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Source: Tesla

The French Ministry of the Economy has found that Tesla violated the law in several ways related to “deceptive business practices,” and has ordered the company to comply in 4 months or face a fine for every day it does not.

The investigation started in 2023, in response to several reports through France’s consumer complaint service SignalConso.

It concluded today, and French authorities from the DGCCRF (Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention) division of the Ministry of the Economy found several examples of ways that Tesla had misled customers or otherwise failed to comply with French consumer protection laws.

A summary of the ruling in French is available here, and here are the bullet points via browser translation:

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  • Sales contracts without date or deadline or place of delivery of the vehicle and not mentioning payment on credit;
  • Payments required before the end of the withdrawal period enjoyed by the consumer when he finances his purchase with an assigned credit;
  • Absence of receipt valid in the event of partial cash payment;
  • Misleading business practices regarding the fully autonomous driving capacity of TESLA vehicles, the availability of certain options and vehicle trade-in offers;
  • Failure to refund within the deadlines of orders for which consumers have exercised their right of withdrawal;
  • Lack of prior information on delivery methods and in particular its place;

France has given Tesla 4 months to comply with its order. If it doesn’t, France will fine the company 50,000 euros ($58k USD) per day.

Most of these bullet points deal with the ordering and delivery process, and it seems that French authorities took issue with the haphazard nature in which Tesla vehicle deliveries can often happen. They took issue with Tesla’s incomplete sales contracts, sudden and/or repeatedly changing delivery times or locations (and the value of trade-in offers), and failure to refund deposits in a timely manner.

But the meatiest bullet point there is the one about “misleading business practices,” especially given this weekend’s news of Tesla’s Robotaxi launch in Austin.

France finds that Tesla lied about FSD

French authorities found that Tesla had misled customers “regarding the fully autonomous driving capacity of TESLA vehicles.”

Since 2015, Tesla has sold some sort of partial automation to the public. This started in the form of Autopilot, which was released in the US in late 2015 and focused on highway driving only (though it came later to France than the US). More recently, Tesla’s focus has been on Full Self-Driving, or FSD, which is more capable than Autopilot and works on surface streets as well as highways.

Tesla has sold FSD software for various prices over the years, as high as $15,000. It currently sells “Capacité de conduite entirément autonome” in France for 7,500 Euros.

The problem is: this software does not, in fact, drive you entirely autonomously. It is, at the moment, a “level 2” driver assist function, which still requires a driver in the driver’s seat to take full responsibility for the vehicle. Higher levels, 3 and above, could be considered “self-driving,” where the car takes responsibility at certain times, and above level 4, there’s no requirement for a driver to even be in the driver’s seat.

Another wrinkle is that even the driver-assist version of FSD is currently not active in France. There has been a long process to bring FSD to Europe (here’s a recent report about how Tesla used a Dutch loophole to approve Autopilot in the first place), but it’s still not complete.

So, everyone who has bought the system in France has not yet been able to use it. Even if they could use the version that the US has, it would still not qualify as fully self driving.

In addition to this, Tesla has made several statements over the years suggesting FSD’s capabilities will be greater than they currently are. For example, in 2019, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said “if you buy a Tesla today, I believe you are buying an appreciating asset – not a depreciating asset.” He said this on the premise that FSD software would be so valuable that the price of cars that had it would skyrocket. In fact, he said it wouldn’t even be worth it for Tesla to sell cars anymore, because they’d be more valuable to use to make money as autonomous taxis.

Musk even promised that you, the customer, would be able to send out your car as an autonomous taxi to make you money, something that Tesla is now doing, but still not allowing customers to do. He has continued making the same promise, as recently as a few hours before this weekend’s Robotaxi launch.

Elsewhere in France, Tesla is also facing a lawsuit by a group of French Tesla owners who want to get out of their leases early due to Musk’s recent unwise political activity turning their vehicles into “far-right totems.”

Electrek’s Take

The complaints should not be particularly surprising to those who have followed Tesla for some time.

Mostly, they reflect the haphazard nature of Tesla’s vehicle ordering and delivery process which we have come to… love? hate? let’s go with “understand” over the years.

While Tesla does eschew dealerships and has made the vehicle ordering process much simpler in many ways, it’s also true that if there’s ever any reason for deviation from the plan, it’s pretty easy for customers to fall through the cracks and have little recourse. So, the reports of incomplete paperwork, rapidly-changing delivery times and so on should sound familiar to those of us who’ve been around for a while.

