In Review
Despite a global pandemic, the Guardian reports eclectic car makers Tesla almost hit its 500,000-car delivery target for 2020.
Tesla reported record deliveries of its electric cars in the last three months of 2020, coming within a whisker of achieving the half-million target for the year set by its chief executive, Elon Musk.
The manufacturer’s annual sales rose by 36% after a final quarter that exceeded analysts’ expectations, delivering a total of 499,550 cars in 2020.
Tesla delivered 180,570 electric vehicles between October and December, falling just short of the overall target Musk had set at the beginning of the year, before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. (The Guardian)
But are Tesla cars worth it?
featured story
In Review: Tesla cars are the talk of the town for car enthusiasts but are they really worth it?
is tesla model 3 worth it
Tesla 3 is the cheapest telsa available. But is it good?
I bought a new car last year and seriously considered buying a Tesla Model 3, but I decided against it — here’s why.
Business Insider speaks to a man who decided against buying a tesla.
Of course, the vehicle that’s most influenced my thinking about cars in the past year or so has easily been the Tesla Model 3. I seriously considered ordering one, and for the record, I fully expect to own some sort of Tesla vehicle in the next 10 years.
The Model 3 is a bit too new in the market.
I’m no early adopter. I prefer to wait until something new has taken a few spins around the block. The Model 3 is sufficiently different from the Model S and Model X that I’d rather wait a few years while the kinks are ironed out.
I don’t have a charger at my house (yet).
We don’t test enough electric and plug-in vehicles at Business Insider to justify a Level 2 home charger, so I usually just charge off a wall outlet and run the cable into my front yard.
Tesla can set you up with home charging, but it is an additional initial expense. And were I to go for it, I’d be limited to charging only my Tesla, as the company’s chargers aren’t compatible with other EVs.
The Model 3 is still more expensive than what I like in a car.
I’ve sampled several different versions of the Model 3, and while the current Standard Range Plus, rear-wheel-drive (single motor) trim level is priced under $40,000, I prefer to spend around $25,000 (or less) for my family’s basic transportation needs.
tesla full self-driving
Watch Tesla’s Full Self-Driving navigate from SF to LA with (almost) no help
Yahoo finance says Tesla’s Full Self-Driving might still be in beta, but that isn’t stopping early adopters from using it for autonomous trips… well, almost.
As Teslarati describes, Tesla enthusiast Whole Mars Catalog has posted a video showing their FSD-equipped Model 3 completing a trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles with virtually no interventions. The lone exception was just after crossing into LA, when the driver took the reins to avoid large debris on the road.
This appears to be the first known, recorded instance of Full Self-Driving completing this trip without input, Whole Mars Catalog said.
It’s a notable feat for technology that’s still rough around the edges and, despite its name, doesn’t let you take your hands off the wheel. At the same time, it’s also indicative of how far the technology has to go before it can fulfil Elon Musk’s robo-taxi dreams.
tesla uk
Number of Tesla cars on UK roads triples in past year
CITY AM says the number of Tesla cars on UK roads has more than trebled in the last year, new data from accountants UHY Hacker Young has shown.
As of March, there were 90,900 models of the electric car in this country, up a whopping 336 per cent on the previous year.
The rise in ownership comes on the heels of the introduction of the California-based company’s first mid-market vehicle, the £40,000 Model 3, in June 2019.
In April the Model 3 was the UK’s best selling car, with sales remaining strong despite the mass closure of car showrooms due to lockdown.
Although Tesla’s overall market share remains low, UHY Hacker Young said that it should continue to grow this year.
Many ‘early adopter’ Tesla owners are now replacing their cars with newer models and older models are entering the used market, driving up the number on the road in the UK.
While the coronavirus pandemic has hit many auto firms hard, the Elon Musk-owned company has had a year to remember.
tesla cars
Tesla cars on their way to Israel
Globes says Tesla has obtained a commercial import licence from the Ministry of Transport. Online sales are expected to start within days.
