The Tesla Roadster Is Still a Show, and Canada's EV Choices Are About to Change
It's been a while. My last episode of the True North EV podcast went out in June, and I owe you an explanation. I've been dealing with some mental health challenges this summer, and I needed to step back from things, the podcast included. Then came a new job, and the last month has been all about learning the ropes. I'm glad to be back, and I'm aiming for a steadier rhythm from here on.
The break wasn't all quiet. I took a business trip to San Diego, and I came home encouraged. There's real momentum behind pushing for more EV charging infrastructure, and just as important, training people to install and repair it. Chargers only build trust if they work, and that takes skilled people. Canada needs more of them too.
Two self-driving cars, two philosophies
While I was in San Diego, I saw both a Waymo and a Tesla Cybercab, and they couldn't be more different.
The Waymo is obviously a self-driving car. Lidar, radar and cameras are all in plain view. Oddly, that makes you more observant when you're near one. You notice it, you think about how you're driving around it. The Cybercab goes the other way. It looks clean and minimal, almost like it's trying to hide the fact that it's driving itself.
Neither approach is automatically wrong, but I find the first more honest. If a computer is driving, people sharing the road should be able to tell. What do you think: should autonomous cars look like robots, or like regular cars?
The Roadster: the original "neverending show"
The original Tesla Roadster, launched in 2008, is the car that made Tesla what it is. It proved an electric car could be fast and exciting, and it was the first step in a smart plan: build a pricey low-volume sports car, use the money to build a more affordable car, then use that to build an EV for the masses. That plan worked. It gave us the Model S, the Model X (which had plenty of issues of its own), then the Model 3 and Model Y.
In 2017, Tesla unveiled the second-generation Roadster alongside the Semi. It was meant to bring back the "EVs are cool" feeling. Reservations came in. Deliveries were promised for 2020. Then the target slipped, and slipped again.
What Tesla showed on October 15
This month, Tesla finally put on a show at SpaceX's test facility in McGregor, Texas. The unmanned Roadster drove upside down on a ramp, launched off the end using cold-gas thrusters developed with SpaceX, flipped, and landed upright. It also hopped over a line of Tesla vehicles. Tesla claimed a 0–60 mph time of roughly 0.8 seconds with the thruster package. Elon Musk said production is targeted for 2028.
It was a genuine spectacle. It was also, in my view, a sign that Tesla has lost its way.
Why Tesla isn't my go-to recommendation anymore
I'll be upfront, because some of you have challenged me on this: my view of Tesla has changed. It's no longer the EV I recommend first.
I'll give Tesla its due. The Supercharger network is what made long-distance EV travel easy. But most manufacturers can use it now, so that advantage is shared. For road trips, Tesla is no longer the only sensible answer.
As for the Roadster, I don't believe what we saw will reach customers. Thrusters, suction-driving upside down and flying over a Semi are demos, not road features. I feel for the people who have kept money on a reservation, or who are still waiting on a Roadster from the referral program, for years.
What bothers me most is what's missing. Remember that plan about affordable EVs for everyone? I don't think Tesla wants to be that company anymore. It's positioned itself as a technology company, and in my opinion it has gone far too deep into politics. Imagine if all that engineering talent went into a practical, affordable competitor to something like the Kia PV5. The Model X could have evolved in that direction.
To be fair, I love Tesla's mobile service, where a technician comes to your driveway. I hope more dealerships and manufacturers copy it. Back when we had a Model X, though, there were still plenty of times it had to go to the service centre.
The politics
On October 7, Elon Musk posted on X, reacting to Quebec premier-elect Paul St-Pierre Plamondon's comments on independence. He wrote that Quebec should separate, and that Alberta and Saskatchewan should separate too. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe replied with one word: "No." Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also said she strongly disagrees.
Musk is a Canadian citizen with family roots in Saskatchewan, so he's entitled to an opinion. But it's one more reason, for me, to want more choice in this market. People buy cars partly on what a company stands for. [Sources: CTV News / CP24 and Global News.]
New choices are coming to Canada
The good news is that options are on the way. Under the federal government's deal with China, Chinese-built EVs can enter Canada at a 6.1% tariff within an annual quota of 49,000 vehicles, a big change from the previous 100% surtax.
BYD has said it's targeting a late-2026 launch, with roughly 20 dealerships in its first year, starting in the Greater Toronto Area and then Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary. Models like the Atto 3, Seal and Dolphin are expected, with a compact city car rumoured around $25,000. I'm especially interested in BYD's very high-power charging, already being rolled out in China and Europe. If it reaches Canada, it could make electric semi trucks far more practical.
Geely has confirmed it's coming in 2027. There are no announced models, prices or dealers yet, so we'll have to wait and see.
There are fair questions. How will these cars handle a real Canadian winter? What will service and parts look like for a brand new to the market? What about data and privacy? And remember that trade rules can change. Chinese-built EVs have also been reported as ineligible for the federal EV rebate, so check current rules before you budget. Still, more competition is good for drivers. It pushes prices down, raises the bar on features, and makes every automaker work harder to earn your business.
Three takeaways
The Roadster is spectacular, but it first appeared in 2017 and is now aimed at 2028. I'd treat it as a show until it's in a driveway.
Tesla's biggest advantage, the Supercharger network, is shared now. Look at every option.
Choice is coming to Canada, and that's good news.
Need help choosing an EV?
If you're curious about going electric but not sure where to start, True North EV Consulting can help. I work with individuals to figure out which plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle is right for them, and I walk you through the whole process: deciding, buying, and getting a home EV charger installed. It makes the switch to electric a lot more comfortable.
Listen, follow, and say hello
Podcast: Subscribe to True North EV wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review. It helps other EV enthusiasts find the show.
Local community: Check out the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association.
More EV talk: Go listen to Bodie's podcast, Kilowatt. He's way more knowledgeable than I am.
Facebook: @truenorthev
Email: truenorthev@gmail.com
Website: truenorthev.ca
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Thanks for reading. I'm James, and I'll talk to you next time!
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