Update: The Parliament members read a report from the Occupational Health and Safety Authority, which visits the Giga Berlin site every week. There was no exceedance of 8 hours of working time found by the Authority, nor were there any violations of COVID-19 protocols, via Claus Ableiter.
Tesla has been found not to be violating labor laws at its German Gigafactory, better known as Giga Berlin, State Parliament members say. After a meeting on Tuesday, which had several members of the Parliament speak regarding their findings at the Giga Berlin site, Tesla is not violating any labor laws that protect employees and workers from being subjected to unfair practices.
In a report earlier this week, Business Insider stated that the State Office for Occupational Safety, along with an agency required to investigate labor law violation claims, was told to investigate the possibility of employees at the site being overworked in unfair conditions and being paid below-par wages.
“The assessment is that the overall work situation is great.” -Parliament Member Ernst-Friedrich Pernack
The claims followed more negative reports regarding Tesla’s first European Gigafactory from earlier this week. German media site Automobilwoche claimed that a member of Elon Musk’s inner circle had admitted the Giga Berlin factory wouldn’t begin producing cars until January 2022. Jörg Steinbach, the Economic Minister for Brandenburg, the state where the site is located, disputed these claims and told Teslarati that he still anticipates Tesla to begin initial production in “late-Summer or early-Autumn.”
However, at the meeting with the Parliament in Grünheide, the municipality where the factory is located, members stated that there were no findings or “serious deficiencies” in Tesla’s work conditions. After visits and some investigations this week, members of the Parliament who were tasked with discussing the findings said, “So far, we have not received any information that it could be such unworthy conditions as they are in the press.”
Es gab Berichte über hohe Arbeitszeiten und unwürdige Arbeitsbedingungen auf der Baustelle von Tesla in #Grünheide.
In einer heutigen Landtagssitzung haben die zuständigen Behörden Bericht erstattet und soweit keine gravierenden Mängel festgestellt.https://t.co/kyBcNHGIze— GrünheideForFuture (@Gruenheide4futr) May 5, 2021
The Tweet above says (via Google Translate):
“There have been reports of long hours and unworthy working conditions at Tesla’s construction site in #Grünheide. In a meeting of the state parliament today, the responsible authorities reported and so far found no serious deficiencies.”
“The assessment is that the overall work situation is great,” one Parliament member, Ernst-Friedrich Pernack, who spoke in great lengths about the situation, said. “Overall, worker protection is very satisfactory in relation to other large construction sites few issues & accidents not over average,” he added.
According to Pernack, a total of 17 visits to the Giga Berlin property have been made so far in 2021 alone, accounting for around one visit per week so far. There have been no concerns raised by the Parliament, nor by the Construction Trade Association, who also conducts the weekly inspections with the Parliament members. There are still ongoing investigations with work hours, and some other issues, Pernack stated.
EXCLUSIVE: Tesla Giga Berlin isn’t facing a 6-month delay: German Minister
The comments made regarding Tesla’s working conditions by the Parliament indicate that there are no violations of labor laws at the German plant. Tesla said in its recent Q1 2021 Update Letter that “production and deliveries remain on track for late 2021.”
The portion of the Parliament Meeting where Giga Berlin’s labor conditions are discussed is available below thanks to GrünheideForFuture.
Tesla is dominating in the United Kingdom so far through 2025, and with about two weeks left in the year, the Model Y and Model 3 are leading the way.
The Model Y and Model 3 are the two best-selling electric vehicles in the United Kingdom, which is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and it’s not particularly close.
According to data gathered by EU-EVs, the Model Y is sitting at 18,890 units for the year, while the Model 3 is slightly behind with 16,361 sales for the year so far.
The next best-selling EV is the Audi Q4 e-tron at 10,287 units, lagging significantly behind but ahead of other models like the BMW i4 and the Audi Q6 e-tron.
GOOD NEWS 🇬🇧 Tesla is absolutely crushing the UK electric vehicle market in 2025 💥
The numbers are in, and the dominance is clear. With an impressive amount of 42,270 vehicles delivered year-to-date, the brand now commands a solid 9.6% market share of the total auto market 🆒… pic.twitter.com/dkiGX9kzd0
— Ming (@tslaming) December 18, 2025
The Model Y has tasted significant success in the global market, but it has dominated in large markets like Europe and the United States.
For years, it’s been a car that has fit the bill of exactly what consumers need: a perfect combination of luxury, space, and sustainability.
Both vehicles are going to see decreases in sales compared to 2024; the Model Y was the best-selling car last year, but it sold 32,610 units in the UK. Meanwhile, the Model 3 had reached 17,272 units, which will keep it right on par with last year.
Tesla sold 50,090 units in the market last year, and it’s about 8,000 units shy of last year’s pace. It also had a stronger market share last year with 13.2 percent of the sales in the market. With two weeks left in 2025, Tesla has a 9.6 percent market share, leading Volkswagen with 8 percent.
