Author: Anan Ashraf

EV giant Tesla Inc TSLA is offering fresh discounts on some of the cars in its inventory.What Happened: The discount on Model 3 has increased to $3,020, which is twice the previous offer of $1,300 available during the latter half of May.A 2023 Model 3 in Central Valley California, for one, is now priced at $42,060, at a discount of $2,680. Tesla is providing a reduction of approximately $600 on Model Ys.The EV giant is also offering discounts on select, higher-priced Model X and Model S cars. Why It Matters: Tesla commenced price cuts in the U.S. in January with price cuts…

The Tesla Inc TSLA customer who protested standing on a car at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2021 reportedly lost another lawsuit against the automaker. What Happened: Zhang Yazhou said that her father had an accident in February 2021 while driving a Tesla Model 3 due to a brake malfunction. Tesla, however, has maintained that the driver was speeding. Yazhou had filed a defamation suit against the EV maker and demanded monetary compensation claiming the company published false statements that affected her life. Tesla China reportedly said on its official Weibo account on Friday that Yazhou lost a second lawsuit…

Months after Tesla Inc TSLA removed the Passenger Play functionality on its vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has closed its investigation into it. What Happened: The agency said on Tuesday that it is closing the investigation into the driver distraction potential of the feature which allows vehicle occupants to play specific games even while the vehicle is in motion. The probe involved 580,121 2017-2022 Model 3, S, X and Y equipped with the capability. Many drivers will disregard on-screen notifications and more affirmative controls are required to prevent non-driving tasks while the vehicle is moving, NHTSA noted.…

Hours after landing in China, Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk met with the country’s Foreign Minister in Beijing.What Happened: At the meeting, the minister, Qin Gang, paralleled promoting sound China-U.S. relations to driving a car and called for mutually beneficial cooperation, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.Musk, for his part, said that Tesla opposes decoupling of the two economies or cutting off supply chains. The ministry statement added that Tesla is ready to expand business in China and partake in its development opportunities.As per Reuters reports, Musk is now expected to meet with CATL chairman Zeng Yuqun, and other…

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a significant Spaceflight Entity Liability bill into law, just a day after revealing his 2024 presidential bid on Elon Musk‘s Twitter platform.The Details: This new law provides immunity from liability for spaceflight providers in the unfortunate event of crew injury or death. It effectively bars the crew from suing or seeking damages related to any harm arising from their involvement in spaceflight activities.However, it’s important to note that the law does not absolve spaceflight providers of liability in cases involving gross negligence or intentional harm toward the crew’s safety. In such instances, the providers can still be held accountable.See Also: Are Space…

New research from Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology challenges common beliefs by demonstrating that electricity can be a more cost-effective option than diesel for heavy-duty vehicles. What Happened: The study, based on data from an actual haulage company in Helsingborg, compared two battery sizes for electric trucks. While the larger battery reduced load capacity, it eliminated the need for on-road charging. Conversely, the smaller battery allowed for more load capacity but required quick charging during transit.See Also: Best Electric Vehicle StocksBattery Size Matters: However, the study’s author, doctoral student Johannes Karlsson, believes that with appropriately sized batteries, it is possible to electrify heavy goods…

More than three years after it posted a video of its truck doing a 360-degree “tank turn,” Rivian Automotive Inc RIVN CEO RJ Scaringe has said the company will no longer offer the feature on its vehicles. What Happened: Rivian will not be pursuing the feature on its vehicles as it doesn’t “feel congruous” with the company’s approach, the CEO said in a direct online interaction.“Over the last year and a half, we have arrived at the view that it’s a feature that while we can do it, it’s so easily abused and so hard to make sure that we…

Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk on Monday apologized to a user for glitches in the performance of the electric car’s auto wipers.What Happened: Responding to a Twitter user’s call for a ‘fix’ on auto wipers in autopilot, Musk said, “Sorry, this is one of the last neural nets to be updated to surround video (from single camera, single frame).”The user called for permission to cancel wipes on autopilot. “It makes no sense to allow this to keep happening,” the user wrote while retweeting a video shared by another Tesla user. The video shows wipers working on a clear day…

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Monday commended China’s space program, hours before the country launched three astronauts to its space station. What Happened: “The China space program is far more advanced than most people realize,” Musk wrote. The CEO was replying to Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield. Hadfield had shared an article on an interview given by chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program Wu Weiren. Why It Matters: Earlier today, China sent three astronauts to its space station- the Tiangong space station- as part of its Shenzhou-16 mission- the country’s 11th crewed mission. The rocket lifted off at 9:31 a.m.…

The Boring Company CEO Elon Musk on Monday provided an update on his “Fallout”-themed party for the opening of The Boring Company’s Las Vegas Loop three years after the initial announcement. What Happened: Boring Company’s Fallout-themed party will be later this year, Musk said in a Twitter reply to a user requesting an update. “Definitely needs to happen!” Musk wrote.Why It Matters: Fallout is a post-apocalyptic survival video game. A spin-off of the same, Fallout Shelter, is also available on Tesla’s infotainment system. In 2021, Musk said that the tunneling company intends to celebrate its Las Vegas loop completion with…