Speeding Tesla drivers are escaping punishment because Elon Musk’s firm has repeatedly failed to co-operate with British police over who is behind the wheel of its electric cars.
The British arm of Tesla has been convicted at least 15 times in the last three months, racking up fines and costs totalling more than £18,000 after police letters went unanswered.
Court papers reveal one Tesla driver was caught at almost 100mph on the A3 in Petersfield in Hampshire, but escaped punishment because the firm failed to identify the driver to police. Another driver was caught speeding in west London near to a primary school but was also spared punishment.
The Standard has uncovered details of a string of prosecutions brought against Tesla since from the end of January until early May by the Metropolitan Police, Hampshire Constabulary, and Thames Valley Police. Tesla Financial Services is the registered keeper of the vehicles, and is contacted first by police when an offence is suspected.
The company provides a service to rent its vehicles on long-term leases.
Letters addressed to Tesla Financial Services were sent by police to luxury offices in Hammersmith, a service centre in West Drayton, west London, and an address in Manchester in attempts to identify the drivers. When the letters went unanswered, criminal prosecutions followed against Tesla itself.
The firm, which has its global headquarters in Austin, Texas, has been headed by chief executive and largest shareholder Musk since 2004, and is a leading name in the field of electric vehicles. Tesla has been hit with fines, costs and fees totalling £18,026 as a result of 15 convictions in UK courts for failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle when required to by police. It has not responded to requests for comment.
One of the drivers not named by Tesla was suspected of three separate driving offences, which would have put them on the cusp of an automatic ban.
All the criminal cases were brought through the Single Justice Procedure, in hearings conducted behind closed doors where magistrates sit alone to consider convicting and sentencing defendants.
Drivers suspected of speeding on the roads in England typically receive an initial letter from the police, asking them to confirm who was behind the wheel at the time of the alleged offence.
Notices of intended prosecution can follow. Motorists who amass 12 penalty points within three years face an automatic road ban.
However, speeding drivers in rented or company cars have to be named before they can face prosecution. Companies which fail to return the paperwork to police often find themselves being prosecuted instead.
