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Early Model S Drive Units to Fail by 60k mi, Data Suggests

A survey by Plug In America finds a high drive unit failure rate for 2012 and 2013 Model S cars. It finds that two thirds are likely to fail before 60,000 miles

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Weibull analysis of Tesla drive units

Plug In America has completed a survey of owners of 2012 and 2013 Model S cars. A Weibull analysis of the data finds that two thirds of the drive units in those early cars are expected to fail by the time they accumulate 60,000 miles of driving according to Green Car Reports.

The survey collected data from 327 owners and asked each if their drive unit had been replaced and at what mileage. Green Car Reports reporter Matthew Klippenstein found some transcription errors in Plug In America’s raw data. He corrected them and then redid the reliability analysis using Reliasof. The results are slightly more favorable to Tesla and are plotted on the graph below.

Weibull analysis of Tesla drive units

Only 43 owners of 2014 and 2105 cars responded to the Plug In America survey and the amount of miles on those cars was well below the threshold for drive unit replacements, so no analysis of that information was performed.

Elon Musk said recently that the company has added automatic grease injection to counteract premature wear issues in the newer drive units, but its impact on reliability won’t be known until later.

Green Car Reports contacted Tesla, requesting answers to these specific questions:

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  • How many motors has Tesla repaired or replaced in 2012 and 2013 Model S cars to date?
  • What percentage of total cars does that represent?
  • What does the company’s own reliability data indicate about the percentage of cars that will require motor replacements over the life of the vehicles?
  • Musk said in November that reliability had doubled; how confident is Tesla that it has now fully resolved the reliability issues with earlier motors?
  • What is the company’s projection for failure rate in the motor(s) of current production cars?
  • What would Tesla Motors say to owners (and future used-car buyers) of the early cars regarding the reliability of the motors?

Tesla declined to answer the questions, preferring to rely on a general answer to cover them all. “Close communication with our customers enables Tesla to receive input, proactively address issues, and quickly fix problems. Over-the-air software updates allow Tesla to diagnose and fix most bugs without the need to come in for service. In instances when hardware needs to be fixed, we strive to make it painless.”

The company is reacting positively to reliability issues as they occur. Indeed, Tesla owners report they are very satisfied with their factory service experience. The 8 year Infinite Mile warranty on drive units and batteries means that few owners have suffered out of pocket expense to repair a malfunctioning drive unit.

"I write about technology and the coming zero emissions revolution."

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Elon Musk seemingly confirms Cybertruck gift to 13-year-old cancer fighter

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, the teen has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12.

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Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed that he will be sending a Tesla Cybertruck to 13-year-old Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a 13-year-old Houston boy fighting brain cancer. The teen was recognized as an honorary Secret Service member by U.S. President Donald Trump during his address to Congress on Tuesday. 

A Chance Meeting

The Tesla CEO’s Cybertruck pledge was mentioned during DJ’s short interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. When Collins asked the 13-year-old what he told the Tesla CEO, DJ answered that he asked for a Cybertruck.

“I said, ‘can you do me a big favor, when you get back to Houston can you send us a Cybertruck down there?’” the cancer fighter stated.

Daniel noted that Musk responded positively to his request, which was highlighted by Collins in a post on X. Musk responded to the post with a heart emoji, suggesting that he really will be sending a Cybertruck to the 13-year-old cancer fighter.

Teen’s Cancer Battle Inspires

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, Daniel has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12. During his speech, Trump highlighted the 13-year-old’s long battle with his disease. 

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“Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true,” Trump stated.

Daniels officially received an honorary badge from U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran, to much applause during the event.

Surprisingly Partisan

While Daniels’ story has been inspiring, Trump’s focus on the 13-year-old cancer fighter has received its own fair share of criticism. MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace, while referencing Daniels’ love for law enforcement, noted that she is hoping the 13-year-old never has to defend the U.S. capitol against Trump supporters. “If he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide,” Wallace stated.

Anti-Musk and Trump accounts on X have also thrown jokes at the cancer fighter’s honorary badge, with some dubbing the 13-year-old as a “DEI hire” that should be looked into by DOGE.

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Arrest made after Tesla Salem site attacked with Molotov cocktails

The suspect faces a federal charge of illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

A 41-year-old Salem man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla store on January 20. Court documents indicated that the man’s attack caused around $500,000 in damages.

The suspect faces a federal charge of illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device, which were described as Molotov cocktails. Seven vehicles were damaged and one was destroyed in the attack on the Tesla location.

Fires Erupt at Tesla Store

At 3:45 a.m. on January 20, Salem Police responded to reports of Molotov cocktails being thrown at the Tesla store. Officers found a fire on the sidewalk and another in a parked vehicle’s rear. An eyewitness noted that someone thew five or six objects during the incident, as noted in a report from the Statesman Journal.

Suspect Caught on Camera

Surveillance footage showed the man throwing a “Molotov Cocktail-style device” at a truck, which bounced off without igniting. He also aimed an AR-15-style rifle at a witness who was driving away. The suspect hurled a rock through the Salem Tesla store’s window as well. 

A patrol car’s camera captured the suspect’s vehicle nearby, tying him to the scene. Surveillance video, fingerprints on glass bottles recovered at the scene, and a vehicle registered to the man led ultimately to his arrest.

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Tesla Vandalism Trend

Tesla stores across the United States and abroad have been the target of vandalism incidents as of late, thanks in part to CEO Elon Musk’s increasing involvement in politics and his close work with U.S. President Donald Trump. Interestingly enough, previous reports have indicated that the Salem Tesla store was also the victim of an attack last month, when gunfire shattered widows at the location.

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Tesla Model Y tops South Korea import sales in February 2025

The Tesla Model Y that performed well in South Korea last month was the Model Y classic, which is already being phased out.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

The Tesla Model Y led South Korea’s imported car market in February 2025 with 2,038 units sold, as per data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). 

Total imported passenger car registrations in South Korea climbed 24.4% to 21,199 units from 16,237 a year ago. Tesla ranked third at 2,222 units, behind BMW (6,274) and Mercedes-Benz (4,663).

Model Y Classic Still A Strong Seller

The Model Y that performed well in South Korea last month was the Model Y classic variant, which Tesla is already phasing out. Its strong sales highlight Tesla’s strong presence in South Korea, where BMW beat Mercedes-Benz for the top brand spot last month.

Following the Tesla Model Y classic in the country’s import segment was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series. Tesla’s overall 2,222 registrations for February trailed BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but they surpassed Lexus (1,337) and Volvo (1,046), as per a report from Viva100.

Import Fuel Mix

Hybrids led South Korea’s import registrations with 13,013 units (64.4%), followed by EVs at 3,757 (18.6%) and gasoline at 3,226 (16%). Diesel lagged at 203 units (1%). A look at these numbers suggests that the Tesla Model Y classic commanded the lion’s share of South Korea’s EV imports last month.

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What the KAIDA Vice Chairman says

KAIDA Vice Chairman Jeong Yoon-yeong issued a comment about the results:

“In February, new registrations of imported passenger vehicles increased compared to the previous month due to the registration of electric vehicles following the confirmation of electric vehicle subsidies and the new car effect of some brands,” the KAIDA executive noted.

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