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Tesla Model Y is the best selling car in Germany, period

Tesla Model Y top selling vehicle in New Zealand in September

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The Tesla Model Y has long been one of the brand’s most successful vehicles, but few expected it to be Germany’s best-selling vehicle in September.

Germany, and Europe generally, has been the epicenter of the EV revolution. The demand for electric vehicles in Europe is far higher than almost anywhere on the planet, and its EV market has become far more competitive as more and more brands compete there. Hence, it’s quite the achievement for the Tesla Model Y to be the best-selling vehicle in the car capital of Europe, Germany.

According to Heise Online reporting, KBA (German DMV) figures, the Tesla Model Y had 9846 registrations in September alone, head and shoulders above the German-made Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Tiguan, traditionally popular vehicles in Germany. Perhaps even more surprisingly, the Tesla Model Y destroyed its Model 3 sibling which had 3878 registrations, a number that nonetheless still put the Tesla Model 3 on top of the mid-size segment.

Overall, 224,816 vehicles were registered in September, including 44,389 new SUVs. This means that the Tesla Model Y alone represented just over 4.5% of the German car market and just over 22% of SUV sales in Germany. Together with the Tesla Model 3, the two models represented just over 6% of the German car market.

The Tesla Model Y also dominated in other markets, being the top-selling vehicle in New Zealand and the second-best-selling vehicle in the U.K.

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This marks a significant turnaround for Tesla in Europe generally. Many skeptics and analysts alike believed that Tesla would lose market share if more EVs were introduced to the European market. Nonetheless, Tesla has shown incredible resilience against new competition.

A couple of influential factors have pushed Tesla’s sales far higher in Europe over the past few months. Most notably, the Russian invasion has pushed gas prices to the moon, and hence, has driven ICE vehicle demand down substantially. Tesla’s most significant competition in Germany, Volkswagen, has also had issues producing large numbers of electric vehicles while also facing a considerable leadership change after ousting now ex-CEO Herbert Dietz.

As electric vehicle demand continues to skyrocket in Europe and many national governments further incentivize EV purchases, Tesla is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the situation. The only real question remaining is; which country next?

What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

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Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

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xAI Colossus pollution concerns in Memphis continue

NAACP & SELC push back against xAI Colossus supercomputer. City tests say air is safe — but activists aren’t convinced.

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(Credit: xAI)

Politicians in Memphis continue to debate about the pollution concerns arising from the xAI Colossus supercomputer.

The NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have already expressed interest in filing a lawsuit against xAI over concerns related to air pollution stemming from its gas-powered turbines. Environmental groups have now raised concerns about water pollutants.

On Tuesday, Memphis released third-party air quality test results from June 13 and 16. The tests were conducted in downtown Memphis, Whitehaven, and Boxtown, two miles from xAI’s site. The city claimed levels of 10 pollutants tested were safe.

However, SELC–which is representing the NAACP in a potential lawsuit against xAI–criticized the omission of a key pollutant called ozone from the air quality tests. SELC also noted that monitors were placed against buildings, contrary to EPA guidance, stating air sensors should be “at least six feet above ground level, rooftop, or other objects and away from obstructions, vegetation, or emissions sources that would interfere with the measurement.”

Local opposition intensified, with State Representative Justin J. Pearson asserting: “I stand firm that nothing matters if you cannot breathe clean air, drink clean water, and plant in clean soil.”

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On Wednesday, concerns shifted to the Memphis aquifer, as the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation held a virtual meeting on xAI’s wastewater facility.

Activist Pamela Moses criticized xAI. “They are not coming here to uplift or invest in our community. They are here to exploit it. This a distressed and a historically neglected area, and instead of bringing opportunity, Colossal is bringing pollution…secrecy and broken promises,” she said.

xAI’s $80 million Grey Water facility aims to mitigate water concerns. The Colossus Water Recycle Facility, a collaboration between the Tennessee Valley Authority and Nucor Steel, aims to alleviate the strain on the aquifer.

“This project is a game changer in terms of it saving about 4.7 billion gallons of water projected, and about 4.7 billion gallons will remain in the aquifer every year,” said Bobby White of the Greater Memphis Chamber.

As xAI’s Memphis supercomputer continues to be the center of debates, the tension between economic benefits and environmental justice remains unresolved. With ongoing scrutiny and potential legal action, xAI’s efforts to address pollution and water concerns will shape its role in Memphis’ future.

