Latest news with #TeslaModelYJuniper
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Tesla's Robotaxi launch faces challenges amid brand damage and investor pressure
The recent fallout between Elon Musk and US President Elon Musk has driven a wrecking ball through Tesla's share price. (REUTERS) Notify me Tesla Inc. already had a lot riding on its highly anticipated robotaxi launch long before Elon Musk decided to swing a wrecking ball through his alliance with President Donald Trump — and the company's share price. Now investors are looking for a win that can help repair the brand damage and shift Tesla back into growth mode. Musk said Tesla would start the new self-driving car service in Austin as soon as June 22, as part of the EV maker's big bet on artificial intelligence and autonomous driving. While Tesla gave the city an outline of its tentative plans, the company hadn't disclosed a launch date — either publicly or directly to Austin officials — until late on Tuesday, when Musk warned the service's debut could shift because it was 'super paranoid about safety."The proclamation came as part of an all-night series of social media messages by Musk, which included a near-apology that 'I regret some of my posts" about the president, which 'went too far." The comments helped push shares up about 3% Wednesday by investors who have been urging Musk to refocus on his business empire. The billionaire has said the rollout would start slowly, with 10 to 20 vehicles, and a testing area verified by Bloomberg News suggests the initial contours of the debut resemble more of a souped-up demo than a full-fledged launch. That may not matter to Tesla's biggest fans, or the stock price. Investors generally have been willing to give Musk the benefit of the doubt in the short term as they believe in his long-term vision. Also Read : Tesla Model Y Juniper spotted on Indian roads again. Take a look For the moment, Tesla sales are tumbling around the world, its stock is down around 20% this year and analysts have lowered their expectations for the company's performance. While Musk tries to undo some of the damage from his meltdown with Trump, the immediate impact to Tesla's shares and Musk's own wealth shows just how delicate the whole balance is. The government has outsized influence over his businesses, from billion-dollar contracts to the regulatory environment for autonomous vehicles and Tesla's robotaxi network. 'He needs to dial down the rhetoric and the drama and get back to the business of Optimus and robotaxi and Full Self Driving," Nancy Tengler, CEO and chief investment officer of Laffer Tengler Investments, told Bloomberg Television. 'That is what people own the stock for — and for his brilliance and genius of course — but not for the histrionics." Musk has promised to establish a ride-hailing network that is part 'Airbnb, part Uber." The company wants the fleet to built on its Full Self-Driving technology and eventually feature both purpose-built Cybercabs without pedals or steering wheels, as well as Teslas owned by the company and individual drivers. Musk predicts hundreds of thousands of the vehicles on the road by late 2026. The robotaxi launch is the first step in showing investors he can deliver. Tesla will be the fourth robotaxi service to launch in Austin in the past several years. While Tesla can operate its standard consumer models in Texas with no driver, it needs federal exemptions to use the Cybercab in its fleet. In other states, including California, Tesla faces a patchwork of regulations. Representatives for Tesla and Musk did not respond to requests for comment. Testing Grounds There have been signs of the company's preparation in Austin. Model Y vehicles with manufacturer's plates have become a frequent sight around town in the south and southeast portions of the city that are studded with residential neighborhoods and retail shopping centers and a few minutes drive from downtown. In some cases, the vehicles drive around in what appear to be circular routes. The initial operation area will likely cover only a few square miles, according to a person familiar with the plan who was not authorized to speak publicly on it. The zone could change before launch or be amended quickly after the service begins. The rules governing driverless vehicles in Texas are notably light. While rideshare companies with human drivers must obtain a license to operate in Texas, a legal loophole means robotaxis like those operated by Tesla don't need the same approvals, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration. That makes the state a popular choice for companies in the early stages of autonomous service. Waymo, the driverless-rideshare business