News
Tesla Model 3 dominates UK, sells more units than 2nd and 3rd most popular EVs combined
An automotive dealer magazine in the United Kingdom recently released statistics that name the Tesla Model 3 as the most popular electric car in the region in April 2020, and it was not a close race.
The Model 3 shone in the UK in the first month of Q2, outselling the Jaguar I-Pace and Vauxhall Corsa by a considerable margin. In fact, if one were to combine the number of units sold of the I-Pace (367) and the Corsa (264), the number would still be less than the number of Tesla Model 3 sold (658).
The Model 3 Standard Range+ starts at about £35,000 in the UK while offering 465 kilometers, or 288 miles of range under WLTP standards. Meanwhile, the I-Pace’s range is rated for 470 kilometers, or 292 WLTP miles in the UK, and its starting price is £64,495. The Corsa is the most affordable of the three with a starting pricing point of £26,990, but it only offers 330 kilometers, or 205 miles of range.
The figures appeared on Car Dealer Magazine, a United Kingdom-based automotive publication that is sent to 10,000 UK-located dealerships every month. The magazine wrote highly of the Model 3, while highlighting the fact that the automotive industry has taken more than a 97% drop compared to April 2019 due to the ongoing pandemic.
Car Dealer Magazine wrote, “It was – somewhat predictably – a dismal month for sales of new cars, with the SMMT today announcing a 97.3 percent drop on April 2019, but sales there still were – and the Tesla Model 3 shot to the top of the table with 658 units.”
The Model 3’s presence in the UK has been notable in the past. In late 2019, a trade association had announced that diesel vehicle sales had been dropping while battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales had increased by over 228%. This charge by BEVs was led by the Model 3, which had not only become the best-selling electric vehicle in the UK but the third highest-selling vehicle in the region regardless of propulsion.
The Model 3 has picked up several awards in the UK, which include “Car of the Year,” “Best Electric Car,” “Best Company Car,” and “Best Safety” awards from the prestigious automotive magazine Parker’s Car Guides. Writers and reviewers at Parker’s called the Model 3 a “capable, likable, and extremely good to drive” vehicle.
However, the Model 3’s dominance goes far beyond the UK.
Across the globe, the slowing automotive market has affected nearly every country that records automobile sales. In China, March was perhaps the most impressive month for the Model 3. After the registrations of Tesla’s most affordable sedan slumped to just over 2,300 in February, a 450% increase occurred in March, even though the entire auto industry was slowing down by over 43%.
The Model 3 continues to prove its dominance across different countries. Even in tough times for the automotive market as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Model 3 has shown an uptrend in sales in some countries. The electric sedan has remained the “top dog” in other locations thanks to affordability, performance, and range.
News
Tesla seeks approval to test FSD Supervised in new Swedish city
Tesla has applied to conduct local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing in the city of Jönköping, Sweden.
Tesla has applied to conduct local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing in the city of Jönköping, Sweden.
As per local outlet Jönköpings-Posten, Tesla has contacted the municipality with a request to begin FSD (Supervised) tests in the city. The company has already received approval to test its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software in several Swedish municipalities, as well as on the national road network.
Sofia Bennerstål, Tesla’s Head of Public Policy for Northern Europe, confirmed that an application has been submitted for FSD’s potential tests in Jönköping.
“I can confirm that we have submitted an application, but I cannot say much more about it,” Bennerstål told the news outlet. She also stated that Tesla is “satisfied with the tests” in the region so far.
The planned tests in Jönköping would involve a limited number of Tesla-owned vehicles. Trained Tesla safety drivers would remain behind the wheel and be prepared to intervene if necessary.
Tesla previously began testing in Nacka municipality after receiving local approval. At the time, the company stated that cooperation between authorities, municipalities, and industry enables technological progress and helps integrate future transport systems into real-world traffic conditions, as noted in an Allt Om Elbil report.
If approved, Jönköping would become the latest Swedish municipality to allow local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing.
