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Tesla investigates deadly crash after Model S drives into a tree [Updated]

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News coming out of Baarn, Netherlands of a Tesla Model S that killed a driver after the vehicle reportedly drove at high speed into a tree is currently being investigated by the electric automaker. It is unclear whether Tesla’s driving-assist feature, Autopilot, was engaged.

Tesla in conjunction with local police are investigating the scene of the accident. According to Tesla they are exercising standard procedure when an accident is involved. The company will analyze data collected through the vehicle once they’re able to recover it from the wreck. As soon as the results are final, “we’ll share it with the public”, says Tesla.

Due to the nature of the accident, the victim’s body couldn’t be recovered immediately since local fire and rescue personnel were said to have no experience with extinguishing fires in electric cars. “There’s high current in the car. When there’s something wrong but it’s still on four wheels, we can work safely. It’s a sad thing the victim is still in the wreck, however, we’re not taking any chances when it comes to our safety.”, said a fire brigade spokesman, translated to us from Teslarati reader Dennis Storm. “The damage to this car is so extreme that we’re unsure how to handle it without endangering our own lives.” Firefighters struggled to extinguish the burning wreckage. “We tried first with a powder extinguisher. But there was a short circuit. In the end we covered him with earth from the roadside.”, said local firefighters.

Photo credits: Autoblog.nl

The body of the Model S driver was not extracted from the wreckage until mid-afternoon. Report out of Netherlands indicate that a portion of the battery dislodged from the battery casing and was found burning down the road.

Updated Sep. 7 at 6:32pm PDT

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New details coming from Tesla Motors indicates that the 53-year old driver killed behind the wheel of the Model S was not using Autopilot at any point during his drive. Vehicle logs show that the Model S was traveling at more than 155 kph (96 mph) when it crashed into a tree. A Tesla spokesperson said that the damage sustained on the vehicle is consistent with the speed at which it was traveling before hitting the tree.

“We are working with the authorities to establish the facts of the incident and offer our full cooperation,” Tesla said in a statement.

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Tesla Semis to get 18 new Megachargers at this PepsiCo plant

PepsiCo is set to add more Tesla Semi Megachargers, this time at a facility in North Carolina.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla partner PepsiCo is set to build new Semi charging stations at one of its manufacturing sites, as revealed in new permitting plans shared this week.

On Friday, Tesla charging station scout MarcoRP shared plans on X for 18 Semi Megacharging stalls at PepsiCo’s facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, coming as the latest update plans for the company’s increasingly electrified fleet. The stalls are set to be built side by side, along with three Tesla Megapack grid-scale battery systems.

The plans also note the faster charging speeds for the chargers, which can charge the Class 8 Semi at speeds of up to 1MW. Tesla says that the speed can charge the Semi back to roughly 70 percent in around 30 minutes.

You can see the site plans for the PepsiCo North Carolina Megacharger below.

Credit: PepsiCo (via MarcoRPi1 on X)

Credit: PepsiCo (via MarcoRPi1 on X)

READ MORE ON THE TESLA SEMI: Tesla to build Semi Megacharger station in Southern California

PepsiCo’s Tesla Semi fleet, other Megachargers, and initial tests and deliveries

PepsiCo was the first external customer to take delivery of Tesla’s Semis back in 2023, starting with just an initial order of 15. Since then, the company has continued to expand the fleet, recently taking delivery of an additional 50 units in California. The PepsiCo fleet was up to around 86 units as of last year, according to statements from Semi Senior Manager Dan Priestley.

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Additionally, the company has similar Megachargers at its facilities in Modesto, Sacramento, and Fresno, California, and Tesla also submitted plans for approval to build 12 new Megacharging stalls in Los Angeles County.

Over the past couple of years, Tesla has also been delivering the electric Class 8 units to a number of other companies for pilot programs, and Priestley shared some results from PepsiCo’s initial Semi tests last year. Notably, the executive spoke with a handful of PepsiCo workers who said they really liked the Semi and wouldn’t plan on going back to diesel trucks.

The company is also nearing completion of a higher-volume Semi plant at its Gigafactory in Nevada, which is expected to eventually have an annual production capacity of 50,000 Semi units.

Tesla executive teases plan to further electrify supply chain

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Tesla sales soar in Norway with new Model Y leading the charge

Tesla recorded a 54% year-over-year jump in new vehicle registrations in June.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is seeing strong momentum in Norway, with sales of the new Model Y helping the company maintain dominance in one of the world’s most electric vehicle-friendly markets.

Model Y upgrades and consumer preferences

According to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), Tesla recorded a 54% year-over-year jump in new vehicle registrations in June. The Model Y led the charge, posting a 115% increase compared to the same period last year. Tesla Norway’s growth was even more notable in May, with sales surging a whopping 213%, as noted in a CNBC report.

Christina Bu, secretary general of the Norwegian EV Association (NEVA), stated that Tesla’s strong market performance was partly due to the updated Model Y, which is really just a good car, period.

“I think it just has to do with the fact that they deliver a car which has quite a lot of value for money and is what Norwegians need. What Norwegians need, a large luggage space, all wheel drive, and a tow hitch, high ground clearance as well. In addition, quite good digital solutions which people have gotten used to, and also a charging network,” she said.

Tesla in Europe

Tesla’s success in Norway is supported by long-standing government incentives for EV adoption, including exemptions from VAT, road toll discounts, and access to bus lanes. Public and home charging infrastructure is also widely available, making the EV ownership experience in the country very convenient.

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Tesla’s performance in Europe is still a mixed bag, with markets like Germany and France still seeing declines in recent months. In areas such as Norway, Spain, and Portugal, however, Tesla’s new car registrations are rising. Spain’s sales rose 61% and Portugal’s sales rose 7% last month. This suggests that regional demand may be stabilizing or rebounding in pockets of Europe.

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Tesla to open first India experience center in Mumbai on July 15

The event is scheduled for July 15 at the Bandra Kurla Complex, a premier business district in Mumbai.

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Credit: Narendra Modi/X
Credit: Narendra Modi/X

Tesla is officially entering India with the opening of its first showroom and experience center in Mumbai next week. The event is scheduled for July 15 at the Bandra Kurla Complex, a premier business district in Mumbai.

Tesla imports to India signal an early-stage market entry strategy

According to Indian customs data, Tesla has imported approximately $1 million worth of vehicles, charging equipment, and merchandise into the country between January and June. The shipments include six Model Y comprised of five standard variants valued at $32,500 each and one long-range model valued at $46,000. Several Superchargers and related accessories were also imported into the country, as noted in a Yahoo Finance report.

These vehicles are expected to serve as display models and test units as Tesla gauges interest and navigates India’s high import duties, which hover around 70% on fully built vehicles. Despite the significant tariffs in the country, Tesla has opted to begin its India expansion with imported cars.

An invitation to the Tesla India launch event has been making the rounds online. As could be seen in the document, Tesla noted that July 15 would be the launch of Tesla in India through the opening of a Tesla experience centre at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

Tesla India’s hiring and expansion efforts are underway

Tesla has filled a number of key roles from the 30+ positions it advertised earlier this year. Recent hires include store managers, service executives, and sales staff, while ongoing recruitment is focused on supply chain engineers and vehicle operators to support the company’s Autopilot program.

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Indian officials have been open about their intention to encourage Tesla to establish a manufacturing hub in the country. Tesla does seem open to the idea, at least, with reports last year hinting that Elon Musk was set to visit the country to discuss or even potentially announce a domestic project. The trip, however, was ultimately canceled.

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