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Tesla opens Model 3 RHD orders in UK, deliveries set for June

Model 3 right-hand-drive (RHD) debuts in the UK. | Image: Tesla

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Tesla has opened its Model 3 online configurator for UK customers, finally offering the much anticipated all-electric midsize sedan for the country’s right-hand drive (RHD) market. All US-market variations are available for UK customers to design and reserve, including the Model 3 Standard Range Plus, Long Range, and Performance. Deliveries are set for June, according to estimates provided on Tesla’s website during the ordering process.

The Model 3 configurator in the UK reflects battery range estimates that differ slightly from the ranges listed in the US thanks to variations between Europe’s and the US’s regulatory body testing procedures. Europe’s WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure) gives the Model 3 Standard Range Plus a 258 mile estimate (US 240 mi); the Long Range 348 miles (US 310 mi); and the Performance 329 miles (US 310).

Prices for all UK Model 3 variants are approximately $10,000 more than the US versions, and no savings estimates are included in the primary configurator listings. However, estimates are given at the bottom of the ordering page and clearly distinguished as “before savings” and “after savings”, as is the case for the US and several other non-UK customers.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced last week that UK customers would be able to place their Model 3 orders around “May 1 or 2”, which has obviously come to fruition as planned. Musk additionally said that Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong (also RHD markets) would follow shortly thereafter. After initially estimating an RHD launch in mid-2018, things look to now move quickly in those markets. Also mentioned by Musk was Tesla’s plan to cover all of Eastern Europe by the end of this year.

Tesla’s launch of the RHD Model 3 looked to be imminent after a test version was spotted driving on a California highway near the all-electric car maker’s headquarters in late March. The sighting followed the discovery of registered VIN markers a few weeks prior indicating the variant had been produced. Tesla originally debuted the Model 3 (left-hand-drive) in the UK in July 2018 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, making the opening of the country’s online configurator a long time coming for prospective customers.

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The Model 3 was purposefully designed with a symmetrical nature to streamline multiple driving configurations. This approach means that minimal retooling and engineering for right-hand-drive is required, according to Musk. Now that Tesla has a fair amount of logistics under its belt, the UK and other RHD market customers may benefit from a more streamlined manufacturing and order fulfillment process.

Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Tesla’s Supercharger Diner probably just secured more locations

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tesla diner
Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles dominated the company’s global usage rankings after just one year, proving the concept is more than just a one-off novelty location that will fade away.

The performance could incite the company to build more locations, something that CEO Elon Musk has hinted at for some time.

Tesla’s Supercharger Diner delivered 21.2 GWh of energy in its first year of operation, the company’s head of Charging, Max de Zegher, revealed on X. Of the top 10 most utilized Supercharger locations in Tesla’s global infrastructure, the Diner in Los Angeles was the most used by drivers, and it wasn’t particularly close:

On its launch day one year ago, nobody was too sure what the Tesla Diner would be about. It seemed like an interesting concept, and considering it had been in the works for years, it was a highly anticipated launch that many were looking forward to.

Based on its success, we could see additional Diners with Superchargers built throughout the United States, and potentially beyond. Musk has said on several occasions that the company would be willing to bring the Diner idea to more markets.

Tesla makes major change at Supercharger Diner amid epic demand

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Of the markets that Musk has mentioned, both Palo Alto and Austin have come to be perceived as ideal selections. However, there are no concrete plans as of now to build new Supercharger Diners anywhere; the location on Santa Monica Boulevard will remain the exclusive spot to pick up Tesla-inspired eats, at least for the time being.

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Tesla short sellers win big after shares fall after earnings

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A red Tesla Roadster driving around a turn
(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla short sellers won big following the company’s massive fall on Wall Street after it reported subpar Earnings on Wednesday.

Tesla short sellers collected about $4.12 billion in single-day profits on Thursday, according to BloombergShares fell as much as 15 percent during Thursday’s session. It closed as one of the worst days for Tesla on Wall Street in the past three years.

Investors sold off the stock after Tesla said it would aggressively direct its spending toward AI and its Optimus robot project. The company had record revenues, which were driven by one of the strongest quarters in terms of vehicle deliveries in company history.

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However, it missed EPS estimates by reporting just $0.33, a far cry from the $0.53 analysts expected.

S3 Partners reported that about 3 percent of Tesla’s outstanding stock is sold short. Managing Director at S3, Ihor Dusaniwsky, provided the short seller’s potential profit, as well as another figure: shorts have likely had paper gains of $8.92 billion this year, as Tesla shares are down 30 percent in 2026.

Tesla (TSLA) Q2 2026 earnings results: miss on EPS, beat on revenue

Tesla has burned short sellers many times in the past, but the company’s latest Earnings Call was a chance for those skeptics to taste some payback. Although the company gave some very transparent information regarding future projects, the rollout of Robotaxi, Optimus, and Semi, many investors took their profits on Thursday.

Notable short sellers like Michael Burry have been transparent about their skepticism around Tesla shares. Burry just revealed three weeks ago that he had opened up a new short on the stock, stating he shorted Tesla shares at $416.22. “Happy it jumped back to this level,” he said in a blog post.

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At the time of publication, Tesla shares were down about 3 percent and the stock was trading at $309.92.

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Tesla door handle saga gets its latest chapter and a big change is coming

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Credit: Tesla | Model 3 Owner's Manual

Tesla’s long-standing saga regarding its door handles and a manual release has entered its latest chapter, and as a result, a big change is coming.

On Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) denied Tesla’s petition that was seeking a defect investigation into roughly 180,000 Model 3 vehicles for an issue involving the emergency mechanical door release.

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NHTSA said that Tesla’s petition did not present evidence of a safety-related defect in the door handles or their emergency releases. Instead, the agency determined that it would rather solve the issue of the lack of labeling or location of emergency mechanical door releases and the federal safety rules that govern them.

Essentially, the NHTSA wants to create and enforce rules that would require automakers to make emergency door latch releases more clearly labeled in a car. Despite a Tesla having manual door releases on all four passenger doors, many people do not know they exist or how they work.

Tesla addresses door handle complaints with simple engineering fix

In recent times, Tesla has faced some criticism involving its door handles, specifically because some occupants have reported that they are unable to exit their vehicles after losing power. The door handles on a Tesla are electronically operated, but in the event that the 12V battery dies, there is a manual release that can be used.

The NHTSA only identified a single complaint involving the mechanical door releases: a 2022 Model 3 owner said the release was concealed and unlabeled after the vehicle lost power after a front-end collision. It has also already started to create a separate rulemaking process to make emergency door-egress systems more obvious.

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It should be noted that all Teslas have mechanical emergency door releases, but they are placed in various locations as the vehicles have aged and been redesigned from year to year. Refer to the safety manual for your vehicle if you have any confusion about where the emergency releases are and how they work.

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