Proposed EV tax could see Tesla and other EV owners paying $400

In the state of Texas, the politicians respond to the needs of the oil industry. So when the Texas legislature wants to tax EVs, you just know that what they actually want is to discourage EV ownership. They already do lots to discourage EV ownership in Texas. Texas is a big state, but you’re not allowed to buy a Tesla in Texas. You have to buy it in a neighboring state and either go there to pick it up or hire someone to drive it to you. If I lived in a neighboring state, I’d offer my services as a Tesla delivery person. Once the Tesla gigafactory in Austin is producing cars, a car made in Texas would have to be shipped out of state. A Texan who wants a Tesla would not be able to buy a Tesla that was made in Texas, in Texas.

Here’s what the people who are against the proposed law say is the reason the law shouldn’t pass. It comes from the article in Clean Technica.

EV owners shouldn’t have to pay unreasonable taxes, and they already contribute to the state revenues today through registration fees, tolls, and taxes on the electricity that they use. This new bill proposes much higher fees for EV drivers than what an efficient ICE vehicle owner would pay at the pump in taxes. Perhaps a carbon tax would be a fairer alternative. Taxing companies that pollute the air is a great start. However, the politicians who are funded by big oil and fossil fuels may lose their funding if they even breathe the words “carbon tax.”

Here’s the part you’re not going to like.

Roads are built and repaired based on gasoline taxes. That’s just the way it is even though everyone, not just vehicles, benefits from good roads. Good roads are good for the economy, and everyone should contribute to their upkeep, but that’s a discussion for another day. At this time, gasoline taxes pay for roads, and EVs need them just as much as ICE vehicles need them. And ICE vehicles also pay registration fees and tolls. Taxes on electricity are not sent to road building and road maintenance, and EVs pay so little for their electricity that the taxes on that electricity doesn’t amount to enough to worry about. I have solar panels on my roof. I tell people, when they ask, that I fill my car’s tank with sunshine.

In Texas, you pay twenty cents a gallon for gasoline and diesel fuel. So let’s say a car goes twelve thousand miles a year. Let’s say it gets twenty-five miles to the gallon. That means it uses 480 gallons of gas a year. The Texas gas tax would be $96.

So I suggest that EVs should pay their fair share for road building and road maintenance. But that fair share should be $96, not the approximately $400 that the proposed state law in Texas describes.

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Tesla’s New Signal Viewer Panel in Service Mode+ Allows You to View Real-Time Data

@scotsrule08 on X

Tesla’s latest software update, version 2025.2, brings new features to Service Mode, continuing the trend of improving in-vehicle diagnostics.

Currently, this feature is only available for vehicles with AMD Ryzen infotainment systems and requires Service Mode+, which is a subscription service aimed at technicians. Intel-powered vehicles aren’t supported yet, but we expect this feature to roll out to them as well unless hardware limitations prevent it.

Thanks to Spencer for providing an image of the panel in action.

Signal Viewer Panel

While update 2025.2.6 adds four service mode improvements, including updates to brake burnishing, charge port calibration, and noise recording panel improvements. In this article, we’ll focus on the new signal viewer panel.

This new panel offers a live data feed from selectable vehicle sensors. You select the signals you’re interested in and it’ll plot the signal on a graph. In addition to allowing you to view real-time signal data, it also allows you to record them.

The signals are searchable and can be easily added or removed from the panel. You can track up to 10 sensors, and the UI allows three of them to be viewable at once.

However, this is Service Mode and it’s more than just pretty looks. You can really dig down into these charts. You can pan them left and right through time, and tapping a specific point shows the exact value of that signal. The panel also supports pinch-to-zoom, enabling you to adjust the time scale across all panels simultaneously.

This feature is exclusive to Service Mode+, which requires a subscription to Tesla’s ToolBox3 software and a connection to a computer. It’s designed to help technicians diagnose issues related to signal quality, noise in the vehicle’s electrical systems, and signal variance in components during driving.

We’re excited to see Tesla’s continued focus on repairability, especially with additions like the Cybertruck’s Interactive Wiring Diagram and the launch of the Tesla Online Parts Catalog, which lets customers purchase parts directly.

Plus, with the reduced cost of ToolBox 3 subscriptions, even DIY enthusiasts now have access to tools that make Tesla repairs more accessible.

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Tesla Introduces New Model Y Variants in Europe; Ends Launch Series

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Tesla has updated its Model Y lineup in Europe, introducing new standard configurations while discontinuing the limited-edition Launch Series. With the new variants now available, European customers will have more choices and cheaper options to pick from.

The Launch Series and some of its exclusive features will no longer be offered—except in the UK, where it remains available alongside the new lineup.

New Models Introduced

Tesla’s new Model Y lineup in Europe includes three main variants. The prices vary slightly from country to country.

• Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD): Priced at €44,990, this model is the most affordable new Model Y, but it also has the shortest range and is missing a few features available on other trim levels.

• Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive (LR RWD): Available for €49,990, this version is essentially the same as the RWD model, but with a larger battery. It has seen a €1,000 price increase compared to the outgoing Long Range RWD model.

• Long Range All-Wheel Drive (LR AWD): At €52,990, this model has seen a price drop of €2,000, making it a better deal than the previous LR AWD Model Y. This is also the only new Model Y to come with most of the same features as the Launch Series, including additional speakers, a subwoofer, premium materials inside the cabin and improved acceleration. Acceleration boost should also become available for this model, letting it match the performance of the Launch Series.

All Model Y variants come with all the improvements that we’ve discussed about the new Model Y, including the new front and rear light bars, improved aerodynamics, ventilated seats, improved heat and sound isolation, and the 8-inch rear touchscreen. Some exclusive options, like the Midnight Cherry Red paint, appear to no longer be available. However, Tesla has already said that they’ll be introducing new paint options for the Model Y in North America.

Compare Model Y Variants

Here’s how the various Model Y variants compare to each other:

Launch Series Ends

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The Launch Series, which debuted just weeks ago in Europe, has now been phased out. This limited-edition model was priced at €60,990 and included a suite of premium features comparable to a bundle deal you may find with other products. It came equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD), Acceleration Boost, and exclusive badging on the rear liftgate, door sill plates, and puddle lights.

While the Launch Series is no longer available for new orders in most European countries, customers can still get a similar vehicle by opting for the Long Range AWD model and manually adding premium features like FSD. Acceleration Boost, which was standard in the Launch Series, is expected to become available for purchase once these vehicles are delivered or soon afterward. However, some exclusive elements, such as badging and trim details, will remain unique to the discontinued edition.

For now, the UK remains an exception, still offering the Launch Series alongside the newly introduced models.

Performance Model Still to Come

With Tesla now introducing the expected variants of the refreshed Model Y, one notable absence is the Performance model. While the Launch Series was fast due to the Acceleration Boost addon, there’s no doubt the Performance version will be in a league of its own.

What we saw Tesla do with the 2024+ Model 3 Performance variant was more than just using binned motors. The vehicle featured unique bumpers, a spoiler, an improved suspension, sport seats, Track Mode V3 and other features that made the vehicle stand out compared to the Model 3 AWD.

The Performance version of the new Model Y is expected to become available later this year, however, expect it to carry a $5-$8k premium over the AWD model.

Other Regions to Follow

As Europe phases out the Launch Series, other regions are expected to see similar changes. With the other models now revealed, owners in other regions have a better idea of whether they should buy the Launch Series or wait for the additional models to arrive.

Tesla naturally adjusts its offerings based on market demand, and if sales of the Launch Series remain strong in other parts of the world, Tesla will likely wait it out a little longer before offering the other models.

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