The tragic death of a California college student has sparked outrage and a lawsuit that could reshape safety standards for electric vehicles, centering on the Tesla Cybertruck doors.
The parents of a 19-year-old California woman killed in a fiery Tesla Cybertruck crash last year have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company, claiming the vehicle’s door handle design prevented their daughter from escaping the burning wreck.
Tesla is urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to maintain its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, placing the electric automaker in direct conflict with the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back climate rules.
Tesla has quietly reversed one of its most controversial design changes by offering a retrofit turn signal stalk for its refreshed Model 3, addressing widespread criticism over the car’s removal of standard physical controls. The stalk is currently available only in China at a cost of $348, with no announcement yet regarding U.S. availability.
Tesla’s long dependence on selling government regulatory credits is nearing an end, putting enormous pressure on Elon Musk’s electric car company to make money from its vehicles alone. Over the past decade, Tesla raked in $11.8 billion from selling carbon and fuel economy credits to other automakers, but that lucrative stream will dry up under new federal rules.
Tesla’s once-unrivaled customer loyalty has collapsed following CEO Elon Musk’s public support for President Donald Trump and his increasing role in the administration, according to exclusive data from S&P Global Mobility. The electric vehicle leader, previously known for commanding the industry’s highest repeat buyer rate, now finds itself trailing behind major competitors.