Same goes for failure to refund – Tesla has long tied a “reservation fee” to new vehicle announcements, which is often said to be fully refundable at any time. Some customers have had difficulty getting those refunds in a timely manner or at all.

The most interesting part about this order is how sweeping it is. Rather than finding fault in a single practice, it dings Tesla for a litany of issues that have been issues for a long time. Unlike the feckless enforcement that we often see in the US, France seems serious.

The fine is also substantial, but for one of the largest companies in the world (by market cap, anyway), it does seem absorbable. While ~$5 million per quarter is a fair chunk of change, it’s nothing compared to Tesla’s Q1 revenue of $19.3 billion or profit of $409 million.

But, given drastically falling sales in France, maybe it’s enough compared to the profits Tesla gets out of that territory. At a current sales rate of a few thousand cars per quarter, and given Tesla’s current ~2% profit margin and assuming an average selling price of somewhere around ~$60k, a fine of $5 million per quarter would basically eliminate any profits for the company from France.

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5,000 electric Mercedes vans join Amazon’s delivery fleet

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2 hours ago

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June 24, 2025

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5,000 electric Mercedes vans join Amazon’s delivery fleet

Mercedes vans Amazon
Photo: Mercedes Vans

Mercedes-Benz is sending nearly 5,000 electric vans to Amazon’s European delivery partners in its biggest EV handoff to date. The fleet will hit the streets in five countries in the coming months.

Three-quarters of the fleet are Mercedes’ larger eSprinter vans, while the rest are the more compact eVito panel vans. More than 2,500 are going to Germany, and Amazon says this new EV fleet will help deliver more than 200 million parcels a year across Europe.

This is the biggest EV order Mercedes-Benz Vans has ever received. It builds on a partnership that started in 2020, when Amazon first added more than 1,800 electric vans from Mercedes to its delivery network.

“We’re further intensifying our long-standing relationship with Amazon and working together toward an all-electric future of transport,” said Sagree Sardien, head of sales & marketing at Mercedes-Benz Vans. “Our eVito and eSprinter are perfectly tailored to meet the demands of our commercial customers regarding efficiency and range.”

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In 2020, Mercedes-Benz joined Amazon’s Climate Pledge, a commitment Amazon co-founded with Global Optimism to reach net zero by 2040.

Both the eSprinter and eVito are designed with delivery drivers in mind. With batteries tucked into the underbody, the vans offer unrestricted cargo space. Both come standard with the MBUX multimedia system, which supports the integration of automatic charging stops and Mercedes’ public charging network via navigation.

Safety and comfort got upgrades, too. New driver assistance features come standard, and the Amazon vans are customized with shelves and a sliding door between the cabin and cargo area for easy parcel access.

The eVito vans, which were built at Mercedes’ plant in Vitoria, Spain, are ideal for last-mile urban deliveries. They come in 60 kWh or 90 kWh battery options, with peak motor outputs of either 85 kW or 150 kW, and can travel up to 480 km (298 miles) on a full charge.

Meanwhile, the eSprinter is the all-rounder for range and loading volume. Built in Düsseldorf, it comes in two lengths and three battery sizes, with a range of up to 484 km (300 miles). It boasts up to 14 cubic meters of cargo space and can handle a gross weight of up to 4.25 tonnes.

Read more: Amazon places its largest-ever order for electric semi trucks

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BYD is flooding Europe with new EVs faster than any other carmaker has

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3 hours ago

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June 24, 2025

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BYD is flooding Europe with new EVs faster than any other carmaker has

BYD-EVs-Europe

It already outsold Tesla in the UK and Europe, but this could be just the start. BYD said it’s launching new vehicles, including EVs, faster than any carmaker in Europe has done so far.

BYD goes all in on Europe with new EVs, PHEVs

BYD took the spotlight earlier this month after launching its most affordable EV in Europe so far. The Dolphin Surf, a rebadged version of the Seagull EV sold in China, starts at just £18,650 (just over $25,000) in the UK.

At a UK launch event, Alfredo Altavilla, BYD’s special advisor for Europe, said (via Autocar) the “Dolphin Surf was the missing piece in the A/B-segment.”

