According to a media report, Tesla has overtaken Volkswagen to become the second most valuable carmaker in the world.

Tesla's share value increased and the company is now worth US $102.66 billion. In comparison, Volkswagen is valued at US $89.68 billion while Toyota is valued at US $230.95 billion.

Tesla is reported to have sold more than 367,500 cars in 2019, 50% more than its 2018 sales. Volkswagen sold almost 11 million vehicles last year, while Toyota sold more than 9 million in the first 11 months of 2019.

Tesla has also opened a new factory in China.

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According to a media report, Tesla, along with Canada’s Dalhousie University, is working on a new lithium ion battery technology that could give a million miles (1.6 million km) of driving. The report suggests that a patent for the new technology was filed on December 26, 2019.

It is said that the current battery packs used in Teslas have a battery life of up to 5,00,000 miles (8,04,672 km). In comparison, the average lifespan of a car in the US is said to be 1,50,000 miles (2,41,402 km).

According to the report, current lithium ion battery packs provide 1,000 to 2,000 discharge cycles. In comparison, the new battery pack is expected to retain 95% of its capacity after 1,000 discharge cycles and 90% after 4,000 cycles.

The new battery technology is said to improve efficiency, energy density, and longevity at lower costs. The new battery packs could be used in taxis and trucks. It is said that truckers in the US drive up to 1,50,000 miles (2,41,402 km) every year.

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Tesla has started deliveries of its cars made at its Gigafactory in China. 15 Model 3 units were delivered to Tesla employees.

It is said that the company wanted to start deliveries before the Lunar New Year, which begins on 25 January 2020. The company plans to increase production from the beginning of 2020.

Tesla used to import cars to China and faced high tariffs. The cars made in China will be sold in China and will not be exported to the US. At present, goods made in China and exported to the US face high tariffs, forcing manufacturers to move production out of China to the US.

According to a media report, in the US, the Tesla Model 3 has sold more than the BMW 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Series combined in this calendar year till November.

The report suggests that between January and November 2019, an estimated 1,27,836 Tesla Model 3s were delivered. In comparison, sales of all the aforementioned BMW cars during the same period is 1,16,073 units. In fact, add the sales figures of the X2 or the i3 and the i8, and it still does not match the sales figures of the Tesla. The X2 sold 10,200 units while the i3 and the i8 sold 5,691 units together.

BMW's passenger car sales fell by 14.4% this year compared to the same period in 2018. We had earlier reported that BMW is most affected due to the Model 3's success.

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According to a tweet by Elon Musk, Tesla could build an electric dirt bike. Musk also said that Tesla will not be building any road bikes as he thinks that they are too dangerous.

Although no details have been revealed, just like the electric ATV, the Tesla Cyberquad, the dirt bike could come with the Cybertruck as an option. Musk also said that the ATV could be launched along with the Cybertruck. It is expected to be a 2-seater and can be charged by connecting to the truck.

The Cybertruck, as well as the Cyberquad, are expected to be launched in 2021. The company has not announced any timeline for the launch of the dirt bike.

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According to Elon Musk, as of November 26, 2019, Tesla has received 2,50,000 bookings for the Cybertruck.

Out of these 1,46,000 bookings were received in less than 48 hours. 17% of these bookings are said to be for the single motor variant, while 42% and 41% are said to be for the dual and triple motor variants respectively. Musk has said that there have been no advertisements or paid endorsements for the vehicle.

The top-spec Cybertruck is claimed to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds. Depending on the variant, it offers a maximum range of 402-805 km on a single charge. The Cybertruck starts at US$ 39,900 for the base variant and US$ 69,900 for the top-spec tri-motor version.

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Tesla has revealed its first electric pickup truck called the Cybertruck.

The Tesla Cybertruck features a design with angular surfaces and a wedge shaped side profile. Tesla claims that the exterior is dent-resistant and scratch-resistant. It is also said to be bulletproof to 9 mm shells.

The Cybertruck comes with a single-motor with rear wheel drive, dual-motor with all-wheel drive or triple motor all-wheel drive setup. It has adaptive air suspension and the approach and departure angles are 35 degree and 28 degrees respectively. The truck has a 6.5 foot bed that has a capacity of 1,588 kg. It can tow up to 6,350 kg.

According to Tesla, the top-spec Cybertruck can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds. Depending on the variant, it offers a maximum range of 402-805 km on a single charge.

In the US, prices for the Tesla Cybertruck will start at US$ 39,900 for the single-motor RWD model and US$ 69,900 for the top-spec tri-motor AWD version.

According to a media report, the success of the Model 3 has affected BMW the most. As a percentage of the brand's total sales, BMW has taken the biggest hit among other car companies in the US.

The report states that more Model 3 cars are sold in the US than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the BMW 3 Series combined. However, Mercedes has not been affected as badly as BMW because its cars are known for their comfort and class, while BMW cars are known for their performance. The Model 3 has been tested against 3 Series variants, including the M3.

Many customers of economy cars like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and the Mazda 3 have traded their cars for a Tesla Model 3. The report suggests that Tesla took the largest number of customers from Toyota, but the Japanese carmaker is not as badly affected as BMW since it has a larger market share in the country. Toyota's market share in the US is said to be 7 times greater than that of BMW.

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Porsche and Tesla are competing for the 4-door electric car lap record around the Nürburgring.

According to a media report, Tesla might have set an unofficial lap time of 7 minutes and 23 seconds, which is almost 20 seconds quicker than what the Porsche Taycan could manage. The lap time is said to have been timed by a Nürburgring spy shooter and Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. The car used by Tesla is a Model S P100D+, which is said to have three electric motors. The car has not been launched yet but is expected to make it to production in 2020.

The Porsche Taycan currently holds the record for the fastest electric 4-door car around the Nürburgring. It set a lap time of 7 minutes and 42 seconds. Reports suggest the car used for the record run was a stock Taycan Turbo, which is the base model. The faster Taycan Turbo S could set a faster lap time.

It is said that Tesla's official lap attempts might happen this week.

Source: Jalopnik

Tesla has launched its own insurance plan, known as Tesla Insurance, which provides comprehensive coverage and claims management. It is claimed to offer up to 20% lower rates and in some cases, up to 30% lower prices. At present, it is offered only to Tesla owners in California.

The company claims that they understand the vehicles, technology, safety and repair costs better than traditional insurance companies. Tesla says that its pricing policy takes into account Tesla's active safety and advanced driver assistance features, which help them reduce insurance costs.

According to a report by Jalopnik, insurance companies have said that they do not have enough data that validates claims that driver assistance systems reduce accidents. They do not have information to tell them if the ADAS system kicked in before a crash, or if it helped prevent one. On the other hand, Tesla has this information. Tesla also claims that they do not use vehicle data like GPS or camera footage when pricing insurance.