Constantin is back from vacation and immediately has news about his Tesla Model Y: After a visit to the service center, the brakes no longer squeak. Meanwhile, Nico reports on a disappointing trip to the AMG Brand Center before the two face a rapid-fire questionnaire in which they must choose between real buttons, demonstrator vehicles and annoying subscriptions, among other things.
The main focus is a comparison between Tesla’s Cybercab and the VW ID.Polo. Tesla is fundamentally rethinking the vehicle with its Unboxed manufacturing process, brake-by-wire, targeted cycle times of five seconds, a drag coefficient below 0.2, a Starlink antenna and no AC charger. VW, by contrast, is relying on retro charm and physical buttons, although the model shown is expected to cost €44,000. More vehicles can be compared using the model comparison tool.
In this context, Nico and Constantin discuss Volkswagen’s restructuring, job cuts and the possibility of converting the Osnabrück plant to produce defense equipment. The discussion shows how closely new electric car strategies, production costs and the future of German manufacturing sites are interconnected.
With the newly available Audi A2 e-tron, confusing optional-equipment packages and hard-to-understand charging information in the configurator are causing frustration. The episode concludes with Xiaomi’s move into Germany and the question of how the manufacturer could shake up the country’s automotive market.
