Author: Declan Murphy

Tesla has expanded its engineering and innovation presence in California’s East Bay, securing a 108,000-square-foot lease close to its Fremont vehicle assembly plant, according to a report by Silicon Valley Business Journals. Tesla will occupy the entire building at 45401 Research Ave., just minutes from its long-established Fremont factory. Property listings show the site includes more than 45,000 square feet of two-storey office space and about 62,000 square feet of warehouse and light manufacturing space, making it suitable for a mix of engineering, research and specialized testing activities. See also: Tesla to End Model S and Model X Production as…

Tesla has confirmed it has restarted production of battery packs for certain Model Y vehicles using its in-house 4680 battery cells, marking a return of the technology after the automaker previously halted sales of the variant amid performance concerns. Tesla disclosed the restart in its fourth-quarter 2025 shareholder presentation, saying it had begun producing 4680-based battery packs for some Model Y vehicles as part of efforts to strengthen supply chain flexibility. The company had earlier discontinued the 4680-powered Model Y after customers reported underwhelming real-world range and slower, less efficient charging compared with versions using Tesla’s established 2170 cells. See…

Tesla reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations, supported by improving margins and record growth in its energy storage business, even as vehicle deliveries declined. For the fourth quarter, Tesla posted non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.50, above analysts’ expectations of $0.44. Revenue reached $24.9 billion, compared with forecasts of $24.5 billion, while GAAP earnings per share came in at $0.24. GAAP net income totaled $840 million, reflecting continued pressure on profitability but signaling stabilization toward the end of the year. See also: Tesla Denies Report of Major Job Cuts at Giga Berlin, Says Staffing Stable…

Tesla said on Wednesday it has not significantly reduced its workforce at its Berlin-area factory, pushing back against a German media report that claimed a sharp decline in staffing at the site. In an emailed statement cited by Reuters, Tesla said there has been no meaningful change in the number of permanent employees at the Grünheide plant compared with last year and that the company has no plans to cut headcount. “Compared to 2024, there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff. Nor are there any such plans,” the company said. See also: Musk Warns of…

Tesla has removed the in-vehicle safety monitor from its robotaxi service in Austin, marking the start of what the company describes as true unsupervised robotaxi operations after months of incremental testing. The milestone was not formally announced by Tesla, but emerged after a rider posted on X that there was no safety monitor present during a recent robotaxi trip. The observation was subsequently confirmed by Tesla and its chief executive Elon Musk, who congratulated the company’s artificial intelligence team on achieving the step. It remains unclear whether all robotaxis currently operating in Austin are now running without human supervision, or…

Unplugged Performance has unveiled a new rear aerodynamic upgrade for the 2024 and newer Tesla Model 3, claiming the component can generate more than 500 pounds of downforce at high speed while remaining suitable for everyday road use. The ASCENSION-RR Rear Carbon Fiber Wing, developed by Unplugged Performance, is designed to counteract rear lift created by the Model 3’s fastback roofline. According to the company, the wing produces 525 pounds (2,332 newtons) of rear downforce at 150 mph, increasing rear-axle tire loading during high-speed driving. When paired with Unplugged Performance’s full carbon-fiber aerodynamic package for the Model 3 Performance, total…

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Tuesday that early production of the company’s Cybercab robotaxi and Optimus humanoid robot will be “agonizingly slow” before accelerating over time, underscoring the manufacturing challenges behind two projects central to Tesla’s long-term ambitions. Responding on X to a post suggesting Cybercab production could begin in less than 100 days, Musk said the speed of any production ramp depends heavily on complexity. “Production speed is inversely proportional to the number of new parts and manufacturing steps,” he wrote. “For Cybercab and Optimus, almost everything is new, so the early production rate will be agonizingly…

Tesla emerged as one of the leading performers in the 2025 S&P Global Mobility Automotive Loyalty Awards, securing top rankings for customer retention and brand conquest in the United States. S&P Global Mobility said Tesla captured three major awards this year: “Overall Loyalty to Make,” “Highest Conquest Percentage,” and “Ethnic Market Loyalty to Make.” The results are based on an analysis of about 13.6 million new retail vehicle registrations in the U.S. between October 2024 and September 2025. See also: Tesla Targets Nine-Month Design Cycle for Custom AI Chips, Musk Says According to S&P Global Mobility, Tesla earned the “Overall…

Tesla has published a patent that outlines a potential software-based method to extend the usefulness of its older Full Self-Driving computer hardware, addressing long-standing concerns among owners about hardware obsolescence. The patent, published on Jan. 15, 2026, under the title Bit-Augmented Arithmetic Convolution (US20260017503A1), describes a technique that allows higher-precision artificial intelligence models to operate on lower-precision hardware. The filing was first highlighted by Tesla-focused commentator tslaming on the social media platform X. See also: Tesla Rolls Out FSD v14.2.2 With Incremental Improvements to Driving Behavior Tesla introduced its Hardware 3 (also known as AI3) computer in 2019, when most…

U.S. auto safety regulators have granted Tesla a five-week extension to respond to an investigation examining whether the company’s vehicles violated traffic laws while operating with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system engaged. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday it had extended Tesla’s deadline for key responses until Feb. 23, after the automaker requested additional time to manually review thousands of records to identify incidents potentially relevant to the probe. See also: Tesla Rolls Out FSD v14.2.2 With Incremental Improvements to Driving Behavior The investigation forms part of broader federal scrutiny of Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance technology, as…

Tesla has launched a seven-seat version of the Model Y in the United States, reintroducing a third-row seating option for its best-selling electric SUV alongside a set of minor feature updates for higher-end variants. The seven-seat configuration is now available through Tesla’s U.S. online configurator as a $2,500 option and is offered exclusively on the Premium All-Wheel-Drive Long Range Model Y. The third row, as in earlier versions, is designed primarily for children, reflecting limited legroom and headroom. See also: MotorTrend Names Tesla Full Self-Driving Best Driver Assistance System for 2026 Tesla first announced plans for a seven-seat Model Y…

Tesla is preparing to expand its in-house auto insurance business to Tennessee, according to a regulatory filing that would mark the company’s second new U.S. market for the product in as many months. Tesla Property & Casualty has filed a new private-passenger auto insurance program with Tennessee regulators, with a proposed effective date of March 1, 2026, according to documents first reported by insurance industry publication Coverager. The filing states that the company has “submitted a new private-passenger auto insurance program in the state,” outlining coverage and pricing features tailored to Tesla vehicle owners. If approved, Tennessee would become the…