A court has ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in damages following a crash involving one of its vehicles. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety and maintenance of electric vehicles compared to traditional combustion engine cars.

A court has ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in damages related to a crash involving one of its vehicles. The incident has brought renewed attention to the safety and maintenance considerations of electric vehicles, particularly regarding components such as brakes and axles, which may wear differently compared to traditional cars. The report also discusses the lower maintenance costs of electric vehicles due to fewer moving parts, but notes that issues like axle wear and brake corrosion can present unique challenges.

Industry experts highlight that while electric vehicles often have lower servicing costs, the total cost of ownership can vary significantly depending on the model and charging options. Access to private charging and the type of vehicle purchased can influence whether an electric vehicle is more cost-effective than a combustion engine counterpart.

Tesla ordered to pay $243 million over crash

This is a Tesla Model Y. With about 18,000 kilometers on the clock, the car is ready to get serviced. But it's important to note that Tesla doesn't have a mandatory service schedule. Owners can decide on their own when they want to have their car checked over. A vital element in keeping maintenance costs down is the motor. A gasoline or diesel engine will have between 1 and 3,000 components depending on the size of the engine. Say, a V6 or a four-cylinder unit. And here we're talking about between 200 and 400 parts, which is a big difference. As you can see from the space, there's practically enough to sit inside the motor. That's because in a combustion engine there are a lot more moving parts and fluids compared to electric cars, as well as more things that need checking during a service. Basically, there's nothing for us to check. After 200,000 kilometers, you might change the oil in the differential, the only oil it has. Otherwise, assuming it works, everything's okay. So, the engine is off the hook, but other fluids need to be checked. In the air conditioning, for example, or your classic windscreen wiper fluid. Plus, is the brake fluid still in top condition? But we're not just finished yet with the brakes. Because electric engines mean that cars actually use them less often. The problem here is the recuperation. When you take your foot off the gas, the energy is recovered by the motor and the brakes aren't used. A lot of car makers don't allow you to activate them. Although some, like Tesla, do. Deactivating, less so. There are special settings ranges. Most people want that energy recovered. And not using the brakes causes the discs to start rusting. To prevent this, some manufacturers have it programmed in, so that the car uses the brakes from time to time to get rid of that corrosion. Brakes can become a safety worry and might need to be replaced earlier than in a combustion engine car. There's also another source of concern on the Tesla's underside that can wear out sooner than in gasoline-powered models. The axle. In 2023, many Tesla Model 3s failed Germany's mandatory inspection due to faulty axle construction. The most obvious thing is the far greater weight. We have far more power going to the wheels, which of course means an even greater burden on the axle. Another component affected by the weight and power of electric cars are the tires. They are more expensive and might need replacing more frequently. That's the case when EV owners go pedal to the metal more often. As a result, the tires are used up more quickly. But apart from the possibilities of minor cost increases, there are a whole bunch of things absent in an e-car that mechanics like Philipp would usually need to look at in a combustion engine car. Something anyone would notice is that we have no exhaust. It would normally start here, at the engine, then the transmission, and down here to the catalytic converter or particle filter and the muffler at the rear. If it's not there, it doesn't need to be serviced. This can lead to lower overall servicing costs, which is what Jennifer Almarales-Guerra and her coachwork team have been experiencing after starting to service EV cars a few years ago. With regular engines, the cost can be more in the thousands of euros, depending on the intervals. And is far less for electric vehicles, maybe one or two hundred, again depending on the maker and the service intervals. But for independent repair shops, it can be a challenge financially. As there aren't many electric vehicles on the road yet, the workforce requires special high-voltage training to deal with EVs, and special equipment is needed as well. We might need a separate workspace for that, plus the colleague in question needs to be able to work in peace. Ideally in a team of two to cover each other. And that means they're not available for other repair jobs. But what's the deal now? Is an electric car going to cost me less or more than a combustion engine vehicle? In 2020, we'll find out. Is an electric car going to cost me less or more than a combustion engine vehicle? In 2022, Michael Kreil set out to tackle that question. The total cost for owning an electric car versus the costs of owning a fossil fuel car. And the results weren't the same for every car type. For example, when you look at small cars versus SUVs. And there, the price difference which we identified for the small and for the mini car segment were significantly higher as for the middle class and the SUV segment. And that's why they had a harder time, let's say, to achieve a cost-beneficial situation over the years. So small EVs are a lot more expensive than their combustion engine counterparts, according to Kreil's analysis. But there's another big factor which impacts the total cost of ownership. If you have, for example, access to a private wallbox at your home or, for example, at work and might be able to charge there for a large majority of your trips that you're making and you have, for example, a photovoltaic installation on your roof, then it might be factor three better than this energy price scenario. So in the middle class, the benefits would be about 10,000 to 12,000 euros over 15 years, which is quite much. So the best option is to buy a mid-range car and charge at home or at work if you can. Relying on public charging points increases the overall costs. And total costs for EVs, as with gasoline models, depend on the model. Some are cheaper than a combustion engine, others not.

President Trump explained why he fired Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Friday. Government data showed fewer jobs were added to the U.S. economy last month than expected.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump announces new tariff rates, fires employment commissioner

Former Special Counsel Jack Smith, who ran two federal prosecutions of President Trump, is under investigation for allegedly violating a law barring federal employees from using their position to influence elections.

Jack Smith investigated for using position to influence elections

Montana authorities released a new surveillance image showing who they have identified as the suspect in a bar shooting in Anaconda. Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 miles away, police in Tennessee are searching for a quadruple homicide suspect.

