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Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Residents Aggravated as Tesla Dumps Dozens of Cybertrucks in Shopping Center
Residents of Farmington Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, were left baffled last week when their local shopping center was overrun with unattended Tesla vehicles, mostly Cybertrucks. Some residents, who estimate they've seen up to 100 Cybertrucks left in the shopping center's parking lot, initially assumed the trucks were unsold inventory from a nearby dealership. However, Tesla employees who spoke with CBS Detroit insisted the vehicles have already been sold. They say the company is merely storing these units at the shopping center, which shares an owner with a local Tesla service center, until it can deliver them to their new owners. City officials, however, say Tesla never got their approval to use the lot, and that doing so is a clear violation of local policy. Charmaine Kettler-Scmult, director of planning and community development for Farmington Hills, told CBS Detroit that the city had already reached out to the shopping center about removing the Cybertrucks, explaining that 'storage of vehicles is not a permitted use' of the parking lot. Outside of Farmington Hills, however, Cybertrucks seem to be a tough sell. Only about 40,000 Cybertrucks have sold since the model launched in 2023, a far cry from the 250,000 units Musk once predicted Tesla would sell annually. Beyond Cybertrucks, overall Tesla sales have crashed across Europe, where even consumers interested in electric vehicles are increasingly disinterested in buying from Musk. In April, Tesla was dethroned for the first time ever as Europe's top-selling electric vehicle manufacturer, being outsold by Chinese company BYD. Then in May, Tesla's sales fell 29 percent in Spain, 53.7 percent in Sweden, and a staggering 67 percent in France. Meanwhile, in Germany, Europe's largest car market, sales of Tesla vehicles have been in a nosedive for five consecutive months. The sharp decline in Tesla's sales isn't surprising, considering Elon Musk's stint with DOGE severely damaged his business reputation. Last month, the annual Axios Harris poll revealed that Tesla, which once ranked eighth in respondents' list of their 100 most trusted American companies, had fallen to 95th place. Just last week, CNN obtained a letter to Musk from a group of Tesla investors in which they criticized him for 'divert[ing] his time and attention from actively managing Tesla's operations.' The letter also demanded that he spend at least 40 hours a week working at Tesla. Though he initially lashed out at the investors behind the letter, Musk himself has hinted that he knows his time in the White House hurt his other business dealings. In an interview with Ars Technica, Musk admitted that his 'relative time allocation… probably was a little too high on the government side.' Musk departed his White House position with a bizarre press conference on May 30, so it's too soon to know if doing so has helped to stymie Tesla's free fall. For now, the company maintains that its unapproved use of the Michigan parking lot is merely storage for the few trucks that have sold. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla Cybertrucks are piling up in a disused parking lot in Michigan as the company deals with a stockpile of unsold vehicles
Tesla is under scrutiny for storing Cybertrucks in a disused parking lot of a Detroit shopping center, which officials say violates local zoning rules. Tesla has been dealing with disappointing sales and multiple recalls of the Cybertruck, reportedly leaving the EV maker with a stockpile of excess inventory. Tesla has also cut back production of the trucks, reassigning workers to more popular production lines. Tesla is facing backlash from local authorities in Michigan for storing Cybertrucks and other unsold vehicles in the parking lot of a shuttered shopping center under renovation, a move that officials say violates local zoning laws. Over the past few weeks, dozens of Tesla vehicles have been spotted piling up at the Hunter's Square shopping center on Orchard Lake Road in Michigan, close to a Tesla service center in West Bloomfield. Clips of the parked EVs, totaling more than 100, have been circulating on social media. Tesla's new showroom nearby is suspected to be the source of the overflow. While Tesla employees coming to collect the parked vehicles told CBS Detroit that the nearby service center's owner owns the shopping center and the cars were marked for delivery, local officials have taken issue with the dealership's storage plans. Representatives for the Farmington Hills planning and community development department did not reply to Fortune's request for comment by press time. However, the city's director for the department, Charmaine Kettler-Schmult, told CBS Detroit: 'The City of Farmington Hills code enforcement office has been in communication with the Hunter's Square shopping center management to resolve the issue. They have been notified that storage of vehicles is not a permitted use. The enforcement process is being followed and takes time.' The Cybertruck has had a relatively poor sales performance so far, reportedly leaving Tesla with a stockpile of unsold vehicles. In 2024, the EV maker sold just shy of 40,000 Cybertrucks, missing Wall Street expectations by around 10,000 units. