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Tesla becomes last EV standing after car rental company purges its BEV fleet

Credit: Miete Deinen Tesla

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The electric vehicle market is getting more crowded, with more and more electric cars being released every year. This was particularly true for Miete Deinen Tesla, a German electric vehicle rental company that expanded its operations by purchasing more EVs from other automakers. In a recent announcement, the BEV rental company noted that it is purging its EV fleet save for its Teslas since the ownership experience of other electric cars is a bit lacking, at least for now. 

The car rental company outlined its decision in a recent video, which was uploaded on its YouTube channel. In the video, the company noted that it is actually very sad to see some of its EVs go, especially the Porsche Taycan 4S, an otherwise stunning electric car that is bogged down by its charging infrastructure. Other electric cars that the company bought from manufacturers like Volkswagen and Hyundai also presented their own fair share of challenges — challenges which do not make them as good as Teslas for business. 

Miete Deinen Tesla mentioned some of the issues that they experienced over the time they operated with a fleet of EVs from different automakers. According to the company, issues that were prevalent with non-Tesla electric cars included software, charging, and repair, to name a few. For example, Volkswagen’s ID series are yet to have over-the-air software update capabilities, which means that owners typically have to go to dealers just to update their vehicles. 

The BEV rental company noted that it would continue to support the electric vehicle movement by featuring non-Tesla electric cars in its YouTube channel on a regular basis. But for its actual business, the car rental company would be focusing on a Tesla-only fleet for now. This is quite understandable considering that Tesla’s electric vehicles are very well rounded, and their rapid charging infrastructure makes them ideal alternatives to fossil fuel-powered cars. 

If there are any lessons that could be learned from the experience of the German electric vehicle rental company, it is that the ownership experience of EVs matters a lot. Electric cars may be stunning and their capabilities as a vehicle per se may be impressive, but without the necessary ecosystem, the ownership experience could easily get bogged down. Fortunately, this is something that Tesla particularly excels at, despite the company’s areas of improvement when it comes to service and repair. 

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Tesla’s mastery of over-the-air updates is also a key advantage, as it allows the company to address minor issues and even add features from time to time by a software update that’s not unlike those utilized by smartphone-makers like Apple. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to tips@teslarati.com to give us a heads up. 

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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Tesla explains why Robotaxis now have safety monitors in the driver’s seat

The update to Austin’s safety monitors became a point of interest among Tesla watchers on social media.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has provided an explanation about the presence of safety monitors in the driver’s seat of its autonomous Robotaxi units.

The autonomous ride-hailing service is currently being deployed in Austin and the Bay Area, with more cities across the United States expected to gain access to the service later this year.

Safety Monitors

When Tesla launched its initial Robotaxi program in Austin, the company made headlines for operating vehicles without a human in the driver’s seat. Even with this setup, however, Tesla still had safety monitors in the passenger seat of the Robotaxis. The safety monitors, which do not interact with passengers, have been observed to report issues and other behaviors from the autonomous vehicles in real time. 

Safety monitors on the driver’s seat were also employed in the service’s Bay Area rollout, though numerous members of the EV community speculated that this was likely done to meet regulations in California. However, with the expansion of the Austin geofence, riders in Tesla’s Robotaxis observed that the safety monitors in the city have been moved to the driver’s seat as well.

Tesla’s explanation

The update to Austin’s safety monitors became a point of interest among Tesla watchers on social media. Longtime FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog, for one, speculated that the move might be due to Texas’ new regulations for autonomous vehicles, which took effect recently. Interestingly enough, the official Tesla Robotaxi account on X responded to the FSD tester, providing an explanation behind the safety monitor’s move to the driver’s seat. 

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“Safety monitors are only in the driver’s seat for trips that involve highway driving, as a self-imposed cautious first step toward expanding to highways,” the Tesla Robotaxi account noted.

