Tesla has been convicted at least 18 times for failing to cooperate with police forces around the UK, new data has found.
The Elon Musk-led company has faced multiple criminal court proceedings over the last two years, with courts requiring the company to pay more than £20,000.
The electric car manufacturer was convicted at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court and made to pay a £1,000 fine, £120 in costs and a £400 surcharge on January 6, 2026.
South Wales Police wrote to Tesla Financial Services in hopes of identifying a driver who had been speeding at 80mph on the M4 in Wales on July 4, 2025.
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The PA news agency reported that Tesla Financial Services is listed as the registered keeper of the vehicle, with the police force noting that a response had not been received.
Following the inaction, South Wales Police issued a charge of failing to identify the driver of the vehicle when required.
Court records show that a company director pleaded guilty on behalf of the firm in late November, but reported a "technical issue on the Online Plea Service portal".
The director suggested in an email to the court that the company had complied with the police request.
Tesla has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 in court costs since the start of 2024
|REUTERS
Tesla records claim to show that an internal process was followed, with a notification being sent to South Wales Police via second class post.
Press Association states that at least 18 convictions have gone against Tesla Financial Services since the start of 2024.
Prosecutions against the company have been brought by the likes of the Metropolitan Police, Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police.
One incident saw a Tesla driver clocked travelling at almost 100mph on the A3 in Petersfield, Hampshire.
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The speeding driver was not identified, given that police letters went unanswered. The company was fined instead.
Another event saw a Tesla driver caught speeding three times, which could have seen them close to losing their licence.
However, as seen in previous cases, the driver was not identified, meaning the fine went to Tesla Financial Services.
PA states that Tesla Financial Services has been slapped with fines, costs and court fees worth a total of £20,686.
Tesla remains the best-selling electric vehicle brand in the UK
| TESLAThese were passed down by magistrates sitting in the Single Justice Procedure since the start of 2024.
Tesla remains the UK's largest electric vehicle seller, with the all-EV brand registering 45,513 new vehicles in the UK last year.
The Tesla Model Y and Tesla Model 3 were the two best-selling electric vehicles in the UK with 24,298 and 21,188 new registrations in the last 12 months, respectively.