Tesla is at risk of losing subsidies in Korea over widespread battery failures

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Tesla’s Financial Health and CEO Debate

  • Some see Tesla as “obviously in distress” and argue the CEO should be removed; others counter with record quarterly deliveries and very high market cap.
  • Several note that Q3 numbers are distorted by expiring EV subsidies, with YoY revenue and deliveries down and Tesla underperforming other EV makers in some regions.
  • There’s broad agreement that upcoming quarters, without subsidy effects, will better reveal the company’s true trajectory.
  • Views on the stock split: some call TSLA a meme stock driven by “vibes” and the CEO’s persona; others see it as a rational bet on his track record and on future robotics/robotaxi businesses.
  • Discussion touches on board control and the difficulty of removing the CEO, compared to other dual‑class tech companies.

EV Ownership Experiences and Usability

  • One commenter describes EV ownership as a “failed experiment” and wants to return to ICE; many others report the opposite—lower running costs, less maintenance, and strong preference to never go back to ICE.
  • Detailed complaints center on awkward regen‑braking and cruise‑control interactions (especially on non‑Tesla EVs), harsh ride leading to unintended acceleration inputs, and desire for better software tuning.
  • Tesla’s regen behavior is widely described as better‑dialed‑in than some competitors.

Safety, Autopilot, and Responsibility

  • Some argue Tesla vehicles score highly on crash tests and insurance loss data, suggesting at least average occupant safety.
  • Others cite reports of higher accident or fatality rates and blame marketing of “Autopilot”/self‑driving features and extremely quick acceleration.
  • There’s disagreement on whether higher accident rates reflect vehicle design, driver behavior, or both; metrics and definitions of “safety” are contested.

Battery Failures in South Korea and Elsewhere

  • Commenters note this issue has been seen anecdotally since around the 2021 model year, coinciding with a sealing change in battery packs.
  • Many failures are reportedly handled under warranty, but often with refurbished packs that may fail early.
  • Speculation ranges from a bad Shanghai production run to Korea‑specific factors; others argue social media evidence from China suggests problems are not limited to Korea but may be under‑reported.
  • Some think Tesla may eventually need to acknowledge a manufacturing defect and relax mileage limits on battery warranties for affected years.