Tesla · Full chronicle and history

On October 22, outside the Tesla store in Licheng, Putian, Fujian, a domestically produced new energy vehicle suddenly caught fire while charging and ignited surrounding vehicles.

On October 19, Tesla's official Weibo account emphasized that its sales, delivery, customer service, and technicians are all in-house employees, adopting a full direct-sales model. Vice President Tao Lin reposted it, stating, 'Safety, stability, and reliability—being reassuring is the greatest luxury.' In the comments section, netizens jokingly called out Harmony Intelligent Mobility and Yu Chengdong, saying, 'Hurry up and ban their account.'

Tesla held a launch event at its SpaceX test site in Texas, U.S., to showcase the features of the new Roadster, and Musk announced plans to begin production in 2028.

Tesla CEO Musk said that China's restrictions last year on exports of magnets used in electric motors delayed Tesla's Optimus robot project by about two to three months. Musk noted that Tesla currently faces a shortage of robot arms, and stressed that the company must ensure it can build robots domestically in the United States even if supply chains are cut off, to guard against potential supply risks.

According to @clashreport citing remarks by Elon Musk, Musk said that last year China restricted exports of magnets used in electric motors, causing Tesla's Optimus robot project to be delayed by two to three months. Musk stressed that even if China cuts off supplies, the United States needs to ensure that it can produce robots on its own.

On October 10 local time, Musk said in a video interview at the X Takeover event that even if China cuts off supply, Tesla must be able to manufacture the Optimus robot in the United States, and all components must have U.S.-manufacturing capability. He revealed that China's export restrictions on motor magnets in 2025 had delayed the project by two to three months.

Tesla released a prototype of its new Roadster sports car, demonstrating a feature that uses rocket propulsion and a negative-pressure fan system under the chassis to achieve brief airborne leaps, drawing widespread attention and heated discussion online.

An employee who switched from BYD to Tesla posted a video saying that after the job change he gets free food and accommodation, his salary doubled, and his monthly pay exceeds 10,000 yuan, lamenting that life at BYD was hard — sparking heated discussion among Chinese netizens.

On September 4, 2026, Musk posted to announce that the motors of Tesla's Cybercab robotaxi have completely freed themselves from reliance on rare-earth metals, seen as a key technological breakthrough in responding to China's supply-chain control over rare-earth export restrictions.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla is evaluating options to split off, sell, or shut down its China operations, including its Shanghai Gigafactory; Musk said the report had never been discussed and was fake news.

Tesla held the launch event for its second-generation Roadster electric sports car in Texas, US, showcasing astonishing acceleration performance and a hovering flight concept, causing a sensation in the global tech community.