Tesla’s Swedish testing program is part of the company’s efforts to validate its supervised autonomous driving software in everyday traffic environments. Municipal approvals allow Tesla to gather data in urban settings that include roundabouts, complex intersections, and mixed traffic conditions.
Sweden has become an increasingly active testing ground for Tesla’s driver-assistance software in Europe, with regulatory coordination between local authorities and national agencies enabling structured pilot programs.
Elon Musk
Microsoft partners with Starlink to expand rural internet access worldwide
The update was shared ahead of Mobile World Congress.
Microsoft has announced a new collaboration with Starlink as part of its expanding digital access strategy, following the company’s claim that it has extended internet connectivity coverage to more than 299 million people worldwide.
The update was shared ahead of Mobile World Congress, where Microsoft detailed how it surpassed its original goal of bringing internet access to 250 million people by the end of 2025.
In a blog post, Microsoft confirmed that it is now working with Starlink to expand connectivity in rural and hard-to-reach regions.
“Through our collaboration with Starlink, Microsoft is combining low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity with community-based deployment models and local ecosystem partnerships,” the company wrote.
The partnership is designed to complement Microsoft’s existing work with local internet providers and infrastructure companies across Africa, Latin America, and India, among other areas. Microsoft noted that traditional infrastructure alone cannot meet demand in some regions, making low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity an important addition.
Kenya was cited as an early example. Working with Starlink and local provider Mawingu Networks, Microsoft is supporting connectivity for 450 community hubs in rural and underserved areas. These hubs include farmer cooperatives, aggregation centers, and digital access facilities intended to support agricultural productivity and AI-enabled services.
Microsoft stated that 2.2 billion people globally remain offline, and that connectivity gaps risk widening as AI adoption accelerates.
Starlink’s expanding constellation, now numbering more than 9,700 satellites in orbit, provides near-global coverage, making it one of the few systems capable of delivering broadband to remote regions without relying on terrestrial infrastructure.
Starlink is expected to grow even more in the coming years as well, especially as SpaceX transitions its fleet to Starship, which is capable of carrying significantly larger payloads compared to its current workhorse, the Falcon 9.
Elon Musk
Tesla expands US LFP battery supply with LG Energy Solution deal: report
The report was initially published by TheElec, citing industry sources.
LG Energy Solution (LGES) will manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) energy storage system (ESS) batteries for Tesla at its Lansing, Michigan facility.
The report was initially published by TheElec, citing industry sources.
LG Energy Solution’s Lansing plant, formerly known as Ultium Cells 3, was previously operated as a joint venture with General Motors. LGES acquired GM’s stake in May 2025 and now fully owns the site. With a production capacity of 50 GWh per year, it is one of the company’s largest facilities in North America.
LG Energy Solution is converting part of the Lansing factory to produce LFP batteries for energy storage systems. Equipment orders for the new lines have already been placed, and mass production is reportedly expected to begin in the second half of next year.
Last July, LG Energy Solution disclosed a 5.94 trillion won battery supply agreement running from August 2027 to July 2030. While the company did not name the customer, industry sources pointed to Tesla as the buyer.
Tesla has primarily used CATL’s prismatic batteries for its Megapack systems. The move to source prismatic LFP cells from LG Energy Solution’s U.S. plant could then be seen as part of Tesla’s efforts to bolster its North American supply base for its energy storage business.
For the Lansing conversion, LG Energy Solution reportedly plans to use electrode equipment originally ordered under its Ultium Cells venture with General Motors. Suppliers reportedly include CIS and Hirano Tecseed for electrode systems, TSI for mixing equipment, CK Solution for heat exhaust systems, A-Pro for formation equipment, and Shinjin Mtech for assembly kits.
Tesla currently manufactures energy storage products at facilities in California and Shanghai, though another Megafactory that produces the Megapack is also expected to be built in Texas. As per recent reports, the Texas Megafactory recently advanced with a major property sale.
Tesla seeks approval to test FSD Supervised in new Swedish city
Microsoft partners with Starlink to expand rural internet access worldwide
