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Tesla has joined the Australian Energy Council

Tesla Energy will join a top energy council in Australia, as it continues to deploy a wide range of battery projects in the country.

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Credit: Tesla Megapack | X

Tesla has been announced as the most recent member to join an industry group of electricity and energy businesses in Australia, coming amidst a wave of grid- and home-scale battery deployments in the country from the U.S. manufacturer.

Last week, Tesla Australia officially joined the Australian Energy Council (AEC) as the group’s newest member, contributing to a group of companies that administers gas and electricity to over 10 million homes. The news, announced in a post on LinkedIn, comes as Tesla continues to expand the presence of its grid-scale Megapacks and home-scale Powerwalls in Australia and elsewhere.

The council wrote the following announcement message in the post:

AEC membership provides an opportunity to collaborate to develop the solutions necessary to drive Australia’s energy transition. Together, we aim to create positive outcomes for consumers across the nation as the energy system decarbonises.

We look forward to working closely with Tesla Australia to help shape the future of Australia’s energy landscape.

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The announcement also garnered a response from Tesla Energy’s Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific region Josef Tadich, who shared a few words about the news in another post:

A big thank you to Louisa Kinnear and the Australian Energy Council, Tesla are very much looking forward to working together in this space, in what is turning out to be an exciting 2025.

Wholesale and retail electricity markets are rapidly adapting and changing to new technologies, with more renewables and storage on the supply side, and more generation and flexible loads on the Customer demand side with VPPs, and controllable EV charging loads to name a few. Great time to be in this dynamic space!

READ MORE ON TESLA ENERGY IN AUSTRALIA: Tesla building battery repair facility near Collie Megapack project

The announcement comes as Tesla has shipped Megapacks to a handful of energy storage sites in Australia, including a 1,600MWh Tesla Megapack facility in Plumpton, Victoria that’s expected to turn on sometime this year. Tesla is also working on expanding the Western Australia “Collie” battery, which will feature 2,240 MWh of Megapack storage upon completion of phase two.

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While the U.S. company currently builds its Megapacks at a so-called “Megafactory” in Lathrop, California, the company began production last month at a second Megafactory in Shanghai, China that’s expected to supply future energy projects in Australia. The company has also teased plans for a third Megafactory, though it isn’t yet clear where that could be built.

In addition to Tesla’s grid-scale Megapack batteries, the company also builds the Powerwall home-scale battery, which can be used for households or commercial buildings to store energy, along with being able to deploy energy back to the grid. Tesla also launched its next-generation Powerwall 3 in the Australian market last year.

The company utilizes its network of Powerwall owners to create giant, distributed batteries, called Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), effectively letting owners sell electricity back to the electrical grid during periods of peak demand. These programs are being utilized across much of Australia and several other markets throughout the world, and Tesla said in October that it had reached over 100,000 Powerwalls participating in VPPs worldwide.

Tesla Energy secures $375M Megapack contract

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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 reportedly testing Apple CarPlay integration: report

Citing insiders reportedly familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News claimed that CarPlay is being trialed by the EV maker internally.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is reportedly testing Apple’s CarPlay software for its vehicles, marking a major shift after years of resisting the tech giant’s ecosystem. 

Citing insiders reportedly familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News claimed that CarPlay is being trialed by the EV maker internally. The move could help Tesla gain more market share, as surveys have shown many buyers consider CarPlay as an essential feature when choosing a car.

Not the usual CarPlay experience

Bloomberg claimed that Tesla’s tests involve a rather unique way to integrate CarPlay. Instead of replacing the vehicle’s entire infotainment display, Tesla’s integration will reportedly feature a CarPlay window on the infotainment system. This limited approach will ensure that Tesla’s own software, such as Full Self-Driving’s visuals, remains dominant. 

The feature is expected to support wireless connectivity as well, bringing Tesla in line with other luxury automakers that already offer CarPlay. While plans remain fluid and may change before public release, the publication’s sources claimed that the rollout could happen within months. 

A change of heart

Tesla has been reluctant to grant Apple access to its in-car systems, partly due to Elon Musk’s past criticism of the tech giant’s App Store policies and its poaching of Tesla engineers during the failed Apple Car project. Tesla’s in-house software is also deemed by numerous owners as a superior option to CarPlay, thanks to its sleek design and rich feature set.

