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Volkswagen’s ID.5 GTX to be unveiled in September: ‘Elegant athleticism meets efficiency’

VOLKSWAGEN ID.5 GTX Covered Drive

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Volkswagen will expand its lineup of all-electric cars in mid-September at the IAA Munich Motor Show in Germany. The German automaker will unveil the ID.5 GTX at the event, its first SUV coupé that will use the Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB). Referring to the new ID.5 as “elegant athleticism meets efficiency,’ two all-electric engines will offer a WLTP-estimated 497 kilometer (309 miles) range.

After starting its electric offensive with the ID.3, released in 2019. The ID.3 was Volkswagen’s first electric vehicle to utilize the MEB platform, and the company has expanded its lineup with the ID.4 and China-only ID.6.

A sporty and elegant design, the VW ID.5 combines its look with sustainability in the powertrain. Volkswagen describes the design as a “strong front with an elegant body” and highlights its “strong character” with short overhangs and large wheels.

However, the vehicle’s look may not be as fully appreciated as Volkswagen intends it to be at the September show in Munich. The German company said that the ID.5 GTX would arrive at the Motor Show as a “disguised concept,” sporting the all-too-familiar camouflage wrapping that automakers utilize to hide the twists, turns, and sleek lines of a new vehicle. The main point of Volkswagen’s press release regarding the ID.5’s appearance at the show seems to illustrate the sleek and modern design of the vehicle so those who attend won’t be disappointed. Filled with an illusion of adjectives and descriptive details with their words, VW may change the design in the coming months as vehicle development continues.

The “near-production concept” photographs of the vehicle show a reasonably sized all-electric SUV coupe that certainly packs sportiness with functionality. While dimensions are unknown, the vehicle’s design does seem similar to the Tesla Model Y, especially in a size comparison at first glance. That being said, it could seat as many as seven passengers, giving a new dimension to VW’s lineup of all-electric vehicles with the MEB platform.

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While sportiness also intends to be the descriptive nature of the vehicle, rugged power is something that Volkswagen hints at with the new vehicle thanks to the dual-motor setup that will offer an effective four-wheel-drive drivetrain. “There is an electric engine on both the front and rear axle of the ID.5 GTX – the dual engine four-wheel drive guarantees strong driving performance, superior traction, and sporty handling,” Volkswagen writes. “The large lithium-ion battery between the axles enables a projected range of up to 497 km (309 miles).”

Don’t hesitate to contact us with tips! Email us at tips@teslarati.com, or you can email me directly at joey@teslarati.com.

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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Tesla Model Y sold out in China for 2025

Customers who wish to get their cars by the end of the year would likely need to get an inventory unit.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

It appears that the Model Y has been sold out for 2025 in China. This seems to be true for the four variants of the vehicle that are currently offered in the country. 

Tesla China’s order page update

A look at Tesla China’s order page for the Model Y shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks. 

As per industry watchers, these updates on the Model Y’s order page suggest that Tesla China’s sales capacity for the remainder of 2025 has been sold out. The fact that estimated delivery timeframes for the Model Y Long Range RWD and AWD extend up to 13 weeks also bodes well for demand for the vehicle, especially given strong rivals like the Xiaomi YU7, which undercuts the Model Y in price. 

Tesla China’s upcoming big updates

What is quite interesting is that Tesla China is still competing in the country with one hand partly tied behind its back. So far, Tesla has only been able to secure partial approval for its flagship self-driving software, FSD, in China. This has resulted in V14 not being rolled out to the country yet. Despite this, Tesla China’s “Autopilot automatic assisted driving on urban roads,” as the system is called locally, has earned positive reviews from users.

As per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, however, Tesla is expecting to secure full approval for FSD in China in early 2026. “We have partial approval in China, and we hopefully will have full approval in China around February or March or so. That’s what they’ve told us,” Musk said.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to be heading to Europe soon

For years, Musk has said the process for gaining approval in Europe would take significantly more time than it does in the United States. Back in 2019, he predicted it would take six to twelve months to gain approval for Europe, but it has taken much longer.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to be heading to Europe soon, especially as the company has continued to expand its testing phases across the continent.

