News
Tesla ushers in the age of EVs and the demise of the gas-guzzler
This year could start the beginning of the end for the internal combustion engine. Heck, The Economist gave the internal combustion engine an obituary this year in a recent cover story. And, according to Peter Holley at the Washington Post, “when future auto historians look back, they may pinpoint 2017 as the year electric vehicles went from a promising progressive fad to an industry-wide inevitability.”
Holley points out a number of signposts surfacing this year that pose a threat to the diesel and gas-powered automobile. The internal combustion engine (ICE) may be on… ummm, thin ice. So, as we look at the events unfolding this year, what indictors are contributing to this tectonic shift in the auto sector?
1. Tesla Model 3 ushers in the age of electric vehicles
Of course at the top of our list is the “the debut of Tesla’s Model 3” this year. Holley writes, “The company’s first mass-market vehicle has ushered in an era of excitement about EVs because of the car’s slick design and starting price of around $35,000.” But don’t let that lower price point fool you, Tesla is poised to achieve healthy margins for the Model 3 too.
2. China is going electric
China has proved a massive market opportunity for Tesla. And CEO Elon Musk may soon be announcing a Tesla factory in Shanghai. China’s also the world leader in electric vehicle sales by a wide margin. It’s reported that, “in addition to setting aggressive production quotas for EVs, China plans to scrap internal combustion engines entirely as soon as 2030. By taking a lead role in the shift to plug-ins, the world’s largest auto market is forcing the rest of the international community to follow in its footsteps.” And, other countries are following China’s lead.
Above: China takes the lead in electric vehicles (Youtube: Wall Street Journal)
3. Gas stations are installing electric vehicle chargers
Gas stations have been taking some unlikely cues from Tesla. And, “some experts believe electric cars have sounded the death knell of the American gas station.” John Abbott, Shell Oil’s business director admits, “We’re looking at having battery charging facilities.” This past week Shell signed an agreement to buy the electric vehicle charging company, NewMotion, which, “operates more than 30,000 private electric charge points for homes and businesses in the Netherlands, Germany, France and the U.K.”
4. Auto mechanics have less work to do
Electric cars require far less maintenance than gas-powered cars. “One of the primary reasons that auto owners visit a mechanic is for an oil change, which raises a question: What happens when vehicles no longer rely on oil? It’s not that electric vehicles won’t require maintenance (they still have brakes, tires and windshield wipers, after all), but their engines are far simpler, experts say.” Tony Seba, a clean energy expert, notes that electric vehicles, “have 20 moving parts, as opposed to 2,000 in the internal combustion engine… [and] are far cheaper to maintain.”
5. Big Auto announces electrifying plans
Jessica Caldwell, analyst at Edmunds admits, “You really do feel like this electrification thing is suddenly very real… There’s a momentum we haven’t really seen before. It’s coming from other countries around the world and from big automakers, and that’s forcing everyone else to comply.” Although, to be fair, it’s conceivable some of Big Auto’s EV announcements could just be feel-good window dressing for their brands. After all, legacy automakers are using some crafty wordplay hyping electrified cars instead of all-electric cars.
Above: Announcements from automakers (and countries) committing themselves to an electric vehicle future (Image: Teslarati)
6. Environmental impact of fossil fuel powered cars
With tales of cartels and collusion surrounding Germany’s dirty diesel programs, public perception is starting to shift. And the research is conclusive, electric vehicles are cleaner. Gina Coplon-Newfield, Director of Sierra Club’s Electric Vehicles Initiative explains, “Depending on how electricity is produced in your region, plug-ins are from 30 percent to 80 percent lower in greenhouse gas emissions.” She notes if companies like GM step up with plans to launch EV fleets, reductions in carbon emissions and improvements in air quality could be “hugely beneficial.”
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Note: Article originally published on evannex.com, by Matt Pressman
Source: Washington Post
News
Tesla Model Y reclaims elusive sales title in competitive market
As more EVs have entered the market and some at better prices, Tesla’s Model Y has been put up against some very attractive options.
The Tesla Model Y reclaimed an elusive sales title in one of the most competitive markets it is in, outpacing key rivals and formidable competitors to regain the crown it once was a shoe-in for.
As more EVs have entered the market and some at better prices, Tesla’s Model Y has been put up against some very attractive options.
This is especially prudent in Europe and China, where domestic car companies have been offering attractive and cheap EVs as Tesla alternatives.
However, in September, the Model Y was able to battle back and take over the top sales spot for EVs in Europe.
In September, it had 25,938 sales, and although it was an 8.6 percent decrease compared to the same month in 2024, it was enough to be labeled the best-selling car in the European market, Automotive News reported.
500-mile test proves why Tesla Model Y still humiliates rivals in Europe
There are four vehicles that have been atop the European EV sales rankings for any given month this year: the Renault Clio, which has three titles, the Dacia Sandero, which has won four monthly sales titles, and the Volkswagen T-Roc, which was the best-selling car in the market in August.
The Clio captured the number-two spot in September with 20,146 sales.
Despite a strong September showing for the Model Y, which was its first monthly sales crown of the year, the vehicle has not been a top-three EV in Europe this year. That is still led by the Sandero, Clio, and T-Roc.
