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Tesla representative removed from auto dealer’s board by Virginia Senate
Tesla Inc. employee Cody Arnett was relieved of his post in Virginia’s Motor Vehicle Dealer Board earlier this week, amid an ongoing battle over the electric carmaker’s right to sell directly to consumers in the state. Arnett, who was appointed by former Governor Terry McAuliffe before he stepped down from office, raised some eyebrows among other members of the MVDB, many of whom felt that the Tesla employee was not qualified for the post.
His removal from the MVDB seemed to have been caused by strong opposition to Tesla’s dealership-free business model by the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA), an influential group of legacy auto dealers that holds to the notion that automakers must sell vehicles through franchised dealerships. Arnett, who currently works as a performance coach for Tesla, was set to serve for four years on Virginia’s Motor Vehicle Dealer Board. As one of the MVDB’s 19 members, Arnett was tasked with the regulation and oversight of new and used automobile dealers in the state. On January 15, however, the VADA formally submitted a request to strip the 29-year-old Tesla employee of his appointment.
According to the VADA, Arnett should not be allowed to serve on the MVDB because he was not the owner of a franchised vehicle dealership. In a statement to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the auto group’s president and CEO, Don Hall, asserted that the technicality ultimately disqualifies the Tesla employee from holding one of the board’s 19 seats.
“The seat cannot be held by an employee of a dealer. It must be held by the owner of a dealership. I am sure the young man is a nice guy, and I am sure he has got great intentions, but the fact is he does not qualify,” Hall said, according to the Times-Dispatch.
The Virginia Automobile Dealers Association’s objection to Arnett’s appointment was submitted to Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier, the chairwoman of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. Last Tuesday, the Senate committee decided to strip Arnett of his place in the MVDB, in what could only be described as a rare instance when a gubernatorial appointment was relieved from a post, as noted in a Washington Post report. Only one member of the committee, Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, voted to keep Arnett on the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board.
Arnett has been a longtime employee of Tesla, starting his tenure with the Elon Musk-led electric car maker and energy firm back in 2012. In a statement to the Times-Dispatch, Arnett stated that he received a dealer-operator license three years ago. He also revealed that he had already attended an MVDB meeting earlier this month.
In a statement to the Times-Dispatch on Wednesday, Tesla senior policy manager Brooke Kintz expressed the company’s disappointment at Arnett’s removal from the state’s Motor Vehicle Dealer Board.
“Arnett would have brought an important and innovative perspective to the board and to Virginians. Former Governor McAuliffe recognized this in appointing Cody, and as the holder of a license in Virginia, Tesla has just as much of a right to participate on the MVDB as anyone else.
“The decision of a small number of legislators to overturn Cody’s appointment at the urging of VADA is highly unusual if not unprecedented. It raises basic questions of fairness and improper political influence,” Kintz said.
Tesla currently operates one store at 9850 W. Broad St. in western Henrico County, Virginia, that doubles as a showroom and service center.
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Tesla China rolls out Model 3 insurance subsidy through February
Eligible customers purchasing a Model 3 by February 28 can receive an insurance subsidy worth RMB 8,000 (about $1,150).
Tesla has rolled out a new insurance subsidy for Model 3 buyers in China, adding another incentive as the automaker steps up promotions in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.
Eligible customers purchasing a Model 3 by February 28 can receive an insurance subsidy worth RMB 8,000 (about $1,150).
A limited-time subsidy
The insurance subsidy, which was announced by Tesla China on Weibo, applies to the Model 3 RWD, Long Range RWD, and Long Range AWD variants. Tesla stated that the offer is available to buyers who complete their purchase on or before February 28, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The starting prices for these variants are RMB 235,500, RMB 259,500, and RMB 285,500, respectively.
The Tesla Model 3 Performance, which starts at RMB 339,500, is excluded from the subsidy. The company has previously used insurance incentives at the beginning of the year to address softer seasonal demand in China’s auto market. The program is typically phased out as sales conditions stabilize over the year.
China’s electric vehicle market
The insurance subsidy followed Tesla’s launch of a 7-year low-interest financing plan in China on January 6, which is aimed at improving vehicle affordability amid changing policy conditions. After Tesla introduced the financing program, several automakers, such as Xiaomi, Li Auto, Xpeng, and Voyah, introduced similar long-term financing options.
