**Summary of Overflow Episode 93**
- **Tesla sales surge in Europe (May 2026):** France +655 %, Portugal +349 %, Denmark +136 %, Spain +113 %, Sweden +71 %, Norway +27 %. Model Y was Denmark’s best‑selling vehicle and Norway’s top‑selling brand; Denmark’s EV share hit ~79 % overall (96 % private). Year‑to‑date, France and Spain posted their best ever starts, while Italy was down 24 % in May but still up 15 % YTD.
- **Tesla vs. Volkswagen in Europe:** Tesla led VW as the best‑selling EV brand in Q1 2024; the gap has narrowed to ~4 k units YTD, with the two now neck‑and‑neck.
- **China:** Wholesale sales hit a record ~86 k units in May 2026 (+39 % YoY, +8.2 % MoM).
- **Australia:** Record monthly sales of 6,400 vehicles (+65 %); Model Y accounted for 5,600 units (84 % of Tesla’s Aussie sales).
- **Full‑Self‑Driving milestones:**
• Joe Anderson drove solo through all 48 contiguous U.S. states + DC using FSD 14.3.2 – 7,241 mi in 9 days 21 h 50 m with zero steering input.
• David Moss’s team previously crossed Canada coast‑to‑coast on FSD.
• The Netherlands’ RDW unveiled a new EU type‑approval framework for end‑to‑end AI driving systems, potentially clearing the path for FSD approval in Europe.
- **Other highlights:**
• Massive Chinese investment (~$6 bn since the pandemic) in Morocco is turning it into “Europe’s Mexico,” threatening EU automakers.
• Tesla began selling used Cybertrucks directly from inventory ($66k‑$95k); stock sold out within hours.
• Tesla released a glass‑and‑chilling‑stone accessory set.
• Toyota cancelled its upcoming Lexus EV with solid‑state battery, marking another delay in its 16‑year solid‑state promise.
• Belgium mandated all new company cars be fully electric; SpaceX continues scaling solar power on Starlink satellites; a Boring Company tunnel proposal advances in New Orleans.
Overall, the episode highlights Tesla’s rapid global sales growth, advancing FSD capabilities, regulatory progress for AI‑driven vehicles in Europe, and contrasting challenges faced by legacy automakers and Toyota’s long‑delayed solid‑state battery ambitions.
1. Tesla's European sales continued to rise in May, with some EU countries up 655% year‑over‑year.
2. Tesla recorded record sales numbers in China in May.
3. Tesla achieved an all‑time high sales record in Australia in May 2026.
4. Tesla vehicles have been driven across Canada and the United States using Full Self‑Driving with no human input.
5. A driver completed a 100% Full Self‑Driven trip through all 48 contiguous U.S. states plus Washington, D.C.
6. The Netherlands RDW introduced a new framework for type‑approval of end‑to‑end AI driving systems in the EU.
7. In France, Tesla sales rose 655% year‑over‑year in May.
8. Portugal’s Tesla sales increased 349% in May.
9. Denmark’s Tesla sales rose 136% in May.
10. Spain’s Tesla sales increased 113% in May.
11. Sweden’s Tesla sales grew 71% in May.
12. Norway’s Tesla sales increased 27% in May.
13. In Denmark, the Tesla Model Y was the best‑selling vehicle overall in May, with the Model 3 ranking fifth.
14. Denmark registered 19,000 new passenger EVs in May, of which 15,000 were battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
15. BEV market share in Denmark reached approximately 79% overall and 96% among private buyers in May.
16. In Norway, Tesla was the best‑selling brand and the Model Y the best‑selling car year‑to‑date, despite not reaching 2023 peak levels.
17. BEV market share in Norway was about 15% lower in May 2023 than in May 2026.
18. Italy’s Tesla sales fell 24% in May but were up 15% year‑to‑date compared to 2025 and beat 2024 levels.
19. In Q1, Tesla surpassed Volkswagen as Europe’s best‑selling EV brand; Volkswagen reclaimed the lead in 2025, with the two brands separated by roughly 4,000 units year‑to‑date.
20. Tesla China reported wholesale sales of nearly 86,000 units in May, a 39% year‑over‑year increase and an 8.2% rise over April.
21. Tesla sold 6,400 vehicles in Australia in May 2026, a 65% increase and the highest single‑month total ever for the company.
