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Volkswagen ID.3 measures up favorably to Tesla, claims UBS after teardown
The Volkswagen ID.3 may have experienced its own fair share of challenges when it was initially released, but the mass-market all-electric hatchback seems to have serious potential nonetheless. As per the recent teardown results by UBS Group AG, the Volkswagen ID.3 actually measures up favorably to Tesla’s electric cars, making it one of the most substantial EV efforts from legacy auto to date.
Following its deep dive into the ID.3, UBS analysts remarked that the MEB platform underpinning Volkswagen’s all-electric hatchback would be fully cost-competitive with Tesla and boast best-in-class energy density and efficiency. UBS analyst Patrick Hummel described the Volkswagen ID.3 as the “most credible EV effort by any legacy auto company so far.”
The Volkswagen ID.3 has a lot riding on it, considering that it is the first of the German automaker’s new breed of all-electric mass-market vehicles. However, the ID.3’s rollout has been plagued with numerous issues, the most notable of which was its software problems. The ID. 3’s software issues were so noteworthy that the initial batches of the all-electric hatchback delivered to customers lacked a number of key functions.
Despite these challenges, the ID.3 has seen some success among car buyers, with the vehicle leapfrogging Tesla in European EV sales late last year. Volkswagen now plans to at least double the share of its fully-electric sales this year to between 6% to 8% by boosting deliveries to about 700,000 vehicles. That’s quite close to Tesla’s possible output this year, which is speculated to be around 750,000 for 2021.
UBS’ Hummel, for his part, believes that the Volkswagen ID.3 still has a lot of room to spread its wings. The analyst estimates that the gross margins of the ID.3 are around 15%, making it nearly on par with Volkswagen’s combustion-powered Golf, one of the company’s most popular cars. While Tesla is arguably the Apple of the electric car market, UBS noted that Volkswagen seems to be on track to be the Samsung of the EV segment.
“Volkswagen might not be the Apple, but the Samsung of the EV world, with profitable, high-volume EV brands,” Hummel remarked.
The Volkswagen ID.3 may lack the flair or software finesse of Teslas like the Model 3 at its current state, but the vehicle has earned a nod of approval from Elon Musk himself. During a previous visit to Germany, the Tesla CEO met with Volkswagen Group executive Herbert Diess to test drive the ID.3. A video of the drive was shared by Volkswagen online, which included the executives speaking comfortably with each other, and Musk stating that the ID.3’s steering was pretty good for a non-sporty electric car.
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A Tesla Cybertruck driver in the United Kingdom had their all-electric pickup seized by local police in the Greater Manchester area after the department cited “legitimate concerns.”
Last Thursday, police saw the pickup on the roads and decided to pull the driver over. Greater Manchester Police said:
“Whilst this may seem trivial to some, legitimate concerns exist around the safety of other road users or pedestrians if they were involved in a collision with the Cybertruck.”
🚨 A Tesla Cybertruck, which is illegal to drive in the UK due to safety concerns, has been seized by police in Greater Manchester
“Whilst this may seem trivial to some, legitimate concerns exist around the safety of other road users or pedestrians if they were involved in a… pic.twitter.com/cqhdPok3DM
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 16, 2026
The Cybertruck in question was, according to the BBC, registered and insured abroad and was confiscated. The driver, who is a UK resident, was reported.
The Greater Manchester Police Department then added:
“The Tesla Cybertruck is not road-legal in the UK and does not hold a certificate of conformity.”
The Cybertruck cannot be legally driven in the UK because it has no UK Type Approval for operation in the country. This is due to some safety concerns, which are related to its angular shape and design. The stainless steel exoskeleton has sharp edges and projections that violate UK/EU rules on pedestrian protection.
Tesla has considered creating what it referred to as an “international version” that would be approved for operation in Europe. However, there has been no real movement on that front by the company, as it has been focused on the Robotaxi rollout primarily.
A new report claims that Apple is in the process of developing what would be the missing link for Tesla to get CarPlay.
Apple and Tesla have been reportedly working together for some time to give Tesla owners the opportunity to utilize CarPlay within their vehicles. While many owners are more than happy with Tesla’s in-house UI, which is seamless, effective, and smooth, some still want CarPlay, which does have its advantages.