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Tesla Robotaxi’s biggest challenge seems to be this one thing

That big bright thing in the sky might be Tesla’s biggest challenge in terms of Robotaxi.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Robotaxi launched just a few days ago to a limited number of riders in Austin, Texas, but its biggest challenge seems to be how the automaker will figure out one thing: the Sun.

Among the company’s unique strategies, its emphasis on using cameras for self-driving is perhaps the most interesting. No other company has adopted the same strategy, as others have relied on cameras with either sensors or LiDAR rigs to accomplish their self-driving deployments.

Tesla, on the other hand, has called LiDAR unnecessary. CEO Elon Musk once called it “a fool’s errand,” stating it was not needed to build an effective self-driving fleet of vehicles.

Musk compared cameras to eyes. Humans don’t need sensors or LiDAR to operate vehicles on the road, so why should cars? This brought up some questions, especially regarding sun glare. Musk said that Tesla would use direct photon counting to see directly into brigt sunlight or even in the darkest conditions at night.

His quote during a recent earnings call was:

“Actually, it does not blind the camera. We use an approach which is direct photon count. When you see a processed image, so the image that goes from the sort of photon counter — the silicon photon counter — that then goes through a digital signal processor or image signal processor, that’s normally what happens. And then the image that you see looks all washed out, because if you point the camera at the sun, the post-processing of the photon counting washes things out.”
So far, this strategy has yielded mixed results. We have seen examples of both:

The Good

We’ve had a handful of people state that they have had no issue using the Robotaxi when it is driving into direct sunlight.

There are plenty of examples:

The Bad

The Verdict

This is obviously a weird case, and it seems that this could be one of the challenges Tesla will face with the deployment of Robotaxi.

While it will get figured out, this is something that could ultimately push back Tesla’s goal of having no safety monitor in the vehicles. However, the instance will be learned and used to improve in the future through its Neural Nets.

The first intervention was captured yesterday, requiring the Tesla safety monitor to stop the vehicle manually on the car’s touchscreen.

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Tesla owners take stand as Stockholm insists on blocking FSD tests

Despite the Tesla owners’ efforts, city officials appear unwilling to budge.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla owners in Sweden are taking it upon themselves to lobby for the approval of FSD-style tests in the City of Stockholm. The owners’ efforts come amidst city officials’ continued refusal to allow Tesla to test its autonomous driving system in the capital.

In open letters and social media posts, Tesla owners have urged Stockholm to reconsider its stance, pointing to broader support for FSD trials across Europe. But despite their efforts, city officials appear unwilling to budge, reinforcing the capital’s hardline stance on the Elon Musk-led EV maker.

Public support shows brand loyalty

A group of Swedish Tesla owners recently sent an open letter to Stockholm leaders. Among them is Alexander Kristensen, who has written a letter to officials urging them to allow Tesla to test FSD in the region.

“Members of the Traffic Committee are politically appointed by the Stockholm City Council, whose mandate is determined by the popular vote. Your stance—continuing to block a conditional pilot of FSD— is thus a political decision and fully subject to the electorate’s judgment in the next municipal election.

“When the City prevents tests that could validate and refine the technology locally, it is perceived as hampering life-saving innovation,” the Tesla owners wrote.

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The Swedish Transport Administration issued a response, acknowledging the Tesla owners’ feedback. The Transport Administration noted that it could proceed to grant a permit for Tesla to test FSD, but the company would still have to secure approval from local governments where the FSD-style tests will be conducted.

Stockholm remains firm

Despite this, Stockholm doubled down shortly after, stating that Tesla’s FSD software remains prohibited on city roads.

“Thank you for your comments and for taking an interest in traffic issues concerning the City of Stockholm. As previously stated, the City’s assessment of the current application remains unchanged and our position is set out in the opinion,” the City of Stockhom wrote.

In light of the city’s response, some Tesla owners have vowed to campaign against current officials in the next election.

The push for FSD testing comes as Tesla faces ongoing challenges in Sweden, including a labor dispute with unions over collective bargaining agreements. Since late 2023, the conflict has resulted in strikes, blockades, and legal battles, none of which appear close to resolution. Despite regulatory and labor headwinds, Tesla continues to expand in the region, including the recent installation of Superchargers in union-backed areas.

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