Tesla (TSLA) is not paying its bills, and this has led to at least two small American businesses going bankrupt. The automaker had over $110 million in liens with contractors over the last 5 years.

CNN released a new report that examines lien claims from contractors hired by Elon Musk’s companies in Texas, particularly Tesla.

In Texas, contractors have filed liens for more than $110 million against Tesla in the last five years. Over $24 million is still allegedly owed to dozens of businesses, according to the report.

In two cases, contractors, most often small American businesses, had to file for bankruptcy due to the unpaid bills.

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The report highlights the example of a small pipe welding business that landed a multi-million-dollar contract with Tesla to build the Gigafactory Texas in Austin in 2022.

The owner, Jennifer Meissner, dedicated her whole crew to the project for a year, hired more people, and bought new equipment for the project, including some with loans she guaranteed herself:

For the first seven years Meissner’s company was in business, she prided herself on not once being late to pay her workers, she told CNN. After securing the business deal with Tesla in 2022, she said her company’s annual revenue grew exponentially, and she hired even more employees. With business booming, she was also hopeful that she would finally be able to start setting aside money for her special needs daughter, whom she adopted at the age of seven.

Her dream quickly turned into a nightmare when Tesla stopped paying its bills. It started putting incredible pressure on Meissner’s company, leading her to take more loans, thinking that Tesla would eventually pay.

Eventually, it led to her inability to pay her own employees and subcontractors, and ultimately, it contributed to her own bankruptcy.

Tesla ultimately paid $650,000 to cover her subcontractors, but claimed it was “overbilled.”

Another local small business, Full Circle Technologies, found itself in a similar situation after Tesla didn’t pay them $600,000 for installing security systems at the factory:

In bankruptcy filings, Full Circle Technologies said Tesla owed it nearly $600,000 and that it was “forced to take on short term high interest loans to bridge the gap between performing the work for Tesla and the payment for its services.” When a creditor began to levy the company’s bank accounts, the company said it had no option but to file for bankruptcy. Tesla then made its own claim in the bankruptcy hearings, stating Full Circle actually owed the carmaker money for allegedly breaching its contract. The two companies ultimately settled, but Full Circle CEO Abheeshek Sharma told CNN that Tesla was released from its obligation without paying a cent.

Another case involved Sun Coast Resources, a company that delivered fuel to Tesla’s factory, claiming that the automaker wasn’t paying millions in bills.

In this case, Tesla never denied receiving the fuel or subpar service, but it provided a myriad of procedural reasons to explain why it did not pay.

The case was publicized a bit earlier this year, and it was reportedly solved following the publicity.

All these cases are linked to Tesla, but some are pointing out that it is Elon Musk’s modus operandi, as his other companies also have a lot of lien claims against them.

The report found seven companies that filed for bankruptcy after Twitter simply stopped paying their bills after Musk acquired the company.

One of Tesla’s subcontractors said about Musk:

“His goal is to run through everything now – he doesn’t care what or who that impacts – to save the future of the world,” said one entrepreneur about his impression of Musk. He spoke with CNN anonymously and said he remains a fan of Musk but that Tesla has a reputation in Austin of leaving contractors desperate to get paid – noting that his company had to take out extra lines of credit while awaiting payment from Tesla. “Tesla was probably one of the only companies we did business with where it just felt like they absolutely did not care about putting a company out of business.”

In one of the lien cases, Tesla’s own outside counsel agreed that Tesla is not great at paying on time. He said: “I don’t disagree that it does take Tesla some time to pay, that goes for legal bills, too … I know it full well.”

Electrek’s Take

It’s quite something for someone to say that a company “doesn’t care about putting another company out of business by not paying what you owe them” and “I’m still a fan” in the same breath.

The excuse of “saving the future of the world” doesn’t make sense if it also happens to “coincidentally” result in Musk becoming extremely wealthy while his contractors go bankrupt.

If that’s the case, the goal is not saving the future; it’s getting rich.

Regarding the claims in the report, Tesla has a reputation for poor payments. That much is clear when its own outside counsel complains about it in the middle of defending Tesla against claims of not paying its bills.

Some of that is simply due to things slipping between the seat cushions. At any given time, Tesla has about $13 billion in accounts payable.

But it seems to be its way of doing business also because over $100 million in liens in Texas alone is concerning and that’s just for Tesla. Musk has employed a similar approach at other companies, including telling Twitter contractors that they will only pay when forced to.

Hyundai set another US sales record after sales surged 15% in July. The new IONIQ 5 had its best sales month ever as Hyundai’s EV plans begin to unfold.

Hyundai IONIQ 5 sets new US sales record in July 2025

Hyundai sold 79,543 vehicles in the US last month, up 15% from the same period last year. It was also the Korean automaker’s best July sales month since launching its first vehicle in 1986.

The growth was mainly driven by electrified vehicles, including EVs and hybrids (HEVs). Hyundai said that electrified vehicle sales “reached new heights,” after climbing 50% compared to July 2024.

Electrified vehicles accounted for nearly a third (32%) of Hyundai’s retail sales in July 2025, with several popular nameplates setting new all-time monthly sales records, including the new IONIQ 5.

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Hyundai IONIQ 5 sales surged 71% in July with 5,818 units sold. Through the first seven months of 2025, Hyundai has now sold nearly 25,000 IONIQ 5 models in the US. Hyundai’s electric SUV remains one of the top-selling EVs in the US, boasting a long driving range, ultra-fast charging capabilities, advanced technology, and a stylish design.

After upgrading it for the 2025 model year, the IONIQ 5 now features a range of up to 318 miles, an upgraded infotainment system, and a built-in NACS port, allowing you to charge at Tesla Superchargers.

The 2025 IONIQ 5 is built at Hyundai’s EV plant in Georgia, alongside the new three-row IONIQ 9. After deliveries kicked off in late May, Hyundai has sold a total of 2,086 IONIQ 9 models in the US, including 1,073 units in July.

Ahead of the upgraded model, IONIQ 6 sales picked up with 949 units sold last month (+22% YOY). Through July, Hyundai sold 7,271 IONIQ 6 models in the US, representing a 5% decrease from the same period last year.

Since both the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9 are built in Georgia, they still qualify for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. However, that’s set to expire at the end of September.

Although it will still face billions in extra costs due to tariffs, Hyundai called the new trade agreement between the US and South Korea a “historic win.” Hyundai avoided a 25% tariff, but still faces a 15% rate.

Hyundai is currently offering some of the best deals on EVs to take advantage of the available incentives. After cutting lease prices again last month, the 2025 IONIQ 5 is now available to lease for as low as $179 per month. The three-row IONIQ 9 is listed for lease at just $419 per month.

Hyundai is also offering a complimentary ChargePoint L2 home EV charger with the purchase or lease of a new 2025 IONIQ 5 or 2026 IONIQ 9.

Want to test one out for yourself? We’re here to help you get started. You can use our links below to find deals on Hyundai’s electric vehicles in your area.