Author: Declan Murphy

Tesla has enabled free Supercharging at selected locations across Mississippi and Tennessee, turning its fast-charging network into an emergency support system as communities continue to recover from a late January winter storm that knocked out power to large parts of the region. As of Feb. 3, 2026, Tesla said all Superchargers in both states were back online, with free charging activated at key sites to assist drivers still unable to charge reliably at home. See also: Tesla Reports Record Expansion of Global Supercharger Network in 2025 The ice storm brought freezing rain that downed power lines and left hundreds of…

Tesla has expanded its U.S. Model Y range with the launch of a new all-wheel-drive (AWD) variant priced at $41,990, while also simplifying trim names across the lineup, according to details published on the company’s configurator. The new Model Y AWD is positioned between the entry-level rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version and the higher-priced Premium trims, offering buyers a more affordable dual-motor option without the additional features bundled into the Premium packages. The variant is currently available only in the United States. In Canada, Tesla has applied the revised naming structure but has not introduced a new AWD model. See also: Tesla…

Tesla has withdrawn its application to launch Tesla Insurance in the U.S. state of Georgia, marking the first known instance of the company pulling back from an attempted expansion of its in-house auto insurance business. According to filings in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ System for Electronic Rate and Form Filing (SERFF) database, Tesla Property & Casualty, Inc. withdrew two submissions related to personal auto insurance in Georgia. One filing covered rates and rules for private passenger auto insurance, while the other related to policy forms. See also: Lemonade Launches Insurance Tied to Tesla’s FSD, Promising Lower Per-Mile Rates…

Benjamin Bate, Tesla’s director of vehicle operations and engineering at its Fremont, California plant, has left the electric vehicle maker after more than eight years with the company, according to information published on his LinkedIn profile and reported by EV news outlet Electrek. Bate, a veteran production manager, held several senior roles during his tenure at Tesla. He began at the Fremont factory overseeing maintenance and control of the paint shop before being appointed director of manufacturing for the Model 3 and Model Y in December 2020. In that role, he supervised production of Tesla’s highest-volume vehicles at the site…

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…