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Volkswagen reevaluates ‘direct to customer’ approach

(Credit: Volkswagen)

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Volkswagen Group is reevaluating its direct-to-customer approach. The German automaker recently informed retail partners in select European markets that it plans to initiate a joint review of its sales models. 

In a press release, Volkswagen stated that the direct-to-customer approach remains its long-term goal. However, it also acknowledged that its sales model may require some changes in the short- to mid-term to ensure the best customer experience for consumers. 

“Due to the slower transition to electric mobility across the industry, two sales models for private customers would need to be operated in parallel longer than originally anticipated: The Agency model for all-electric vehicles (BEVs) and the indirect sales model for vehicles with other drivetrains,” VW said.

Volkswagen knows that maintaining such a complex sales model for an extended period would be challenging. Hence, there is a joint review with wholesale and retail organizations. VW’s join review will determine if returning to an indirect sales model for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is better for the company in the short- to mid-terms. 

Volkswagen expects the results of the review to be released by Q1 2025. 

The German automaker plans to continue the direct-to-customer sales model with a full agency in three areas, as listed below. 

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  • The successful and established Fleet Agency is to be further scaled and optimized.
  • The Full Agency for vehicles across all drivetrains – not just BEVs – will be established in the designated markets Ireland and Sweden.
  • The CUPRA brand as Agency forerunner of the Group will continue to sell its BEVs in the Agency model.

If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Elon Musk

Tesla gets big nod on Musk comp package from Charles Schwab

“Schwab Asset Management’s approach to voting on proxy matters is thorough and deliberate. We utilize a structured process that focuses on protecting and promoting shareholder value.”

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla got a big nod of approval on CEO Elon Musk’s newly-proposed compensation package from Wall Street firm Charles Schwab after many shareholders believed the company was aiming to go against the new pay structure for its frontman.

Yesterday, we reported on many Tesla investors threatening to leave Charles Schwab as their broker after it was assumed the firm would vote against Musk’s pay package. The impression was that Schwab would utilize the same voting strategies as Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), which both said they would vote against the new compensation package.

However, Schwab reached out to TESLARATI directly yesterday to confirm that it had not made any statement on which way it would vote. It then confirmed to us that it would vote to support Musk’s pay package:

The statement to TESLARATI said:

“Schwab Asset Management’s approach to voting on proxy matters is thorough and deliberate. We utilize a structured process that focuses on protecting and promoting shareholder value. We apply our own internal guidelines and do not rely on recommendations from Glass Lewis or ISS. In accordance with this process, Schwab Asset Management intends to vote in favor of the 2025 CEO performance award proposal. We firmly believe that supporting this proposal aligns both management and shareholder interests, ensuring the best outcome for all parties involved.”

Schwab also came out with a new statement just after that would be released to the public, stating that its delayed decision on the compensation package was due to its “structured process that focuses on protecting and promoting shareholder value.”

The firm uses a three-step program to determine its decision on a key vote like this one:

  1. board composition and quality
  2. actions a board has taken to drive strategy, deliver performance and manage relevant risks
  3. clarity and accessibility of reporting on key issues

It then said it applies its own internal guidelines and does not rely on recommendations from other firms, like Glass Lewis or ISS.

It continued:

“In accordance with this process, Schwab Asset Management intends to vote in favor of the 2025 CEO performance award proposal. We firmly believe that supporting this proposal aligns both management and shareholder interests, ensuring the best outcome for all parties involved.”

Charles Schwab then received kudos from the Tesla community on their decision to vote for Musk to receive this compensation package.

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Elon Musk

Tesla Robotaxi and autonomy dreams lean on shareholders: Wedbush

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Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East/X

Tesla’s dreams of developing a Robotaxi suite that utilizes a fully autonomous platform developed by the company’s top-tier talent now lean on shareholders and perhaps the most crucial vote in its history.

That’s what Dan Ives of Wedbush said in a new note to investors on Wednesday. As the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting is now just one day away, investors are down to their final chance to vote for or against Elon Musk’s new compensation plan.

