It’s hard to miss all the headlines about the United States’ trade war with China, the stock market’s reaction to it, and the various industry struggles in response to it if you spend any decent amount of time online. Honestly, I’m not much of a finance person, i.e., I only learned what a ‘short seller’ was by following Tesla. But being a reporter on all things Elon Musk, I couldn’t help but wonder how the discord was going to affect the all-electric carmaker in both China sales and its Gigafactory 3 project in Shanghai.
Then, my wondering seemed to stumble upon an answer thanks to a fellow Teslarati writer’s coverage of the expansion of China’s Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) to Lingang, the area where Tesla’s newest facility is located. (Thanks, Simon!) As part of a continuing effort to open the country’s markets to economic globalization, Shanghai and Lingang are intended to form a free market region similar to Hong Kong. Goods entering the FTZ will be tax-exempt for the most part.
On its face, it appears Tesla will get to avoid most of the arguments between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping.
The company was already moving towards Chinese tax reductions by being a local manufacturer, but some supplies will still need to come from its facilities in the US, not to mention the high-end variants of the Model 3 as well as the Model S and Model X, risking import games and the like – something an FTZ would eliminate. The FTZ will also come with promised cuts to corporate tax rates for preferred industries. I mean, it certainly sounds like a great deal for a company like Tesla.
“Customs authorities are supposed to ensure all the goods inside the zone are duty-free to boost commercial activities in the area,” Huang Yejing, a research professor at the Institute of World Economy at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, was quoted as saying in the South China Morning Post. So, anything Tesla imports to Giga 3 will be free from fee baggage on China’s side. However, Huang also said this:
“But they also need to make sure that those duty-free goods do not flow out of the zone and are sold on the domestic market. It is still an unanswered question facing regulators.”
Does that mean the benefits of the FTZ are eliminated once Tesla’s cars leave the area to be sold at stores? It sounds like it. Well, maybe not all the benefits. Their cars can be built under the best free-trade policies China has to offer (for now), and residents within the Shanghai area will probably have the best prices on their Tesla cars. Does this deal kind of operate like when city residents purchase their cars outside their cities to avoid higher taxes? Since Tesla sells its cars online, will that create a loophole to sell anywhere in the country under FTZ deals?
China has been very generous to Tesla and Musk in their Shanghai endeavors thus far, and with that under consideration, it seems the goodwill may last at least for the immediate future. Musk is also bringing The Boring Company to China at the end of August, so China’s leadership obviously sees good things for China coming from his ventures.
Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
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