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Tesla registered 8 of every 10 EVs in the U.S. in 2020

Credit: Tesla

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Out of every 10 electric cars registered in the United States in 2020, nearly eight of them were built by Tesla.

New data from Automotive News shows that Tesla owned 79% of the total EVs registered in the U.S. in 2020, leaving only 21% for the other manufacturers to divide up between themselves. This overwhelming domination is also followed by somewhat obvious premonition: Tesla’s four currently-offered electric cars made up four of the top five spots. With the Chevy Bolt EV taking third, the Model 3, Model Y, Model X, and Model S took first, second, fourth, and fifth place, respectively.

Tesla’s Domination of the U.S. EV Sector

It is no secret Tesla has dominated the EV sector across the world. With its industry-leading software, battery tech, and performance specifications, if someone is going to buy an electric car, it should be a Tesla most of the time. U.S. consumers agree with this statement, especially after nearly 80% of all EVs in the United States in 2020 were built by the Elon Musk-headed company. Tesla’s dominant charge was led by the Model 3, as it was registered 95,135 times in 2020, according to the data. The Model Y came in second with 71,344, the Model X in fourth with 19,652, and the Model S in fifth with 14,430.

It is no surprise the Model 3 and Model Y, Tesla’s two most affordable cars, dominated the table. The third-place Chevy Bolt EV trailed the second-place Model Y by 51,680 units, making it a head-and-shoulders lead by the two Tesla vehicles.

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The Model Y and Model 3 are comparable with the same overall look and interior design, one is just slightly more prominent as the Y is a crossover. The Model 3 sedan is no joke either, mainly because it is the most popular EV globally. Its affordability, versatility, and three offered variants make it the ideal choice for basically anyone who has any desire. Whether it’s a daily driver or something to take on speedy weekend drives, the Model 3 fits the bill for nearly anyone.

Growth filed in by manufacturing

Tesla saw a 16% increase in vehicle registrations in 2020 compared to 2019. With more cars being offered, it is no surprise that there is some growth in terms of the U.S. market. The Model Y finally gave Tesla the chance to compete in a highly-competitive crossover SUV market. With more people under the impression that electric powertrains are the way to go, Tesla shouldn’t see any declines for the foreseeable future. However, the company will have to deal with increased demand through a series of production plant projects. One of which is already underway in Austin, as Giga Texas nears its first production runs scheduled for this Summer.

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Elon Musk has plans to open a third production facility sometime within the next few years. In an interview with Automotive News in 2020, the Tesla CEO indicated that the next U.S.-based facility would be operating in the Northeast region of the United States. This would effectively allow all three plants to control the United States in thirds: Fremont would take care of S and X production as a whole, but 3 and Y builds would stay in the Western-third of the country. Giga Texas will control the center of the U.S., and the unannounced third U.S. Gigafactory would take care of owners and orderers in the Eastern third of the country.

Musk said:

“I think at some point, there will be a third Gigafactory [in the U.S.]. I’d imagine, you know, closer up North, Northeast, most likely.”

Production efficiencies have also been a major point of focus for Tesla as manufacturing has been an issue that Musk intends to improve upon constantly. The company has made several moves toward automation and has used things like the Giga Press to improve manufacturing efficiency. It eliminated 69 total parts from the Model Y’s rear casting, increasing quality while decreasing the time spent to build a single cast. Eventually, Musk says the Model 3 will also use a single-piece casting.

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Tesla will have its work cut out for it within the next several years. With new manufacturers like Rivian and Lucid joining the EV sector this year, Tesla will have its first batch of all-electric competition in the U.S.

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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Elon Musk

Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.

A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:

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We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.

This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.

FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.

Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.

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When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:

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There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.

Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil

By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.

The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.

According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.

“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”

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By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.

The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.

The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.

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Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership

The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.

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Credit: SpaceX

Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.

The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.

Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.

The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.

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By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.

Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.

Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.

For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.

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