Ives wrote that, while the company has made its intentions clear, wanting to maintain Musk, pay him accordingly, and give him the voting power he has long wanted, ultimately, the responsibility falls on investors.

As many retail shareholders have pushed for people to vote for Musk’s compensation package, there are a handful of large-scale funds and firms that have decided to go in another direction. Bullish Wall Street firms, Wedbush being one of them, believe it is crucial for Tesla to maintain Musk.

The vote could have major implications on whether Tesla launches an autonomous Robotaxi suite in the near future, Ives says:

“Getting Musk’s pay package approved tomorrow at the highly anticipated meeting will be a big step towards advancing Tesla’s future goals with the autonomous and Robotaxi roadmap ahead.”

While some investors are convinced the company is ready to go in a different direction simply based on Musk’s political involvement over the past year, many investors are under the impression that the development of Tesla’s autonomy suite, as well as its prowess in the EV sector, would fall if Elon were not at the helm.

Tesla’s Board of Directors has already stated that they have received confirmation that Musk’s political involvement would wind down in a timely manner. Moving forward, his focus will not veer from the mission of any of his companies; at least that’s what can be gathered from some of the Board’s communications over the past month.

Musk’s new compensation package is incentivized by performance metrics and will require him to achieve a handful of lofty tranches. He will not get paid unless he drives shareholder value, which is something many skeptics tend to leave out.

Ives continues:

“This new incentive-driven pay package for Musk would also provide an additional 423 million shares of common stock (~12% of shares), which would increase his ownership of Tesla up to ~25% voting power, which we believe was critical to keep Musk at the helm to lead Tesla through the most critical time in the company’s history. We believe this was the smart move by the Board to lay out these incentives/pay package at this key time as the biggest asset for Tesla is Musk…and with the AI Revolution, this is a crucial time for Tesla ahead with autonomous and robotics front and center.”

Wedbush maintained its Outperform rating and $600 price target on shares.

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Tesla Giga Berlin hits a sustainability milestone that’s so impressive, it sounds fake

As per the facility’s plant manager, Giga Berlin has completed one whole year without any of its process wastewater being discharged into the municipal sewer system.

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Credit: Tesla Manufacturing/X

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg has achieved a sustainability milestone that is so impressive, it almost sounds fake. As per the facility’s plant manager, Giga Berlin has completed one whole year without any of its process wastewater being discharged into the municipal sewer system. 

The announcement comes just over a month after Tesla Germany revealed that Gigafactory Berlin had returned 377,000 cubic meters of annual water rights to local authorities due to the facility’s sustainability systems. 

Insane one year feat

Andre Thierig, Giga Berlin Senior Director of Manufacturing, stated that the factory’s one-year milestone was made possible by the facility’s industry-leading waste treatment systems. With no process wastewater discharged into the municipal sewer for a year now, Giga Berlin has effectively become one, if not the region’s, most environmentally friendly vehicle production facilities. 

“Today, we completed 1 YEAR without any process waste water being discharged into the municipal sewer, achieved by an incredible team (aka Ninja Turtles) with our futuristic waste water treatment facility. Making a sustainable product matters a lot but doing it sustainably is just as important! This underlines our strong environmental commitment to region of Berlin-Brandenburg,” the plant manager wrote in a LinkedIn post.

Credit: Andre Thierig/LinkedIn

Officials and Giga Berlin’s water consumption

Jochem Freyer, Chairman of the Management Board of the Employment Agency Frankfurt (Oder), shared his congratulations to Tesla Germany. “The decision in favor of the facility was a strong move – for the environment, for the brand, for East Brandenburg! I hope for further innovations from Giga Berlin-Brandenburg, the official noted.

In late September, reports emerged stating that Tesla Germany had returned 377,000 cubic meters of annual water rights to the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE). This was because the facility ended up using significantly less water than originally planned. WSE chairman Thomas Krieger stated that the water Giga Berlin was saving would be distributed to municipalities and other users in the region. 

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