In a concerning pattern, the British arm of Elon Musk’s electric car giant Tesla has been convicted at least 18 times and ordered to pay over £20,000 in fines for repeatedly failing to assist UK police forces with investigations into alleged road traffic offences.
Over the past two years, Tesla has faced multiple criminal court proceedings linked to these allegations. The issue stems from the company’s leasing model, where the registered keeper of the vehicle is typically the leasing company, rather than the individual driver.
When drivers of rented or company cars are caught speeding, the law requires the registered keeper to identify the driver before any prosecution can proceed. However, Tesla has been accused of failing to return the necessary paperwork to police, leading to the company itself being prosecuted instead.
In one incident, South Wales Police wrote to Tesla Financial Services in a bid to identify the driver of a Tesla that had been caught speeding at 80mph on the M4 motorway near Llantrisiant in July 2021. Court documents show that a Tesla company director, Becky Hodgson, later pleaded guilty to the charge by email, claiming the company had tried to enter the plea online but “encountered a technical issue.”
Hodgson suggested in her email that Tesla had complied with the police request, stating that its internal processes were followed and the driver nomination was sent by post. However, the company was still convicted and fined £1,000, with additional costs and a victim surcharge.
At least 18 convictions against Tesla Financial Services have been identified by the Press Association since the start of 2024, involving prosecutions brought by various police forces across England and Wales. Seventeen of these cases have already been sentenced, while another is awaiting sentencing at Bath Magistrates’ Court.
In one of the concluded cases, a Tesla driver was caught on a speed camera doing almost 100mph on the A3 in Petersfield, Hampshire. But due to unanswered police letters, the speeding driver was not identified, and the company received a conviction with a fine instead.
Another Tesla driver was caught speeding three times, potentially putting them on the cusp of a driving disqualification, but again the driver could not be identified due to Tesla’s failure to respond to police correspondence.
The fines, costs and court fees imposed on Tesla in these cases have totalled £20,686, highlighting the significant financial consequences the company is facing for its lack of cooperation with authorities.
When approached for comment, both Tesla and South Wales Police declined to provide any further details on this ongoing issue.
