EV Daily | Tesla's API Pricing Alarms Developers; VW Rethinks Direct Sales Amid Slow EV Adoption

【Tesla】

Tesla has introduced API pricing for third-party apps, causing significant concern among developers. The new pricing could result in costs estimated at $60 million annually for maintaining certain apps, such as Tessie, which is used by 400,000 Tesla drivers. The move may hinder the development of third-party apps and is viewed as potentially hostile. Tesla's own fleet management features may be influencing this decision, as other third-party developers like Teslascope face increased costs.

【Others】

Volkswagen Group is reevaluating its direct-to-consumer sales model for EVs in Europe due to challenging market conditions. This approach, inspired by Tesla, bypasses traditional dealerships, but VW is reconsidering its effectiveness due to slow EV adoption. VW and its various brands like Audi and Skoda might alter retail strategies, especially with significant company restructuring aimed at cost-cutting and efficiency improvements, including factory closures and job cuts.