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Tesla gets courted by Brazil to establish a Gigafactory in the country
Brazil’s Minister of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications Marcos Pontes and Congressman Daniel Freitas are reportedly in early talks about the potential for a Tesla Gigafactory in Brazil.
Both Pontes and Freitas did not disclose what company they’re negotiating with, only they hinted that it is one of the most valuable automakers in the world today. The officials also noted that they are hoping the talks will eventually result in the company opening one of its facilities in the country by 2023, the Brazilian publication NSC Total first reported.
However, a Tweet posted on Thursday by Eduardo Bolsonaro, son to Brazil’s President and a lawmaker in the country, would later confirm that talks have taken place between Brazilian authorities and William Popp, charge d’affaires at the U.S. embassy in Brasilia, on the prospect of Tesla opening up a factory in South America’s largest country.
Min. @Astro_Pontes operou ouvido ontem e hoje estava em videoconferência conosco e Sr. Popp da @EmbaixadaEUA no @mctic tratando de atrair para o Brasil fábrica da americana @Tesla ,empresa de tecnologia renovável que produz baterias e carros elétricos@DFDanielFreitas@elonmusk pic.twitter.com/S54jnjN7qs
— Eduardo Bolsonaro🇧🇷 (@BolsonaroSP) February 20, 2020
Bolsonaro’s tweet follows earlier reports that officials met on Feb. 12 to discuss the initial plans to help the federal government convince Tesla of the benefits of setting up shop in the country. The plan is to form a delegation that may include President Jair Bolsonaro to visit the Tesla headquarters in the United States.
The official entry plotted on the schedule of Minister of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications reveals that Tesla’s Senior Staff Manufacturing Engineer Anderson Pacheco was present via video conference in the office of Pontes. Pachecho graduated with a Master of Science in Production Engineering from Brazil’s Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. He has been with Tesla for over 4 years now and works both at the Fremont facility and Gigafactory 1 in Sparks, NV.
Details are limited as of reporting but the proponents may encourage Tesla to put its first Gigafactory in South America at Santa Catarina, a state in Southern Brazil and roughly 1.5 hours by plane from Rio De Janeiro.
Meanwhile, Freitas is the author of a bill that pushes for the exemption of electric vehicles from import tax. The said bill also proposes tax incentives for EVs or hybrid vehicles produced in Brazil.
If the talks of the Brazilian government and Tesla prospers and results in the building of Giga Brazil, it would be another step towards Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s goal of having Gigafactories in every continent.
Can’t wait to bring Tesla to Brazil. One of my favorite countries!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 31, 2018
Elon Musk also recently hinted that Tesla is considering a Giga Texas, which could be a perfect solution to ramp battery production or may even be the facility to help produce its upcoming all-electric Cybertruck.
Gigafactory Brazil also makes perfect sense as the country is considered a sleeping tech giant and is one of the countries of the future. With a Tesla strong foothold in Brazil, the distribution of Tesla vehicles in South America will be easier just like how the carmaker plans to do it in Asia with Giga Shanghai and in Europe with Giga Berlin.
Tesla Semi Program Director Dan Priestly teased the major improvements to the all-electric Class 8 truck on Thursday night, following the company’s decision to overhaul the design earlier this year.
Priestley said he drove the Semi on Thursday, and the improvements appear to be welcomed by one of the minds behind the project. “Our customers are going to love it,” he concluded.
Just drove the redesigned Semi. Our customers are going to love it. https://t.co/KZ88sf1CDL
— Dan Priestley (@danWpriestley) December 19, 2025
The small detail does not seem like much, but it is coming from someone who has been involved in the development of the truck from A to Z. Priestley has been involved in the Semi program since November 2015 and has slowly worked his way through the ranks, and currently stands as the Director of the program.
Tesla Semi undergoes major redesign as dedicated factory preps for deliveries
Tesla made some major changes to the Semi design as it announced at the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting that it changed the look and design to welcome improvements in efficiency.
Initially, Tesla adopted the blade-like light bar for the Semi, similar to the one that is present on the Model Y Premium and the Cybertruck.
Additionally, there are some slight aesthetic changes to help with efficiency, including a redesigned bumper with improved aero channels, a smaller wraparound windshield, and a smoother roofline for better aero performance.
All of these changes came as the company’s Semi Factory, which is located on Gigafactory Nevada’s property, was finishing up construction in preparation for initial production phases, as Tesla is planning to ramp up manufacturing next year. CEO Elon Musk has said the Semi has attracted “ridiculous demand.”