Tesla has been extremely cautious with its autonomous driving program, particularly with the rollout of its Robotaxi service, which use Unsupervised FSD. This is quite understandable considering the negative media slant that Tesla is consistently subjected to, which could very well result in minute incidents or mistakes by Robotaxis being blown out of proportion.

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The Boring Company begins hiring for Nashville’s Music City Loop

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee expressed strong support for the project.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has started recruitment efforts for the Music City Loop, an underground tunnel system designed to link downtown Nashville with Nashville International Airport. 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee expressed strong support for the project, describing it as a cost-free alternative to traditional mass transit systems that could ease traffic congestion in the city. Initial digging began in mid-August, with visible progress reported by September 1, as noted in a WKRN report.

Job creation and project scope

The Boring Company is currently seeking engineers, electricians, mechanics, and operations coordinators as part of its hiring drive for the Music City Loop in Nashville. Gov. Lee emphasized that unlike large-scale transit projects that typically cost billions, the tunnel system will not burden taxpayers.

“We’ve been trying to find ways, Metro Nashville has in particular, to develop transit in the city for a long time. It costs billions and billions of dollars to build out transit systems. We now have an opportunity to have a transit system that costs the taxpayers nothing,” Lee said, calling the effort the fast lane to the city’s future.

The Music City Loop aims to provide a quick and efficient link between the city center and the airport, similar to The Boring Company’s other tunnel projects like the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop. Officials have praised the company for cooperating with state permitting and regulatory requirements, suggesting that the Nashville Loop project is advancing in line with established processes.

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Community reactions and concerns

While officials are optimistic, community response has been mixed. Some residents have raised concerns about the speed of approval and a lack of public discussion before construction began.

Nashville resident Taylor John cited environmental impacts and worries that the tunnel could primarily serve tourists rather than local commuters. “I have a lot of concerns, first of all, by how fast this decision was made, I don’t think there was a lot of discussion from the members of the community before this decision was made. It’s going to impact us,” the resident stated.

Others, however, see the project as an innovative leap forward. “There’s a whole untapped potential underneath our feet,” resident Nathaniel Lehrer stated. “Anything that can save time when picking up family or friends or you need to catch a flight, it’d be an awesome option to have.”

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Miami Beach Mayor considering Elon Musk’s Boring Company tunnels

Miami Beach faces unique constraints, including chronic flooding, porous limestone foundations, and its low elevation near sea level.

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(Credit: The Boring Company

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner has asked city commissioners to consider whether underground transit tunnels could be a feasible solution to the city’s worsening traffic. 

The proposal reflects growing interest in exploring unconventional transit options, especially after city leaders rejected plans to extend the downtown Miami Metromover to South Beach.

New transit alternatives

In a memo, Meiner noted that his request is not tied to a single project but is intended to open a broader discussion on engineering challenges, environmental impacts, potential funding, and integration with existing transit systems. Miami Beach faces unique constraints, including chronic flooding, porous limestone foundations, and its low elevation near sea level, according to Axios.

The tunnel idea is not entirely new. In 2022, Meiner suggested reaching out to Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to discuss potential projects, citing the firm’s work on the Vegas Loop in Las Vegas. At the time, the city passed a resolution to study tunnels further, though it remains unclear whether any formal discussions with the tunneling startup actually took place.

Previous proposals

The Boring Company has shown interest in South Florida before. In 2021 and 2022, it submitted plans for Tesla-powered tunnel systems in Fort Lauderdale and North Miami Beach. While the Fort Lauderdale project was later suspended, reports suggest the North Miami Beach proposal remained active into 2023. Musk also met with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez in 2021 to discuss tunnel systems, though no progress has been reported since.

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The Boring Company has garnered some experience with consumer tunnels over the years, thanks in no small part to the Las Vegas Convention Center and Vegas Loops, which use Tesla vehicles. The greater Vegas Loop is still being expanded today, and efforts are underway to transition the Teslas being used in the tunnels to use Unsupervised FSD.

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