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California Energy Commission pushes efforts to hold unreliable EV charging networks accountable

Credit: Electrify America

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The California Energy Commission is taking steps to increase EV charging networks’ accountability and responsiveness to complaints. The efforts are timely as the number of electric vehicle owners in the state is growing at a quick pace. 

Among electric vehicle makers, only Tesla has really solved the problem of long-distance travel in an all-electric car. This is largely due to the Tesla Supercharger Network, which provides a simple, quick, and reliable system for the company’s lineup of vehicles. Tesla’s Supercharger Network in the United States is still exclusive to Tesla as of writing, so non-Tesla EV owners are required to use other DC charging solutions for their vehicles. 

This is where problems ensue since DC fast charging systems even in electric vehicle hubs like California are still far from very reliable. As noted in a Car and Driver report, EV charging networks may list a charger as “working” as long as the stations respond to a ping request from a remote center. The system is better than nothing, but it is prone to errors since charging stations can maintain cellular connectivity despite having issues such as jammed credit card readers, or software errors, to name a few. 

The issue has been so notable that electric vehicle owners have come up with crowdsourced solutions to accurately rate DC chargers. Among these is the @rateyourcharge account on Twitter, which was created by EV group Out of Spec Studios to provide accurate reports of EV charger capabilities in the wild. 

Amidst this environment, the California Energy Commission has shared plans to establish regulations for evaluating the reliability and availability of public electric vehicle charging stations. The commission is set to begin a public feedback process with the aim of defining “uptime” standards for EV chargers. These are expected to block excessive exemptions that would enable EV charging networks to avoid being held accountable for the reliability of their service. 

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The Commission also noted that it would no longer rely on self-reported claims from EV charging network providers regarding the availability and uptime of public charging stations. Instead, the commission plans to gather data from various sources to gain feedback from the public about the reliability and availability of EV charging stations. This feedback could include reports of non-functioning stations that are posted on apps and other platforms. 

Apart from this, efforts are underway for California to evaluate the availability of EV charging stations at the individual station level instead of the overall site. This is quite different from the draft standards being developed by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, which could result in some charging sites getting a 100% score just because one stall is functioning. EV charging networks generally prefer this system, but electric vehicle owners are the ones that end up with the shorter end of the stick. 

Providing fast and reliable charging solutions to electric vehicles is no small task. Non-Tesla Supercharger networks like Electrify America have to cater to numerous brands of cars with equally numerous types of software, and details such as payment options are abounding. Managing membership plans for electric car owners is also a pretty complicated task. But as electric vehicles become more mainstream, the time is right to demand more accountability among EV charging network providers. There will only be more EVs on the road in the coming years, after all, so it only makes sense to ensure that they are well-supported. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla launching in Saudi Arabia

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla is officially launching in Saudi Arabia. The electric vehicle manufacturer is arriving in Saudi Arabia with a launch event at the Bujairi Terrace on April 10, 2025.

“Explore our global bestselling lineup and step into a world powered by solar energy, sustained by batteries, and driven by electric vehicles.

“Experience the future of autonomous driving with Cybercab, and meet Optimus, our humanoid robot, as we showcase what’s next in AI and robotics. Our team will be on hand to answer any questions you have about Tesla ownership, home charging and more,” stated Tesla.

The event will start at 20:00 and end at 23:00. Slots for the event are limited. Anyone who wants to attend can sign up here.

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Initial reactions to Tesla’s arrival in Saudi Arabia seem to be positive. In the company’s announcement on X, a few responders commented that they’ve been asking Tesla to come to Saudi Arabia for years. Early reactions hint that Tesla’s brand name is not tarnished in all countries.

Excitement for Tesla in Saudi Arabia contrasts reactions to the brand in the United States, some parts of Canada, and select European cities. Tesla vehicles, stores, and Superchargers have been a target for arson as Elon Musk’s public image continues to gather hate. The Tesla attacks have led to the FBI forming a task force to address the incidents.

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Tesla attacks get FBI task force to squash the acts of ‘domestic terrorism’

The FBI has launched a task force with the ATF to stop violent Tesla attacks & investigate a March 29 anti-Tesla protest.

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Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

An FBI task force has been assigned to crackdown on Tesla attacks, which have been targeting the company’s stores, Supercharger stalls, and vehicles.

“Can confirm: The FBI has launched a Task Force in conjunction with ATF to coordinate investigative activity and crack down on violent Tesla attacks. More to come,” noted the FBI’s Assistant Director to Public Affairs, Ben Williamson, on X.

The FBI task force assigned to end attacks on Tesla is working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Most Tesla attacks involve setting a store, Supercharger, or vehicle on fire, usually by throwing a Molotov cocktail. The task force will also be working with the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.

“The FBI has been investigating the increase in violent activity toward Tesla, and over the last few days, we have taken additional steps to crack down and coordinate our response. This is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice,” said FBI Director Kash Patel on X.

The FBI is looking into two active anti-Tesla sites and the “Tesla Takedown” protest scheduled for March 29. One of the sites is Dogeque.st, which has been doxxing Tesla employees and locations across the United States. The website is also doxxing Tesla owners, resulting in safety concerns for civilians.

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The anti-Tesla attacks have resulted in at least four arrests thus far. Three people were arrested for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at Tesla stores, Superchargers, and vehicles. One person was arrested for driving into a crowd of protesters in front of a Tesla store. Fortunately, none of the attacks–on either side–have resulted in injuries or fatalities.

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Multiple explosives found at Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas

The disturbing incident follows a series of vandalism and arson cases linked to Tesla facilities and vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Multiple incendiary devices were discovered inside a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas on Monday morning, police have stated. The disturbing incident follows a series of vandalism and arson cases linked to Tesla facilities and vehicles, which have since prompted federal and local investigations.

Devices Found After Anonymous Tip

Austin Police Department officers responded to the Tesla showroom following an anonymous call about alleged bombs inside the building. Upon arrival at the location, authorities found several “suspicious devices,” which were later identified as incendiary by the Austin Police Department Bomb Squad. 

The bomb squad was able to remove the incendiary devices without incident. Citing the police department, the Daily Mail has noted that the devices were designed to cause “large-scale explosive violence.” No arrests have been made in relation to the incident as of writing, though an investigation is ongoing.

The Austin PD’s Statement

A release from the Austin Police Department’s Public Information Office described the details of the incident:

“On Monday, March 24, 2025, at approximately 8:04 a.m., Austin Police Department (APD) officers responded to a Found/Abandoned Hazardous call at the Tesla dealership located at 12845 N. US 183 Hwy SVRD NB. When officers arrived on scene, they located suspicious devices, and called the APD Bomb Squad to investigate. The devices, which were determined to be incendiary, were taken into police custody without incident. This is an open and ongoing investigation, and there is no further information available for release at this time,” the Austin PD wrote.

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Attacks Linked to Musk’s Government Role

The apparent Tesla Austin attempted bombing comes amid escalating violence against Tesla properties, which seemed to be attributed in no small part to Elon Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump administration initiative slashing federal spending. Musk, during a conversation with Sean Hannity of FOX News, claimed that the aggressive attacks stem from his efforts to curb waste.

“It turns out when you take away people’s, you know, the money that they’re receiving fraudulently, they get very upset. And they basically want kill me because I’m stopping their fraud and they want to hurt Tesla because we’re stopping the terrible waste and corruption in the government. And, well, I guess they’re bad people. Bad people do bad things,” Musk noted.

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