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Tesla launches Model S, X in Jordan, government commits to sustainable transport

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Just six weeks after Tesla began selling its cars in the United Arab Emirates, the Silicon Valley-based electric car maker has added Jordan to the list of Middle East countries where customers can buy a Model S and Model X. According to an email we received from a Tesla spokesperson, “Jordan has been chosen to offer Tesla vehicles due to the country’s extensive interest and support for electric vehicles. Last year, the Jordanian government made strong commitments to sustainable transportation. This, along with other interest from pioneering owners who have already imported Model S and Model X vehicles into the region, has highlighted a strong demand for the brand.”

People in Jordan can now order their Tesla online through the company’s website or in-person at a new pop-up store located in the upscale multi-purpose shopping complex, Taj Lifestyle Center, in Amman. Tesla representatives will educate prospective buyers on the benefits of electric cars and guide prospective buyers through the ordering process. First deliveries are expected to arrive this summer.

Tesla has eight destination chargers and four Supercharger locations in the region and has plans to add more of each as it seeks to bring its premium electric cars to more customers in the region. In advance of the start of production for the Model 3, Tesla is aggressively expanding its Supercharger network worldwide.

Speaking at the World Government Conference in Dubai in February, Elon Musk reiterated his desire to create a world in which electricity from renewable sources — particularly solar energy — will replace fossil fuels as the basis of the global economy. His message is compatible with the attitudes of many government leaders in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates in particular seek to establish themselves as global leaders in sustainable energy.

We’ve provided a copy of the communication from Tesla.

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Introducing Model S and Model X in Jordan

Tesla continues to deliver the safest, quickest, and longest range electric vehicles of any kind by launching Model S and Model X in Jordan, the latest market to join Tesla’s rapidly growing network of developments.

After Tesla’s launch in the United Arab Emirates last month, Jordan has been chosen to offer Tesla vehicles due to the country’s extensive interest and support for electric vehicles. Last year, the Jordanian government made strong commitments to sustainable transportation. This, along with other interest from pioneering owners who have already imported Model S and Model X vehicles into the region, has highlighted a strong demand for the brand.

The web launch is supported by a pop-up shop in the Taj Lifestyle Center, allowing visitors to learn about Tesla vehicles in an engaging and low-pressure sales environment. Tesla’s approach is to educate guests to ensure they understand the benefits of Tesla ownership. First orders of Model S and Model X vehicles are expected to arrive this summer.

In addition to convenient home charging, Tesla has designed the most sophisticated electric vehicle charging network in the world, the Supercharger and Destination charging networks, so owners can travel wherever and whenever they want. Tesla has already opened eight Destination charging locations and four Supercharger stations in the region, allowing drivers to recharge their vehicles in minutes rather than hours.

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Tesla’s Supercharger and Destination charging networks have become a powerful, unique benefit of Tesla ownership, and we will continue to expand the program worldwide.

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NHTSA probes 2.9 million Tesla vehicles over reports of FSD traffic violations

The agency said FSD may have “induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws.”

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Credit: Whole Mars Catalog/YouTube

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into nearly 2.9 million Tesla vehicles over potential traffic-safety violations linked to the use of the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.

The agency said FSD may have “induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws,” citing reports of Teslas running red lights or traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes.

As per the NHTSA, it has six reports in which a Tesla with FSD engaged “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection.” Four of these crashes reportedly resulted in one or more major injuries. 

The agency also listed 18 complaints and one media report which alleged that a Tesla operating with FSD engaged “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface.”

Some complainants also alleged that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system’s intended behavior as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal,” as noted in a Reuters report.

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Tesla has not commented on the investigation, which remains in the preliminary phase. However, any potential recall could prove complicated since the reported incidents likely involved the use of older FSD (Supervised) versions that have already been updated. 

Tesla’s recent FSD (Supervised) V14.1 update, which is currently rolling out to drivers, is expected to feature significantly improved lane management, intersection handling, and overall driving accuracy, reducing the chances of similar violations. It should also be noted that Tesla maintains that FSD is a supervised system for now, and thus, is not autonomous yet.