It will compete with entry-level EVs, such as the Dacia Spring, the UK’s cheapest EV, which starts at £14,995 ($20,000).

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Yet, the low-cost Dolphin Surf is only one piece of BYD’s master plan. “We have been launching six cars in less than a year,” Altavilla explained, adding, “We are covering all of the most important segments of the European car market.”

BYD-EVs-Europe
BYD Dolphin Surf EV for Europe (Source: BYD)

Altavilla even boasted that, “I have zero problem in saying I don’t think there has ever been such a product offensive done in Europe as the one BYD is doing.”

Although BYD is best known for its low-cost EVs, like the Seagull, which starts under $10,000 in China, the auto giant is quickly expanding into new segments.

BYD-EVs-Europe
BYD Denza Z9 GT (Source: Denza)

BYD sells luxury vehicles under the Denza Yangwang brands. Denza is BYD’s answer to Porsche and other German luxury brands. Meanwhile, Yangwang is an ultra-luxury brand that will serve as BYD’s tech beacon.

According to Altavilla, this could be just the start. “We’re going to get together again after the summer break for another important reveal, and through the end of the year, there will be others,” BYD’s special advisor for Europe said.

BYD-EVs-Europe
BYD “Xi’an” car carrier loading EVs and PHEVs for Europe (Source: BYD)

BYD is set to begin production at its new plant in Hungary by the end of the year, enabling the company to customize vehicles for buyers in the region.

“As we go forward into 2026, more and more of the BYD line-up will be specific to this region,” Altavilla explained.

In separate news, BYD announced on Monday that its “Xi’an” car carrier is loaded and ready to ship off to the UK, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and other countries, carrying about 7,000 EVs and PHEVs.

Electrek’s Take

In what was called a “watershed moment,” BYD registered more vehicles in Europe than Tesla for the first time in April.

It also had more vehicle registrations in the UK than Tesla last month, with the Seal U taking the top spot for the most popular plug-in hybrid.

With the Dolphin Surf arriving, local production set to come online later this year, and several new models on the way, BYD is laying the groundwork to capture its share of the European auto market.

According to S&P Global Mobility forecasts, BYD is expected to more than double its sales in Europe this year, with around 186,000 vehicles sold. By 2029, BYD’s sales could double again to around 400,000. Between its plants in Hungary and Turkey, China’s EV leader is expected to have a combined capacity of 500,000 units.

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Early Prime Day Sales with up to 65% savings from Jackery + Anker SOLIX, EcoFlow dual expansion batteries $2,899 off, more

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June 24, 2025

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Early Prime Day Sales with up to 65% savings from Jackery + Anker SOLIX, EcoFlow dual expansion batteries ,899 off, more

Today’s Green Deals are jam-packed with power station savings, led by Jackery’s early Prime Day Sale that is taking up to 65% off power stations with some extra ways to save too. Among the lineup, we spotted the brand’s Explorer 2000 Plus Solar Generator Bundle with two 200W panels down at $1,709. Right behind it we have the first round of Anker’s SOLIX early Prime Day flash sales, with options like the C300 AC 90,000mAh Power Station getting a 100W solar panel at a new $369 low, among larger units. Next, there’s EcoFlow’s first early Prime Day flash sale that has two DELTA Pro Smart Extra Batteries together at $2,699, as well as a WAVE 3 portable AC/heater bundle too. Among our electric lawn care solutions today is the Greenworks 40V 17-inch​ Cordless Push Lawn Mower at a new $230 low, as well as Worx’s Nitro 40V 15-inch Cordless String Trimmer with Dual-Exit Bump Feed Head, two 4.0Ah batteries, and a dual-port charger at its $190 low. Plus, there’s all the rest of the hangover Green Deals in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s full EcoFlow early Prime Day Sale lineup, Lectric’s 4th of July e-bike sale, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Get up to 65% off Jackery power stations in early Prime Day Sale access with bonus + trade-in savings, more from $89

Jackery has launched its early Prime Day Sale pricing through July 7, with up to 65% being taken off power stations, alongside extra sitewide savings, trade-in savings, flash sales, and select member-only discounts. Among the lineup, one of the best and most expansive solar generator bundles is Jackery’s Explorer 2000 Plus Power Station with two 200W panels at $1,709.05 shipped, after using the promo code EXTRA5 at checkout for an additional 5% off. Normally you’d be shelling out $3,099 for this package at full price, which we mostly see brought down to $1,899 during sales these days, though it did fall lower to $1,799 in the earlier months of 2025. We have seen this bundle go as low as $1,673 with extra savings in a 3-day flash sale back in February, but it hasn’t come back around since, with the deal here landing as the second-lowest price we have tracked, saving you $1,390 and beating its Amazon pricing by $190.