Anaconda

Suspect on the run after Montana bar shooting

Los Angeles officials are praising an appeals court ruling limiting immigration stops, but the decision may only escalate a battle over transparency and control. Elise Preston has the latest information.

Los Angeles

Appeals court keeps restrictions on California ICE raids

Disturbing new video shows a severely malnourished Israeli hostage being held in what appears to be an underground tunnel. This comes as witnesses and aid workers say Israeli troops opened fire on hungry civilians at two Gaza food distribution sites.

Sderot

Middle East Conflict

Hamas propaganda shows malnourished Israeli hostage

U.S. President Donald Trump fired the U.S. commissioner of labour statistics after weak jobs numbers signaled tariffs weren’t yet leading to his promised economic boom.

Trump slams weak jobs numbers as 'rigged,' fires statistics chief

Donald Trump has ordered the repositioning of two United States nuclear submarines to “appropriate regions” relative to Russia, blaming a heated exchange with Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow’s military leader and former president.

Moscow

Trump sends nuclear submarines towards Russia

A mass shooting in Anaconda triggers community shock and concern, as witnesses share their experiences and the investigation unfolds amid rising tensions.

Community in shock following deadly shooting in Anaconda

U.S. President Donald Trump said he's ordered his administration to fire the commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on the same day new data was released showing weak job growth in July. The Labor Department also sharply revised job growth for May and June down.

Trump orders firing of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner

U.S. President Donald Trump says he ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the "appropriate regions" as a response to comments made by Russia's former president. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata reports.

Trump says nuclear submarines moved in response to Russia

Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell has been transferred to a Bryan, Texas, prison, CBS News confirms. Maxwell was previously held in Tallahassee, Florida.

Bryan

Ghislaine Maxwell transferred to Texas prison

The announcement comes as international pressure mounts on Israel over the war in Gaza and the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave.

Ljubljana

Slovenia becomes first EU country to ban arms trade with Israel

The United States imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials just as other nations are stressing the importance of the PA in governing Gaza in the event of an end to the devastating war in the enclave.

New York

U.S. sanctions Palestinian Authority in growing diplomatic rift

Ukraine’s Parliament has reversed a controversial law signed last week by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which would have allowed the government greater control over anti-corruption agencies. The decision comes as the country faces one of its most significant political crises since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine parliament reverses bill on anti-corruption agencies amid crisis

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order increasing tariffs on Canadian goods that don't meet the terms of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement to 35 per cent.

Ottawa

Trump raises Canada tariff to 35%, grants extension to Mexico

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 31 in a bid to salvage Gaza truce talks and tackle a humanitarian crisis in the enclave, where a global hunger monitor has warned that famine is unfolding.

Jerusalem

Trump's envoy meets Netanyahu for Gaza aid, ceasefire push

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as more countries join the call to recognize a Palestinian state in September. CBS News' Robert Berger has the latest.

Trump envoy in Israel as Canada joins call on Palestinian statehood

President Donald Trump says the U.S. will charge a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea as part of a deal that eases, for now, tension with a top-10 trading partner and key Asian ally.

Trump says U.S. will set 15% tariff on South Korean imports

U.S. President Donald Trump slapped a 50% tariff on most Brazilian goods to fight what he has called a "witch hunt" against former President Jair Bolsonaro, but softened the blow by excluding sectors such as aircraft, energy and orange juice from heavier levies.

Rio de Janeiro

Trump hits Brazil with tariffs, sanctions but key sectors excluded

Widespread damage from tsunami waves after one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded appears to have been largely avoided. Experts say this event should be used to gauge disaster preparedness for a more serious situation in the future.

Okinawa

Tsunami damage less severe than feared after Russian earthquake

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will recognize a Palestinian state later this year if the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, meets certain conditions.

Canada to recognize Palestinian state in September if conditions met

Australia said on Wednesday (July 30) it will add YouTube to sites covered by its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing site and potentially setting up a legal challenge.

Canberra

Australia expands teen social media ban to YouTube

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (July 30) the United States will impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from India, as well as an unspecified penalty for buying Russian weapons and oil, on Aug. 1.

Trump says U.S. to hit India with 25% tariff starting August 1

Mourners flooded the streets of Birmingham to celebrate the life of rock-and-roll legend Ozzy Osbourne during his funeral procession in the United Kingdom. Mark Savage, a music reporter at the BBC, a CBS News partner, joins with more details.

Birmingham

Ozzy Osbourne fans flood Birmingham streets to mourn late music icon

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters before departing from Scotland that Jeffrey Epstein poached workers from his Mar-a-Lago spa. Trump mentioned Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's most vocal accusers, in his latest remarks.

Trump says Epstein 'stole' young women from Mar-a-Lago spa

Owdeh Hathaleen, a 31-year‑old Palestinian activist, teacher, and filmmaker behind the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was shot dead by an Israeli settler near the village of Umm al‑Khair in the South Hebron Hills.

Palestinian activist killed by Israeli settler in West Bank

A powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula triggered tsunami waves of up to 16 feet nearby, and sparked evacuation orders in Japan, Hawaii and across the Pacific on Wednesday (July 30).

Hawaii

Tsunami reaches Hawaii after huge quake shakes Russia's Far East

The U.N. General Assembly brought high-level officials together to promote a two-state solution to the decades-old Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel and the United States are boycotting the two-day meeting, co-chaired by the foreign ministers of France and Saudi Arabia

Israel and U.S. boycott UN Summit for two-state solution

With numerous countries facing an Aug. 1 trade agreement deadline, officials in the Trump administration say China could get an extension while negotiations continue.

Breakdown