It appears that the effort is getting even bigger, as the company recently posted a job for a Vehicle Operator in Prague, Czech Republic.

This would be the third country the company is seeking a Vehicle Operator in for the European market, joining Germany and Hungary, which already have job postings in Berlin, Prüm, and Budapest, respectively.

This position specifically targets the Engineering and Information Technology departments at Tesla, and not the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence job category that relates to Robotaxi job postings.

Although there has been a posting for Robotaxi Operators in the Eastern Hemisphere, more specifically, Israel, this specific posting has to do with data collection, likely to bolster the company’s position in Europe with FSD.

The job description says:

“We are seeking a highly motivated employee to strengthen our team responsible for vehicle data collection. The Driver/Vehicle Operator position is tasked with capturing high-quality data that contributes to improving our vehicles’ performance. This role requires self-initiative, flexibility, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a dynamic environment.”

It also notes the job is for a fixed term of one year.

The position requires operation of a vehicle for data collection within a defined area, and requires the Vehicle Operator to provide feedback to improve data collection processes, analyze and report collected data, and create daily driving reports.

The posting also solidifies the company’s intention to bring its Full Self-Driving platform to Europe in the coming months, something it has worked tirelessly to achieve as it spars with local regulators.

For years, Musk has said the process for gaining approval in Europe would take significantly more time than it does in the United States. Back in 2019, he predicted it would take six to twelve months to gain approval for Europe, but it has taken much longer.

This year, Musk went on to say that the process of getting FSD to move forward has been “very frustrating,” and said it “hurts the safety of the people of Europe.”

Elon Musk clarifies the holdup with Tesla Full Self-Driving launch in Europe

The latest update Musk gave us was in July, when he said that Tesla was awaiting regulatory approval.

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Tesla celebrates 75k Superchargers, less than 5 months since 70k-stall milestone

Tesla’s 75,000th stall is hosted at the South Hobart Smart Store on Cascade Road, South Hobart, Tasmania.

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Credit: Tesla Charging/X

Tesla has crossed another major charging milestone by officially installing its 75,000th Supercharger stall worldwide. The electric vehicle maker chose South Hobart, Tasmania, as the commemorative location of its 75,000th Supercharger. 

Tesla’s 75,000th Supercharger

Tesla’s 75,000th stall is hosted at the South Hobart Smart Store on Cascade Road, South Hobart, TAS 7004, as noted in a techAU report. The location features four next-generation V4 Superchargers, which are built with longer cables that should make it easy even for non-Teslas to use the rapid charger. The site also includes simplified payment options, aligning with Tesla’s push to make V4 stations more accessible to a broader set of drivers.

For Tasmanian EV owners, the installation fills an important regional gap, improving long-distance coverage around Hobart and strengthening the area’s appeal for mainland travelers traveling by electric vehicle. Similar to other commemorative Superchargers, the 70,000th stall is quite special as it is finished in Glacier Blue paint. Tesla’s 50,000th stall, which is in California, is painted a stunning red, and the 60,000th stall, which is in Japan, features unique origami-inspired graphics.

https://twitter.com/TeslaCharging/status/1991019320584122471?s=20

Accelerating Supercharger milestones

The Tesla Supercharger’s pace of expansion shows no signs of slowing. Tesla celebrated its 70,000th stall at a 12-stall site in Burleson, Texas late June 2025. Just eight months earlier, Tesla announced that it had celebrated the buildout of its 60,000th Supercharger, which was built in Enshu Morimachi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Tesla’s Supercharger Network also recently received accolades in the United Kingdom, with the 2025 Zapmap survey naming the rapid charging system as the Best Large EV Charging Network for the second year in a row. Survey respondents praised the Supercharger Network for its ease of use, price, and reliability, which is best-in-class. The fact that the network has also been opened for non-Teslas is just icing on the cake. 

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