owned by Google parent Alphabet Inc., currently has about 100 robotaxis in Austin in partnership with Uber and plans to ramp up to hundreds over time. Volkswagen ADMT and Inc.'s Zoox are testing their vehicles there. A number of autonomous trucking companies are also testing elsewhere in the state. Tesla has embraced a different approach to autonomy, favoring a camera-only system rather than a combination of lidar, radar and pre-mapping that competitors use. Musk has long claimed such an approach will allow the company to scale up sooner than rivals including Waymo, which he considers too expensive. According to some estimates, Tesla's system of sensors costs about $400 per vehicle; Waymo's fleet, which totals 1,500 vehicles in California, Arizona and Texas, runs roughly $9,300 per car. Critics have said Tesla's vision-only system is riskier as it's more limited in certain conditions with less visibility, such as sun glare, fog or dust. Regardless of the vehicles' specifications, autonomous vehicle testing in Austin and elsewhere has brought challenges. General Motors Co.'s now-defunct Cruise dragged a person along a street in San Francisco in a gruesome incident that left the pedestrian in critical condition. Driverless rideshare cars have caused viral traffic jams in Austin and last week, Waymo drove into a flooded area following a storm. 'Safety is our highest priority at Waymo, both for people who choose to ride with us and those with whom we share the streets. We remain committed to improving road safety through our ongoing learnings and experience," a Waymo spokesperson said. In preparation for its launch, Tesla has been in touch with Austin city officials and first responders to discuss safety expectations, according to emails seen by Bloomberg News that date back to at least May 2024. Tesla has said robotaxis will be remotely monitored initially. But several key aspects of Tesla's plan are yet to be finalized with the city's autonomous vehicle working group, which communicates with AV companies operating in Austin. Tesla has only shown officials a draft of an expected first responder guide, and an emergency training is still outstanding, according to Andre Jordan, division chief of homeland security and special operations for the Austin Fire Department, and a member of the city's working group. 'Autonomous vehicles are required to follow the law, but what happens when the law and directions of first responders conflict? It's a complicated world," said Jordan. Brand Damage It's also a complicated moment for Musk to pitch Tesla as a trusted brand to take passengers, many of whom aren't accustomed to riding in self-driving cars, where they need to go. Thanks to months wading through the political fracas in Washington, the billionaire and his cars have never been more polarizing. Although Musk has sought to dial down the hostility with the president, the billionaire's public spat with Trump threatens to alienate even more customers. 'Tesla at this moment is a brand with all sorts of mixed associations," said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. 'If people have negative feelings about Elon Musk and they spill onto robotaxi, I don't think they'll be eager to take a ride. There's lots of alternatives." Driverless vehicles require an extra element of trust and critics will be ready to amplify any mishaps, said Mike Paul, president of crisis consultancy Reputation Doctor LLC. 'When you're starting from a deficit currently, from a trust in branding perspective, with all things Elon," Paul said, 'it's going to be very difficult to show success." Musk has been building expectations for this launch for years. While some investors are willing to lend him some leniency on timing and the exact details, many want concrete signs of progress. Baird analyst Ben Kallo downgraded Tesla to neutral, citing, in part, overhyped expectations from Musk around the robotaxi launch and intensifying competition in the space. Kallo also said that Musk's deteriorating relationship with Trump has led to more uncertainty. 'The valuation has gotten ahead of itself around the robotaxi," Kallo told Bloomberg Television. 'I do think the rollout will take longer. At first it will require more people, so people in control centers making sure that the cars do not get into accidents something like that." For that reason, Kallo said there will likely be some short-term pain. 'Rolling this out will be very difficult." Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India, Upcoming EV Bikes in India. First Published Date: 12 Jun 2025, 08:24 AM IST
Auto Blog
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Tesla's Three-Row Model Y Is Coming Back, But Is It Worth It?