Despite that, Tesla’s Model Y is still likely to be one of the best-selling vehicles in the world, if not the best, for the year.
In the United States, it has dominated EV sales charts and has been one of the most popular cars in the region. The same goes for China, where the Model Y has more competition than in Europe, but is so attractive because of its premium look and feel, as well as its tech offerings.
The Model Y has been the best-selling car globally for the past two years, outpacing widely popular gas and EV models from around the world.
Tesla also just finished up its best three-month sales period in its history, delivering just shy of half a million vehicles from July to September.
A Tesla captured video of a crashing plane on an Oklahoma highway, as a shocking video shows a small aircraft coming across a local roadway, with various cars ducking to avoid it.
On October 23, an Oklahoma National Guard OA-1K Skyraider II turboprop plane crashed during a training mission after an engine failure. Both crew members escaped unharmed, but they were not the only ones at risk of injury.
A Tesla Dashcam video shared by a friend of the car’s owner shows the vehicle narrowly avoiding an impact with the plane, swerving left, then back onto its side of the road. It appears to be a serious miracle:
WOW! Tesla full self driving dodges a freaking plane falling out of the sky! @Tesla fsd for the win! @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/vTVxuLPsHg
— David Bellow (@davidbellow) October 24, 2025
David Bellow, the person who posted the video of the Tesla avoiding the plane, claims it was Full Self-Driving that performed the maneuver, but it is not confirmed. This is what he said:
This wasn’t me my friend sent me the video from Matthew Topchian it was his Tesla. I’ll see if my friend can reach out and get more details of what fsd version! I personally had a video of my Tesla maneuvering between two bunnies at night on the road so I fully believe this to be…
— David Bellow (@davidbellow) October 25, 2025
There are a few hints that suggest it could be Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite, but it is important to note that neither the company, the driver, nor the friend has confirmed this.
The first hint is the vehicle’s maneuver and subsequent reaction. The car suddenly swerves to the left, which any human would do, but how the vehicle continues to travel as if nothing had happened seems to solidify the idea that FSD could have been involved in avoiding the plane.
Nevertheless, this does not confirm that FSD was in control.
My Tesla did this on FSD (Supervised) v14.1 and the internet went crazy
Most people would likely have stopped in their tracks after avoiding an aircraft while driving.
However, this is not enough proof to definitively say FSD was responsible for the avoidance.
Additionally, the “Jump to Event” button is activated in the video, suggesting that FSD was in control. The vehicle gives this option when something major has occurred, including human intervention.
Regardless of whether the car was on FSD or was controlled manually, it is pretty crazy to have this piece of dashcam footage.
News
Tesla Full Self-Driving got a minor feature that’s a massive improvement
“Brake Confirm for the Start Self-Driving button is now defaulted off. When disabled, Start Self-Driving will not require you to press and release the brake to confirm engagement.”
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite seems to get better with every single release. However, it is also making it more seamless and easier than ever to use for passenger travel, thanks to a recent feature that has flown under the radar.
Tesla started rolling out its v14 iteration of the Full Self-Driving suite a few weeks ago to Early Access Program (EAP) members, and it finally started making its way to the public for the first time earlier this week.
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.1 first impressions: Robotaxi-like features arrive
The wide rollout of Tesla v14.1.3 was long-awaited, as its capabilities were flexed by the handful of people lucky to have it. However, those sitting with v13.2.9 were still eager to get to their hands on the new FSD version, especially considering it came with a lot of cool upgrades.
One of which is flying under the radar and not getting as much attention as it should. Although it is a minor feature change from v13, Tesla has made FSD more seamless than ever with a simple fix that it started utilizing with v14.
With v14.1.1, Tesla started rolling out the removal of the “Brake Confirm” feature, which required drivers to touch the brake to activate Full Self-Driving. This is now an optional feature, as it now is defaulted to the off position by the car.
The release notes for the feature state:
“Brake Confirm for the Start Self-Driving button is now defaulted off. When disabled, Start Self-Driving will not require you to press and release the brake to confirm engagement.
You can enable Brake Confirm in Autopilot > Brake Confirm.”
https://t.co/Hpz2VP7aLS pic.twitter.com/SBsjGRmsyd
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 24, 2025
Simply put, you no longer need to touch the brake to confirm your intention to use Full Self-Driving, which is a small but very effective fix.
It makes your car much more active in terms of overall activation, and it is definitely a quicker and more streamlined departure from your current location than ever before.
Here’s a good look at how quick it is:
@teslarati With Tesla Full Self-Driving v14, there is no delay when you start FSD. Press “Start Self-Driving” and you’re on your way #fyp #viral #tesla #teslafsd #fsdv14 ♬ original sound – TESLARATI
The feature is small, but it is very noticeable with your first uses of FSD v14. Eventually, it will become even more streamlined as Tesla solves self-driving and autonomy, as it will require zero human intervention to get started, which means the “Start Self-Driving” button will also be removed.
Tesla Model Y reclaims elusive sales title in competitive market
Tesla dashcam video shows crazy plane crash avoidance maneuver
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