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had previously projected that Cybertruck sales could reach 250,000 units per year. In the first quarter of this year, Tesla sold just over 6,000 Cybertrucks, indicating the EV maker might be facing a weaker year ahead, according to Cox Automotive. In total, Tesla has delivered less than 50,000 Cybertrucks. The underwhelming sales have reportedly led to massive inventory stockpiles, estimated to have reached a record high of 10,000 units last month, according to Electrek. Tesla is rolling back production on the trucks in response. Employees told Business Insider the company first started moving some workers off Cybertruck production in December, reallocating some to the more popular Model Y production lines. The truck and other Tesla vehicles have also become a lightning rod for backlash against the company's CEO. Tesla is facing global protests over Musk's political leanings and role in the Trump administration. The Cybertruck has also been hit with eight recalls since deliveries began in late 2023. The issues ranged from trim panels potentially falling off while driving to windshield wiper failures and a delayed rear camera feed. The latest issue, due to a potential problem with a stainless-steel trim panel detaching while driving, affected nearly 46,000 vehicles, or almost every Cybertruck Tesla had managed to sell at the time. Representatives for Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune, made outside the company's normal working hours. This story was originally featured on
Time of India
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Tesla may face zoning violations after over 100 Cybertrucks found parked at closed shopping mall
Representative Image Elon Musk's Tesla may face zoning violations in Michigan after more than 100 unsold Cybertrucks were found parked at a closed shopping centre. The accumulation of these vehicles at Hunter's Square shopping centre in Farmington Hills has prompted concerns from local authorities regarding adherence to zoning regulations, a report claims. Over the past several weeks, residents and social media users have reportedly posted images and videos showing numerous rows of Cybertrucks at the site on Orchard Lake Road. The location is adjacent to a Tesla service centre in West Bloomfield. This proximity has led to speculation that the shopping centre lot is being used as an overflow site to manage unsold inventory, as over 100 Cybertrucks have reportedly gathered in the space. What Tesla and Michigan authorities said about the parked Cybertrucks In a statement to CBS Detroit, Tesla employees collecting the trucks said the property belongs to the same entity that operates the nearby service centre, and that the vehicles were intended for customer delivery. However, the City of Farmington Hills has raised concerns over this explanation. Charmaine Kettler-Schmult, the city's planning and community development director, told CBS Detroit: 'The City of Farmington Hills code enforcement office has been in communication with the Hunter's Square shopping centre management to resolve the issue. They have been notified that storage of vehicles is not a permitted use. The enforcement process is being followed and takes time.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mix 4 Kitchen Ingredients, Wake Up Thinner Every Morning insightcuriositycentral Learn More Undo As per the report, Tesla is struggling to sell its Cybertruck, with under 50,000 units delivered since launch, which is far below its 250,000-unit annual projection. In Q1 2025, only 6,000 units were sold. Inventory has built up to an estimated 10,000 unsold trucks, prompting Tesla to scale back production and shift workers to Model Y lines, the report adds. The vehicle has faced eight recalls, including one affecting nearly all units sold. Sales have also reportedly dipped amid backlash over Elon Musk's political involvement, though Tesla stock has recently rebounded after a sharp decline. Stay ready with these 7 essential medical gadgets as COVID cases rise AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
New York Post
2 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Post
Dozens of unsold Tesla Cybertrucks pile up in Michigan shopping center parking lot, irking locals
