Author: Sean Whitmore

Tesla has disclosed the battery capacities of its Tesla Semi electric truck through a regulatory filing with the California Air Resources Board, confirming that the long-awaited heavy-duty vehicle will be offered with battery packs of 548 kWh and 822 kWh. The filing reveals that the Tesla Semi Standard Range uses a 548-kWh battery, while the Long-Range version is equipped with an 822-kWh pack. According to reports from the United States, the larger battery configuration is believed to use three battery packs, while the smaller version uses two. Tesla manufactures the battery packs internally using 4680-format cells with NCMA chemistry, although…

Tesla plans to expand its battery cell manufacturing ambitions at its Grünheide facility in Germany, targeting annual production capacity of 18 GWh of 4680-format cells and creating more than 1,500 additional jobs, according to plant manager André Thierig. Thierig announced on LinkedIn that Tesla would invest $250 million in the battery cell factory at Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, describing the move as “good news during challenging times for the German industry.” “Today, we announced a $250m investment for our Giga Berlin Cell factory,” Thierig wrote. “This will enable 18GWh of annual 4680 cell production and create more than 1500 new jobs.” The…

Tesla is seeking approval to expand its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) driver assistance system across the European Union after receiving authorization from the Dutch vehicle authority, but the effort is facing growing scrutiny from regulators and safety groups. In April, the Netherlands’ vehicle approval authority RDW granted type approval for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system. The technology allows drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel while the vehicle handles steering functions, although drivers are still required to monitor the road and remain prepared to intervene at any time. See also: Tesla Begins Rollout of FSD v14.3 With Faster AI…

Tesla said it is rolling out an updated machine-learning model designed to better predict utilisation at its Supercharger network, aiming to minimize waiting times and improve route planning for drivers. In a post published on X, Tesla’s charging division outlined efforts to manage traffic flows more efficiently by guiding drivers to less congested charging stations. The system is intended to optimize total journey time, including charging stops, by avoiding overcrowded locations. https://twitter.com/TeslaCharging/status/2047387324573737381 “For the rare times when a wait does occur, we need to provide the most accurate estimates so you can plan with confidence,” Tesla Charging said in the…

Tesla is evaluating a smaller electric sport utility vehicle positioned below the Model Y as it considers expanding into a lower-priced segment, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The proposed model would be a compact SUV smaller than the Model Y and priced below Tesla’s current entry-level vehicles, according to the report. Reuters said Tesla has recently held discussions with suppliers regarding components for the vehicle, which would be developed as a standalone model rather than a derivative of the Model 3 or Model Y. The compact SUV is expected to measure about 4.28 meters in length, roughly…

Tesla has expanded availability of its long-wheelbase Model Y L, launching the six-seat electric sport utility vehicle across eight markets in Asia as part of a broader regional rollout. The new markets include Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Macau, and Philippines. In South Korea, Tesla said the Model Y L will start at 64.99 million won (about $43,000), with vehicles already arriving in showrooms. Deliveries across most of the newly added markets are expected to begin later this month. https://twitter.com/tesla_korea/status/2039857705234636908 Initial supply will be sourced from Tesla’s Shanghai factory, which currently serves as the primary production hub…

The United States government said LG Energy Solution (LGES) will manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells for Tesla at a facility in Lansing, Michigan, as part of broader energy sector investments announced at the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Summit in Tokyo. The cells are intended for Tesla’s stationary energy storage systems, particularly its Megapack products. The project forms part of a wider package of initiatives worth $56 billion involving cooperation between Asian and U.S. companies. See also: LG Energy Solution to Take Full Control of Canada’s NextStar Battery Venture According to a U.S. government statement, the plan includes a $4.3…

Three long-serving executives at Tesla have recently left the company, including finance executive Sendil Palani, software leader Thomas Dmytryk, and Cybercab program manager Victor Nechita. Palani had one of the longest tenures among the group. He first joined Tesla in January 2009, briefly left in 2011, and returned in May 2014. As vice president of finance, he reported directly to chief financial officer Vaibhav Taneja. In a LinkedIn post reflecting on his time at the company, Palani described the early challenges Tesla faced as it struggled to survive financially. “Tesla barely survived Christmas 2008. I started a few days later…

Tesla has rejected reports that production at its Grünheide factory in Germany fell sharply in 2025, disputing figures that suggested the plant operated far below capacity. Data from automotive analytics firm Inovev, cited by the German newspaper Handelsblatt, indicated that Tesla produced about 149,040 vehicles at the facility last year. That would represent a decline from 192,801 units in 2024 and 211,235 units in 2023. The site, located in Grünheide near Berlin, is designed for annual production of more than 375,000 vehicles. Based on the reported figures, utilisation of the factory would have dropped to around 39.7% in 2025 from…

Tesla has received a regulatory waiver from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowing the use of ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology in its wireless charging system for the upcoming Cybercab robotaxi, clearing a key obstacle for cable-free charging in the United States. The Cybercab, designed as a fully autonomous two-seat vehicle without pedals or a steering wheel, is being prepared for series production, with early units reportedly assembled at Tesla’s plant in Austin, Texas. The new charging approach is intended to enable unattended operation by eliminating the need for physical connectors. https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/2024377945356222691 Tesla’s system uses static inductive charging, consisting of…

