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Tesla Energy’s true potential shines as study shows Gen Z prefers renewables, not coal

Tesla Solar Panels (Credit: Tesla)

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6 years ago

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During the second quarter earnings call, Elon Musk highlighted that the potential of Tesla Energy exceeds that of the company’s automotive business simply because the utility sector is much larger than the car industry. Fortunately for Tesla, it appears that the upcoming ramp of its energy business is coming just at the right time, as a recent study has determined that members of Gen Z are far more interested in careers relating to renewable energy. 

Morning Consult, a US-based data intelligence firm, recently conducted a climate change study on members of Generation Z aged between 13 and 23. The study was conducted on August 21-23 and it involved about 1,000 participants, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points. In a post about its survey, the data intelligence firm noted that overall, the study revealed that Gen Z accepts climate change as a fact, and a significant number of them are willing to do something about it. 

As could be seen in the graphic below, 26% of the respondents in the study believe that humans have the capability to stop climate change. A larger number, 49%, believe that while climate change could not really be stopped, it could be slowed down. Encouragingly, only 2% of the study’s respondents stated that they do not believe climate change is happening, and only 8% stated that climate change is beyond humans’ control. 

(Credit: Morning Consult)

What is particularly notable in the study’s results was the fact that 73% of the survey’s respondents stated that they are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the impact of climate change on the environment. The data intelligence firm noted that these values would likely have an effect on policies in the near future. “While many of the poll’s respondents are not yet able to vote, as the generation that has given the world activists such as Greta Thunberg and Xiye Bastida comes of age, its values will be of increasing relevance to policymakers,” the firm noted. 

Amidst the data gathered by the intelligence firm, one particular point stood out. Gen Z-ers, most of whom have lived through a time when the effects of climate change have been more prominent, are focused on careers relating to sustainability. When asked about their career prospects, the vast majority of the study’s respondents stated that they are interested in sectors that contribute to the fight against climate change, like solar and wind. Sectors whose emissions harm the environment such as coal, on the other hand, hold very little appeal. 

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(Credit: Morning Consult)

Based on the results of Morning Consult’s study, 50% of the respondents noted that they were interested in pursuing a career in the solar industry. Careers in wind and hydropower are a close second and third, with 43% and 41%, respectively. Interestingly enough, the coal industry, a key driver of the industrial age, only holds appeal to 15% of the study’s respondents, making it the least popular career option for Gen Z members. Alternatives to renewables like solar and wind, such as nuclear power, also seem to hold little appeal for the survey’s respondents.

“Fifteen percent of Gen Z-ers, meanwhile, expressed interest in a career in coal, with 65% saying they were not interested. The natural gas sector — which proponents have long touted as facilitating the economy’s transition to more renewable energy — was also unpopular, with 29% interested and 52% not interested. This is consistent with the industry’s own polling in 2017, which has prompted concern from energy executives about how to recruit new talent in the coming decades. And while nuclear energy has similarly been championed as playing a crucial role in the transition, the sector proved statistically as unpopular as natural gas,” the intelligence firm noted.

With this shift in mind, companies like Tesla are perfectly positioned as the preferred places of work for the next generation. As Gen Z steps away from fossil fuel-based jobs, the opportunities for businesses such as Tesla Energy become larger. Companies that actively address the effects of climate change, after all, are far better alternatives to workplaces whose practices actively destroy the planet. Perhaps this is already starting in the automotive sector, as companies like Tesla are becoming increasingly popular among engineering graduates. Beyond the appeal of working for a rockstar CEO like Elon Musk, Tesla’s disruptive approach and its open, ambitious mission could very well be considered attractive by prospective employees.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla owner attempts resale of Model S Signature Edition for over $260k

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1 hour ago

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July 14, 2026

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Credit: Tesla

A Tesla owner who purchased a Model S Signature Edition, one of the final 250 units of the all-electric flagship vehicle that the company discontinued earlier this year, is attempting to sell the car despite a no-resale clause that prohibits reselling for the first year.

The car is being sold by J&S Autohaus in Ewing, New Jersey, and is priced at $260,490, well above the $159,420 that Tesla sold it for earlier this year.

To those who do not know, the Model S Signature was a highly exclusive, limited-run farewell variant of the Model S Plaid that was produced this year to mark the end of production of both the Model S and Model X, Tesla’s two flagship vehicles.

Limited to just 250 units with invite-only sales, it serves as a collector’s item celebrating the legacy of the Model S, which helped pioneer Tesla’s electric vehicle success since its 2012 launch.

It bundles top-tier performance with bespoke cosmetic and luxury upgrades, plus Tesla’s Luxe Package. Here’s what the Model S Signature has over the typical Model S Plaid:

  • Exclusive Exterior – Unique Garnet Red Paint, matching door handles, gold Tesla “T” badges upfront, gold Plaid and Signature badging at the rear.
  • Premium Interior – White Alcantara upholstery with gold piping/accents, gold Plaid seat badges, Signature-marked door sills, individually numbered dashboard plaque, gold puddle lights, special interior lighting sequence, and a custom Signature key fob.
  • Performance Upgrades – Carbon-ceramic brakes with gold calipers
  • Bundled Luxe Package – Full Self-Driving (Supervised), four years of Premium Connectivity, free lifetime Supercharging
  • Performance Metrics – ~1,020 horsepower, sub-2-second 0-60 MPH, ~390-mile range

Tesla quickly introduced a No Resale Agreement for the Signature Editions of the Model S and Model X, which would penalize the seller for “the amount of $50,000 or the value received as consideration for the sale or transfer, whichever is greater.”

