News
Tesla pushes against Senate Bill 512, legislation that would prohibit direct sales, OTA updates
Tesla is reaching out to supporters to push against Senate Bill 512 in Oklahoma, a piece of legislation that would prohibit direct sales and close both service centers and showrooms in the state. Additionally, Tesla said in its letter that SB 512 would prohibit Tesla from offering Over-the-Air software updates to vehicles.
“Last month, we informed you about HB 3994, a detrimental bill proposed in the Oklahoma State Legislature. With your help, we were successful in stopping HB 3994, but unfortunately, most of that same language has been amended onto another bill,” Tesla said. “Senate Bill 512 is new legislation that passed out of committee last week and will now go before the full House of Representatives for a vote.”
In late February, Tesla pushed for supporters to contact local representatives in hopes of stopping HB 3994 in its tracks. It made its way to the House of Representatives after making its way through the House Business and Commerce Committee in early March, thanks to a unanimous 11-0 vote. However, it did not move past the House and was successfully stopped.
Unfortunately, Senate Bill 512 includes much of the same language as HB 3994 and is currently “being considered by members of the House of Representatives,” Tesla said on its engage platform. “SB 512 is new legislation that passed out of committee and will now be voted on by the full House of Representatives. If passed, this bill could force Tesla to close its existing locations in Oklahoma AND prevent Tesla from offering over-the-air software updates to your vehicle. Oklahoma should focus on increasing revenue and jobs in the state, not stifling competition and limiting consumer choice.”
Credit: Tesla
Direct sales are still a touchy subject within some states as dealerships and other entities push against the buying format. A Connecticut Tesla Service Center permit was recently revoked after Hoffman Auto Group, a company with a string of local dealership locations, argued that Tesla was attempting to loophole its way through laws prohibiting automakers from selling directly to customers.
“The Hoffman family of 10 auto dealerships, along with more than 250 other dealers statewide, remain committed to defending this state’s pro-consumer franchise system, which fosters healthy competition on a level playing field and will continue to resist global manufacturers from illegally entering our state in a way that would deprive local consumers of many of the protections they currently enjoy,” the company said in a statement after the permit was revoked.
An issue not exclusive to Tesla, many electric car companies, including Rivian and Lucid Group, have adopted a direct-to-consumer sales strategy. It takes the guessing game out of car buying, an activity that many believe is among the most stressful tasks in adult life. Offering the same car at the same price to all consumers and removing required and dedicated salespeople can lower prices and avoid stressful dealership tactics like market value adjustments.
Tesla is requesting people contact U.S. Reps at this link. Let your Representatives know you oppose Senate Bill 512.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla posts job opening for next-generation Roadster production
Elon Musk teased a major demonstration at the Tesla Design Studio in Hawthorne, scheduled for the end of the year.
Tesla has opened its first job listing specifically for the next-generation Roadster, hinting at some substantial progress on the company’s long-awaited flagship all-electric supercar.
The company is looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to support the development and launch of new battery manufacturing equipment, which would likely be pivotal to the Roaster, considering its teased performance and range.
Tesla’s next-generation Roadster batteries
As per Tesla’s Careers website, the Roadster Manufacturing Engineer’s tasks would include ideating equipment concepts, developing specifications, validating processes, and addressing production bottlenecks. Tesla emphasized that the position involves collaboration across domestic and international sites, supporting equipment factory acceptance tests and assisting operations teams, with expected travel under 50 percent.
“In this role, you will take large-scale manufacturing systems for new battery products and architectures from the early concept development stage through equipment launch, optimization, and handover to local operations teams. Battery development is at the heart of our company, and this is an exciting opportunity to work directly on the central challenges for the all-new Roadster product architecture while still in its early development stages,” the job listing noted.
The opening marks one of the first public hiring efforts explicitly tied to the next-gen Roadster, suggesting that the vehicle’s development might be approaching its initial manufacturing phase. The fact that the new Roadster’s first job opening is related to its battery is interesting, as the vehicle was unveiled with a range of 620 miles way back in late 2018. Though at the time, Elon Musk also noted that the Roadster would be fitted with a 200 kWh battery, twice the size of the batteries used in the Model S and Model X.
Musk teases “most epic demo ever” and fuels Roadster speculation
Back in July, Elon Musk teased a major demonstration at the Tesla Design Studio in Hawthorne, California, scheduled for the end of the year. Musk shared on X that he had just visited the studio, calling the upcoming event the “most epic demo ever by one of year. Ever.”
The statement immediately prompted speculations that Tesla may finally be ready to reveal the production version of the next-generation Roadster. Originally unveiled alongside the Semi in 2018, the Roadster has remained under wraps while the company scaled production of other models. Since its unveiling, however, the Roadster’s rollout has been pushed back in favor of the original Model Y, the refreshed Model S and X, the Cybertruck, the refreshed Model 3, the Semi, and the new Model Y.
