News
Volkswagen BEV deliveries increase by 45% globally
Volkswagen Group has been working hard to increase its share of the global battery electric vehicle (BEV) market, and it seems to be paying off. The German automaker increased its BEV deliveries by 45% globally as of September 2023.
Volkswagen Group reported delivering 531,500 battery electric vehicles from January to September 2023, up 45% compared to the same period in 2022 when VW delivered 366,600 BEVs. As of September, the German car maker’s BEV share of total deliveries is 7.9%. Last year, Volkswagen’s BEVs made up 6.1% of deliveries between January and September 2022.
“We showed a good overall performance in our all-electric deliveries with a global increase of 45 percent in the first nine months. Despite the current general reluctance in the European market to buy battery-powered vehicles, we gained market share and remained market leader in this segment. However, our order intake is below our ambitious targets due to the lower-than-expected overall market trend.
“We showed a good overall performance in our all-electric deliveries with a global increase of 45 percent in the first nine months. Despite the current general reluctance in the European market to buy battery-powered vehicles, we gained market share and remained market leader in this segment. However, our order intake is below our ambitious targets due to the lower-than-expected overall market trend,” said Hildegard Wortmann, a member of VW Group’s Extended Executive Committee for Sales.

The most popular BEV model in the Volkswagen Group is the VW ID.4 and VW ID.5, with 162,100 units sold within the first nine months of 2023. VW recently upgraded the ID.4 and ID.5.
In second place is the Volkswagen ID.3, which sold 90,500 units from January to September. The company sold 90,500 Audi Q4 3-tron units, making it the third best-selling BEV in the company.
The Audi Q8 e-tron was also one of Volkswagen Group’s most successful BEV models this year, with 21,800 units sold. It was beaten by the ŠKODA Enyaq iV and CUPRA Born, with 54,400 and 32,300 units sold, respectively.
In Q3 2022, VW’s BEV share rose 9.0%, up compared to 6.8% in the second quarter of 2022. Between July and September 2023, Volkswagen delivered 209,900 all-electric vehicles worldwide. In Q3 2022, the legacy automaker reported delivering 149,400 electric vehicles.
Europe accounted for up to 64% of Volkswagen’s electric vehicle deliveries in the third quarter. China made up 22% of VW’s BEV deliveries, and the United States only accounted for 10%. Other markets accounted for 4% of Volkswagen’s BEV deliveries.
Volkswagen aims to gain 10% market share in the United States by 2030. In March 2023, it claimed a 4% market shared in the USA, including BEV and ICE vehicle sales. VW believes the ID.Buzz and ID.7 will drive its expansion in the United States.
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News
Tesla patent reveals strategy for solving major Full Self-Driving, Optimus issue
A new Tesla patent that has been granted to the company this week has revealed a potential strategy for solving a major issue that could impact both the Full Self-Driving suite and Optimus.
The patent, which is No. 12,636,684, describes a “Lens Cleaning System,” and was submitted by Tesla in May 2025.
The language in the patent details a lens cleaning system that can dispense fluid and wipe it away with a wiper assembly.
Optimus can see you now… 🤖👁️
The patent for @Tesla_Optimus‘s eye structure just dropped. $TSLA pic.twitter.com/Jac4VhDmKH
— SETI Park (@seti_park) May 26, 2026
This would effectively clean any debris that would potentially impact the visibility of the cameras on Tesla automobiles or Optimus’s camera eyes. Perhaps the most pertinent example is through the Full Self-Driving suite, as debris that can accumulate on the vehicle’s exterior cameras can impact the suite’s ability to operate effectively.

This requires a remedy through manual cleaning, but this patent hints that Tesla could be planning to implement this new technology on its upcoming vehicles.
Interestingly, we have started to see it on some Robotaxi vehicles, and it will likely be included in the Cybercab, especially as that vehicle will enable full autonomy.
Back in January, the first Model Y Robotaxi units were spotted with camera washers on the side repeaters, as the video below shows fluid squirting and rinsing off any debris that is limiting visibility.
🚨 Tesla looks to have installed Camera Washers on the side repeater cameras on Robotaxis in Austin
pic.twitter.com/xemRtDtlRR— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 23, 2026
This hardware patent does bring up an interesting question for those of us who own Teslas with AI4 and have been told that our cars will one day be capable of full autonomy: Will this washer be available as a retrofit on already-built cars?