The company continues:

“If you sell or otherwise transfer the ownership of your Model S or Model X, the remainder of the Recommended Maintenance, Wheel and Tire Protection Plan, and Windshield Protection Plan will transfer automatically to the buyer. The Full Self-Driving (Supervised), Free Supercharging and Premium Connectivity will not transfer with the vehicle and will terminate once the ownership of the Model S or Model X is transferred.”

Tesla will likely come after the seller, especially as it has been about two months since Tesla launched deliveries.

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News

Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3.5 Early Impressions: new features and early performance

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4 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

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Credit: TESLARATI

Tesla rolled out Full Self-Driving (Supervised) v14.3.5 yesterday, and about fifty miles of driving on the new version has given me enough time to highlight what seems to be strong about the release and what is not.

Additionally, Tesla has added a few new features with this specific update, which we’ll highlight as well.

Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3.5 Performance

The new update is business as usual. Things seem to be running completely normal and necessary, but there are a few things that we’ve seemed to pick up on based on our own experience with v14.3.5, as well as what other users are seeing.

Initially, it seems to be more aware of its surroundings, making moves that are incredibly courteous to other drives and operating just a tad more reserved than what the suite might have done previously.

We had two instances where it showed this, the first being FSD needing to pass a Flagger Force vehicle that was placing down signage for the day. Their work truck was right at the front corner of a right-hand turn; typically where most cars travel when they take that turn.

FSD v14.3.5 recognized this, slowed down, and took the turn wide with no issues:

Additionally, v14.3.5 backed up for a semi truck that was making a wide turn onto a road my car was on. This is not new, but it seemed to be backing up for courtesy; it didn’t seem completely necessary, but it might have put some peace of mind in the truck driver’s head:

X user Mike P, also a Pennsylvania native like myself, shared three clips of his Tesla running v14.3.5 performing similar maneuvers. He said:

“FSD turns right into a small alley that only fits one car at a time, sees oncoming car, reverses out of alley to make space, realizes oncoming car is actually parking, re-enters alley.”
Check it out here:

It seems like Speed Profiles are still in need of some tweaking; I am adjusting what Speed Profile I’m in frequently, constantly changing it to get it to travel at the correct speed. This was an issue for me on v14.3.4. It seems like they’re just a little inconsistent.

Terrible Parking

Parking attempts on v14.3.5 were not good. There are quite a few people who have said this:

David Moss, the Tesla owner who has taken multiple coast-to-coast drives without any interventions, also has had some issues with parking early on with v14.3.5:

New Features

Tesla has added the ability to open Camera Preview at any time. Previously, it was only available in Park. Here’s what that feature looks like in action:

Check back later this week for a longer review of what we’ve noticed on Full Self-Driving v14.3.5.

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Lifestyle

Tesla makes the cut on California’s newest EV Rebate program

California just signed a $270 million EV rebate into law and it starts this summer.

Published

10 hours ago

on

July 13, 2026

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tesla fremont

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 168 into law on Monday, July 13, 2026, creating a $270 million EV rebate program that delivers money directly at the dealership rather than as a tax credit applied months later. The program, called MyFirstEV, is funded equally by California’s state budget and participating automakers, with each contributing $135.5 million to make the math work.

The timing is directly tied to the loss of federal support when the $7,500 federal EV tax credit ended, removing the most significant consumer incentive that had driven EV adoption in the U.S. California, which accounts for roughly one-third of all EVs sold nationally, moved to fill that gap with a state-level replacement.

The rebate structure is straightforward. First-time EV buyers can receive $3,500 off any new battery-electric vehicle with an MSRP up to $50,000. Used EVs priced at $25,000 or below qualify for a $1,750 rebate. The credit is applied at the point of sale, which removes the friction of the old federal system where buyers had to wait for tax season to see the benefit. The program goes live later this summer, with the California Air Resources Board expected to release full participation details next month.

California hits Tesla Cybercab and Robotaxi driverless cars with new law

For Tesla buyers, the implications are mixed. The Tesla Model 3 RWD at $42,490 and the Model 3 Long Range at $47,490 both fall under the $50,000 cap and would qualify for the full $3,500 rebate for first-time buyers. The Model Y, which starts at $44,990 after Tesla’s recent price adjustment, also qualifies. The Model X, Model S, and Cybertruck all exceed the cap and receive no benefit. As Teslarati has reported, the program also includes a carve-out exempting California-based automakers like Rivian and Lucid from the price cap entirely, a provision that puts Tesla at a disadvantage since it relocated its headquarters to Texas in 2021.

Other qualifying vehicles include the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Volkswagen ID.4.

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