At the time of its unveiling, the next-generation Roadster was teased to be nothing short of a monster, with a 0-60 mph time of 1.99 seconds and a top speed of over 250 mph. Elon Musk also teased that the next-generation Roadster would have a range of 620 miles per charge. Later, the CEO noted that the Roadster should be able to achieve a 0-60 mph launch of less than 1 second, thanks to the vehicle’s SpaceX package. Musk has also noted recently that the next-generation Roadster would be “beyond a car.”
News
Tesla’s Shanghai sites now producing massive solar output, confirms exec
Gigafactory Shanghai’s rooftop solar installation now generates an impressive amount of clean energy, and other sites are following suit.
Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao recently shared new details on the company’s solar initiatives in some of its facilities across Shanghai.
In a post on Weibo, the Tesla executive stated that Gigafactory Shanghai’s rooftop solar installation now generates an impressive amount of clean energy, and other sites are following suit.
Tesla China’s rooftop solar initiatives
As per Tao’s post, Giga Shanghai’s rooftop solar system produces about 11 million kWh of electricity per year. This helps reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 4,600 tons annually.
The Shanghai Megafactory, which produces Megapack batteries, is also being fitted with solar panels. Once operational, it is expected to generate an additional 6 million kWh per year and further lower carbon emissions by roughly 2,500 tons.
“At present, the roof of the Shanghai Super Factory is covered with photovoltaic panels, which can generate 11 million kWh of electricity annually and reduce carbon emissions by 4,600 tons. The Shanghai Energy Storage Super Factory next door is also installing photovoltaic panels, which is expected to generate an additional 6 million kWh a year and reduce carbon emissions by 2,500 tons,” Tao wrote in her post.
Tesla expands solar and storage efforts
Beyond its manufacturing hubs, Tesla is extending its renewable energy strategy to service centers and retail operations in China. Tao stated that the roof of Tesla’s Shanghai Kangqiao Direct Body and Paint Center already produces around 400,000 kWh of green electricity each year, reducing emissions by yet another 170 tons.
She highlighted that Tesla’s goal is to ensure clean electricity powers the full lifecycle of its products, from manufacturing and storage to on-road charging. “The manufacture, storage, and use of clean electricity runs through the entire chain of Tesla products, and is also the contribution of every Tesla owner to a sustainable tomorrow for the earth,” Tao stated.
News
Donald Trump confirms ‘good’ relationship with Elon Musk after public feud
Trump stated that he and Elon Musk have spoken “on and off, a little bit” since meeting at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in September.
United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that his relationship with Elon Musk has improved following months of tension.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump stated that he and Elon Musk have spoken “on and off, a little bit” since meeting at slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in September. Trump also noted that he now considers their relationship “good.”
Trump stated that his feud with Musk has cooled after ‘stupid moment’
Trump addressed the pair’s earlier feud, which unfolded publicly earlier this year after Musk publicly opposed Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and later stepped away from his administration’s advisory role tied to the DOGE initiative. The U.S. president addressed the dispute, describing it as a brief lapse in judgment, as noted in an Insider report.
“He had a bad spell, he had a bad period. He had a bad moment,” Trump said. “It was a stupid moment in his life, very stupid. I’m sure he’d tell you that. But I like Elon, and I suspect I always will.”
Trump’s remarks suggest a thaw in what had been one of the United States’ most visible political rifts, which saw Musk accusing Trump of being on Epstein’s list and Trump threatening to take away Tesla and SpaceX’s subsidies. In his recent comments, however, Trump noted that “I like Elon, I’ve always liked him.”
Musk has mostly stayed quiet on Trump, but he still criticizes administration officials
Musk has publicly toned down his criticism of Trump in recent months, pausing discussion of a third political party he once floated after Trump’s megabill passed. While his stance toward the former president appears to have softened, with the two men publicly making peace during Kirk’s memorial, Musk has continued to spar with members of Trump’s administration.
Just last week, he engaged in a dispute with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over NASA leadership after Duffy opened one of SpaceX’s contracts for review. Musk expressed his frustration against Duffy on X, stating that “Sean Dummy is trying to kill NASA” and pledging that SpaceX would be taking humans back to the Moon with Starship before any other company.
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoSpaceX posts Starship booster feat that’s so nutty, it doesn’t even look real
-
Elon Musk1 week agoTesla Full Self-Driving gets an offer to be insured for ‘almost free’
-
News1 week agoElon Musk confirms Tesla FSD V14.2 will see widespread rollout
-
News2 weeks agoTesla is adding an interesting feature to its centerscreen in a coming update
-
News2 weeks agoTesla launches new interior option for Model Y
-
News2 weeks agoTesla widens rollout of new Full Self-Driving suite to more owners
-
Elon Musk2 weeks agoTesla CEO Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay package hits first adversity from proxy firm
-
News1 week agoTesla might be doing away with a long-included feature with its vehicles