As this is Jackery’s early Prime Day Sale, there are some additional savings options that are worth mentioning while the event continues. First off, the code EXTRA5 can be used at checkout to score an additional 5% savings on your order, with some models even offering larger on-page 7% off coupons. There’s also a trade-in offer that can give you up to $830 off a new model after trading in your old one, and special pricing on select units for members (sign up is free).

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One of Jackery’s most expansive backup power solutions, which only bows down to the new Explorer 5000 Plus, the Explorer 2000 Plus is a great option to cover camping needs, outdoor events, and home backup, starting at a 2,042Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity. That capacity can be boosted to 12,000Wh with five expansion batteries connected, while pairing two of these fully expanded setups together takes things to their maximum 24,000Wh levels. The station delivers up to 3,000W of steady output power through 10 port options, while the dual-expanded setups go higher at up to 6,000W of power.

The battery can be recharged to full in just two hours through a wall outlet, or it will take the same timeframe to get it back to full when connecting its maximum 1,200W solar input (not accounting for expanded setups), and a third option to connect to your car’s auxiliary port. You’ll get all the remote smart controls you’d expect through its companion app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

***Note: the additional 5% and on-page 7% discounts have not been factored into the pricing below, so be sure to use the code EXTRA5 at checkout (or EXTRA7 where applicable) for the maximum savings!

Jackery’s current early Prime Day Sale flash offers (ends June 25):

Jackery’s early Prime Day Sale appliance backup deals:

Jackery’s early Prime Day Sale home backup deals:

Jackery’s early Prime Day Sale outdoor adventure deals:

Jackery’s early Prime Day Sale add-on deals:

Jackery’s transfer switch deals:

You can browse the entirety of Jackery’s early Prime Day Sale on the landing page here. 

Anker SOLIX power stations

Anker SOLIX early Prime Day flash sales drop C300 AC 90,000mAh 100W solar bundle to a new $369 low

Anker SOLIX is beginning its early Prime Day events with two limited-stock flash sale periods – first through June 26, then through June 29. Among the first round of offers we’re seeing, things start lowest with the C300 AC 90,000mAh Portable Power Station that comes with a 100W solar panel for $369 shipped. This newer bundle normally goes for $669 in full, with it only available directly from the brand’s website here, as other marketplaces like Amazon only offer the 60W panel bundle. We’ve seen this package go as low as $399 previously, which is getting beaten out by the 45% markdown during this sale, giving you $300 in total savings at a new all-time low price. Head below to check out the other units getting discounts during these flash sales.

A great option for folks who want a more compact backup power solution that they can easily carry along while stowed inside a bag, the 9-pound Anker SOLIX C300 AC power station keeps your personal devices running with a 90,000mAh LiFePO4 capacity. Unlike its DC counterpart, which leans more in favor of USB ports, this model has three AC outlets on top of the three USB-Cs, the solo USB-A, and a car port. It provides a steady power output of up to 300W, with things surging to 600W for larger power needs.

There’s a bunch of ways to recharge its battery too, with the obvious one from this bundle being the 100W solar panel, though it can also utilize a standard wall outlet, a car port, or through the PD 3.1 USB-C port. Its design is especially tailored for campers and outdoor adventures, as there is an integrated carrying handle (alongside hooks to attach a shoulder strap), as well as the integrated light bar that sits above its front-facing display screen.

Anker’s other SOLIX early Prime Day flash offers (through June 26):

You can browse the entirety of Anker’s SOLIX early Prime Day flash sale offers on the landing page here.

