News
Tesla open charging protocol picks up interest with carmakers
Ever since Tesla Motors announced last week it was opening some of its charging patents to the competition, a few carmakers have indicated interest. Although we could argue who stands to gain the most, the winners are electric vehicle (EV) owners.
BMW and Nissan; CHAdeMO, CSS and the SuperCharger
The EV charging protocol landscape is getting crowded and Tesla knows it needs to be rationalized. Eager not to repeat the Betamax/VHS debacle, Tesla tried to nip in the bud the futile war fought between the different protocols. Officially, Tesla and BMW want to promote electric vehicles, which means finding a way to work on a communal EV charging technology. By coming into the game after many carmakers are establishing their EV presence, BMW hopes to bypass the process. This would give the German company access to a technology it won’t have to design and spend resources on. For Tesla, BMW is a partner that lends it even more credibility in the world of EVs. It’s a win-win situation.
ALSO SEE: BMW, Nissan and Tesla to Develop Universal Charging Network?
But if BMW could be the first automaker to access Tesla’s supercharging technology, that would put others at a disadvantage. Enter stage left, the world’s largest EV maker, Nissan. The Japanese EV maker is backing CHAdeMO that hopes to become a de facto protocol. Although the company has a working relationship with others supporting the same charging protocol, Nissan using Tesla’s charging system would tip the balance of power towards Tesla.
Tata and CarCharging
Those who stand to gain the most from an alliance with Tesla might not always be the biggest companies. They might the sleeping giants. That description fits the Tata Group perfectly. The company now owns Jaguar, Land Rover and has been working with MDI, a small French compressed air car company I was fortunate to test drive back in 2009. The Nano is making waves with its affordable price, but one thing is missing. Where are the EVs? Tata’s intention to use Tesla’s charging system means the company is seriously looking at EVs.
As far as CarCharging, it is a well established company in the charging world, which stands to win big from a Tesla alliance. With its wide Blink network, its reach could mean serious coverage for Tesla. While it only plans to add Tesla-capable adapters to its charging stations, we hope this will lead to a more fruitful collaboration in the future.
-->The bigger picture
The bigger picture with a Tesla-BMW-Nissan and now Tata, CarCharging alliance would mean the carmakers would have a wide coverage of the most important car markets, notably Asia, Europe and the U.S., as Gas2.org mentions. This also leaves other makers in the undesirable position to acknowledge once more Tesla as a serious disruptor. With CarCharging needing to revamp its Blink network, these highly visible EV players joining forces could force an entire industry to adopt Tesla’s charging system. This would set in motion Tesla Motors’ not-so hidden strategy to become the center of the EV. After all, no one is claiming this position, at least not in any intelligent ways.
All of these companies have expressed interest in working with Tesla. These are bold moves from carmakers who have been around for seven decades, and a startup, itself a fixture of the EV landscape. Anyone care to see where Tesla is going with this move?
Source: Gas2.org
News
Tesla’s most affordable car is coming to the Netherlands
The trim is expected to launch at €36,990, making it the most affordable Model 3 the Dutch market has seen in years.
Tesla is preparing to introduce the Model 3 Standard to the Netherlands this December, as per information obtained by AutoWeek. The trim is expected to launch at €36,990, making it the most affordable Model 3 the Dutch market has seen in years.
While Tesla has not formally confirmed the vehicle’s arrival, pricing reportedly comes from a reliable source, the publication noted.
Model 3 Standard lands in NL
The U.S. version of the Model 3 Standard provides a clear preview of what Dutch buyers can expect, such as a no-frills configuration that maintains the recognizable Model 3 look without stripping the car down to a bare interior. The panoramic glass roof is still there, the exterior design is unchanged, and Tesla’s central touchscreen-driven cabin layout stays intact.
Cost reductions come from targeted equipment cuts. The American variant uses fewer speakers, lacks ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, and swaps premium materials for cloth and textile-heavy surfaces. Performance is modest compared with the Premium models, with a 0–100 km/h sprint of about six seconds and an estimated WLTP range near 550 kilometers.
Despite the smaller battery and simpler suspension, the Standard maintains the long-distance capability drivers have come to expect in a Tesla.
