Tesla owner Lily Fetterer shared her story of how she began racing her Model 3. It was a chilly September Sunday morning in San Francisco when I met with Lily to explore the city in her silver Tesla Model 3. Lily, a member of the Tesla Owners Club of East Bay, had kindly offered to give me a tour of the city, including a few places to look out over the bay.
The morning fog showed up to join us for most of the day, and as I climbed hills and mountains, well, they seemed like mountains to me, I got to know Lily. One of the first things I noticed about her Model 3 was that it had TeslaCorsa 24 emblazoned on both the driver’s and passenger’s side doors.
TeslaCorsa, sponsored by Unplugged Performance, was founded to encourage Tesla owners to experience the limits of their cars in a professionally managed race track environment. Lily is a race car driver who shared her story with me.
I asked her how she got into racing and how long she’d been racing. Lily and her family are fans of Tesla and already owned a Model X.
“The plan was to get the Model 3 as soon as it came out, and that’s exactly what we did. The 2018 model 3 RWD long range is the car that I race in.”
“I tried to find new hobbies to pursue that would be safe given Covid restrictions. I love driving fast in my Tesla, so I was ecstatic when I found TeslaCorsa while browsing the web.”
“I joined for the 10th TeslaCorsa event at Laguna Seca. They told me that if I could do that course in two minutes, I might have some talent that would be worth pursuing. I got two minutes and four seconds, which was close enough. I’ve been racing ever since.”
-->Lily told me it was a bit intimidating as a middle-aged woman who races in an EV.
“I am often the only female racing. At my first Tesla Corsa event, another female was also trying it out for the first time with her boyfriend. At other events, racers have had their parents participate too. I love how it’s an experience that people want to share with others. Racing is something that many can enjoy, not just hard-core racers.”
Lily pointed out that a big reason for her success is the great support she gets from other racers.
“Tom Mak, one of the best TeslaCorsa racers, has been my mentor throughout the process. He’s always showing me videos, giving me feedback, riding with me, and encouraging me to be better.” Steven Case has also driven with me and driven my car, so I can understand how to push my car to its limits”
-->
Around the same time Lily began racing, she got involved with the Tesla Owners Club of East Bay.
“I absolutely love the club. I think they do so many wonderful activities,” she told me. Lily noted that there are a lot of great Tesla clubs in the area but what she likes most about the East Bay club is that they have a lot of family-friendly events.
“We did a cruise to the top of Mount Diablo recently. They have a lot of fundraisers as well. I think that’s the thing I love the most. They give back to the community. It’s not just about getting people together and having fun, but it’s about giving back. At almost every event, there’s a donation aspect.”
“The Tesla Owners Club of East Bay frunk or treat event is coming, and I hope to win that competition. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I love The Nightmare Before Christmas. I’m a huge addict, so my house and my frunk will be decked out with that theme. The frunk or treat will be at Ehrenberg cellars in Livermore so the kids will have candy, and the parents will have wine. “
“There’s also an upcoming TOEB event on November 18th where club members will help us change our cabin air filters, and in exchange for the help, we bring a bag of groceries to donate for less fortunate people. “
-->
I asked Lily to share her advice for any women and girls who may want to get into racing.
“Don’t be afraid to give it a try. It’s different than driving on a freeway because you have tight turns, corners, and walls. Not all tracks are the same, so you can work your way up to trying more difficult tracks later. Racing is exhilarating, and if you like skiing or any speed activity, you’ll probably enjoy it too. I think that when people give it a try, they’ll find themselves hooked.”
Disclosure: Johnna is a $TSLA shareholder and believes in Tesla’s mission.
Your feedback is essential. If you have any comments or concerns or see a typo, you can email me at johnna@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter at @JohnnaCrider1.
Teslarati is now on TikTok. Follow us for interactive news & more. Teslarati is now on TikTok. Follow us for interactive news & more. You can also follow Teslarati on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
-->
News
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.
Hands-Off Demos
Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account.
Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.
“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”
-->Building trust towards an FSD Unsupervised rollout
Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.
FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.
FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.
News
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.
Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender
The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.
Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”
-->Two years on and plates are still being received
The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.
As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.
Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.
News
Czech Deputy excited for Tesla FSD, hints at Transport Committee review
The ANO party lawmaker shared his thoughts about FSD in a post on social media platform X.
Martin Kolovratník, a Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies member, has expressed his excitement for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) after an apparent constituent called for a quick approval for the advanced safety system.
The ANO party lawmaker, who drives both diesel and EV, shared his thoughts about the matter in a post on social media platform X.
The official’s initial statements
Kolovratník kicked off the exchange with a post outlining his coalition’s efforts to scrap highway toll exemptions for electric vehicles and plug-ins starting in 2027.
“Times have changed. Electric vehicles are no longer a fringe technology, but a full-fledged part of operations. And if someone uses the highway network, they should follow the same rules as everyone else. That’s the basis of fairness,” he wrote.
He emphasized equity over ideology, noting his personal mix of diesel and electric driving. “For this reason, there is no reason to continue favoring one technology at the expense of another… It’s not about ideology, it’s about equal conditions. That’s why we clearly agreed within the new coalition: the exemption for electric vehicles and plug-ins will end in 2027. The decision is predictable, understandable, and economically sound.”
-->Tesla FSD enthusiasm
The conversation pivoted to Tesla’s FSD when X user @robotinreallife, who seems to be one of the official’s constituents, replied that other matters are more important than ending highway exemptions for EVs.
“I’m happy to pay for the highway, but I have a question about a much more fundamental matter: The Netherlands will approve the operation of Tesla FSD in February 26, a technology that has been proven to reduce accidents. The Czech Republic has the option to immediately recognize this certification. Do you plan to support this step so that we don’t unnecessarily delay?” the X user asked.
Kolovratník responded promptly, sharing his own excitement for the upcoming rollout of FSD. “I know about it. I like it and it seems interesting to me. Once we set up the committees and subcommittees, we’ll open it right away in that transport one. Thanks for the tip, I’ll deliver the report,” the official noted in his reply on X.
Kolovratník’s nod to FSD hints at the system’s potentially smooth rollout to Czechia in the coming year. With the Netherlands possibly greenlighting FSD (Supervised) in early 2026, Kolovratník’s commitment could accelerate cross-border certification, boosting FSD’s foray into Europe by a notable margin.
-->
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