Tesla has produced the first unit of its forthcoming Tesla Cybercab at its Texas manufacturing facility, marking an early milestone roughly six weeks before the company’s targeted start of volume production. The automaker announced the development on social media, sharing an image of employees gathered around the newly assembled vehicle at Gigafactory Texas. Chief Executive Elon Musk recently reiterated that large-scale production remains scheduled to begin in April. See also: Musk Warns of Slow Initial Ramp for Tesla Cybercab and Optimus Production The first Cybercab is not considered a full production vehicle but part of Tesla’s validation process. Early builds…

Tesla has begun deploying the Grok artificial intelligence assistant, developed by xAI, to its vehicles across several European countries, marking the feature’s first availability outside the United States. The rollout follows regulatory delays and comes as part of software update 2026.2.6. The feature, branded “Grok with Navigation Commands (Beta),” allows drivers to interact with a conversational AI capable of answering questions and directly controlling the vehicle’s navigation system. Tesla said the assistant can interpret natural language requests rather than relying solely on predefined voice commands. See also: Tesla Offers 0% Financing on Model Y and 0.99% on Model 3 in…

Tesla has filed new trademark applications for the terms “Cybercar” and “Cybervehicle,” as the U.S. electric vehicle maker prepares alternative branding options for its upcoming autonomous vehicle amid ongoing legal and regulatory challenges. The filings come as Tesla works through complications surrounding its original plan to brand the vehicle as “Cybercab,” a name unveiled alongside the company’s robotaxi ambitions. That trademark application has been suspended by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to public records. See also: Tesla Plans Robotaxi Expansion to Orlando and Tampa in 2026 U.S. Rollout The suspension stems from an earlier trademark filing for “Cybercab”…

Tesla’s Model Y has been named the Best Electric Vehicle in Consumer Reports’ newly released 2026 Top Picks list, earning the only category win for a fully electric vehicle in the annual rankings. Consumer Reports evaluates more than 260 vehicles each year, combining proprietary road tests with predicted reliability, safety performance and owner satisfaction data. Its 2026 list includes just 10 vehicles across the entire market. While the organisation highlighted a broader industry shift toward electrification and hybrid powertrains, the Model Y emerged as the sole pure battery-electric vehicle to secure a top category position. See also: Tesla Keeps Strong…

The Delaware Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Tesla, sharply reducing legal fees awarded to shareholder attorneys in a settled lawsuit against the automaker’s directors after finding the original calculation overstated the value of the settlement. In its decision, the court cut the legal fee award to $70.9 million from $176.1 million, concluding that the lower court had improperly included the intrinsic value of returned stock options when assessing the settlement’s worth. The revision represents savings of about $105 million for Tesla. See also: Tesla Fremont Manufacturing Director Benjamin Bate Departs After Eight Years The shareholder lawsuit had been…

Tesla has confirmed a $2 billion equity investment in xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by Elon Musk, marking a significant deepening of ties between the electric vehicle maker and the AI startup despite an earlier shareholder vote that opposed a larger potential investment. In a statement included under “Other Updates” in its fourth-quarter 2025 shareholder deck, Tesla said it entered into an agreement on Jan. 16, 2026, to acquire shares of Series E Preferred Stock in xAI as part of a previously disclosed financing round. Tesla said the transaction was conducted on market terms consistent with those accepted by…

Tesla has disclosed for the first time how many customers globally are using its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software, revealing that the total number of active users reached 1.1 million in 2025. The figure was published in Tesla’s fourth-quarter 2025 shareholder presentation and represents a combined count of customers who either purchased FSD outright or are paying for the feature through a monthly subscription. Tesla did not break down how many users fall into each category. See also: Lemonade Launches Insurance Tied to Tesla’s FSD, Promising Lower Per-Mile Rates The number marks a sharp increase from previous years, rising from about…

Elon Musk has held preliminary discussions about potentially consolidating parts of his business empire, including exploring whether SpaceX could merge with Tesla or absorb his artificial intelligence startup xAI, according to company filings and sources cited by Reuters and Bloomberg. SpaceX has evaluated the feasibility of a combination with Tesla, an idea that some investors have encouraged, the sources said. Executives have also discussed an alternative scenario in which xAI would be folded into SpaceX ahead of a potential public offering later this year that could value the combined entity at up to $1.5 trillion. No decisions have been taken,…

Tesla will cease production of its flagship Model S sedan and Model X sport utility vehicle as the company pivots toward robotics and artificial intelligence, Chief Executive Elon Musk said during the automaker’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call. “It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge,” Musk said. “It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.” See also: Tesla Beats Q4 Earnings Expectations as Margins Improve and Energy Business Sets Records Tesla will transition the Model S and Model X production lines at its Fremont, California factory to…

Tesla has stopped including certain driver-assistance features with new vehicles sold in the United States and Canada, requiring customers who want self-steering and similar capabilities to subscribe to its $99-per-month Full Self-Driving (Supervised) package. According to Tesla’s online vehicle configuration pages, new buyers will continue to receive Traffic Aware Cruise Control, which maintains a set speed and follows traffic at a safe distance. However, Autosteer—previously part of Tesla’s Autopilot suite and designed to keep vehicles centered in highway lanes—will no longer be included as standard equipment. Tesla has also discontinued sales of Enhanced Autopilot, which added features such as automatic…