News
The White House finally admits they need Tesla and Elon Musk’s help
Last month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk met with Senior White House officials John Podesta and Mitch Landrieu to discuss the potential of expanding the automaker’s industry-leading charging network to include non-Tesla electric vehicles. The White House finally admitted they couldn’t push sustainability forward at the rate they’d like without Tesla and Musk.
Since the Biden Administration took over the White House, they have been slow to recognize the progress that both Tesla and Musk have contributed to the EV industry. Love him or hate him, Musk is a pioneer when it comes to passenger transportation. If it was not for him and Tesla, it is more than likely that EVs would not be as popular or relevant as they are today.
The details of the White House meeting between Musk, Podesta, and Landrieu remained under wraps until The Washington Post spoke to two people with knowledge of it. The sources explained that Tesla was open to potentially working with the Biden Administration on relinquishing exclusive access to its charging network and instead expanding it to include other EV manufacturers, whether they are legacy companies or startups.
Even still, Tesla did not completely commit to the idea. As I discussed yesterday, the Tesla Supercharger Network is one of the biggest (and, in my opinion, the biggest) advantages the company has. Everyone already knows that Tesla has a wide lineup of vehicles, it now has a commercial truck with the Semi, and it also is working toward launching the Cybertruck, its first pickup.
The 43,000+ Superchargers in the world, with many of them in the United States, offer reliability, consistency, and an excellent footprint that sprawls from high-traffic highways to even rural America. Many are situated near convenience stores, hotels, and other sources of entertainment.
-->But while Tesla has been building out its expansive network of charging piles, increasing manufacturing capacity, and disrupting the entire automotive sector, it has not won the recognition of the Commander in Chief. Instead, Biden has focused on other companies, like General Motors, and we all know the infamous “You did it, Mary” quote. Nothing against GM, they are making strides in their own right, but it is just plain unfair not to give Tesla and Musk the recognition they so much deserve.
The White House has put billions in government funding aside to help spur the use of sustainability. EVs are one of the biggest contributors to this effort, as most people will end up in a vehicle of some kind throughout their day. However, the White House has not loved mentioning Musk or Tesla by name specifically, and Musk has noticed. So have his biggest supporters.
Tesla’s absence from White House EV event sidestepped in Pete Buttigieg interview
But the Biden White House is reaching a breaking point. With Tesla contributing so much to the EV infrastructure and its goals of establishing 500,000 new EV charging stations in the U.S. market, it is time to swallow the pride that the administration has shown and just ask Tesla if they’d consider it. It finally happened, and the ball now lies in Tesla’s court.
Numerous things have happened that point in the direction of Tesla potentially opening the Supercharger Network to competitors. First, Tesla has been testing the idea through a Pilot Program in Europe. It is open in fifteen countries, the most recent being Italy, which Tesla added in November. It also recently expanded to Australia.
-->Next, the White House said last year that Tesla would “begin production of new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers.”
Finally, Tesla leaked details on what it calls “the Magic Dock” earlier this year in its smartphone app. This showed a potential CCS-compatible connector being added to Supercharger piles, enabling other EVs to charge.
It is a big decision because there is a slice of $7.5 billion at stake here, which Tesla could utilize for its own charging capabilities. To qualify for it, however, the company has to enable other EVs to charge at its Superchargers.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
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News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y named top car buys in Norway
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability.
Norway’s annual roundup of the best car purchases featured Tesla’s two main sellers this year, with the Model 3 and Model Y securing top positions in their respective segments.
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability. The verdict comes as electric vehicle adoption remained above 95% of new vehicle sales in the country.
Tesla Model 3 strengthens its value position
Among compact EVs, the Tesla Model 3 maintained its position as the best overall buy thanks to its strong blend of performance, efficiency, and updated features. Reviewers noted that every trim offered compelling value, especially with the all-electric sedan’s improved cabin ergonomics and the return of the turn-signal stalk, which was one of the few previous complaints among drivers.
The Model 3’s mix of long-range capability, low operating costs, and responsive handling has continued to set the benchmark for compact EVs in Norway. While competitors from Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Peugeot have narrowed the gap, Tesla’s price-to-capability ratio has remained difficult to beat in this segment, Motor.no reported.