The Semi has already gathered many large companies that have signed up to buy units, including Frito-Lay and PepsiCo., which have been helping Tesla test the vehicle in a pilot program to test range, efficiency, and other important metrics that will be a major selling point.
Tesla will be the Semi’s first user, though, and the truck will help solve some of the company’s logistics needs in the coming years.
Tesla is dominating in the United Kingdom so far through 2025, and with about two weeks left in the year, the Model Y and Model 3 are leading the way.
The Model Y and Model 3 are the two best-selling electric vehicles in the United Kingdom, which is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and it’s not particularly close.
According to data gathered by EU-EVs, the Model Y is sitting at 18,890 units for the year, while the Model 3 is slightly behind with 16,361 sales for the year so far.
The next best-selling EV is the Audi Q4 e-tron at 10,287 units, lagging significantly behind but ahead of other models like the BMW i4 and the Audi Q6 e-tron.
GOOD NEWS 🇬🇧 Tesla is absolutely crushing the UK electric vehicle market in 2025 💥
The numbers are in, and the dominance is clear. With an impressive amount of 42,270 vehicles delivered year-to-date, the brand now commands a solid 9.6% market share of the total auto market 🆒… pic.twitter.com/dkiGX9kzd0
— Ming (@tslaming) December 18, 2025
The Model Y has tasted significant success in the global market, but it has dominated in large markets like Europe and the United States.
For years, it’s been a car that has fit the bill of exactly what consumers need: a perfect combination of luxury, space, and sustainability.
Both vehicles are going to see decreases in sales compared to 2024; the Model Y was the best-selling car last year, but it sold 32,610 units in the UK. Meanwhile, the Model 3 had reached 17,272 units, which will keep it right on par with last year.
Tesla sold 50,090 units in the market last year, and it’s about 8,000 units shy of last year’s pace. It also had a stronger market share last year with 13.2 percent of the sales in the market. With two weeks left in 2025, Tesla has a 9.6 percent market share, leading Volkswagen with 8 percent.
The company likely felt some impact from CEO Elon Musk’s involvement with the Trump administration and, more specifically, his role with DOGE. However, it is worth mentioning that some months saw stronger consumer demand than others. For example, sales were up over 20 percent in February. A 14 percent increase followed this in June.
News
Tesla Insurance officially expands to new U.S. state
Tesla’s in-house Insurance program first launched back in late 2019, offering a new way to insure the vehicles that was potentially less expensive and could alleviate a lot of the issues people had with claims, as the company could assess and repair the damage itself.
Tesla Insurance has officially expanded to a new U.S. state, its thirteenth since its launch in 2019.
Tesla has confirmed that its in-house Insurance program has officially made its way to Florida, just two months after the company filed to update its Private Passenger Auto program in the state. It had tried to offer its insurance program to drivers in the state back in 2022, but its launch did not happen.
Instead, Tesla refiled the paperwork back in mid-October, which essentially was the move toward initiating the offering this month.
BREAKING: Tesla Insurance has just officially launched in Florida.
This is the first new state to receive @Tesla Insurance in more than 3 years. In total, Tesla insurance is now available in 13 U.S. states (map in thread below of all the states).
Tesla Insurance in Florida uses… pic.twitter.com/bDwh1IV6gD
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) December 17, 2025
Tesla’s in-house Insurance program first launched back in late 2019, offering a new way to insure the vehicles that was potentially less expensive and could alleviate a lot of the issues people had with claims, as the company could assess and repair the damage itself.
It has expanded to new states since 2019, but Florida presents a particularly interesting challenge for Tesla, as the company’s entry into the state is particularly noteworthy given its unique insurance landscape, characterized by high premiums due to frequent natural disasters, dense traffic, and a no-fault system.
Annual average premiums for Florida drivers hover around $4,000 per year, well above the national average. Tesla’s insurance program could disrupt this, especially for EV enthusiasts. The state’s growing EV adoption, fueled by incentives and infrastructure development, aligns perfectly with Tesla’s ecosystem.
Moreover, there are more ways to have cars repaired, and features like comprehensive coverage for battery damage and roadside assistance tailored to EVs address those common painpoints that owners have.
However, there are some challenges that still remain. Florida’s susceptibility to hurricanes raises questions about how Tesla will handle claims during disasters.
Looking ahead, Tesla’s expansion of its insurance program signals the company’s ambition to continue vertically integrating its services, including coverage of its vehicles. Reducing dependency on third-party insurers only makes things simpler for the company’s automotive division, as well as for its customers.
Tesla Semi program Director teases major improvements
Tesla dominates in the UK with Model Y and Model 3 leading the way
