News
Volkswagen calls on ID.3 to boost struggling China EV sales
Volkswagen’s ID.3 all-electric vehicle will make its way to China in Q4 in hopes to harness the momentum from the growing Chinese EV market to boost VW’s lackluster sales in the region.
The German automaker has both the ID.4 crossover and the China-only ID.6 available for purchase currently, but Volkswagen is attempting to push things forward in alignment with their “ACCELERATE” strategy. The ID.3 has performed well in the European market, giving itself a reputation as one of the best-selling EVs in the region since its release in 2020. Now that the ID.3 is being set up for an eventual appearance in China that is currently planned for Q4 2021, Volkswagen is looking to harness more momentum that could help translate its non-impressive sales stats to be on par with region sales leaders Tesla and GM.
(Credit: Volkswagen)
Volkswagen sold 5,800 EVs in July, a drastic increase from its only 2,900 EV sales in June. Despite the relative doubling in sales from June to July, the company is still lagging behind Tesla considerably, which has been one of China’s top 2 EV manufacturers for over a year, sparring with the SAIC-Wuling-GM partnership responsible for the HongGuang Mini EV. The ID.3, with its smaller body style that is more compact and resembles the Golf, could be VW’s golden egg that surges sales and makes the company a competitor in the Chinese market once again.
“Volkswagen’s global electrification offensive is rapidly gaining further momentum. With the ID.3 we are already launching the third all-electric model series in China within a mere six months,” Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter said. “We are thus underscoring our ambition to occupy a leading position in the market for electric vehicles in China as well as Europe.”
The ID.3 will make its way to the Chengdu Motor Show this week, and customers in China will be able to reserve an ID.3 via a pre-booking system prior to the market launch in October, the company said in a press release. Expectations are outlined by VW as well, which forecasts between 80,000 and 100,000 vehicles from the ID. family will be delivered to customers. This is ultimately dependent on how the company can navigate through the global semiconductor shortage, which could derail delivery plans for several automakers.
“With the ID.4 and ID.6 we have successfully launched two strong model series in recent months. Feedback from our customers is promising, delivery figures meet our expectations,” Volkswagen China CEO Stephan Wöllenstein said. “With the ID.3, we are now offering our customers a product in the important compact segment and, in combination with the other ID. models, are able to cover a large share of the market.”
The expansion of Volkswagen’s EV lineup intends to increase the market share of its fully electric cars in Europe to over 70%. In North America and China, Volkswagen targets an EV share of over 50%.
Volkswagen has not struggled in other markets with its EVs. The company has still managed to deliver around 160,000 units globally this year. The first half of 2021 saw Volkswagen as the leader in European EV registrations with 15.4% of the market share.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below, or be sure to email me at joey@teslarati.com or on Twitter @KlenderJoey.
Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
News
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
News
Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