22. The Model Y accounted for 5,600 of Tesla’s Australian May deliveries, representing 84% of the month’s sales.
23. Combined year‑to‑date sales of Polestar 2, 3 and 4 models in Australia remained under 1,000 units.
24. Tesla’s Model Y L is a six‑seat battery electric SUV available in Australia, priced from AU 75,000 on‑road.
25. Tesla vehicles are equipped with Full Self‑Driving capability that can operate without driver input on public roads.
26. The 3W all‑weather mat provides edge‑to‑edge coverage, has won a Red Dot design award, is made of high‑density TPE, resists cracking and long‑term wear, and is odor‑free.
27. The 3W mat includes a metal petal design that adds texture and durability, plus an under‑seat lip for extra storage.
28. Joe Anderson drove 7,241 miles (≈11,600 km) across the 48 contiguous U.S. states plus D.C. using Tesla Full Self‑Driving, completing the trip in 9 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes with zero gasoline use and no steering inputs.
29. Anderson’s trip may represent three records: first solo full‑self‑drive through all 48 states + DC, most U.S. jurisdictions covered in a single FSD trip (49), and possibly the first and fastest EV drive across those states.
30. The RDW’s new ADES testing framework for AI‑native systems was presented on June 1 at the EU Commission’s automated and connected vehicle subgroup meeting.
31. The framework proposes using exemptions under Article 39 of UNECE regulation and introducing AI‑specific test procedures.
32. The lack of prior approval for Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving in the EU is explained by the mismatch between traditional regulations and pure‑AI systems.
33. In the U.S., Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving system has performed sufficiently well that drivers report being able to read books during trips without system interventions.
34. A Tesla Cybertruck owner using Full Self‑Driving 14.3 drove 45 minutes while reading a book, receiving no nag alerts.
35. The Lyriq EV is priced at US $80,000, while a comparable Tesla Model Y performance variant is priced at US $58,000, with the Y being more efficient and the Lyriq weighing about 1,500 lb more.
36. Gro (a charging/software feature) is appearing in vehicles worldwide, including in Taiwan and the Philippines.
37. New Orleans Mayor Helena Marino proposed the one‑mile NOLA Loop, estimating 75,000–125,000 rides annually and an average time saving of 20 minutes per ride.
38. The NOLA Loop project is in early stages, requiring geotechnical testing, permits, and community review, with the Boring Company pledging to fund the initial diligence phase.
39. SpaceX has deployed 10 MW of solar power across 3,000 Gen 1 Starlink satellites, 100 MW with 7,000 Gen 2, and plans 1,000 MW with Gen 3, roughly a ten‑fold increase every few years.
40. Tesla’s TransCanada Supercharger route, opened in 2019, has been driven coast‑to‑coast autonomously using Full Self‑Driving.
41. No other vehicle maker currently offers a cross‑country 100% Full Self‑Driving capability supported by comparable charging infrastructure.
42. Belgium mandates that, starting in the current year, all new company cars must be fully electric.
43. Chinese investment in Morocco totals about US $6 billion since the pandemic, focusing on EV batteries, auto parts, and vehicle components, including a US $1.3 billion gigafactory targeting 550,000 EVs per year.
44. The EU views Morocco’s preferential trade deals as a channel for Beijing to offload excess capacity, potentially threatening European manufacturers with tariff‑free exports.
45. Tesla began selling used Cybertruck vehicles directly from its inventory, offering delivery anywhere in the continental U.S. for up to US $2,500.
46. Initial pricing for a used Foundation‑series Cybertruck started at US $66,200 with 2,500 miles, peaking at US $95,000 for a non‑foundation Beast model with 5,200 miles.
47. All used Cybertruck units in Tesla’s inventory were sold out within hours of listing.
48. Tesla offers a glass and chilling‑stone accessory set that includes two hand‑blown glasses and two fast‑chilling Cybertruck‑shaped stainless‑steel stones.
49. Toyota cancelled the upcoming Lexus EV that was to debut solid‑state battery technology, which had promised ~1,000 km range and ultra‑fast charging.
50. Toyota first announced its solid‑state battery breakthrough in November 2010, with subsequent target dates shifting from ~2015‑2020 to 2025, then 2027‑2028, and now the launch has been cancelled.