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By Miles’ Tesla insurance service ensures fair coverage for UK-based EV owners

(Credit: By Miles)

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With one in ten cars now sold in the UK being electric, the revolution of the private transportation sector is undeniable. Electric cars are here, and at their forefront are tech-focused, always-connected vehicles like the Tesla Model 3, an EV that ranked among the UK’s most popular new cars in 2019. With this in mind, it’s essential that an always-connected and purpose-built insurance policy, specifically designed to cover these cars, exists. This is where UK-based insurance provider By Miles comes into the picture.

By Miles offers a unique, custom policy model for lower mileage Tesla drivers in the UK. The company has launched the world’s first connected car insurance policy which takes information about the distance driven directly from Teslas to work out how much premium to charge, eliminating the need to install any hardware or software in the car.  The company’s concept is simple: Tesla owners are charged by the mile, regardless of how they drive their vehicles. Owners that drive under 7,000 miles a year could end up paying significantly less with a By Miles custom-built Tesla policy, compared to a more traditional car insurance policy.

“With a pay-by-mile policy from By Miles, the less you drive, the less you pay.”

Tesla owners are sure to enjoy the simplicity and features of a By Miles policy, which includes instant self-serve policy changes, a ‘Find My Car’ feature to help track down their Tesla if it’s stolen (or if they forget where they’ve parked) and much more. The setup process is all done online, allowing a Tesla owner to link their car to their By Miles account in seconds. The app also gives owners a transparent overview of their policy, allowing them to keep track of the miles they’ve driven each day. A By Miles connected car insurance policy also covers the battery and charging cable theft, as well as guaranteed repairs for five years using Tesla-approved garages. The policies are underwritten by experienced insurer La Parisienne Assurances, which is backed by Swiss Re.

Pay-by-mile Tesla insurance coverage (Credit: By Miles)

Traditional insurers in the UK still have a long way to go when it comes to effectively insuring smart, electric cars like Teslas. Unlike Californian drivers, who currently have the option of getting covered by Tesla’s own insurance, owners in the UK are obliged to approach third-party providers for their vehicles’ coverage. Unfortunately, some of these providers haven’t updated their policies to take into account the smart safety features or technology offered by electric cars, resulting in unfair premiums that don’t fully cater to these high tech, high-powered cars.

In a press release, By Miles noted that a Tesla Model 3 could, at times, receive a £2,000 quote for their coverage in the UK, which is pretty steep, especially if you’re a lower mileage driver. With a pay-by-mile policy from By Miles, the less you drive, the less you pay.

“A fairer kind of car insurance. Purpose built for Teslas.” – By Miles

These outdated insurance policies regularly cause challenges for Tesla owners in Europe, such as a Model X owner whose vehicle was deliberately set on fire by vandals last year. Partly because the vehicle survived the incident and was still drivable despite being burned, the owner’s insurance provider denied declaring the Model X a total loss. This was despite a Tesla Service Center observing that the Model X’s cabin might already be compromised since chemicals from the cooling system seemed to have entered the interior. The Model X’s owner and the insurance provider are currently in a potential legal conflict.

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James Blackham, the co-founder of By Miles, noted that the company aims to make car insurance fairer for Tesla drivers. “Our policy is the first connected car insurance policy in the world, and the first to offer pay-by-mile cover without the need for any external technology like a black box or smartphone. We’re going totally trackerless. Tesla drivers have been getting a raw deal on car insurance, mostly because the old fashioned big insurers don’t understand their cars. But we think Tesla owners should be rewarded for making an eco-friendly choice,” he said.

By Miles offers fully comprehensive car insurance that’s purpose-built for Teslas. To date, they’ve insured almost 30 million miles and are rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot. They were voted the UK’s Best Car Insurance Provider in 2019 at the Insurance Choice Awards.

Tesla owners interested in adopting By Miles’ Tesla insurance coverage can click here for a free quote.

An overview of By Miles’ Tesla insurance coverage could be found below.

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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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Lifestyle

Tesla Model S Plaid battles China’s 1500 hp monster Nurburgring monster, with surprising results

There is just something about Tesla’s tuning and refinement that makes raw specs seem not as game-changing.

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Credit: Carwow/YouTube

The Tesla Model S Plaid has been around for some time. Today, it is no longer the world’s quickest four-door electric sedan, nor is it the most powerful. As per a recent video from motoring YouTube channel Carwow, however, it seems like the Model S Plaid is still more than a match for some of its newer and more powerful rivals. 

The monster from China

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is nothing short of a monster. Just like the Model S Plaid, it features three motors. It also has 1,548 hp and 1,770 Nm of torque. It’s All Wheel Drive and weighs a hefty 2,360 kg. The vehicle, which costs just about the equivalent of £55,000, has been recorded setting an insane 7:04.957 at the Nurburgring, surpassing the previous record held by the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.

For all intents and purposes, the Model S Plaid looked outgunned in Carwow’s test. The Model S Plaid is no slouch with its three motors that produce 1,020 hp and 1,420 Nm of torque. It’s also a bit lighter at 2,190 kg despite its larger size. However, as the Carwow host pointed out, the Model S Plaid holds a 7:25.231 record in the Nurburgring. Compared to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra’s record, the Model S Plaid’s lap time is notably slower. 