But for some families, this could be welcome news. Does Cramming Extra Seats In The Model Y Make Sense? The updated Tesla Model Y Juniper was revealed earlier this year, with changes including Cybertruck-inspired styling and a refined interior, all aimed at helping this electric crossover maintain its best-seller status. What the Model Y Juniper did not offer was the option of a third seating row, as had been available on the pre-facelift version. Well, a new Tesla customer email shared on Twitter shows that this option is returning, but this is one box we'd leave unticked if we were buying a Model Y. Oops! We're unable to load this content right now. View directly on 𝕏 A Third Row Unfit For Adults Source: Tesla The Juniper isn't an all-new model, so shares the same exterior dimensions with the pre-facelift Model Y. That means it shares the same amount of interior space, too. Looking at the data, the three-row Model Y has only 26.5 inches of third-row legroom and 34.6 inches of headroom. For some perspective, the Toyota GR86 – which is technically a small 2+2 sports car – has more legroom at the back than this Model Y does in its third row. You can free up more third-row legroom if those in the second row are willing to move their seats forward, but this impacts their comfort levels. While smaller adults and teens can technically fit in there, the space is unbelievably cramped and claustrophobic. Most will find their heads pressed up against the back window, and if the car stops suddenly, it's easy to bash your forehead into the low roof panel. The only real use we can see for this third row is if you will often be transporting two smaller young kids. Third Row Eats Into Cargo Space, Too Source: Tesla Whereas the five-seater Model Y Juniper has 29 cubic feet of trunk space behind the second row, the pre-facelift seven-seater model has 26.6 cubes. Admittedly, this is still an acceptable size for what isn't a large vehicle. If the third row of seats are in use, the cargo capacity shrinks to 12.8 cubes. How Much Will The Three-Row Option Be? Tesla Model Y Juniper — Source: Tesla Previously, pricing for the three-row Model Y added $2,000 to $2,500 more to the MSRP, depending on exactly when the car was purchased. Looking at the current Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive variant, it costs $44,990, so will be closer to $47k with the option installed, assuming similar pricing for the Juniper. Ultimately, unless you have a very specific use case – regularly transporting two kids in the third row – we'd suggest buying a more spacious three-row SUV. Then again, if you want to stay in the Tesla family, need three rows, and don't want to spend way more on a Model X, the Model Y with three rows is your only option. It's not known exactly when the three-row option will become available again, but we expect it to arrive soon. About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
News18
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- News18
Tesla Refunds Dream11 CEO's Booking Amount And He's Miffed With Elon Musk
Last Updated: Dream11 CEO Harsh Jain called out Elon Musk and his Tesla for cancelling his reservation to buy the Model 3 car. Elon Musk's Tesla will make a grand debut in India by launching its fleet of electric vehicles for customers in the country. While the development comes as big, happy news for many eagerly awaiting Tesla's entry, not everyone appears to be happy at the moment. Harsh Jain, Dream11 CEO, took to his social media handle and called out Elon Musk's company for not caring about the feelings of the customers, especially in India. Noting that he had previously paid $1,000 to reserve a Model 3 Tesla car in 2017, Jain shared that his reservation has now been cancelled. Jain also shared a screenshot of the message that he received from the company, stating that the particular model has been discontinued and that his reservation fees will be refunded to the source. Unhappy with the decision, the Dream11 CEO claimed that such actions would turn all Indian Tesla fans into haters. Slamming the company for taking away his priority slot, Jain also noted that if he had invested the same amount in Tesla shares back in the day, the value would have been much higher. 'I had paid $1k for a priority slot in March 2017 for Tesla's India launch. Now that Tesla is FINALLY launching almost 10 YEARS later, they're only going to refund me $1k and take away my priority slot. Even if I had just invested this $1k in Tesla in March 2017, it would be worth ~$20k now. Way to show fans that Tesla doesn't care," he wrote. In the message shared by Harsh Jain, Tesla appears to have explained that the company is currently in the process of finalising its product offerings in India. They assured of returning the $1,000 fee that Jain paid to reserve a Model 3 back in 2017. The post comes at a time when Tesla has already begun operations in India, with the testing process underway. The company's Tesla Model Y Juniper, which is likely to be launched first in India, was spotted on the streets of Mumbai. Meanwhile, reports suggest Tesla has also finalised venues for its authorised dealerships across Mumbai and Delhi. It is yet to be known whether the company will manufacture cars in the country. First Published:
NDTV
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Tesla Model Y Testing In India Continues Ahead Of Launch- New Spy Shots
Tesla is preparing to begin its operations in India, and it's no secret that the American electric manufacturer has already initiated the testing process in India. The process has begun with the Tesla Model Y Juniper which will likely be the first to be launched in the country. Extending the list of sightings, the camouflage-clad vehicle has been spotted again in Mumbai. The Tesla Model Y Juniper represents the latest version of the electric vehicle available globally, featuring several design changes compared to its earlier version. The front end has been updated with more streamlined headlights, giving the EV a modern look. Although the overall shape remains unchanged from the previous model, the back now sports connected tail lights. This design is further enhanced by a variety of color options. The available choices include Pearl White, Stealth Grey, Deep Blue Metallic, Ultra Red, Quicksilver, and Diamond Black. Inside, there are only two choices: all-black or white. The Tesla Model Y is offered in a single configuration option. To boost its performance, the vehicle is equipped with an all-wheel-drive system and a long-range battery, achieving an EPA-rated driving range of 526 kilometers. This electric SUV can accelerate from 0 to 96 kilometers per hour in merely 4.6 seconds and has a maximum speed limited to 200 kilometers per hour. It includes features such as powered seats with heating and ventilation, a sound system that includes 15 speakers and a subwoofer, an 8.0-inch display for rear passengers, eight cameras, and numerous active safety features, such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Avoidance. Reports suggest Tesla has finalised venues for its authorised dealerships in Mumbai and Delhi. Meanwhile, there is still no clarity on whether the automaker will be manufacturing cars in India.
Hindustan Times
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Tesla Model Y Juniper spotted on Indian roads again. Take a look
Shared on Reddit, the blurry images provide insights into Tesla's first car in India, as the company prepares for its market debut (CarsIndia/Reddit) Notify me Soon after the Model Y was seen testing with camouflage in India, the Tesla Model Y Juniper has now also been spotted on Indian roads covered in a full black wrap. The photos have been shared by a user on the social media platform Reddit. Though slightly blurry, the multiple close-up images give us a better idea of what the first Tesla car in India will look like. From land acquisition to talent scouting, the EV carmaker has been making preparations to make its debut in the Indian market. The American manufacturer has also filed homologations for the Model 3 and Model Y variants in India. In the global market, the Model Y is available in a single configuration. It is equipped with an all-wheel drive system and a long-range battery pack, providing an EPA-rated range of 526 kilometres and a top speed of 200 kilometres per hour. The vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 96 kilometres per hour in a mere 4.6 seconds. Also Read : Tesla recalls Model Y Juniper for first time, blame it on a tiny plastic part that can't be fixed remotely Tesla Model Y Juniper: Features Notable features include power-adjustable seats with heating and ventilation, a sound system with 15 speakers and a subwoofer, a hands-free trunk, and eight cameras. It also incorporates advanced safety technologies such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Avoidance. Tesla Model Y Juniper: Colour options The electric car comes in six colour options, including Stealth Grey, Pearl White, Deep Blue Metallic, Diamond Black, Ultra Red, and Quicksilver. For the interior, customers can choose between a Black and White scheme or an all-black design. Also Read : Tesla secures strategic 5-year warehouse lease in Mumbai amidst expansion plans Tesla Model Y Juniper: Design Recently, the Model Y went through a major redesign, which includes new lighting elements at both the front and rear. The interior has been upgraded with enhanced ambient lighting, ventilated seats, a new touchscreen interface, and a soft-touch finish. Additionally, the suspension has been retuned for better performance, and the steering has been made more responsive. The Model Y now also features acoustic glass to reduce road noise. Check out Upcoming EV Cars in India. First Published Date: 06 Jun 2025, 14:17 PM IST