A report from 9to5Mac now states that a new CarPlay technology that was highlighted during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) would potentially be the bridge between Tesla and Apple. With the addition of a feature known as “Route Sharing,” which gives a navigation app the ability to share routing data with the vehicle, Tesla would be able to launch CarPlay in its vehicles, the report states.
CarPlay has not been a priority for Tesla because it has done extremely well with its in-house UI, but some drivers are just used to it. Additionally, it could improve Tesla’s subpar Navigation or offer improved app capabilities, especially with iMessage.
Route Sharing is an intended addition to CarPlay’s iteration in iOS 26.4, which was released in March:
The addition of CarPlay would undoubtedly be welcome, but at the same time, it seems like Tesla realizes it is not of the utmost priority. There are so many things that Tesla is working on currently within its own vehicles, especially attempting to solve self-driving.
Back in February, Bloomberg had reported that Tesla was still working on bringing CarPlay to its vehicles, but it had not due to app compatibility issues and incredibly low adoption rates of iOS 26.
This bottleneck could buy Tesla the proper amount of time to develop CarPlay for its vehicles. It would be a welcome addition, and could be brought on with either the Summer or Fall 2026 Software Updates.
Tesla deliveries got a big boost in expectations from Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs, who believes the company will report some stronger-than-expected numbers when the second quarter comes to an end in the coming weeks.
Goldman Sachs has raised its vehicle delivery forecast for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) in the second quarter of 2026, signaling growing confidence in the electric vehicle leader’s near-term momentum despite mixed market signals. Analyst Mark Delaney lifted the bank’s Q2 estimate to 420,000 units from a previous 405,000, surpassing the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of 400,000.
The upward revision stems from stronger-than-expected sales data across key regions. Europe stands out with projected year-over-year growth of 85-90 percent, driven by robust demand for Tesla’s Model Y and refreshed offerings. China posted high single-digit gains, while markets like South Korea and Australia also contributed positive momentum. These gains help offset mid-teens declines in U.S. deliveries through May, where broader EV market headwinds and competition persist.
Goldman extended its optimism to the full year, increasing its 2026 delivery projection to 1.73 million vehicles from 1.72 million. Longer-term forecasts remain unchanged, with 1.88 million units expected in 2027 and 1.96 million in 2028. The bank also nudged its 2026 earnings-per-share estimate higher to $1.35 from $1.30, reflecting anticipated margin benefits from higher volumes and operational efficiencies.
Despite these positive adjustments, Goldman maintained its Neutral rating and $375 price target on Tesla shares. At current trading levels near $411, the stock sits about 8-9 percent above the target, highlighting ongoing valuation concerns even as delivery momentum builds. Tesla’s Q1 2026 deliveries totaled 358,023 units, setting a baseline for recovery expectations in the current period.
This update arrives as Tesla prepares to report official Q2 figures shortly after June 30. Investors and analysts will closely watch not only headline delivery numbers but also regional breakdowns, average selling prices, and progress on energy storage deployments and autonomous technology initiatives.
The move by Goldman Sachs underscores a broader narrative for Tesla: while legacy auto markets face softening demand and tariff uncertainties, Tesla’s global footprint and product pipeline provide resilience. Europe’s surge reflects pent-up demand and policy support for EVs, while China’s steady growth highlights Tesla’s competitive positioning against local rivals.
Tesla still has its work cut out for it, including U.S. price sensitivity and intensifying competition. Yet Goldman’s revision adds to a series of analyst notes suggesting Q2 could mark a turning point. As Tesla pushes toward higher production rates at facilities in Fremont, Shanghai, and Berlin, sustained execution will be key to validating these higher forecasts.
We have said numerous times that deliveries are becoming a less important metric in the grand scheme of things, as AI truly takes precedence in the company’s thesis.
For Tesla bulls, the Goldman note reinforces faith in underlying demand trends. For skeptics, the unchanged rating serves as a reminder that delivery beats alone may not immediately resolve valuation debates in a high-interest-rate environment. Tesla’s stock reaction will likely hinge on the official numbers and management commentary in the coming weeks.
Tesla Cybertruck driver gets pickup seized for ‘legitimate concerns’ in UK
Apple is developing the missing link for Tesla to get CarPlay: report