While autonomous systems face scrutiny, NHTSA’s own data highlights a much larger danger on the road from human error. The agency recorded 3,275 deaths in 2023 caused by distracted driving due to activities like texting, talking, or adjusting navigation while operating a vehicle manually. It is also widely believed that a good number of traffic violations are unreported due to their frequency and ubiquity.

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Tesla quietly files for Model Y+ in China, and its range numbers could be wild

The upcoming variant was listed in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) public catalog.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has filed for regulatory approval of a new Model Y+ in China, hinting at a long-range update to its best-selling crossover SUV. 

The upcoming variant was listed in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) public catalog.

Mirroring Model 3+ Range

Based on the MIIT’s catalog, the Model Y+ will feature a 225 kW/302 horsepower single-motor setup. It will also feature ternary LG Energy Solution batteries, similar to the long-range Model 3+, which was launched earlier this year. The vehicle is expected to offer around 800 kilometers of CLTC range, potentially making it the longest range Model Y in Tesla China’s lineup.

The new Model Y+, identified under model number TSL6480BEVBR0, retains the same five-seat configuration and dimensions as the current Model Y. Though Tesla has not yet confirmed official range figures, industry observers expect it to be quite similar to the Model 3+’s 830-kilometer CLTC performance, as noted in a CNEV Post report.

Intensifying Competition

Tesla’s filing comes amid intensifying domestic competition in China. The U.S. EV maker sold 57,152 vehicles in August, down nearly 10% year-on-year, though up almost 41% from July’s 40,617 units, as noted by data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Still, the Model Y+ could help Tesla regain traction against strong local players by offering class-leading range and improved efficiency, two factors that have become a trademark of the electric vehicle maker in China. 

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Tesla’s experience with the Model 3+, which received a RMB 10,000 price cut within a month of launch, suggests that raw range numbers alone may not guarantee stronger sales. With this in mind, the rollout of features such as FSD could prove beneficial in boosting the company’s sales in the country. 

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‘I don’t understand TSLAQ:’ notable investor backs Tesla, Elon Musk

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tesla showroom
(Credit: Tesla)

One notable investor that many people will recognize said today on X that he does not understand Tesla shorts, otherwise known as $TSLAQ, and he’s giving some interesting reasons.

Martin Shkreli was long known as “Pharmabro.” For years, he was known as the guy who bought the rights to a drug called Daraprim, hiked the prices, and spent a few years in Federal prison for securities fraud and conspiracy.

Shkreli is now an investor who co-founded several hedge funds, including Elea Capital, MSMB Capital Management, and MSMB Healthcare. He is also known for his frank, blunt, and straightforward responses on X.

His LinkedIn currently shows he is the Co-Founder of DL Software Inc.

One of his most recent posts on X criticized those who choose to short Tesla stock, stating he does not understand their perspective. He gave a list of reasons, which I’ll link here, as they’re not necessarily PG. I’ll list a few:

  • Fundamentals always have and will always matter
  • TSLAQ was beaten by Tesla because it’s “a great company with great management,” and they made a mistake “by betting against Elon.”
  • When Shkreli shorts stocks, he is “shorting FRAUDS and pipe dreams”

After Shkreli continued to question the idea behind shorting Tesla, he continued as he pondered the mentality behind those who choose to bet against the stock:

“I don’t understand ‘TSLAQ.’ Guy is the richest man in the world. He won. It’s over. He’s more successful with his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest companies than you will ever be, x100.

You can admit you are wrong, it’s just a feeling which will dissipate with time, trust me.”

According to reports from both Fortune and Business Insider, Tesla short sellers have lost a cumulative $64.5 billion since Tesla’s IPO in 2010.

Elon Musk issues dire warning to Tesla (TSLA) shorts

Shorts did accumulate a temporary profit of $16.2 billion earlier this year.

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