Tesla once again threatens to sue Cybertruck scalpers for $50k
Tesla has re-added a clause to its Cybertruck purchase contract, threatening to sue owners who try to flip their Cybertrucks within the first year of ownership. But its also being unclear about its threat, because the language doesn’t seem to exist in Tesla’s pre-order documents.
Back in November, before the initial Cybertruck delivery event, Tesla modified its Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement with a section that said “For Cybertruck Only.” This section basically included clauses that told Cybertruck owners that they are not allowed to re-sell their vehicle within the first year of ownership, and if they did, that Tesla would sue them to recoup whatever amount they received from the sale or $50k, whichever is greater.
News spread quickly of the change. Some were happy because nobody really likes scalpers, but many were unhappy because they thought Tesla has no right to tell them what to do with their vehicle after they’ve purchased it.
Clauses like these are not unheard-of, though, particularly for low-production or high-cost vehicles. Similar clauses have been employed by Ferrari, Ford, Porsche and others.
However, after the response, Tesla quickly changed its contract, removing the clause three days later.
Neither the original change nor the reversal were accompanied by a statement from Tesla, and everyone was and still is in the dark over why the clause appeared and disappeared – whether it was simply something that Tesla released to the public too early or whether Tesla had actually reconsidered its position.
Then, when Cybertruck owners got a chance to order the early Foundation Series, the no resale provision seems to have returned. Now, for anyone who has confirmed their order, that section is back in the order agreement, which you can read below:
We also don’t know any limitations on how many Cybertrucks this will apply to. It might just be for the Foundation series, or might be for all Cybertrucks for a while – until it is available in more than “limited quantity.”
Some orderers have even expressed concern over whether or not the language existed in the pre-order agreement which they saw before putting down Tesla’s $250 non-refundable order fee (which is separate from the original $100 refundable reservation fee).
The version of this document on Tesla’s website does not seem to have the Cyebrtruck-specific anti-scalping language in it, but we haven’t been able to confirm whether that is the actual version linked on the pre-order page, after being invited to order and before plunking down $250. If any of our readers have been invited to configure a Cybertruck but haven’t yet confirmed your order, please reach out to let us know if the anti-reselling language is in the documents available before you submit your configuration.
Electrek’s Take
Whether you like the existence of this provision or not, Tesla is acting more than a little ridiculous here.
Either have the clause or don’t, but it seems like the company not only can’t decide whether or not it wants to have this clause, it isn’t even being clear about whether orders placed today have it or not. And this is happening after deliveries have already started.
Of course, we’d be able to get a simple answer to this question if the company had a department responsible for communicating the company’s policies to the public. What could we possibly call such a thing…
But I guess that’s a brand new idea, never before thought of in corporate governance. Because who would ever think of a crazy thing like that, having people within the company who actually keep track of what the company is doing and saying to the public, making sure it’s consistent so customers can actually figure out what they’re ordering before committing $120,000 of their hard-earned money for something they’ve never seen in person.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Baidu- and Geely-backed JiYue brand unveils ROBO X EV that goes 0-100 km/h in under 1.9 sec
JiYue, a Chinese EV brand focused on delivering all-electric “robocars” to the masses, has unveiled its latest model, and it’s quite a deviation from its previous EVs—but in the best way. Earlier today, JiYue launched the ROBO X supercar, designed for high-speed racing. By high speed, we mean 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 1.9 seconds. My mouth is watering.
JiYue has only existed since 2021, when parent tech company Baidu announced it was expanding from software development into physical EV production, joining forces with multinational automotive manufacturer Geely.
The new “robotic EV” marque initially launched as JIDU with $300 million in startup capital before garnering an additional $400 million in Series A funding, led by Baidu, in January 2022.
In August 2023, Geely took on a larger role in JIDU alongside a greater financial stake as the brand reimagined itself as JiYue, inheriting the JIDU logo and its flagship model, the 01 ROBOCAR.
In December 2023, Baidu and Geely unveiled a second model called the JiYue 07. It was born from JIDU’s ROBO-02 concept, which debuted in 2023 and was designed to compete against the Tesla Model 3 in China.
The 07 finally launched in China earlier this year with 545 miles of range. With an all-electric SUV and sedan on the market, JiYue has unveiled an exciting new entry in the form of a performance supercar called the ROBO X. Check it out:
JiYue’s new ROBO X EV is available for pre-order now
JiYue showcased its new ROBO X hypercar in front of the crowd at the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show earlier today. Similar to previous models but with a unique spin, JiYue described the ROBO X as an AI smart-driving supercar that, for the first time, blends artificial intelligence and autonomous driving into a high-performance, race-ready EV.
When we say “high performance,” we mean a quad motor liquid-cooled drive system that can propel the ROBO X from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in under 1.9 seconds. JiYue called the new ROBO X a “performance beast” with “the perfect balance of excellent aerodynamic performance and high downforce.” JiYue CEO Joe Xia was even bolder in his statements about the ROBO X:
For the next 20 years, the design of supercars will bear the shadow of Robo X. This is the best design in the history of Chinese automobiles today, and it is a landmark presence.
Fighter-style airflow ducts bolster the EV’s aerodynamics, efficiency, and overall posture. Per JiYue, the two-seater ROBO X is expected to deliver a maximum range of over 650 km (404 miles).
The new supercar features falcon-wing doors, a carbon fiber integrated frame, and a professional racing HALO safety system offering 360° of support. The interior features an AI smart cockpit with SIMO real-time feedback to give drivers an immersive racing experience.
Furthermore, JiYue said the vehicle will utilize parent company Baidu’s Apollo self-driving technology, which could make it the first electric supercar to apply pure-vision ADAS technology that enables track-level autonomous driving.
Following today’s unveiling of the ROBO X, JiYue has officially opened up pre-orders in China for RMB 49,999 ($6,915). That said, reservation holders will need to be patient as JiYue shared that it doesn’t expect to begin mass production of the ROBO X until 2027.
What do you think? Will people be talking about the ROBO X for the next 20 years?
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes the launch of the Lectric XPedition 2.0, Yamaha e-bikes pulling out of North America, LiveWire unveils an electric scooter concept, PNY readying its cargo e-scooters for pilot testing, Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:30 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:30 a.m. ET):
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Crude oil futures were on pace Friday for loss for the week, as a supply gut and a strong dollar depresses the market.
U.S. crude oil is down more than 2% this week, while Brent has shed nearly 2%.
Here are Friday’s energy prices:
- West Texas Intermediate December contract: $68.56 per barrel, down 14 cents, or 0.2%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil has shed about 4%.
- Brent January contract: $72.36 per barrel, down 20 cents, or 0.28%. Year to date, the global benchmark has lost nearly 6%.
- RBOB Gasoline December contract: $1.99 per gallon, up 0.46%. Year to date, gasoline has fallen more than 1%.
- Natural Gas December contract: $2.70 per thousand cubic feet, down 2.98%. Year to date, gas has gained more than 4%.
The International Energy Agency has forecast a surplus of more than 1 million barrels per day in 2025 on robust production in the U.S. OPEC revised down its demand forecast for the fourth consecutive month as demand in China remains soft.
A strong dollar also hangs over the market, as the greenback has surged in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports7 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway