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Tesla's EV lead: How far ahead is Tesla relative to global rivals like VW Group?

Tesla's EV lead: How far ahead is Tesla relative to global rivals like VW Group?

Two of the biggest electric vehicle (EV) makers in the world had news this week.

First, Tesla announced that it was joining the raft of carmakers (and almost every other business) in raising prices, meaning that the cheapest Tesla model will now set you back just shy of $47,000.

Then, Volkswagen Group announced that a number of its electric models, including the Porsche Taycan, were already sold out for 2022 and that the company's EV business is expected to be profitable ahead of schedule. That sounds promising, but how far behind Tesla is VW Group?

Volkswagen Group vs. Tesla

With more than 650,000 employees, and 10 distinct brands, VW Group is a giant in global auto manufacturing. Last year the company delivered almost 9 million cars — just shy of 10x the number that electric leader Tesla shipped.But when it comes to all-electric, Tesla is still a decent way out in front, although there are a few ways to think about the same numbers.

Perspective

On one hand it's easy to argue that Tesla is miles ahead, shipping more than double the number of all-electric vehicles that VW Group managed in 2021.On the other hand, you could argue that VW Group's 453k deliveries in 2021 is close to Tesla's 500k effort from 2020, suggesting that the German giant is only 12-15 months behind Tesla's pace, despite starting later.

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Starbucks issues apology after viral “Bearista” cup meltdown

Holiday cheer turned into chaos this week for Starbucks after the coffee giant’s new “Bearista” holiday cup sent fans into a frenzy. 

Dropped alongside its 2025 holiday menu, the $30 beanie-wearing glass bear tumbler sparked long lines, sellouts, and even in-store scuffles before Starbucks stepped in with an apology.

“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” the company said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to our coffeehouses than almost any other item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.”

Within hours of launch, frustrated fans flooded Starbucks’ social media pages and even store hotlines. Some customers waited in line before dawn and others said their stores received only a handful of cups. In one Houston location, the craze even turned physical, with police reportedly called to break up a brawl. Meanwhile, the cup is already reselling on sites like eBay, with listings topping $600.

“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused,” Starbucks said. While in-store customers may be upset, investors seem happy about the viral hit, as the stock has risen over 3% on Friday.

If you’re still hoping for a Bearista at market price, that may not be on order: the chain didn’t disclose how many cups were made or whether a restock is planned.

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Target tells workers to smile, wave, and greet shoppers if they come within 10 feet of them

Target just rolled out a new rule for store employees: smile, make eye contact, and greet or wave when a shopper comes within 10 feet — and if they get closer, within four feet, ask whether they need help or how their day is going, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Dubbed the 10-4 program internally, the rule mirrors rival Walmarts own 10-foot policy, formalizing behavior Target had previously only encouraged.

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Monster surges on energy drink buzz, while Celsius sinks on distribution concerns

Shares of Monster Beverage climbed 5% after the bell on Thursday, and held most of those gains into early trading on Friday, following strong Q3 results.

The energy drink giant topped market expectations, with quarterly sales up 17% year over year to $2.2 billion and adjusted net profits growing 41% to $524.5 million — 11% ahead of Wall Street’s estimates. In the report, Monster highlighted its zero-sugar line and new product launches, with a stack of novel flavors already released this year, as bright spots.

During a call with analysts, Chief Executive Hilton Schlosberg said that the global energy drink category “remains healthy with robust growth,” The Wall Street Journal reported, adding that demand for more affordable caffeinated drinks is rising as coffee has become “really expensive.”

Meanwhile, rival beverage business Celsius saw shares fall as much as 23% on its Q3 results yesterday — despite beating expectations, with revenue jumping 173% — largely due to concerns about a change in the company’s distribution channel, as its newly acquired Alani Nu brand joins the PepsiCo distribution network.

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