Real-world tests

As could be seen in Carwow’s drag races, however, Tesla’s tech wizardry with the Model S Plaid is still hard to beat. The two vehicles competed in nine races, and the older Model S Plaid actually beat its newer, more powerful counterpart from China several times. At one point in the race, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra hit its power limit due to its battery’s temperature, but the Model S Plaid was still going strong.

The Model S Plaid was first teased five years ago, in September 2020 during Tesla’s Battery Day. Since then, cars like the Lucid Air Sapphire and the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra have been released, surpassing its specs. But just like the Model Y ended up being the better all-rounder compared to the BYD Sealion 7 and the MG IM6, there is just something about Tesla’s tuning and refinement that makes raw specs seem not as game-changing. 

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Check out Carwow’s Model S Plaid vs Xiaomi SU7 drag race video below.

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Lifestyle

500-mile test proves why Tesla Model Y still humiliates rivals in Europe

On paper, the BYD Sealion 7 and MG IM6 promised standout capabilities against the Model Y.

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Credit: Tesla China

BYD is seeing a lot of momentum in Europe, so much so that mainstream media has taken every opportunity to argue that the Chinese automaker has beaten Tesla in the region. But while BYD sales this year in Europe are rising and Tesla’s registrations remain challenged, the raw capabilities of vehicles like the Model Y are difficult to deny. 

This was highlighted in a 500-mile challenge by What Car? magazine, which showed that the new Tesla Model Y is more efficient, cheaper to run, and more reliable than rivals like the BYD Sealion 7, and even the nearly 400 KW-charging MG IM6.

Range and charging promises

On paper, the BYD Sealion 7 and MG IM6 promised standout capabilities against the Model Y. The Sealion 7 had more estimated range and the IM6 promised significantly faster charging. When faced with real-world conditions, however, it was still the Model Y that proved superior.

During the 500-mile test, the BYD nearly failed to reach a charging stop, arriving with less range than its display projected, as noted in a CarUp report. MG fared better, but its charging speeds never reached its promised nearly-400 kW charging speed. Tesla’s Model Y, by comparison, managed energy calculations precisely and arrived at each stop without issue.

Tesla leads in areas that matter

Charging times from 25% to 80% showed that the MG was the fastest at 17 minutes, while Tesla and BYD were close at 28 and 29 minutes, respectively. Overall efficiency and cost told a different story, however. The Model Y consumed 19.4 kWh per 100 km, compared to 22.2 for MG and 23.9 for BYD. Over the full trip, Tesla’s charging costs totaled just £82 thanks to its supercharger network, far below BYD’s £130 and MG’s £119. 

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What Car? Magazine’s testers concluded that despite BYD’s rapid sales growth and the MG IM6’s seriously impressive charging speeds, Tesla remains the more compelling real-world choice. The Model Y just offers stability, efficiency, and a proven charging infrastructure through its Supercharging network. And as per the magazine’s hosts, the Model Y is even the cheapest car to own among the three that were tested.

Watch What Car? Magazine’s 500-mile test in the video below.

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Lifestyle

Tesla Cybertruck slapped with world’s least intimidating ticket, and it’s pure cringe

One cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of these babies.

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Credit: Ryan Torres/X

A Cybertruck parked at Stanford Shopping Center in California was recently hit with what might be the most try-hard piece of paper ever slipped under a wiper blade: a “fake citation” accusing the driver of supporting a “fascist car.” 

The note, shared on X by Tesla staff program manager Ryan Torres, quickly made the rounds on X, where it quickly gained attention as an example of how not to protest.

The world’s least intimidating ticket

According to the citation, the supposed “violation” was “driving a fascist car.” The remedial action? Take the bus, call an Uber, or ride a bike. The note also dubbed Elon Musk a “chainsaw-wielding Nazi billionaire.” Now, protests against Tesla and Elon Musk have become commonplace this year, but one cannot help but cringe and feel second-hand embarrassment at the idea of a person just driving around with a stack of fake anti-Tesla/Musk citations.

Torres pointed out the irony himself in his post on X. Tesla currently employs over 140,000 Americans, and SpaceX has put the U.S. firmly back at the top of space technology. As Torres put it, maybe the person behind the world’s least intimidating ticket should “read a book on innovation before vandalizing” other people’s property.

Peak performative clownery

Not to mention that the fake ticket’s logic collapses under its own weight. EVs like the Cybertruck are literally designed to reduce emissions, not “destroy the economy.” If anything, Tesla has bolstered the United States’ economy by fueling jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and clean energy. It’s not the first time a Tesla has been the target of vandalism or politically charged notes, but this one stands out for sheer cringe value. 

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Torres summed it up neatly: “Peak clownery.” On that point, at least, the citation earns full marks. In a way, though, perhaps cringe fake tickets are not as bad as the literal firebombs that were being thrown at Tesla stores and cars earlier this year because some critics were gleefully misinformed about Elon Musk.

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