The company likely felt some impact from CEO Elon Musk’s involvement with the Trump administration and, more specifically, his role with DOGE. However, it is worth mentioning that some months saw stronger consumer demand than others. For example, sales were up over 20 percent in February. A 14 percent increase followed this in June.
News
Tesla Insurance officially expands to new U.S. state
Tesla’s in-house Insurance program first launched back in late 2019, offering a new way to insure the vehicles that was potentially less expensive and could alleviate a lot of the issues people had with claims, as the company could assess and repair the damage itself.
Tesla Insurance has officially expanded to a new U.S. state, its thirteenth since its launch in 2019.
Tesla has confirmed that its in-house Insurance program has officially made its way to Florida, just two months after the company filed to update its Private Passenger Auto program in the state. It had tried to offer its insurance program to drivers in the state back in 2022, but its launch did not happen.
Instead, Tesla refiled the paperwork back in mid-October, which essentially was the move toward initiating the offering this month.
BREAKING: Tesla Insurance has just officially launched in Florida.
This is the first new state to receive @Tesla Insurance in more than 3 years. In total, Tesla insurance is now available in 13 U.S. states (map in thread below of all the states).
Tesla Insurance in Florida uses… pic.twitter.com/bDwh1IV6gD
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 17, 2025
Tesla’s in-house Insurance program first launched back in late 2019, offering a new way to insure the vehicles that was potentially less expensive and could alleviate a lot of the issues people had with claims, as the company could assess and repair the damage itself.
It has expanded to new states since 2019, but Florida presents a particularly interesting challenge for Tesla, as the company’s entry into the state is particularly noteworthy given its unique insurance landscape, characterized by high premiums due to frequent natural disasters, dense traffic, and a no-fault system.
Annual average premiums for Florida drivers hover around $4,000 per year, well above the national average. Tesla’s insurance program could disrupt this, especially for EV enthusiasts. The state’s growing EV adoption, fueled by incentives and infrastructure development, aligns perfectly with Tesla’s ecosystem.
Moreover, there are more ways to have cars repaired, and features like comprehensive coverage for battery damage and roadside assistance tailored to EVs address those common painpoints that owners have.
However, there are some challenges that still remain. Florida’s susceptibility to hurricanes raises questions about how Tesla will handle claims during disasters.
Looking ahead, Tesla’s expansion of its insurance program signals the company’s ambition to continue vertically integrating its services, including coverage of its vehicles. Reducing dependency on third-party insurers only makes things simpler for the company’s automotive division, as well as for its customers.
News
Tesla Full Self-Driving gets sparkling review from South Korean politician
“Having already ridden in an unmanned robotaxi, the novelty wasn’t as strong for me, but it drives just as well as most people do. It already feels like a completed technology, which gives me a lot to think about.”
Tesla Full Self-Driving got its first sparkling review from South Korean politician Lee So-young, a member of the country’s National Assembly, earlier this week.
Lee is a member of the Strategy and Finance Committee in South Korea and is a proponent of sustainable technologies and their applications in both residential and commercial settings. For the first time, Lee was able to utilize Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology as it launched in the country in late November.
Her thoughts on the suite were complimentary to the suite, stating that “it drives just as well as most people do,” and that “it already feels like a completed technology.”
드디어 오늘, 서울에서 테슬라 FSD 체험 했습니다.
JiDal Papa님의 모델S 협찬에 힘입어^^ 파파님 정말 감사합니다.
국회 -> 망원시장 -> 홍익대 -> 국회 복귀 코스였고요.
이미 무인 로보택시를 타봐서 그런지 신기함은
덜했지만, 웬만한 사람만큼 운전을 잘하네요.이미 완성된 기술이라고… pic.twitter.com/8pAidHBpRG
— 이소영 국회의원 (Soyoung Lee) (@im_soyounglee) December 17, 2025
Her translated post says:
“Finally, today I got to experience Tesla FSD in Seoul. Thanks to the Model S sponsored by JiDal Papa^^, I’m truly grateful to Papa. The route was from the National Assembly -> Mangwon Market -> Hongik University -> back to the National Assembly. Having already ridden in an unmanned robotaxi, the novelty wasn’t as strong for me, but it drives just as well as most people do. It already feels like a completed technology, which gives me a lot to think about. Once it actually spreads into widespread use, I feel like our daily lives are going to change a lot. Even I, with my license gathering dust in a drawer, don’t see much reason to learn to drive a manual anymore.”
Tesla Full Self-Driving officially landed in South Korea in late November, with the initial launch being one of Tesla’s most recent, v14.1.4.
It marked the seventh country in which Tesla was able to enable the driver assistance suite, following the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.
It is important to see politicians and figures in power try new technologies, especially ones that are widely popular in other regions of the world and could potentially revolutionize how people travel globally.
Tesla dominates in the UK with Model Y and Model 3 leading the way
Tesla Insurance officially expands to new U.S. state