“The Model 3 clearly offers the best value for money in the compact class, no matter which version you choose. Now it also gets the turn signal lever back. This eliminates one of the few flaws in a driving environment that many believe is the best on the market,” the publication wrote.
-->Tesla Model Y claims its crown
The Tesla Model Y emerged as Norway’s top family-car purchase this year. The latest refresh introduced improvements in ride quality, styling, and interior materials, allowing the Model Y to deliver a more premium driving experience without a substantial price increase.
Reviewers praised its spacious cabin, strong safety profile, and practical range, all of which reinforced its appeal for families needing an all-purpose electric crossover. The Model Y remains especially notable given its continued popularity in Norway even as Tesla faces declining sales in other global markets.
“The Model Y is back as the winner in the family class. The upgrade in the new year was even more extensive than expected. It is a slightly more elegant and significantly more comfortable Model Y that solidifies its position as Norway’s best car purchase in the most important class,” the Norwegian motoring publication noted.
News
Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand.
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand. While registrations in some countries such as Sweden have fallen sharply this year, the company’s sales in other key territories have been rising.
Giga Berlin shifts to two shifts
Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig told the DPA that the facility has been running two shifts since September to manage a surge in global orders. And due to the tariff dispute with the United States, vehicles that are produced at Giga Berlin are now being exported to Canada.
“We deliver to well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there,” Thierig said.
Despite Giga Berlin now having two shifts, the facility’s production still needs to ramp up more. This is partly due to the addition of the Tesla Model Y Performance and Standard, which are also being produced in the Grunheide-based factory. Interestingly enough, Giga Berlin still only produces the Model Y, unlike other factories like Gigafactory Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Gigafactory Shanghai, which produce more than one type of vehicle.
Norway’s momentum
Norway, facing an imminent tax increase on cars, has seen a historic spike in Tesla purchases as buyers rush to secure deliveries before the change takes effect, as noted in a CarUp report. As per recent reports, Tesla has broken Norway’s all-time annual sales record this month, beating Volkswagen’s record that has stood since 2016.
-->What is rather remarkable is the fact that Tesla was able to achieve so much in Norway with one hand practically tied behind its back. This is because the company’s biggest sales draw, FSD, remains unavailable in the country. Fortunately, Tesla is currently hard at work attempting to get FSD approved for Europe, a notable milestone that should spur even more vehicle sales in the region.
Tesla is launching a crazy Full Self-Driving free trial, which will enable owners who have not purchased the suite outright to try it for 30 days.
There are a handful of stipulations that will be needed in order for you to qualify for the free trial, which was announced on Thursday night.
Tesla said the trial is for v14, the company’s latest version of the Full Self-Driving suite, and will be available to new and existing Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck owners, who will have the opportunity to try the latest features, including Speed Profiles, Arrival Options, and other new upgrades.
🚨 Tesla is launching a free 30-day trial of Full Self-Driving in North America for owners.
It includes every model, but you need v14.2 or later, and you cannot have already purchased the suite outright. https://t.co/8CNmxxOkVl
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 27, 2025
You must own one of the five Tesla models, have Full Self-Driving v14.2 or later, and have an eligible vehicle in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Canada.
The company said it is a non-transferable trial, which is not redeemable for cash. Tesla is reaching out to owners via email to give them the opportunity to enable the Full Self-Driving trial.
Those who are subscribed to the monthly Full Self-Driving program are eligible, so they will essentially get a free month of the suite.
Once it is installed, the trial will begin, and the 30-day countdown will begin.
Tesla is making a major push to increase its Full Self-Driving take rate, as it revealed that about 12 percent of owners are users of the program during its recent earnings call.
Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said during the call:
“We feel that as people experience the supervised FSD at scale, demand for our vehicles, like Elon said, would increase significantly. On the FSD adoption front, we’ve continued to see decent progress. However, note that the total paid FSD customer base is still small, around 12% of our current fleet.”
Earlier today, we reported on Tesla also launching a small-scale advertising campaign on X for the Full Self-Driving suite, hoping to increase adoption.
Tesla Full Self-Driving warrants huge switch-up on essential company strategy
It appears most people are pretty content with the subscription program. It costs just $99 a month, in comparison to the $8,000 fee it is for the outright purchase.
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y named top car buys in Norway
Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager
