Tesla's China-made EV Sales in August up 3% yr/yr

16 June 2015, Ebringen: The logo of Tesla electric vehicle company is pictured on an S model vehicle. (dpa)
16 June 2015, Ebringen: The logo of Tesla electric vehicle company is pictured on an S model vehicle. (dpa)
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Tesla's China-made EV Sales in August up 3% yr/yr

16 June 2015, Ebringen: The logo of Tesla electric vehicle company is pictured on an S model vehicle. (dpa)
16 June 2015, Ebringen: The logo of Tesla electric vehicle company is pictured on an S model vehicle. (dpa)

Sales of US automaker Tesla's China-made electric vehicles grew 3% in August from a year earlier, data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) showed on Monday.

Deliveries of its China-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles rose 17% from July, Reuters reported.

Chinese rival BYD, with its Dynasty and Ocean series of EVs and plug-in hybrids, posted a 35.3% year-on-year jump in passenger vehicle sales in August to a fresh monthly high of 370,854 units.

Other local EV competitors including Leapmotor and Li Auto also reported higher sales.

Tesla's rising China numbers, including domestic sales and exports to Europe and elsewhere, came amid extended incentives for local buyers as well as breakthroughs in winning over government backing.

An uptrend in Tesla's China sales seems to be underway in the third-quarter even though its local sales force has undergone downsizing as part of the US EV giant's global layoffs.

In July, Tesla saw a 78% year-on-year increase in deliveries in tier-three cities while its sales in the second-tier cities such as Hangzhou and Nanjing rose by 47%, data and analysis by China Merchants Bank International (CMBI) showed.

"We project Tesla's retail sales volume to hit 65,000 units in August aided by strong growth in smaller cities. Should such momentum continue in September, Tesla may post the highest quarterly sales volume in China in 3Q24," said Shi Ji, an analyst with CMBI in Hong Kong.

Tesla has been offering a financing plan with a zero-interest loan of up to five years since April to attract buyers who tend to be more cautious with spending on big-ticket items in a sputtering economy.

The company has won endorsement from several local governments which have deemed Tesla cars eligible for official car purchases in recent weeks.

The country's top auto industry association said in April the data collection by Tesla vehicles in China was compliant, paving the way for Tesla cars to enter some government compounds that they used to be banned from.



Google Tests Verified Check Marks in Search Results

A logo of Google is seen on the wall during the groundbreaking ceremony for Malaysia's first Google data center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
A logo of Google is seen on the wall during the groundbreaking ceremony for Malaysia's first Google data center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
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Google Tests Verified Check Marks in Search Results

A logo of Google is seen on the wall during the groundbreaking ceremony for Malaysia's first Google data center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
A logo of Google is seen on the wall during the groundbreaking ceremony for Malaysia's first Google data center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 01 October 2024. (EPA)

Alphabet's Google is testing showing check marks next to certain companies on its search results, a company spokesperson said on Friday, in a move aimed at helping users identify verified sources and steer clear of fake websites.

Fraudulent websites impersonating official businesses or services could creep up in online search results, leading users to view false information about the business, deceiving users and potentially harming the brand.

"We regularly experiment with features that help shoppers identify trustworthy businesses online, and we are currently running a small experiment showing checkmarks next to certain businesses on Google," the spokesperson said.

Google already uses automated systems to identify pages with "scammy" or fraudulent content and prevent them from showing up in the search results.

The Verge reported the development earlier on Friday, adding that it spotted blue verified checkmarks next to official site links for companies including Microsoft, Meta and Apple on search results.

Only some users were able to see the feature, the Verge said, indicating Google has not rolled out the test widely yet.