Connect with us

News

Tesla loses another potential rival as BMW abandons Vision M NEXT concept

Credit: BMW

Published

on

Tesla’s next-gen Roadster and Plaid Model S may have one less rival, as reports are now circulating that BMW has canceled its plans for the Vision M NEXT.

MotorTrend first reported that the German automaker scrapped plans for the vehicle. While the exact details are unknown, it seems the coronavirus pandemic’s negative impact on the automotive industry could be a pivotal contributor to BMW’s decision to shelve the plans for the Vision M NEXT.

The Vision M NEXT held a 0-100 km/h time of 3 seconds and a top speed of 186 MPH. The car also had a BOOST+ button that would allow for additional horsepower and acceleration for a short period of time. While the car was not fully electric, it did house a small battery that would contribute around 62 miles of electric range. The Vision M NEXT was widely considered as the template for a potential successor to the BMW i8, a hybrid sports car that was once compared to the original Tesla Roadster.

BMW has promised to build at least 25 electrified cars by 2023. Most automakers have felt a sharp decline in sales, revenue, and production as a result of COVID-19, and BMW is no different. When asked about the plans to scrap the Vision M NEXT, a BMW spokesperson did not confirm nor deny the rumors. “We are not able to comment on any products that have not been officially announced,” they told MotorTrend.

The company’s recent losses may have hit BMW in a place where non-essential vehicles were the first to go, as these are usually expensive to develop, produce, and manufacture. The Vision M NEXT is no exception. The car is made of carbon-fiber, which holds a high price, and based on the car’s performance specifications, the vehicle had a rumored price tag of $200,000, the same as the next-gen Tesla Roadster.

Advertisement

As of now, the next-generation Tesla Roadster only has a handful of real rivals. Most notably, the Audi PB18 e-Tron comes to mind. The German automaker announced that its all-electric supercar would enter a low-volume production phase that would begin by January 2021. The vehicle has not been produced yet, but there is still some time left before its target manufacturing date.

Meanwhile, the Tesla Roadster is still the crown jewel of the electric automotive industry. Its 200 kWh battery pack allows for 620 miles of range, and its 1.9 second 0-60 mph speed is among the fastest in the industry. Details are still relatively unknown on production times for the Roadster, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated an update would be coming later in 2020.

Advertisement

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla Supercharger access has proven to be a challenge for one company

Interestingly, it seems to be the Volkswagen brand specifically that is having issues with compatibility with Tesla Superchargers. Other brands under the VW umbrella, like Audi and Porsche, have already gained access to the charging network.

Published

on

Credit: MarcoRP | X

Tesla Supercharger access has proven to be quite the challenge for one company, as it continues to delay the date that it will enable its owners to charge at the most expansive network in the world.

Tesla Superchargers have been opening up to other brands for well over a year, and many car companies that are manufacturing electric vehicles now have access to the vast network that has over 70,000 locations worldwide.

Tesla to launch Supercharger access for VW owners later this year

However, one brand has experienced some issues with what it is calling “technical challenges,” specifically failing to enable cross-compatibility between its vehicles and Tesla Superchargers.

Volkswagen has had to delay its ability to enable customers to charge at Superchargers because there have been some difficulties getting things to run smoothly. A report from PCMag cites a quote from a Volkswagen spokesperson who said there are still plans to deliver this year, but there have been some delays:

Advertisement

“Volkswagen looks forward to making it possible for ID. Buzz and ID.4 vehicle owners to gain access to the Tesla NACS Partner Superchargers. The timeline has been delayed by technical challenges, and we ask for customers’ patience. We still expect to deliver access this year.”

Interestingly, it seems to be the Volkswagen brand specifically that is having issues with compatibility with Tesla Superchargers. Other brands under the VW umbrella, like Audi and Porsche, have already gained access to the charging network.

Volkswagen EV owners will need to use an official VW adapter to access the Tesla Supercharger Network once the issues are resolved. It still plans to launch access to its owners later this year, but its spokesperson did not announce any planned timeline.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla Giga Berlin makes big move amid strong sales and demand

“We currently have very good sales figures and have therefore revised our production plans for the third and fourth quarters upwards.”

Published

on

Credit: Tesla Manufacturing

Tesla is making a big move at its factory in Germany, known as Giga Berlin, as managers at the plant have indicated the company plans to increase its production rate for the remainder of the year.

Giga Berlin is responsible for manufacturing Model Y vehicles for several markets worldwide, including those outside of Europe. It was opened in March 2022, and it recently built its 500,000th Model Y in March and its 100,000th new Model Y just three weeks ago.

Due to some encouraging sales figures in the markets it provides vehicles for, Tesla said it is planning to increase production at the factory for the remainder of the year.

Andrè Thierig, plant manager at Giga Berlin, said to German news outlet DPA on Sunday that market data has encouraged a move to be made regarding the production at the factory:

“We currently have very good sales figures and have therefore revised our production plans for the third and fourth quarters upwards.”

Advertisement

It is interesting to see this kind of narrative from Thierig, especially as data has shown Tesla has struggled in various markets, including Germany, this year.

Sales drops have been reported, but other markets are holding strong, especially those in Northern Europe, such as Norway, where the Model Y saw a nearly 39 percent increase in sales in August compared to the same month the previous year.

Tesla Model Y leads sales rush in Norway in August 2025

Gigafactory Berlin supplies vehicles for other markets, such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, which are strategically important to avoid tariffs. It also builds cars for the Middle East.

Thierig reiterated this point during the interview with DPA:

Advertisement

“We supply well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there.”

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

Tesla analyst says Musk stock buy should send this signal to investors

“With Musk’s (Tesla stock) purchase, combined with the upward momentum for delivery expectations and robotaxi rollout, we are becoming more bullish.”

Published

on

(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk purchased roughly $1 billion in Tesla shares on Friday, and analysts are now breaking down the move as the stock is headed upward.

One of them is William Blair analyst Jed Dorsheimer, who said in a new note to investors on Monday that Musk’s move should send a signal of confidence to stock buyers, especially considering the company’s numerous catalysts that currently exist.

Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever

Dorsheimer said in the note:

“With Musk’s (Tesla stock) purchase, combined with the upward momentum for delivery expectations and robotaxi rollout, we are becoming more bullish. This purchase is Musk’s first buy since 2020. To us, this sends a strong signal of confidence in the most important part of Tesla’s future business, robotaxi.”

Advertisement

Musk putting an additional $1 billion back into the company in the form of more stock ownership is obviously a huge vote of confidence.

He knows more than anyone about the progress Tesla has made and is making on the Robotaxi platform, as well as the company’s ongoing efforts to solve vehicle autonomy. If he’s buying stock, it is more than likely a good sign.

Tesla has continued to expand its Robotaxi platform in a number of ways. The project has gotten bigger in terms of service area, vehicle fleet, and testing population. Tesla has also recently received a permit to test in Nevada, unlocking the potential to expand into a brand-new state for the company.

In the note, Dorsheimer also touched on Musk’s recent pay package, revealing that William Blair recently met with Tesla’s Board of Directors, who gave the firm some more color on the situation:

“We recently participated in a meeting with Tesla’s board of directors to discuss the details of Musk’s performance package. The board is confident of its position in the Delaware case and anticipates a verdict by end of year. It does not expect a similar situation to occur under new Texas jurisdiction. Musk has the board’s full support, and we expect he’ll get more than enough shareholder support for this to pass with flying colors.”

Advertisement

Tesla stock is up over 6 percent so far today, trading at $421.50 at the time of publication.

Continue Reading

Trending