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Tesla Supercharger-blocking Ford Mustang gets towed after driver flips off Model 3 owner

Credit: Twitter/@dollarn9ne

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The owners of two Ford vehicles who parked their vehicles in Tesla Superchargers have been taught a valuable lesson: if one were to intentionally block a charging station while other EV owners are waiting to recharge their cars’ batteries, police may be involved. And when police get involved, inconveniences are very likely to happen.

Tesla Model 3 and Model X owner @dollarn9ne shared the incident on Twitter. After arriving at a Supercharger in Walnut Creek, California, he noticed that two Ford cars, a Mustang and a Focus, were parked in spaces that were specifically reserved for Tesla vehicles. The EV owner opted to ask the owner of the Mustang by telling him that the space he was parked at was reserved for Teslas. But instead of acknowledging his mistake and moving his vehicle, the Mustang driver reportedly gave the Model 3 owner a clear middle finger salute instead.

https://twitter.com/dollarn9ne/status/1208524235519381504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1208524235519381504&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xautoworld.com%2Fnews%2Fmustang-focus-towed-ice-ing%2F

It was at this moment that the Model 3 owner decided that it’s best to call the authorities, especially since intentionally blocking an EV charging stations can give drivers a citation. Police eventually arrived after @dollarn9ne’s call, and promptly towed both the Mustang and the Focus away. Both drivers were also given a ticket, requiring them to pay the cost of the tow. A citation for knowingly blocking an electric car charging stall was added for good measure.

Some Twitter users familiar with the Walnut Creek Supercharger stated that the spaces were “Tesla Preferred” but could be used by anyone. However, the Model 3 owner explained that the side where he was parked was “Parking for All, but Charging Preferred,” while the two Ford vehicles were in spaces that were allotted only for EVs that are charging. This was why he only called the police on the Ford vehicles, despite there being a Lexus parked beside him.

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https://twitter.com/dollarn9ne/status/1208578467475808262?s=20

The practice known as ICE-ing, or the intentional blocking of an electric car charging stall by an ICE vehicles, is unfortunately common. That being said, some ICE owners who willingly engage in this act do receive a good dose of justice from time to time. A Ford pickup truck in Berlin, Germany was recently towed for doing the same thing. After a mass ICE-ing event during a Yorktown, New York “Cars & Coffee” meet made the rounds online, the organizers of the group also mobilized immediately to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.

ICE-ing is an issue that can be confronted and taken care of by local authorities. Unfortunately, there have been past instances where physical damage and acts of vandalism are performed on electric vehicles and Supercharger plugs. Thanks to Tesla’s Sentry Mode, many of these perpetrators have been caught and been forced to be held accountable.

https://twitter.com/dollarn9ne/status/1208584845800034304?s=20

Other practices, like “Coal Roll” type attacks have been performed upon owners of electric vehicles as well. Recently, a Model 3 Performance owner in Miami, Florida was subjected to this attack while driving to work in the morning on the busy I-95 interstate.

The powerful movement of electric cars is notable, especially considering the variety of attacks the vehicles and their owners seem to experience. In reality, these attacks are vicious and lead to inconvenience for everyone. There is an etiquette when it comes to charging and it includes being courteous to those who drive vehicles that differ from yours. It would not be advantageous for the owner of an electric car to park at a gas pump just to inconvenience someone. In conclusion, acts like this end poorly for those who choose to knowingly be ugly to owners of electric cars.

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H/T to Iqtidar Ali

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

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Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990

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Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.

Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.

The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.

Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:

  • Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
  • Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
  • Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
  • Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
  • 89 cubic feet of trunk space
  • Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
  • Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
  • Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
  • Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
  • 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
  • 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
  • 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
  • FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI

Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:

  • Door Trim Puddle Lights
  • Suede Dashboard Wing
  • Exterior and Interior Badging
  • Floor Mats
  • Sill Plates

The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.

It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.

Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.

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Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.

The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.

The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”

Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.

With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.

However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.

Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:

This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.

Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.

Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.

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Tesla is using vehicle microphones to improve build quality: here’s how

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.

It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.

As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.

The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.

It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.

Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements

While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.

This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.

Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.

The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:

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