-->Pricing strategy aligns with Dutch EV demand and taxation shifts
At €36,990, the Model 3 Standard fits neatly into Tesla’s ongoing lineup reshuffle. The current Model 3 RWD has crept toward €42,000, creating space for a more competitive entry-level option, and positioning the new Model 3 Standard comfortably below the €39,990 Model Y Standard.
The timing aligns with rising Dutch demand for affordable EVs as subsidies like SEPP fade and tax advantages for electric cars continue to wind down, EVUpdate noted. Buyers seeking a no-frills EV with solid range are then likely to see the new trim as a compelling alternative.
With the U.S. variant long established and the Model Y Standard already available in the Netherlands, the appearance of an entry-level Model 3 in the Dutch configurator seems like a logical next step.
News
Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October
The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.
The Tesla Model Y led China’s top-selling pure electric vehicles in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment through October 2025, as per Yiche data compiled from China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) figures.
The premium-priced SUV outpaced rivals despite a competitive field, while the Model 3 also secured an impressive position.
The Model Y is still unrivaled
The Model Y’s dominance shines in Yiche’s October report, topping the chart for vehicles priced between 200,000 and 300,000 RMB. With 312,331 units retailed from January through October, the all-electric crossover was China’s best-selling EV in the 200,000–300,000 RMB segment.
The Xiaomi SU7 is a strong challenger at No. 2 with 234,521 units, followed by the Tesla Model 3, which achieved 146,379 retail sales through October. The Model Y’s potentially biggest rival, the Xiaomi YU7, is currently at No. 4 with 80,855 retail units sold.
Efficiency kings
The Model 3 and Model Y recently claimed the top two spots in Autohome’s latest real-world energy-consumption test, outperforming a broad field of Chinese-market EVs under identical 120 km/h cruising conditions with 375 kg payload and fixed 24 °C cabin temperature. The Model 3 achieved 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y recorded 21.8 kWh/100 km, reaffirming Tesla’s efficiency lead.
The results drew immediate attention from Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, who publicly recognized Tesla’s advantage while pledging continued refinement for his brand’s lineup.
-->“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship program is already bouncing back from Booster 18 fiasco
Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too.
SpaceX is already bouncing back from the fiasco that it experienced during Starship Booster 18’s initial tests earlier this month.
Just over a week since Booster 18 met its untimely end, SpaceX is now busy stacking Booster 19, and at a very rapid pace, too.
Starship V3 Booster 19 is rising
As per Starbase watchers on X, SpaceX rolled out the fourth aft section of Booster 19 to Starbase’s MegaBay this weekend, stacking it to reach 15 rings tall with just a few sections remaining. This marks the fastest booster assembly to date at four sections in five days. This is quite impressive, and it bodes well for SpaceX’s Starship V3 program, which is expected to be a notable step up from the V2 program, which was retired after a flawless Flight 11.
Starship watcher TankWatchers noted the tempo on X, stating, “During the night the A4 section of Booster 19 rolled out to the MegaBay. With 4 sections in just 5 days, this is shaping up to be the fastest booster stack ever.” Fellow Starbase watcher TestFlight echoed the same sentiments. “Booster 19 is now 15 rings tall, with 3 aft sections remaining!” the space enthusiast wrote.
Aggressive targets despite Booster 18 fiasco
SpaceX’s V3 program encountered a speed bump earlier this month when Booster 18, just one day after rolling out into the factory, experienced a major anomaly during gas system pressure testing at SpaceX’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas. While no propellant was loaded, no engines were installed, and no one was injured in the incident, the unexpected end of Booster 18 sparked speculation that the Starship V3 program could face delays.
-->Despite the Booster 18 fiasco, however, SpaceX announced that “Starship’s twelfth flight test remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.” Elon Musk shared a similar timeline on X earlier this year, with the CEO stating that “ V3 is a massive upgrade from the current V2 and should be through production and testing by end of year, with heavy flight activity next year.”
Considering that Booster 19 seems to be moving through its production phases quickly, perhaps SpaceX’s Q1 2026 target for Flight 12 might indeed be more than feasible.
Tesla’s most affordable car is coming to the Netherlands
Tesla Model Y is still China’s best-selling premium EV through October
