News
Tesla’s simple Model 3 drivetrain design is key to its mass market future
One can argue that the simplicity in design of the Tesla Model 3 drivetrain and subframe assembly is a key to Tesla’s future. Used in both the Model 3 and the Tesla Semi, while also serving as a platform for Tesla’s upcoming Model Y, the powerful and efficient drivetrains are designed with versatility in mind, as recently highlighted by auto enthusiast Ingineerix on YouTube.
In the short video clip, a Tesla drive unit retrieved from a totaled Model 3 aims to highlight the straightforward design of the all-electric drivetrain that lends itself to ease of manufacturing. Aside from a housing for the inverter and permanent magnet switch reluctance motor, only a handful of electrical connectors could be seen, including a high-voltage connector that leads to Model 3’s battery pack, and a data connector. The entire subframe is attached to the Model 3’s chassis by four bolts, which, when removed, allows the whole assembly to be detached cleanly from the vehicle.
The Long Range RWD Model 3’s drive unit is rated at 211 kW, powerful enough to propel the electric car from a dead stop to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. The simplicity of the drivetrain’s design is further exemplified by the company’s usage of four Model 3 electric motors in Tesla’s tire-shredding electric Semi truck.
When Elon Musk unveiled the Model 3, he made it a point to emphasize that the vehicle is designed to be as simple as possible. Everything, from its chassis to its electric motor, was built with efficiency and simplicity in mind.
In an era of DIYers and their knack for resurrected Frankenstein projects, Tesla Model 3’s drive unit could very well prove to be popular with hobbyists and aftermarket companies looking to capitalize on electric vehicle conversions. This will especially hold true as electric vehicles start to command a significant market share and manufacturing of electric drivetrains, along with access to salvaged vehicles, become more prevalent.
The Model 3 is one of the final phases of Elon Musk’s first Master Plan, which he penned back in 2006. During that time, Musk envisioned the Model 3 to be a vehicle that brings EVs mainstream. Almost twelve years down the road, with Tesla seemingly hitting its pace to the deliver the Model 3 en masse to reservation holders, it appears that the electric car is doing just that.
Tesla’s drive units are quite durable, with a Tesla Model S recently passing the 400,000-mile mark on the road. Thus, it seems safe to assume that the Model 3’s drive unit would be just as durable, if not even better built, than Tesla’s first-generation electric motor. Tesla is aiming to produce around 500,000 Model 3 in a year. That’s half a million electric cars with drivetrains that could easily be detached and used for optimal EV conversions, even after the Model 3 is retired. With the Model 3, Tesla might have really created a car that can usher in a new era of automobiles.
Watch a quick walkthrough of a detached Model 3 drive unit in the video below.
Elon Musk
Brazil Supreme Court orders Elon Musk and X investigation closed
The decision was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following a recommendation from Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet.
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has ordered the closure of an investigation involving Elon Musk and social media platform X. The inquiry had been pending for about two years and examined whether the platform was used to coordinate attacks against members of the judiciary.
The decision was issued by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes following a recommendation from Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet.
According to a report from Agencia Brasil, the investigation conducted by the Federal Police did not find evidence that X deliberately attempted to attack the judiciary or circumvent court orders.
Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet concluded that the irregularities identified during the probe did not indicate fraudulent intent.
Justice Moraes accepted the prosecutor’s recommendation and ruled that the investigation should be closed. Under the ruling, the case will remain closed unless new evidence emerges.
The inquiry stemmed from concerns that content on X may have enabled online attacks against Supreme Court justices or violated rulings requiring the suspension of certain accounts under investigation.
Justice Moraes had previously taken several enforcement actions related to the platform during the broader dispute involving social media regulation in Brazil.
These included ordering a nationwide block of the platform, freezing Starlink accounts, and imposing fines on X totaling about $5.2 million. Authorities also froze financial assets linked to X and SpaceX through Starlink to collect unpaid penalties and seized roughly $3.3 million from the companies’ accounts.
Moraes also imposed daily fines of up to R$5 million, about $920,000, for alleged evasion of the X ban and established penalties of R$50,000 per day for VPN users who attempted to bypass the restriction.
Brazil remains an important market for X, with roughly 17 million users, making it one of the platform’s larger user bases globally.
The country is also a major market for Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, which has surpassed one million subscribers in Brazil.
Elon Musk
FCC chair criticizes Amazon over opposition to SpaceX satellite plan
Carr made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.
U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Amazon after the company opposed SpaceX’s proposal to launch a large satellite constellation that could function as an orbital data center network.
Carr made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.
Amazon recently urged the FCC to reject SpaceX’s application to deploy a constellation of up to 1 million low Earth orbit satellites that could serve as artificial intelligence data centers in space.
The company described the proposal as a “lofty ambition rather than a real plan,” arguing that SpaceX had not provided sufficient details about how the system would operate.
Carr responded by pointing to Amazon’s own satellite deployment progress.
“Amazon should focus on the fact that it will fall roughly 1,000 satellites short of meeting its upcoming deployment milestone, rather than spending their time and resources filing petitions against companies that are putting thousands of satellites in orbit,” Carr wrote on X.
Amazon has declined to comment on the statement.
Amazon has been working to deploy its Project Kuiper satellite network, which is intended to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink service. The company has invested more than $10 billion in the program and has launched more than 200 satellites since April of last year.
Amazon has also asked the FCC for a 24-month extension, until July 2028, to meet a requirement to deploy roughly 1,600 satellites by July 2026, as noted in a CNBC report.
SpaceX’s Starlink network currently has nearly 10,000 satellites in orbit and serves roughly 10 million customers. The FCC has also authorized SpaceX to deploy 7,500 additional satellites as the company continues expanding its global satellite internet network.
Energy
Tesla Energy gains UK license to sell electricity to homes and businesses
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
Tesla Energy has received a license to supply electricity in the United Kingdom, opening the door for the company to serve homes and businesses in the country.
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
According to Ofgem, the license took effect at 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday and applies to Great Britain.
The approval allows Tesla’s energy business to sell electricity directly to customers in the region, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.
Tesla has already expanded similar services in the United States. In Texas, the company offers electricity plans that allow Tesla owners to charge their vehicles at a lower cost while also feeding excess electricity back into the grid.
Tesla already has a sizable presence in the UK market. According to price comparison website U-switch, there are more than 250,000 Tesla electric vehicles in the country and thousands of Tesla home energy storage systems.
Ofgem also noted that Tesla Motors Ltd., a separate entity incorporated in England and Wales, received an electricity generation license in June 2020.
The new UK license arrives as Tesla continues expanding its global energy business.
Last year, Tesla Energy retained the top position in the global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year. According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest rankings, Tesla held about 15% of global market share in 2024.
The company also maintained a dominant position in North America, where it captured roughly 39% market share in the region.
At the same time, competition in the energy storage sector is increasing. Chinese companies such as Sungrow have been expanding their presence globally, particularly in Europe.
Brazil Supreme Court orders Elon Musk and X investigation closed
FCC chair criticizes Amazon over opposition to SpaceX satellite plan
