Tesla China’s new vehicle registrations saw a notable rise in the week of April 21-27, 2025. Over the week, the electric vehicle maker’s registrations saw an impressive 51% week-over-week rise, suggesting that domestic vehicle deliveries are on the rise once more. 

Tesla China Results

In the week ending April 27, Tesla China saw 10,300 new vehicle registrations. This represents a notable rise from the company’s registration numbers in the past weeks of April. For context, Tesla China saw 3,600 registrations in the week ending April 6, 5,400 registrations in the week ending April 13, and 6,780 registrations in the week ending April 20, 2025.

Considering that April is the first month of the second quarter, expectations were high that Tesla China was allocating Giga Shanghai’s output for vehicle exports. With 10,300 registrations in the week ending April 27, however, it would appear that the company’s domestic deliveries are picking up once more.

Tesla China does not report its weekly sales figures, though a general idea of the company’s overall perforce in the domestic auto sector can be inferred through new vehicle registrations. Fortunately, these registrations are closely tracked by industry watchers, as well as some local automakers like Li Auto.

Tesla Model 3 and Model Y in Focus

Tesla China produces the Model Y and Model 3 in Giga Shanghai. Both vehicles are also exported from China to foreign territories. As per industry watchers, it would appear that both the Model 3 and Model Y saw an increase in registrations in the week ending April 27.

The Model 3, for one, appears to have seen 3,200 registrations in the week ending April 27, a 14% increase from the 2,800 that were registered in the week ending April 20. For context, Tesla China saw just 1,500 new Model 3 registrations in the week ending April 13 and 1,040 registrations in the week ending April 6.

The Model Y, on the other hand, saw 7,100 registrations in the week ending April 27. That’s a 77.5% increase from the 4,000 that were registered in the week ending April 20. Tesla also saw 3,900 registrations in the week ending April 13, and 2,540 registrations in the week ending April 6, 2025.

Volkswagen of America and Uber unveiled a plan to launch a commercial robotaxi service using autonomous electric ID. Buzz vehicles across U.S. cities over the next decade. The partnership marks a significant step for Volkswagen’s autonomous vehicle ambitions, leveraging Uber’s ride-hailing expertise.

The service will debut in Los Angeles by late 2026, with human safety operators initially overseeing the fleet before transitioning to fully driverless operations in 2027. Volkswagen ADMT, the German automaker’s autonomous subsidiary, will begin testing in Los Angeles later this year upon securing a testing permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The California Public Utilities Commission will oversee permits for the commercial ride-hailing phase.

“Volkswagen is not just a car manufacturer — we are shaping the future of mobility, and our collaboration with Uber accelerates that vision,” said Christian Senger, CEO of Volkswagen Autonomous Mobility. “What really sets us apart is our ability to combine the best of both worlds–high-volume manufacturing expertise with cutting-edge technology and a deep understanding of urban mobility needs.”

The Trump administration’s recent policy shift, announced last Thursday by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, supports initiatives like VW and Uber’s partnerships by easing federal safety rules and crash reporting requirements on autonomous vehicle development. According to Duffy, the United States government wants to outpace Chinese competitors in autonomous vehicle development.

Volkswagen ADMT, which launched publicly in July 2023, has been testing 10 ID. Buzz vehicles equipped with Mobileye’s autonomous technology in Austin, reported TechCrunch. Two years ago, Volkswagen focused on selling self-driving vans and fleet management software rather than building its own ride-hailing service. VW’s strategy toward autonomous vehicles appears to have shifted, as reflected in its Uber partnership.

Uber will strengthen its autonomous vehicle portfolio through its partnership with Volkswagen. The ride-hailing service company has secured deals with over 14 firms, including Waymo in Austin and a forthcoming launch in Atlanta.

The Volkswagen-Uber collaboration positions both companies to capitalize on the growing robotaxi market. With testing imminent and regulatory support increasing, the ID. Buzz fleet could redefine urban mobility, blending Volkswagen’s manufacturing prowess with Uber’s ride-hailing network to compete in the evolving autonomous vehicle landscape.

A lobbying group made up of several automakers is pushing Congress to ban California’s plan to phase out and ban new gas car sales altogether by 2035, ahead of a vote that could also affect the 11 other states that have followed with similar plans.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI), an organization representing the interests of Ford, General Motors (GM), Stellantis, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and several others, recently sent a letter to Congress requesting that it overturn a waiver granted to California letting it set its own emissions rules.

Later this week, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on overturning the waiver granted to California under the 1968 Clean Air Act to impose the tightened standards, according to Reuters. In the previous letter, the AAI argued to Congress that automakers would be “forced to substantially reduce the number of overall vehicles for sale to inflate their proportion of electric vehicle sales,” adding that it would also boost prices and reduce competition in the market.

The waiver, enacted under the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), allows California to mandate at least 80 percent electric vehicle sales by 2035 under the Clean Air Act. The passage of disapproval of the waiver is being ushered under the Congressional Review Act, and an initial vote in the House of Representatives is set to take place on Wednesday.

READ MORE ON STATE EMISSIONS RULES: Tesla could face emissions credit tax in Washington

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia backed the EPA’s decision to grant the waiver last April, following a challenge from 17 Republican-run states. The group claimed that California was being given unconstitutional regulatory power in the decision, adding that other states didn’t have those same powers.

In December, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear out bids from Valero, the AAI, and other groups to oppose the 2035 California gas car sales ban, which would begin phasing them out in 2026 if the waiver remains in place.

You can see the full list of members of the AAI below, including automakers and a handful of other tech companies.

Companies represented by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI)

Here’s the full list of AAI members, according to the lobbying group’s website:

• AESC
• AISIN
• Aptiv
• Autoliv
• BMW Group
• Bosch
• Denso
• Emergency Safety Solutions
• Ferrari
• Ford
• GM
• Harman
• Honda
• Hyundai
• InEos Automotive
• Infineon
• Isuzu
• Jaguar-Land Rover
• Kia
• LG
• Luminar
• Magna
• Mazda
• McLaren
• Mercedes-Benz
• Mitsubishi Motors
• Nissan
• Nuro
• Panasonic
• Porsche
• Qualcomm
• RV Industry Association
• Samsung
• SiriusXM
• SK On
• Stellantis
• Subaru
• Texas Instruments
• Toyota
• Uber
• VinFast
• Volkswagen
• Volvo
• Zoox

California proposal to allow self-driving tests for heavy-duty trucks