering that Tesla shares are currently trading at around the $445 to $450 per share level, Zhu will really only see gains in his equity award if Tesla’s stock price sees a notable rise over the years, as noted in a Sina Finance report.

Still, even at today’s prices, Zhu’s stock award is already worth over $230 million. If Tesla reaches the market cap targets set forth in Elon Musk’s 2025 CEO Performance Award, Zhu would become a billionaire from this equity award alone.

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Tesla’s problem solver

Zhu joined Tesla in April 2014 and initially led the company’s Supercharger rollout in China. Later that year, he assumed the leadership of Tesla’s China business, where he played a central role in Tesla’s localization efforts, including expanding retail and service networks, and later, overseeing the development of Gigafactory Shanghai.

Zhu’s efforts helped transform China into one of Tesla’s most important markets and production hubs. In 2023, Tesla promoted Zhu to Senior Vice President of Automotive, placing him among the company’s core global executives and expanding his influence beyond China. He has since garnered a reputation as the company’s problem solver, being tapped by Elon Musk to help ramp Giga Texas’s vehicle production. 

With this in mind, Tesla’s recent filing seems to suggest that the company is locking in its top talent as it enters its newest, most ambitious era to date. As could be seen in the targets of Elon Musk’s 2025 pay package, Tesla is now aiming to be the world’s largest company by market cap, and it is aiming to achieve production levels that are unheard of. Zhu’s talents would definitely be of use in this stage of the company’s growth.

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