US-based electric car maker Tesla is starting 2021 as an official importer of cars into Israel. Sources inform “Globes” that Tesla has received a licence from the Ministry of Transport for commercial imports of its vehicles, enabling it to begin a full import operation with no limit on volume.
Up to now, Tesla has operated in Israel as a “small importer”, allowing it to import up to twenty vehicles, mainly for testing. This is the first time that a vehicle manufacturer has received a licence for direct importing and marketing of vehicles in Israel, rather than through a local dealer or in partnership with a dealer.
The company will start to take orders online from Israeli customers within the next few days, and the first Tesla cars can be expected on Israel’s roads within months, subject to the lockdown situation.
Tesla is currently examining sites for its special charging stations and obtaining licences for them, and also acting to expedite the granting of permits to set up charging points in public buildings and multi-occupancy residential buildings. Tesla’s road services will be provided by Shagrir, with customers being offered a special insurance plan based on vehicle usage. Insurance will apparently be offered through Direct Insurance.
What are the papers saying?
electric cars 2020
The Age of Tesla: Consumer Reports survey reveals that the EV era has begun – TeslaRati
German Automakers Are Charged Up and Ready to Take on Tesla – The New York Times
Here are the 24 most exciting electric cars coming in 2021 – WIRED
10 New Electric Cars To Launch In India In 2021 – IndiaCarNews
Forbes Transportation Awards 2020: The Lucid Air Promises To Outperform Tesla’s Best – Forbes
Will Cars Become The Next Ultimate Gaming Consoles Thanks To Tesla? – InsideEV
Tesla cars
20 Reasons Not To Buy Tesla Cars – MotorJunkie
Tesla (TSLA) announces a new battery cell deal with Panasonic – electrek
Tesla’s Shanghai-made Model Y gets rousing reception as Chinese buyers rush to place orders for competitively priced SUV – South China Morning Post
2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus Cold Weather Range Test – Insideevs
Tesla’s rise made 2020 the year the U.S. auto industry went electric – Reuters
the facts
What is the cheapest tesla?
Model 3
As the cheapest Tesla available, the Model 3 has a lot to offer, including strong range and sleek styling. The base Standard Range model is an off-the-menu item you won’t find online, but prices start at $36,200, including a $1,200 destination fee. This car has a range of 220 miles.
Tesla cars UK price
Tesla has announced UK pricing for its Model 3 with the Standard Range Plus rear-wheel drive car costing £38,900 after the Government’s £3,500 plug-in car grant. The Model 3 Performance version, with its 0-60mph time of 3.2 seconds making it the quickest car in the compact-executive class, costs £56,900.
Is Tesla cheaper than gas?
First, the biggest savings: no more expensive gas. With 100 miles using 34kWh (about 100 MPG) and electricity costing an average of $0.12/kWh, the yearly cost to drive a Tesla Model S 85D 15,000 miles is $612. Compare that to Toyota (TM) Camry’s 30 MPG and an average cost of gas of $2.40 per gallon.
Are Tesla’s expensive to maintain?
Your total 5-year cost would be $1,490. That makes Tesla maintenance costs pretty low, but there’s a chance real-life prices could be higher, too. Dividing that by five shows that people might spend about $298 per year on average to maintain their Teslas.
Where can I buy a Tesla in the UK?
Tesla Stores in United Kingdom
Cambridge-Grand Arcade Grand Arcade SU27,St Andrew’s Street CB2 3BJ Cambridge Sales: 01628 450 660.
Edinburgh-Newbridge 23 Cliftonhall Road EH28 8PW Edinburgh Sales: 01628 450 660. Tesla Support: 01628 450 660.
Kent-Bluewater Shopping Centre Unit L116 Lower Level Bluewater Shopping Centre DA9 9ST Kent Sales: 01628 450 660.
Can tesla self-drive in the UK?
Although proposals have been made to loosen UK laws from next year, Tesla’s self-driving software cannot legally be used in the country under current rules.
