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Tesla opens Germany’s largest sales & service center

(Credit: Tesla via teslamag.de)

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Tesla has opened its largest sales and service center in Germany to date. Apart from operating as a sales and service center, the all-electric car manufacturer’s new location will handle deliveries as well, making the site a multi-purpose facility for current and future Tesla customers.

According to TeslaMag, the EV maker’s newest sales center is located in Hamburg, Germany. Its floor area is about 69,970 sq ft (about 6,500 sqm), making it Tesla’s largest sales center in Germany at the moment. The company has two other sales and service centers in Germany: one located in Hanover and the other in Cologne.

Tesla’s new Hamburg location seems to follow a similar model as its Integrated Experience Centers in China, which function as showrooms, as well as service and delivery facilities. TeslaMag reported that Tesla has closed some of its stores and showrooms in prime city locations.

The closures seem to be in conjunction with the opening of the new integrated sales centers in strategic locations. Tesla may be opting to open multi-purpose facilities for customers, which might be more efficient as it continues to grow.

Credit: KBA

Tesla’s Hamburg sales center is strategically located and might help drive the EV manufacturer’s growth further in the future. Hamburg happens to be the home of the second-largest harbor in Europe and the biggest seaport in Germany. About 8,000 ships dock at Port of Hamburg a year, reported its official website.

As Tesla’s market share in Germany continues to increase, more sales and service centers will be needed to cater to customers, both old and new. The addition of Tesla’s Hamburg sales center may reflect the all-electric car maker’s growing customer base in Germany.

According to a chart released by the KBA, Tesla’s sales in Germany have been growing this year despite the ongoing pandemic. The KBA chart shows that Tesla has delivered a total of 11,217 vehicles to customers in Germany from January to September of 2020. So far, Tesla has stood as the outlier among carmakers operating in the country, all of which have exhibited negative growth this year.

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Tesla’s presence in Germany is expected to expand even more after Gigafactory Berlin starts production on the Model Y in mid-2021. Giga Berlin’s construction has been steadily picking up pace in the past few months and seems to be on schedule. In Q2, Tesla did announce that Gigafactory Berlin’s construction was going smoothly. Images and drone flyovers of the site show numerous structures such as the Body-in-White building and the Paint Shop coming together quickly as well.

As per recent updates from CEO Elon Musk, Gigafactory Berlin’s Tesla Model Y will be made with the company’s custom 4680 cells and structural battery pack, which were unveiled during the company’s Battery Day. The vehicle will also be using a single-piece front and rear cast. As such, the European Model Y will likely be more energy-efficient and possibly even be more affordable than its current counterparts in the United States.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla Robotaxi riders will face the best dilemma when booking a ride

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla has updated its Robotaxi app so riders can pick which vehicle they want before they book. The latest in-app screens now show two options side by side: the two-seat Cybercab and the four-seat Model Y.

A screenshot circulating Thursday shows the change in practice. In Austin, a rider could choose a gold Cybercab for two people or a Model Y for four. Tesla’s updated description calls Cybercab “our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle,” designed for safety, accessibility, and comfort, and says the lineup is available only through the Robotaxi app.

The distinction is more than cosmetic, and it’s important to note that Robotaxi refers to the platform, while Cybercab refers to a vehicle.

Model Y Robotaxis have carried the service since it opened in Austin in mid-2025 and later expanded to Dallas, Houston, and parts of Florida. Those vehicles are converted production SUVs that still have steering wheels and pedals.

Cybercab is different. It has no driver controls, butterfly doors, a low seat height meant to work with wheelchairs, extra trunk space for assistive devices, and braille on the handles. Tesla has registered dozens of the two-seaters with Texas regulators in the days leading up to its September 3 Austin event.

Giving riders a choice lets Tesla match the vehicle to the trip. Most rides involve one or two people, which is where Cybercab is meant to be cheaper and more efficient to operate. Groups of three or four, or anyone who needs more space, can still request a Model Y.

The same app handles booking, payment, cabin settings, and, on Cybercab, features such as phone-based door opening and in-cabin voice controls.

Tesla Cybercab event gains steam ahead of massive launch

The update does not mean every city suddenly has both cars available. Cybercab support is listed for Austin first, and the purpose-built fleet is still small compared with the existing Model Y roster. Even so, the app change marks a shift from a single-vehicle pilot to a mixed fleet.

Riders can now choose between the compact, purpose-built robotaxi and the familiar SUV that launched the service.

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Tesla Cybercab sightings broaden well outside of Austin with autonomy in focus

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Credit: Tesla Robotaxi | X

Tesla Cybercab sightings are broadening far and wide, well outside of downtown Austin, Texas, with autonomy in focus as the company plans to launch the all-electric, two-seater this evening in the Lone Star State.

Tesla is set to launch Cybercab to a small group of people this evening in a dedicated event in Austin, Texas. Public details on the event are relatively slim.

However, Tesla’s focus on Cybercab falls well outside of the downtown Austin area and is expanding well across the United States as things continue to move quickly with the company’s autonomous efforts in 2026. Today, various images of Cybercab fleets in interesting locations have started to circulate.

The most notable is a fleet of at least 20 Cybercabs at Miami International Airport in Florida. Spotted last night, the fleet is expansive and is indicative of a looming release of Cybercabs once regulatory boxes are checked off.

Tesla has already been operating the Robotaxi platform in Miami for several months, but this Cybercab fleet at the airport could be joining the ride-hailing platform as approvals arrive:

Another fleet of Cybercabs was spotted at the Devon, PA showroom just outside of Philadelphia. We have seen several Cybercab units testing around the Philadelphia Metro Area, which is interesting considering Tesla does not have any active Robotaxi geofence in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia would be an ideal location to test ride-hailing due to its dense tourist population, large, sprawling city layout, and to compete with other ride-hailing companies that operate in the city.

Expansive fleets of Cybercabs will be popping up in and around major cities throughout the rest of the year, if we were betting on it. Tesla has made it obvious that the Cybercab rollout will be aggressive and fast-paced, but within reason. Tesla is still prioritizing safety, so these testing phases will likely go on for some period of time before more members of the public are able to snag a Cybercab for a personal chariot.

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Tesla Model Y L gets suspension complaints in over odd issue China

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Credit: @TeslaNewswire/X

The Tesla Model Y L is arguably the most hyped trim of the all-electric crossover, other than the Performance configuration that comes with white-knuckle speed and sports car-level handling.

However, it is not all perfect. Tesla owners in China who took delivery of the Model Y L, denoted with an L to highlight its longer wheelbase, are experiencing what they are referring to as “collapsing” of the rear wheels, as suspension issues appear to be an issue with some of the builds.

The gap between the wheel arch and tire has narrowed to the point that “not even a single finger” could fit, according to a report from Car News China. The failures are not tied to a specific mileage, as one owner said that after just 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles), they noticed the suspension issue when their car was fully loaded.

Another one had the issue at 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles) and noticed that the wheel gap shrank to two fingers, so not as drastic as the person who reported a similar issue at 9,000 km.

Tesla Model Y L is gaining momentum in China’s premium segment

Along with the visual recognition of the issue, others are saying the sagging is causing abnormal wear on the inside of the tires. Extra weight and instant torque already provide additional stress on the tires in electric vehicles during normal operation, so it is no surprise that this is another complaint.

There has been no recall issued by Tesla, and the company has not yet publicly acknowledged the issue.

Some are suggesting that owners use a “finger test” to self-diagnose whether there is an issue with the suspension. There should be four fingers between the tire and the wheel well; anything less than that starts to get dicey.

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