Tesla is finally running TV ads, but they are not for its electric cars
Tesla is finally running TV/streaming ads, but they are not to sell electric cars. They are to promote a vote for Tesla shareholders to approve Elon Musk’s next compensation package worth up to $1 trillion.
As a company, under Elon Musk’s leadership, Tesla has famously been against advertising. The CEO is even on the record saying that he “hates advertising” and that “other companies spend money on advertising and manipulating public opinion, Tesla focuses on the product.”
However, that was before he acquired Twitter, now X, which relies heavily on advertising.
After that, he started to push Tesla to do some advertising, but the company quickly stopped or greatly reduced its advertising efforts.
Last month, we reported that Tesla’s advertising effort picked back up with ads to encourage Tesla shareholders to vote for Musk’s new unprecedented CEO compensation package worth up to $1 trillion.
The renewed advertising effort was limited to Google and social media ads or sponsored posts, which was also the case in Tesla’s previously mentioned advertising efforts.
Now, Tesla is even running TV-like ads on streaming services. Paramount+ watchers were surprised to see this ad running on the streaming service this week:
This is one of the very first TV-style video ads that Tesla is paying to air, but it is not to sell EVs.
While the automaker is struggling to sell its existing vehicles, the ad exclusively features future products that are not yet available for sale, and it serves only to ask shareholders to vote in accordance with the board’s recommendation at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting.
Electrek’s Take
It’s funny because I was talking to a friend of mine who came back on a long rural road trip with his Cybertruck last week.
He was saying that he was surprised how many people in rural areas not only didn’t know about the Cybertruck, but they didn’t even know much about Tesla. Yet, they were curious about it and electric vehicles in general.
We were discussing how these people are not as active on social media, and that Tesla would greatly benefit from advertising its vehicles in more traditional channels, such as TV/streaming ads, with clear messaging that relates to them, such as the cost of ownership and utility.
I joked that Tesla will do TV ads about Elon’s compensation plan before they do about their EVs. It literally took less than a week for Tesla to prove me right.
There is just no reasonable justification for this. It’s as simple as Elon is bigger than Tesla, a company of 100,000+ people.
You can’t make a viable argument against the fact that this would be money better spent advertising Tesla’s available cars when the company is currently operating its production lines at 60% capacity and the compensation package would be better spent on tens of thousands of full-time employees whose contribution to Tesla is much greater than Elon’s at this point.
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The Chinese EV giant has issued two separate recalls following an investigation in its home market. With over 115,000 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles impacted, this is BYD’s largest recall yet.
BYD issues record recall impacting EVs and PHEVs
BYD filed a recall plan with the State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday, October 17, citing design and battery component defects.
The filing included two separate recalls affecting more than 115,000 Tang plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and Yuan Pro electric vehicles.
Effective immediately, the first includes 44,535 Tang series models, produced between March 28, 2015, and July 28, 2017. BYD said the recall is due to component design issues, which can cause the drive motor controller to malfunction, and in extreme cases, fry the circuit board.
The second recall included 71,248 Yuan Pro EV models, produced between February 6, 2021, and August 5, 2022.
Due to manufacturing issues, some vehicles may have insufficient sealing, which can allow water to enter the battery.
BYD said it will fix the issue at the dealership, using a special sealant to reinforce the battery housing of recalled Yuan Pro vehicles, free of charge.
The Yuan Pro has been replaced with the compact Yuan Up, which went on sale in China in February 2024. It sits below the Yuan Plus, sold as the Atto 3 overseas.
The recall follows an investigation by the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation. BYD has issued several major recalls in the past, including nearly 100,000 Dolphin and Yuan Plus EVs last September, but this is the automaker’s largest to date. BYD also recalled 6,843 plug-in hybrid SUVs under its Fang Cheng Bao brand in January.
BYD’s explosive sales growth propelled it past Volkswagen to become the best-selling automaker in China last year. Although aggressive price cuts helped fuel BYD’s run, they sparked a price war in China, prompting the company to look to overseas markets like Europe and Southeast Asia to sustain growth.
In the first nine months of 2025, nearly nine million battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles were sold in China, solidifying it as the world’s largest EV market.
Meanwhile, BYD’s monthly sales fell in September for the first time since February 2024 as smaller domestic rivals like Geely, Xiaomi, and XPeng gained market share.
Source: Bloomberg, China State Administration for Market Regulation
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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 new models from SUPER73 and Urban Arrow, a stark warning about a danger to e-bikes and other micromobility riders, new e-moto from Stark, Zero goes on a Euro-trip, 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 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):
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The new new Super E cultivator from Tilmor isn’t just another pice of compact farm equipment – it’s a purpose-built electric cultivator that trades loud diesel clatter for quiet confidence and precision control. Made in the USA and ready to work, it’s proof that electric farming may be closer (and more practical) than you think.
There have been a few electric tractor startups aimed at hobby farmers in recent years, from Solectrac to Seederal to the Volkswagen-backed GenFarm project. Depending on who you believe, these have all been too small, too big, or too far away from production to really make an impact (at least, in North America). The new Super E from Tilmor, however, seems like it might be different.
For starters, the made in the USA Tilmor Super E isn’t looking to replace a traditional ICE tractor and its myriad implements. Instead, it’s a precision tool for cultivating and weeding that offers a superior view of the work being done, low-cost operation, reduced maintenance, and smooth, quiet running.
In other words, the Tilmor delivers a better farming experience for its operators. “A lot of times when we’re cultivating, it’s later in the day and there’s birds and it’s just nice to be able to hear the sounds on the farm rather than the roar of an engine,” Sam Zurofsky, co-owner of Long Season Farm in Kerhonkson, NY told Morning AgClips.
Others seem to agree, as evidenced by the already wide (and growing) range of attachments and implements available for the Super E on the Tilmore website.
Dimensions
The Super E itself is powered by a single 48V 50AH LiFePo4 battery standard, but can carry up to four such batteries for up to eight hours of continuous operating time or for additional weight, according to the needs of the farmer. The Tilmor’s batteries can be charged in about 3 hours on a 12A charger (standard) or under 1.5 hours with an optional 25A charger. Power flows from the batteries to a CFR- 3.5kW AC brushless electric motor and on through a Schafer transaxle – a design that will probably be familiar to any of my fellow Club Car nerds, while hydraulic-assisted steering makes precision operation a breeze.
Super E pricing starts at $19,500. And, as is true with most commercial equipment, you should contact a Tilmor dealer to help spec yours out for maximum success.
Electrek’s Take
To my eyes, farms are a lot like terminal tractors or airport ground support equipment. They operate at low speeds, under heavy loads, close to charging, and in environments that are close to people and animals. It’s just a matter of time before small-scale farmers figure that out.
Unfortunately, small farmers typically keep their tractors a very, very long time – so even if their next tractor is absolutely, 100% going to be electric, my kids might have kids of their own by the time that purchase happens!
SOURCE | IMAGES: Tilmor.
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