China’s electric vehicle market has faced additional headwinds entering 2026. Buyers of new energy vehicles are now subject to a 5% purchase tax, compared with the previous full exemption. At the same time, vehicle trade-in subsidies in several cities are expected to expire in mid-November.
Tesla’s overall sales in China declined in 2025, with deliveries totaling 625,698 vehicles, down 4.78% year-over-year. Model 3 deliveries increased 13.33% to 200,361 units, while Model Y deliveries, which were hampered by the changeover to the new Model Y in the first quarter, fell 11.45% to 425,337 units.
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Tesla hiring Body Fit Technicians for Cybercab’s end of line
As per Tesla’s Careers website, Body Fit Technicians for the Cybercab focus on precision body fitment work, including alignment, gap and flush adjustments.
Tesla has posted job openings for Body Fit Technicians for the Cybercab’s end-of-line assembly, an apparent indication that preparations for the vehicle’s initial production are accelerating at Giga Texas.
Body Fit Technicians for Cybercab line
As per Tesla’s Careers website, Body Fit Technicians for the Cybercab focus on precision body fitment work, including alignment, gap and flush adjustments, and certification of body assemblies to specification standards.
Employees selected for the role will collaborate with engineering and quality teams to diagnose and correct fitment and performance issues and handle detailed inspections, among other tasks.
The listing noted that candidates should be experienced with automotive body fit techniques and comfortable with physically demanding tasks such as lifting, bending, walking, and using both hand and power tools. The position is based in Austin, Texas, where Tesla’s main Cybercab production infrastructure is being built.
Cybercab poised for April production
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently reiterated that the Cybercab is still expected to start initial production this coming April. So far, numerous Cybercab test units have been spotted across the United States, and recent posts from the official Tesla Robotaxi account have revealed that winter tests in Alaska for the autonomous two-seater are underway.
While April has been confirmed as the date for the Cybercab’s initial production, Elon Musk has also set expectations about the vehicle’s volumes in its initial months. As per the CEO, the Cybercab’s production will follow a typical S-curve, which means that early production rates for the vehicle will be very limited.
“Initial production is always very slow and follows an S-curve. The speed of production ramp is inversely proportionate to how many new parts and steps there are. For Cybercab and Optimus, almost everything is new, so the early production rate will be agonizingly slow, but eventually end up being insanely fast,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
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Swedish unions consider police report over Tesla Megapack Supercharger
The Tesla Megapack Supercharger opened shortly before Christmas in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm.
Swedish labor unions are considering whether to file a police report related to a newly opened Tesla Megapack Supercharger near Stockholm, citing questions about how electricity is supplied to the site. The matter has also been referred to Sweden’s energy regulator.
Tesla Megapack Supercharger
The Tesla Megapack Supercharger opened shortly before Christmas in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm. Unlike traditional charging stations, the site is powered by an on-site Megapack battery rather than a direct grid connection. Typical grid connections for Tesla charging sites in Sweden have seen challenges for nearly two years due to union blockades.
Swedish labor union IF Metall has submitted a report to the Energy Market Inspectorate, asking the authority to assess whether electricity supplied to the battery system meets regulatory requirements, as noted in a report from Dagens Arbete (DA). The Tesla Megapack on the site is charged using electricity supplied by a local company, though the specific provider has not been publicly identified.
Peter Lydell, an ombudsman at IF Metall, issued a comment about the Tesla Megapack Supercharger. “The legislation states that only companies that engage in electricity trading may supply electricity to other parties. You may not supply electricity without a permit, then you are engaging in illegal electricity trading. That is why we have reported this… This is about a company that helps Tesla circumvent the conflict measures that exist. It is clear that it is troublesome and it can also have consequences,” Lydell said.
Police report under consideration
The Swedish Electricians’ Association has also examined the Tesla Megapack Supercharger and documented its power setup. As per materials submitted to the Energy Market Inspectorate, electrical cables were reportedly routed from a property located approximately 500 meters from the charging site.
Tomas Jansson, ombudsman and deputy head of negotiations at the Swedish Electricians’ Association, stated that the union was assessing whether to file a police report related to the Tesla Megapack Supercharger. He also confirmed that the electricians’ union was coordinating with IF Metall about the matter. “We have a close collaboration with IF Metall, and we are currently investigating this. We support IF Metall in their fight for fair conditions at Tesla,” Jansson said.
Tesla China rolls out Model 3 insurance subsidy through February
Tesla hiring Body Fit Technicians for Cybercab’s end of line