DELTA Pro Smart Extra Battery

Expand your EcoFlow DELTA Pro setup with two expansion batteries at $2,699 in flash savings ($2,899 off)

As part of its ongoing early Prime Day Sale through July 7, EcoFlow has launched the first of its scheduled flash sales, with two offers to upgrade your outdoor adventures. The first of these deals gives you two DELTA Pro Smart Extra Batteries for $2,699 shipped. This add-on bundle carries a $5,598 MSRP, but for the rest of the day you’ll benefit from the 52% markdown here to upgrade your DELTA Pro setup with $2,899 in savings. Considering that the lowest we’ve seen one battery go for was $1,399 during Black Friday and Christmas sales, this deal saves you $99 off buying two separately at those lowest rates, making this the best chance we have tracked to significantly expand your backup power support. It’s beating out Amazon by much more right now, where one unit is priced at $1,599, which comes in at $249.50 above the cost of each in this bundle.

If you’ve been wanting to expand your DELTA Pro setup beyond just the station, or further bolster things for greater backup power support inside or outside of the home, this DELTA Pro expansion battery bundle is certainly the best chance we’ve seen yet. Each of the batteries adds 3,600Wh to your overall capacity, giving you 10,800Wh should you currently only have the station, and helping to push you closer to its maximum 25kWh.

The second of these flash offers comes through the brand’s official Amazon storefront, giving you the new WAVE 3 Portable AC/Heater with an add-on battery and a free bag for the unit at $1,399 shipped, down from $2,299. This setup gives you mobile AC and heating for your tent, car, camper, or any other enclosed space, with the brand claiming it to “drop temperatures by 15 degrees in 15 minutes” or “warming a space by 17 degrees in 15 minutes.” There are plenty of smart controls via the app, like the new PetCare feature that automatically starts cooling when temperatures hit 77 degrees, among others.

Be sure to check out EcoFlow’s early Prime Day Sale offers in our original coverage here, which features 60% initial discounts, bonus savings, free gear, installation subsidies on select units, member benefits, and more.

Greenworks 40V 17-inch cordless push lawn mower

Cut, collect, and/or mulch clippings with this Greenworks 40V 17-inch cordless push mower at new $230 low

Amazon is offering the new Greenworks 40V 17-inch​ Cordless Push Lawn Mower with 4.0Ah battery at $229.99 shipped, which beats the brand’s direct website pricing by $18. This model hit the scene back at the top of the year carrying a $310 price tag in full, which we’ve only seen brought down as low as $232 at Amazon. All the rates we’ve tracked before are getting beaten out now by the 26% markdown here, which cuts $80 off the tag to land at a new all-time low price.

Perfect for first-time homeowners or for anyone looking for a budget-friendly means to replace their noisy gas-guzzlers, this 40V cordless lawn mower from Greenworks comes with a durable 17-inch steel deck that still retains a lighter weight for more effortless maneuvering around your yard. It comes with six different cutting height levels ranging from 1-1/4 inches to 3-3/8 inches, as well as 2-in-1 functionality to either collect clippings in the bag or mulch it all for your flowerbeds. It comes with a push-button start, as well as foldable handles to make storage all the easier.

If you’re looking to stock up on the brand’s commercial-grade lawn care solutions, you can find the 82V 760 CFM Cordless Axial Leaf Blower bundle with two 82V Bluetooth 4.0Ah batteries and a dual-port rapid charger down at a new $300 low (50% off), as well as the 82V 18-inch Commercial-Grade Cordless Chainsaw that comes with 4.0Ah and 2.5Ah batteries and a dual-port rapid charger at a new $400 low.

Worx Nitro 40V 15-inch Cordless String Trimmer

Control the length of line up to a 15-inch cutting swath with this 40V Worx Nitro cordless trimmer kit at $190 low

Amazon is offering the Worx Nitro 40V 15-inch Cordless String Trimmer with Dual-Exit Bump Feed Head, two 4.0Ah batteries, and a dual-port charger for $189.99 shipped. Normally, this trimmer package would run you $270 at full price, which we’ve previously seen brought down as low as $200 before this month. Today’s deal gives folks a second shot at the best price we have tracked, saving you $80 on a more advanced trimmer while also getting double the power supply.

A more advanced trimming and weed whacking solution, this Worx Nitro 40V string trimmer features a dual-exit bump feed head that can extend the line out to a 15-inch max cutting swath with a simple tap on the ground. What’s more, loading in more lines is quick and easy to save you time, with there also being a variable speed control to dial up or dial back speeds depending on the job at hand. It only weighs 9.42 pounds in total, making it easy to use for folks of all sizes. The two included batteries also give you double the runtime while being interchangeable with 140+ other tools in the brand’s PowerShare ecosystem.

Best Spring EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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