Latest news with #NewJerseyTurnpike
New York Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- New York Times
Tesla's Troubles
Elon Musk says he is stepping away from politics to care for his businesses, particularly Tesla. It needs the help. Tesla drove the electric-car revolution, and Musk spent nearly two decades making his image inseparable from the company. For years, Tesla seemed like a window into the future as it grew larger than the Big Three automakers in Detroit. But during — and partly because of — Musk's stint slashing government programs and laying off workers, Tesla has withered. Its stock has tumbled since President Trump's inauguration. Global sales have cratered. One blue state is nixing contracts. In Los Angeles, where I live, sheepish Tesla owners place 'Bought Before the Plot Twist' stickers on their bumpers. Today's newsletter is about how one of America's great avatars of futurism broke. A decline Tesla had a few troubles before Musk jumped into politics. The company was losing market share around the world to Chinese electric automakers like BYD, and it had abandoned plans to manufacture a completely new and cheaper model. Instead, Musk was hyping humanoid robots and self-driving taxis, technologies that seem a long way off from mainstream use. But Musk's sojourn in politics extracted a steep cost, partly by polarizing Tesla's clients. The stock price is down more than 17 percent since the start of the year, and profit fell 71 percent in the first three months of 2025. Protesters have picketed Tesla showrooms around the world. They say they intend to expand their demonstrations. People have vandalized Tesla vehicles and charging stations. A Colorado resident spray-painted 'Nazi' onto a dealership sign. In Germany (where Musk backed a far-right party) and Britain (where he said a civil war driven by migration was 'inevitable'), registrations in April of new Teslas fell to their lowest points in more than two years. Elsewhere in Europe, the story is the same. Last Friday, the agency that runs the New Jersey Turnpike said it would replace more than 60 Tesla-made electric vehicle chargers with another company's chargers. Signs of distraction abound: Musk waited for months after the Trump administration imposed tariffs to ask for a briefing at Tesla about their impact on the firm, worrying some executives. In recent months, a board member has stepped in to fill him in on day-to-day operations. Back to business Musk says he's entering a new phase. He posted on X last month that he's back to 'spending 24/7 at work.' One sign of distance from Trump: He flayed the Republicans' deficit-fattening policy bill as a 'disgusting abomination' this week. (The current proposal would end financial perks for people who buy electric cars.) Musk, who has a Forbes-estimated net worth of $415 billion, is arguably the most successful businessman of his generation. He has spent his career overcoming obstacles (few took Tesla seriously as a competitor for the Big Three when he first invested in the company in 2004) and proving doubters wrong (SpaceX invented reusable rockets). Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Auto Blog
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Elon Musk Cries ‘Corruption' as Tesla Superchargers Disappear from Key US Route
One of the busiest highways between New York and Philly is losing Tesla Supercharger service. A step backwards for EV adoption A common dealbreaker that new car buyers say steers them out of electric vehicles is the sheer state of the charging infrastructure compared to gas-powered cars. Although manufacturers like Ford, Hyundai, Genesis, and Honda offer new owners the opportunity to install a free home charging unit, this is not an entirely 'one-size-fits-all' solution for all owners for various reasons. 0:05 / 0:09 Thinking about buying a Toyota RAV4? These 5 rivals might change your mind Watch More However, as public EV charging appears in more public places and heavily trafficked corridors for the general public's use, one of America's busiest highways has taken a massive chunk of its EV charging offline. Vehicles travel on the New Jersey Turnpike at exit 14 on March 1, 2025 No more Supercharging on the Jersey Turnpike According to a new report by NJ Advance Media and , the New Jersey Turnpike Authority has ordered Tesla to decommission and remove 64 Superchargers at rest stops along the New Jersey Turnpike, the stretch of I-95 spanning northern and southern New Jersey. Per a May 30 statement from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), the state agency responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, the move comes as the agency decided to transition to what it calls 'Universal Open Access EV chargers' starting on June 6. These chargers, which are provided by Applegreen Electric (an arm of Irish company Applegreen, who operates NJTA's service areas), are said to be compatible 'with all makes and models of EVs' and will be available on June 6 at various service areas across the Turnpike including the Vince Lombardi, Woodrow Wilson, Richard Stockton, James Fenimore Cooper, Joyce Kilmer, and Walt Whitman Service Areas, with additional chargers at the Molly Pitcher Service Area in July and the Clara Barton and John Fenwick Service Areas in Fall 2025. According to early user-reported data from Plugshare, these chargers are capable of up to 400 kW charging and are usually located next to Tesla Superchargers at select service areas. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. A Tesla supercharger is seen on May 10, 2025 in Buttonwillow, California. Tesla responds to the decision However, this move is not without conflict. In a lengthy post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on May 30, the official account for Tesla Charging wrote that the Turnpike Authority's order came after it rejected any requests to coexist with the Applegreen chargers on the Turnpike, adding that it had been 'preparing for 3 years for this potential outcome by building 116 stalls off the New Jersey Turnpike' in certain high-traffic areas. Tesla says that it offered the NJTA 'above-market commercial terms' to sweeten the deal, including offering its NJ Turnpike Superchargers with 'screens and NACS with CCS1 'magic docks.'' Ultimately, Tesla called the NJTA's decision to decommission its Superchargers a step back for all EV users who use the Turnpike. 'Tesla always advocates for more infrastructure and co-location with additional third-party charging providers. This drives down costs through optionality and accelerates EV adoption by having sufficient capacity to shoulder peaks,' the automaker said on X. Vehicles travel on the New Jersey Turnpike in front of the skyline of New York City on March 1, 2025 Despite reaching out to invest in the state, Tesla claims that the NJTA's decision to remove Tesla superchargers is a setback for EV drivers. 'We expect that ~30 times more fast-charging capacity is needed to get to full EV adoption,' it said on X. 'NJTA's decision to remove, rather than add, critical charging infrastructure is a setback for New Jersey's EV adoption goals of 100% Zero-Emission New Car Sales by 2035. It removes Turnpike access to the most reliable (99.9% uptime), least congested (<1% waiters), and cost-effective (~30% lower $/kWh) charging.' In a May 30 post responding to a quote tweet from Tesla fan and Model Y owner Sawyer Merritt, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the NJTA's decision 'sounds like corruption.' Final thoughts I do not own an EV, but I live in New Jersey, and while I observe that EV charging is very prevalent in many convenient places adjacent to major highways, including shopping malls like the infamous American Dream mall, large retail centers where Walmarts and Targets are located, and non-service-area roadside stops like Wawas, I view the loss of Superchargers on the Turnpike as a bit of a disservice to EV owners. The New Jersey Turnpike is a major thoroughfare connecting two major Northeastern cities, New York and Philadelphia. Many drivers who travel on it pass through with a further destination in mind, and the faster out of Jersey, the better. Tesla local Indianapolis store — Source: JayIt's not just Teslas that charge at Superchargers. So far, Ford, GM, Rivian, Volvo, Polestar, Hyundai, and Genesis are just some of the manufacturers that support it, with others like Honda and Acura soon to have that capability. Though one may view Tesla Supercharging as anything but universal, as someone who has had to wait upwards of hours in line to charge non-Tesla EVs at 'universal stations,' keeping the Superchargers where they were would help ease any potential congestion these Applegreen chargers will have. Trust me, there will be congestion. The service areas on the Turnpike have Shake Shacks, Dunkins, and Popeyes now.
