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Tesla tops Consumer Satisfaction Index for luxury vehicles with Mercedes-Benz

Credit: Tesla

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Tesla topped the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for 2024 in the luxury segment with Mercedes-Benz, holding steady and gaining notoriety for improvements in complaint handling.

Tesla and Mercedes-Benz tied at a score of 83 this year. Tesla’s score was unchanged, while Mercedes-Benz improved four percent from 2023, mostly due to customer satisfaction with its hybrid-electric vehicles.

Tesla’s score did not change but that does not mean consumers have the same opinion as last year. The ACSI noted in its study that the automaker’s pricing strategy is helping with value perceptions, while complaint handling has improved.

The ACSI study continues:

“Tesla’s pricing strategy may be helping with value perceptions, while improved complaint handling appears to offset some customer concerns in other areas over the past year. Tesla will look to leverage its reputation for customer satisfaction as the company seeks to broaden its market with the lower-priced Model 2 and its robotaxi.”

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In last year’s study, Tesla was tied with Toyota/Lexus for the first overall spot, but that brand saw a 1 percent decrease in score this year.

As a Whole

As a whole, Luxury nameplates saw improvements in none of the industry trends, as reliability of mobile apps and comfort were both outscored by last year’s numbers.

Every other category held steady:

Credit: ACSI

What Drivers Are Most Satisfied?

The study broke down consumer satisfaction by fuel type for the first time with the 2024 report.

It shows that hybrid-electric vehicle drivers are the most satisfied of any fuel source in the aggregate, mass market, and luxury categories. Hybrids have become a major disruptive force in the automotive sector over the past year.

Credit: ACSI

Tesla had even mentioned in its early Shareholder Decks that consumer interest had shifted toward these powertrains specifically, and automakers were focusing on building these:

“Global EV sales continue to be under pressure as many carmakers prioritize hybrids over EVs. While positive for our regulatory credits business, we prefer the industry to continue pushing EV adoption, which is in line with our mission. To support our growth, we have been increasing awareness and expanding vehicle financing programs, including attractive leasing terms for our customers.”

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Tesla also has a major impact on the satisfaction of the luxury segment when comparing EVs and hybrid vehicles:

“For the luxury segment, the ACSI gap between hybrid and electric vehicles is 4 points overall (84 and 80, respectively). That difference, however, is somewhat minimized by Tesla’s ACSI performance. When Tesla is removed from the calculation, the ACSI gap between hybrid and EVs for luxury customers jumps to 7 points.”

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.

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 Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet

The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.

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Credit: Tesla

The Tesla Semi is moving closer to broader fleet adoption, with Keller Logistics Group wrapping up a key pre-production planning session with the electric vehicle maker’s team this week. 

The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.

Keller’s pre-production Tesla Semi sessions

Keller Logistics Group, a family-owned carrier with over 300 tractors and 1,000 trailers operating in the Midwest and Southeast, completed the session to assess the Tesla Semi’s fit for its operations. The company’s routes typically span 500-600 miles per day, positioning it as an ideal tester for the Semi’s day cab configuration in standard logistics scenarios. 

Details remain under mutual NDA, but the meeting reportedly focused on matching the truck to yard, shuttle and regional applications while scrutinizing economics like infrastructure, maintenance and incentives.

What Keller’s executives are saying

CEO Bryan Keller described the approach as methodical. “For us, staying ahead isn’t a headline, it’s a habit. From electrification and yard automation to digital visibility and warehouse technology, our teams are continually pressure-testing what’s next. The Tesla Semi discussion is one more way we evaluate new tools against our standards for safety, uptime, and customer ROI. We don’t chase trends, we pressure-test what works,” Keller said. 

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Benjamin Pierce, Chief Strategy Officer, echoed these sentiments. “Electrification and next-generation powertrains are part of a much broader transformation. Whether it’s proprietary yard systems like YardLink™, solar and renewable logistics solutions, or real-time vehicle intelligence, Keller’s approach stays the same, test it, prove it, and deploy it only when it strengthens service and total cost for our customers,” Pierce said. 

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Tesla extends FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe by three months

Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe. 

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla appears to be doubling down on its European Full Self-Driving (Supervised) push, with the company extending its demo ride-along program by three months until the end of March 2026. The update seems to have been implemented due to overwhelming demand. 

Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe. 

Extended FSD demonstrations

Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager Ivan Komušanac shared on LinkedIn that the company is offering ride-along experiences in Germany, France and Italy while working toward FSD (Supervised) approval in Europe.

He noted that this provides a great feedback opportunity from the general public, encouraging participants to record and share their experiences. For those unable to book in December, Komušanac teased more slots as “Christmas presents.”

Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt highlighted the extension on X, stating that dates now run from December 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, in multiple cities including Stuttgart-Weinstadt, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf in Germany. This suggests that the FSD ride-along program in Europe has officially been extended until the end of the first quarter of 2026. 

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Building momentum for European approval

Replies to Merritt’s posts buzzed with excitement, with users like @AuzyMale noting that Cologne and Düsseldorf are already fully booked. This sentiment was echoed by numerous other Tesla enthusiasts on social media. Calls for the program’s expansion to other European territories have also started gaining steam, with some X users suggesting Switzerland and Finland as the next locations for FSD ride-alongs.

Ultimately, the Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager’s post aligns with the company’s broader FSD efforts in Europe. As per recent reports, Tesla recently demonstrated FSD’s capabilities for Rome officials. Reporters from media outlets in France and Germany have also published positive reviews of FSD’s capabilities on real-world roads. 

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Tesla’s six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y L sold out for January 2026

Estimated delivery dates for new Tesla Model Y L orders now extend all the way into February 2026.

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Credit: Tesla China

The Tesla Model Y L seems to be in high demand in China, with estimated delivery dates for new orders now extending all the way into February 2026. 

This suggests that the Model Y L has been officially sold out from the rest of 2025 to January 2026. 

Model Y L estimated delivery dates

The Model Y L’s updated delivery dates mark an extension from the vehicle’s previous 4-8 week estimated wait time. A detailed chart shared by Tesla data tracker @Tslachan on X shows the progressions of the Model Y L’s estimated delivery dates since its launch earlier this year. 

Following its launch in September, the vehicle was given an initial October 2025 estimated delivery date. The wait times for the vehicle were continually updated over the years, until the middle of November, when the Model Y L had an estimated delivery date of 4-8 weeks. This remained until now, when Tesla China simply listed February 2026 as the estimated delivery date for new Model Y L orders.

Model Y demand in China

Tesla Model Y demand in China seems to be very healthy, even beyond the Model Y L. New delivery dates show the company has already sold out its allocation of the all-electric crossover for 2025. The Model Y has been the most popular vehicle in the world in both of the last two years, outpacing incredibly popular vehicles like the Toyota RAV4. In China, the EV market is substantially more saturated, with more competitors than in any other market.

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Tesla has been particularly kind to the Chinese market, as it has launched trim levels for the Model Y in the country that are not available anywhere else, such as the Model Y L. Demand has been strong for the Model Y in China, with the vehicle ranking among the country’s top 5 New Energy Vehicles. Interestingly enough, vehicles that beat the Model Y in volume like the BYD Seagull are notably more affordable. Compared to vehicles that are comparably priced, the Model Y remains a strong seller in China. 

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