Tesla is under pressure from Michigan authorities after scores of unsold Cybertrucks were discovered parked at a shuttered shopping center in Farmington Hills, prompting concerns about violations of local zoning regulations. Over the past several weeks, local residents and social media users have posted images and videos showing rows of Cybertrucks lined up at Hunter's Square shopping center on Orchard Lake Road. The site is adjacent to a Tesla service center in West Bloomfield, leading to speculation that the facility is using the lot as an overflow site to manage unsold inventory. Reports estimate more than 100 vehicles have accumulated in the space. 4 Unsold Tesla Cybertrucks are parked in the lot of a shopping center in Farmington Hills, Mich. Getty Images Tesla employees collecting the trucks told CBS Detroit that the property is owned by the same party that manages the nearby service center and that the vehicles were scheduled for customer delivery. However, the City of Farmington Hills has taken issue with this explanation. 'The City of Farmington Hills code enforcement office has been in communication with the Hunter's Square shopping center management to resolve the issue,' Charmaine Kettler-Schmult, the city's planning and community development director, told CBS Detroit. 'They have been notified that storage of vehicles is not a permitted use. The enforcement process is being followed and takes time.' Tesla's decision to store the trucks at the site has highlighted the company's struggles in selling the Cybertruck — a model CEO Elon Musk once touted as a groundbreaking entry into the electric pickup market. 4 Social media users have posted images and videos showing rows of Cybertrucks lined up at Hunter's Square shopping center on Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills. Getty Images According to data from Cox Automotive, Tesla sold just over 6,000 Cybertrucks in the first quarter of 2025, bringing total deliveries to fewer than 50,000 units since the vehicle's debut. Tesla had originally projected annual sales could reach as high as 250,000 units. In 2024, Tesla delivered around 40,000 Cybertrucks — approximately 10,000 fewer than Wall Street analysts expected. The gap between forecast and reality has led to a substantial buildup in inventory, with Electrek reporting recently that the company had an estimated 10,000 unsold Cybertrucks on hand. In response, Tesla has scaled back production of the truck. 4 The site is adjacent to a Tesla service center in West Bloomfield, leading to speculation that the facility is using the lot as an overflow site to manage unsold inventory. Getty Images The automaker began reassigning workers from the Cybertruck production line to its more successful Model Y operation as early as December 2024, according to employees who spoke to Business Insider. Tesla sales have also sagged amid widespread backlash over Musk's active role as head of DOGE in the Trump administration — which has sparked protests and acts of vandalism. Tesla's brand, once synonymous with cutting-edge innovation, has become increasingly polarizing as the company navigates a series of public relations and logistical hurdles. In December, the company's stock benefited from a 'Trump bump' in the wake of the Nov. 5 election — roaring to an all-time high of nearly $480 a share. 4 Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently announced that he would devote more time to the electric car maker after his stint working in the Trump administration. Francis Chung/UPI/Shutterstock Since then, however, the stock tanked by more than 50% — though it has recovered in recent weeks as Musk has indicated he would devote more time to running the company. The situation is further complicated by a series of recalls that have plagued the Cybertruck since it first reached consumers. Eight recalls have been issued to date, with problems ranging from faulty windshield wipers to delayed rear camera displays. The most recent recall affected nearly 46,000 vehicles — virtually every Cybertruck sold to that point — due to concerns that a stainless steel trim panel could detach while the vehicle is in motion. Representatives for Tesla were not immediately available for comment.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Rain and strong to severe storms expected Wednesday in Southeast Michigan
A new front and an area of low pressure will bring rain and the risk for some strong to severe storms for Southeast Michigan by Wednesday afternoon. As the front approaches, there will be rain and some thunderstorms. All of Southeast Michigan will be at a one out of five on the severe risk scale. NEXT Weather/CBS Detroit Timing for the storms will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. NEXT Weather/CBS Detroit The main threats will be strong, damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour or greater, as well as one-inch hail. NEXT Weather/CBS Detroit Before the rain and storms, temperatures will reach the mid and upper 80s on Tuesday and again on Wednesday afternoon. NEXT Weather/CBS Detroit Some rain will stick around for the morning commute. There will also be a few showers on Friday. Rain moves out for the weekend.
