The electric vehicle world doesn't do quiet weeks, and this one delivered its usual mix of milestones, mishaps, and executive commentary that ranges from inspirational to delightfully petty.
The Optimist's Take on EV Adoption
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian jumped into the EV conversation this week, responding to data shared by Oxford University professor Jan Rosenow. The numbers from the International Energy Agency tell a compelling story: one in five cars sold worldwide is now electric. That's not a niche market anymore, that's mainstream.
Ohanian's take was characteristically entrepreneurial: "Make things people love, keep going, change the world." It's the kind of Silicon Valley optimism that sounds cheesy until you look at the actual trajectory of EV adoption over the past decade. The growth has been remarkable, even if the path forward remains bumpy.
Elon Musk Does What Elon Musk Does
Speaking of bumpy paths, Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo announced an update on its robotaxi fleet size this week. The autonomous vehicle company now operates 2,500 vehicles across multiple cities. That's a real milestone for any autonomous vehicle operation.
Elon Musk's reaction? "Rookie numbers." Because of course it was. The Tesla CEO never misses an opportunity for competitive snark, even when his own robotaxi ambitions remain more promise than deployed fleet.
Disaster Strikes in France
A Tesla showroom in Pennes-Mirabeau, France, became the scene of a significant fire this week. Nearly 50 firefighters responded to the blaze, but despite their efforts, over 24 Tesla vehicles were destroyed. The incident resulted in substantial losses for the facility, and the scope of the damage underscores just how quickly these situations can escalate.
GM's Affordable EV Play
General Motors kicked off production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV, positioning it as the company's most affordable electric vehicle offering in the United States. The new Bolt comes with a 255-mile range and faster charging capabilities compared to its predecessor. Dealerships should start seeing inventory arrive in January, giving budget-conscious EV shoppers a new option to consider.
Ford's Humbling Moment
Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor, delivered some refreshingly honest commentary about the competition this week. After his team took apart a Tesla Model 3 to study its engineering, they discovered something telling: the Mustang Mach-E has over 1.6 kilometers more electrical wiring than Tesla's sedan.
That's not a flex—it's an admission. More wiring means more complexity, more weight, more potential failure points, and higher costs. Farley praised the EV technology of both Tesla and Ford's Chinese competitors, acknowledging that studying what works elsewhere is part of staying competitive. It's rare to hear an automotive CEO speak this candidly about being humbled by the competition, but that's exactly what makes the comment noteworthy.
The EV market continues to evolve at breakneck speed, with established automakers, tech companies, and startups all jockeying for position. Some weeks bring technological breakthroughs, others bring production milestones or unfortunate setbacks. This week delivered a bit of everything.