No heat pump is required to warm up the seats with an electric resistance. Cars lose a bit of range, but not the end of the world.
In winter I program my heating to come on 15 minutes before I plan to leave. Itâs still plugged into the charger so doesnât impact range. Once I set off, heating off and seat heaters on as required.
For hot summer days I do the opposite with the AC,
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Competition for Elonâs robots as Chinese Unitree robots briefly appeared on Walmartâs web site, you can also buy them on Aliexpress
Thereâs no date announced for commercial release of Elonâs Optima robots
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No wonder tariffs are so extreme!
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Actually⌠both the model 3 and the model y (and pretty much every other electric car) have antifreeze based coolant.
Tesla explicitly warns owners not to top up coolant themselves on the Model 3, and itâs something you âshouldâ bring to a tesla dealer to service. also, they âshouldâ use only tesla approved coolant (something about glycol and whatnot)âŚ
So Iâm a bit curious why you say âOne reason why ICE vehicles are so inefficientâ - as electric engines ALSO need to be cooled. In fact, also the battery packs need cooling (especially during charging)
EDIT: Did some digging.
From Teslaâs page:
Battery coolant and brake fluid levels should only be checked by Tesla or a professional automotive repair shop. Specific service information is available in the Service Manual.
Interestingly, they also state it should be ok for the lifespan of the vehicle, but checking the workshop manual, there is a change inerval of 150k miles (UK manual sorry) for the coolant.
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Energy loss in EVs is significantly lower in the conversion of fuel to power output.
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If your electricity is sourced from renewable/green sources. In many countries, electricity is still generated by diesel or coal plants. Similarly, we are a long way away from recycling lithium batteries⌠which should be the norm.
But yes - your point on efficiency is valid - but EVâs donât work for some people.
Give you an example: my 2017 ICE car now has 350k km on the clock (I drive a lot). Itâs still going strong, and doesnât need a new battery nor new engine. Beyond routine servicing, it hasnât needed anything. I considered several times an electric car (heck, I still have a cybertruck âon orderâ) - but my issue is for the range I do (i.e. 2-3k km every weekend + 200 km a day) - I havenât seen an EV that doesnât need a new battery pack after a few years of intense charge/discharge cycles. Also, with current charging times, it would make my overnight trip to Warsaw or London significantly longer; meaning it canât be done for a weekend hop over.
I am hopeful though⌠and saw someone is importing BYDs into Switzerland at ridiculous prices, so I might end up with one if they decide to bring the U9 here 
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Just get a Ford
FORD? Fix Or Repair Daily?
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Cybertruck is coming to Germany, passed a transporter with four of them loaded on the way to Munich and now my Dacia is parked next to a Chinese EV.
What a brave new world we live in.
By the way⌠I have had this Dacia since June, only done around 20.000 kms and Monday we went for new Winter tires as the car cant be delivered with a full set. I was told that the summer tires are done and I will need new ones next season.
Company fleetservice is going to be tickled pink when I give them the good news.
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There are some claims that German motor manufacturers are importing these to to examine and stripdown
The Tesla Cybertruck is not EU-approved and is banned from sale in the European Union due to safety concerns, primarily its sharp edges and stainless-steel body which violate EU regulations designed to protect pedestrians and other road users.
The vehicle also faces issues with its weight exceeding the 3.5-ton limit for certain vehicles, which requires additional safety features like a speed limiter that the Cybertruck does not have also a class C1 truck drivers licence
Even American servicemen are forbidden to import and use these in Germany.
And have been requested to instead walk or cycle to get around to lose that extra weight.
There is a loophole. Take the rear window and rear seats out and class it as a delivery veichle.
Also, at least here, you can drive up to a 7,5 ton truck with your normal licence.
Remember when the UK did not have enough British truckers aftef kicking the forrinrrs out and sent a desperate plea to patriotic Englishmen with a German license living in Germany to drop everything and come and drive lorries in Britain?
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I had a friend in Denmark who did that to a 928 porsche to reduce import tax
I thought you need a C1 license for 7.5t? Which hasnât been granted automatically in over 20 years⌠and since 2003 needs a separate practical + theory exam.
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From qz.com:
The Cybertruck was supposed to be Teslaâs flex: a stainless-steel symbol of Elon Muskâs unflinching futurism. But instead, the pickupâs luster is continuing to wear thin.
According to Cox Automotiveâs latest EV sales report, Tesla sold just 5,385 Cybertrucks in the third quarter, down 62.6% from a year earlier. The decline came as the broader U.S. EV market posted its strongest quarter on record, with sales up nearly 30% to more than 438,000 vehicles. Ford sold almost twice as many electric F-150 Lightning trucks in the same quarter, while even Chevroletâs fledgling Silverado EV and Rivianâs R1T gained ground.
The Cybertruck comparison is slightly distorted by timing â Q3 2024 captured the truckâs early ramp â but even adjusting for that, deliveries have slowed, and orders have thinned. And the sales dropcame even as buyers rushed to lock in federal EV tax credits before they expired in late September, a policy boost thatâs now in the rearview mirror.
Tesla still commands about 41% of the EV market, but its share has slipped from nearly half last year â and the companyâs stainless-steel pickup is the biggest drag on its lead. The companyâs core models still move volume, but its more ambitious projects â from the Cybertruck to the long-promised robotaxi â are proving harder to scale than to hype.
When Musk unveiled the Cybertruck back in 2019, its $39,990 price tag, Blade Runner aesthetic, and millions of preorders looked like a dare to Detroit. But nearly six years later, the sticker shock has flipped. The cheapest version now starts above $60,000, and early adopters are discovering that the attention-grabbing angles donât make for a particularly practical ride.
The Model Y remains the countryâs best-selling EV by far, yet Teslaâs total share has fallen eight points in a year as rivals finally scale up. What was once a moat of innovation is now crowded with well-funded competition, and the Cybertruckâs sharp edges (and fit and finish issues) are beginning to look like a distraction.
The Cybertruck was meant to signal Teslaâs next era â a company moving beyond sedans and SUVs into Americaâs most profitable vehicle class. Instead, the model is revealing Teslaâs limits. Demand elsewhere may remain robust, but the truck is exposing how hard it is to act like a disruptor once youâve become the incumbent.
Sorry, here in Germany. When I exchanged my DE lisence to a CH one keeping the 7,5 ton license would have cost a whopping 180 CHuffs. So I let it go. Malta couldnot care less which license I used so I kept the CHian one until I got back to DE where I got the 7,5t back automatically.
Only used ut two or three times but nice to have.
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