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With Apple’s retreat from building cars and Elon Musk’s relationship with Apple for X and Grok, however, the CEO’s stance on the tech giant seems to be improving. Overall, Tesla’s potential CarPlay integration would likely be appreciated by owners, as a McKinsey & Co. survey last year found that roughly one-third of buyers considered the lack of such systems a deal-breaker.

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China considering EV acceleration limits to curb high-speed accidents

If approved, the regulation would be a national standard.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Recent reports have emerged stating that China is considering new national standards that would restrict how fast electric vehicles can accelerate upon each startup. The potential regulation is reportedly being considered amidst a rise in EV-related crashes. 

The draft for the proposed regulation was released by the Ministry of Public Security on November 10. If approved, the regulation would be a national standard.

New regulation targets default performance limits

Under the proposal, all passenger vehicles would start in a state where acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0-60 mph) would take no less than five seconds. This rule would apply to both pure EVs and plug-in hybrids, and it is aimed at preventing unintended acceleration caused by driver inexperience or surprise torque delivery. 

The public has until January 10, 2026, to submit feedback before the rule is finalized, as noted in a CNEV Post report.

Authorities have stated that the change reflects growing safety concerns amidst the arrival of more powerful electric cars. The new regulation would make it mandatory for drivers to deliberately engage performance modes, ensuring they are aware and ready for their vehicles’ increased power output before accelerating.

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A rise in accidents

China’s EV sector has seen an explosion of high-powered models, some capable of 0–100 km/h acceleration in under two seconds. These speeds were once reserved for supercars, but some electric cars such as the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra offer such performance at an affordable cost. 

However, authorities have observed that this performance has led to an uptick in accidents. I recent years, incidents of crashes involving lack of control in vehicles with rapid acceleration have risen, as per an explanatory note accompanying the draft. 

Part of this is due to drivers seemingly being unprepared for the power of their own vehicles. For context, driving schools in China typically use cars that accelerate to 100 km/h in more than 5 seconds. This level of acceleration is also typical in combustion-powered cars.

@teslarati 🚨🚨 Tesla Full Self-Driving and Yap is the best driving experience #tesla #fsd #yapping ♬ I Run – HAVEN.
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Tesla Superchargers crowned best EV charging network in the UK for 2025

The Tesla Supercharger network was voted Best Large EV Charging Network for the second consecutive year.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has once again claimed the top spot in the UK’s most anticipated EV charging satisfaction survey. As per Zapmap’s 2025 driver satisfaction rankings, the Tesla Supercharger network was voted Best Large EV Charging Network for the second consecutive year. 

The annual survey, based on thousands of EV driver responses, measures reliability, ease of use, and payment experience across the UK’s public charging landscape.

Tesla tops the survey’s “Large” category

Zapmap’s 2025 rankings, which were drawn from nearly 4,000 battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers, reflect how quickly public charging is evolving across the UK. For the survey’s “Large” network class, which includes systems with over 500 devices, Tesla once again stood out for reliability and cost efficiency. 

The automaker now offers 1,115 open Supercharger devices at 97 public sites, roughly 54% of its total UK network. That’s a 40% increase in public availability compared to September 2024. A particularly appreciated aspect of the Supercharger network is its cost, which continues to be “significantly lower prices than most rapid/ultra-rapid networks, with drivers also appreciating its reliability,” Zapmap noted.

Tesla Regional Manager’s comments 

Ollie Dodd, Senior Regional Manager for Northern Europe Charging at Tesla, shared his appreciation for the Supercharger network’s award. 

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“We’re thrilled to win Zapmap’s Best EV Charging Network for the second year in a row. Being recognized by the drivers themselves shows that our customer-centric and data-driven approach to building sites is well-received. We look forward to showcasing more customer-centric features in 2026 as we expand the network further and look towards new initiatives in roaming and payment methods,” he said.

Conducted during September and October 2025, Zapmap’s eighth annual survey found that reliability and payment flexibility remain top priorities among EV drivers, two things that the Supercharger network particularly excels in. Fortunately for UK EV owners, the Supercharger network is also aggressively growing.

@teslarati 🚨🚨 Tesla Full Self-Driving and Yap is the best driving experience #tesla #fsd #yapping ♬ I Run – HAVEN.
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