Perhaps the “Lens Cleaning System” patent is a good look at one way Tesla plans to combat one of the most obvious issues of autonomy that utilizes a camera-based system. For Optimus, it could be less needed as it could be manually cleaned by owners. For cars, it seems like a bigger necessity, especially as autonomy nears and Tesla gets close to launching a feature-complete FSD suite.
News
SpaceX Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee, grabbing three of the ‘Big Four’
SpaceX’s Starlink product has just gotten its latest airline adoptee, and the move marks the successful partnership of three of the “Big Four” U.S. airlines.
American Airlines announced on Tuesday that it would utilize Starlink in more than 500 narrowbody aircraft beginning in the first quarter of 2027. These include the Airbus aircraft in its fleet, including the new A321XLR and A321neo.
With the new partnership with American Airlines, Starlink is now present on three of the largest airlines in the country: American, United, and Southwest.
Starlink gets its latest airline adoptee for stable and reliable internet access
Starlink’s VP of Enterprise Sales, Jason Fritch, said:
“We are proud to bring Starlink on board American Airlines, delivering fast and reliable internet to passengers and crew. Whether traveling for leisure or business, Starlink enables a fully connected experience gate to gate, making every flight smoother and more enjoyable.”
Additionally, American Airlines Chief Customer Officer, Heather Garboden, said:
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want. The addition of Starlink solidifies American as a leading airline in keeping passengers connected in flight.”
Starlink has been on a tear over the past year, as it has continued to be adopted by a wide variety of airlines as a more consistent and reliable way to provide WiFi to its passengers. It has already gained a great reputation among residential users, but its biggest commercial application appears to be how it is being used in the air.
American Airlines will adopt Starlink on more than 500 of its narrowbody aircraft beginning in Q1 2027
“As a premium global airline, we are continuously seeking out world-class partners like Starlink to deliver what our customers need and want,” said American Airlines Chief… pic.twitter.com/XY2wflycc0
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 26, 2026
The only airline of the Big Four not to adopt Starlink thus far is Delta, which chose to opt for the alternative, which is Amazon Leo. CEO Ed Bastian said to Bloomberg that Delta chose Amazon’s product over Starlink’s because “the opportunities, in terms of the improved bandwidth with a much lower price point than what we’ve ever seen from Starlink, will make a big difference.”
Delta will not start installing Amazon Leo until 2028.
“Of course, we expect Starlink will be warning people that we’re going to go with an inferior product,” Bastian said. “But I’m not too worried about partnering with Amazon.”
Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim is nearing its first deliveries
Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim level is nearing its first deliveries just a few months after being offered for an incredible deal.
Back in February, Tesla officially launched a new trim of the Cybertruck, the All-Wheel-Drive, starting at just $59,990. It was a lot of truck for the money, especially considering what it offered the Rear-Wheel-Drive variant for last year, which was a total flop.
The $59,990 price that was offered initially was a deal due to its 325-mile range rating, powered tonneau, three bed outlets, Powershare capability, coil springs with adaptive damping for a refined suspension feel, Steer-by-Wire and four-wheel steering, a 6′ x 4′ composite bed, towing capacity of 7,500 pounds, and a powered frunk.
Tesla is now nearing deliveries of this trim, according to watcher Sawyer Merritt, as Tesla has officially started assigning VINs to people who ordered the vehicle initially:
I can confirm that Tesla has officially started assigning VINs to people who initially ordered the $59,990 Cybertruck Dual-Motor AWD, which means first deliveries should start in the coming weeks!
• 325 mile range
• 7,500 lb towing capacity
• 0-60mph: 4.1s
• Bed with… pic.twitter.com/PQwVYbZf6j— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) May 24, 2026
Earlier this month, we reported on units of the trim being spotted outside Gigafactory Texas by Joe Tegtmeyer.
Tesla Giga Texas buzzing as new Cybertruck appears to enter production
This Cybertruck trim was interesting because it was released basically out of nowhere, priced incredibly well, and gathered many orders in a small amount of time. However, CEO Elon Musk noted just days afterward that the vehicle would only be priced at this bargain level for ten days.
Tesla fans were not happy.
Awful way to treat customers – particularly when they already sent out a marketing email announcing the $59,990 truck…with zero mention of it being a limited-time offer.
— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) February 24, 2026
However, the issues with the pricing strategy have blown over since the February unveiling event, and now that deliveries are near, Tesla fans are anticipating the truck making its way to their driveways soon.
The truck is currently priced at $69,990, and deliveries for new orders are slated for between August and September 2026.