

News
North America’s largest lithium supply to be developed with DOE help
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that it will loan $700 million to mining company Ioneer to develop lithium reserves found in Nevada.
As the U.S. “battery belt” continues to develop, the demand for raw lithium to produce batteries has rapidly increased. Nowhere has this been better seen than in the price of raw lithium, which has skyrocketed over the past few months and has, in turn, contributed to the elevated prices of electric vehicles. Now, a new source of lithium, found within the state of Nevada, will be developed by the mining company Ioneer, with help from a $700 million loan from the Department of Energy.
The lithium project, called the Rhyolite Ridge project, is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada, situated between Reno and Las Vegas. According to Ioneer, it is “the largest known lithium and boron deposit in North America. Simply put, the resources on-site have the potential to immediately make a positive environmental and economic impact locally, nationally, and globally.” The mine is expected to produce enough lithium for 370,000 EVs annually after reaching full extraction and production. Ioneer has not specified when construction or production will begin, as the timeframe highly depends on the final permitting process.
As noted in reporting by Reuters, this loan would be the first in DOE history that would be directed at the development of lithium production in the United States. Still, it is far from the only investment DOE is making into making electric vehicles more affordable overall. Earlier this week, the DOE announced a $42 million package directed specifically at making electric vehicles more affordable over the coming years.
The $42 million package includes funding for 12 projects to improve EV technology and make vehicles more affordable for average Americans. These projects are directed at everything from improving battery energy density, improving cold weather performance, reducing the cost of production, and much more.
“Electric vehicle sales in America have tripled since the start of this Administration, and by addressing battery efficiency, resiliency, and affordability, the projects announced today will make EVs attractive to even more drivers,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This is a win-win for our efforts to fight climate change and power America’s clean transportation future with technologies produced by researchers and scientists right here at home.”
As electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity, not only in the United States but globally, more lithium projects are expected and necessary to feed the market. Hopefully, through diligent work from the mining companies, the DOE, and the EPA, these projects can feed that demand and can do so safely and efficiently.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
News
Tesla Model S and Model X make a comeback in Europe
The updates inside and under the surface of the new Model S and Model X are meaningful.

Tesla’s luxury flagships are making a comeback in Europe. After disappearing from Tesla’s online configurator in July, the Model S and Model X are once again available to order across the region.
Deliveries are set to begin in November, with the Model S priced from €109,990 and the Model X starting at €114,990. The update brings improved comfort, reduced cabin noise, and efficiency improvements to the two veteran EVs.
A subtle refresh
Tesla’s design team made only light exterior changes, but the updates inside and under the surface of the new Model S and Model X are meaningful. The refreshed Model S and Model X now feature upgraded insulation, enhanced active noise cancellation, and retuned air suspension to make the ride smoother and quieter.
New 19- or 21-inch wheels and ambient interior lighting add a subtle modern touch to the two flagships, while the Model X’s third-row seating has been improved with more space for occupants, Tesla Europe and Middle East noted in a post on X.
Both vehicles gained adaptive headlights, blind-spot warning lights, and a standard front camera. Efficiency has also improved thanks to new aerodynamic rims and low-rolling-resistance tires. The Model S now boasts a WLTP range of 744 kilometers, while the heavier Model X can travel up to 600 kilometers on a single charge.
Tesla’s performance flagship
The Model S Plaid, Tesla’s performance flagship, benefits from deeper upgrades in this cycle. The vehicle now features a redesigned front fascia and a new front splitter. Its rear aprons have also been updated, and it has been given a carbon rear spoiler and diffuser to enhance high-speed stability.
Underneath, the drive rotors receive carbon sleeves for better performance under extreme loads. The Plaid sprints from zero to 100 kph in just 2.1 seconds and can reach 322 kph with optional ceramic brakes, while maintaining an impressive 611-kilometer range. Considering its performance figures, the Model S Plaid has once again become the market’s best bang-for-the-buck flagship performance car.
News
Tesla begins deliveries of its affordable Model Y Standard
The ‘Standard’ Model Y is now getting ready to fall into customer hands, according to some owners, who are preparing for or have already taken delivery of the new model.

Tesla has officially started deliveries of the affordable Model Y ‘Standard’ less than three weeks after the company launched it on October 8.
Following the loss of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, Tesla launched the Model 3 and Model Y ‘Standard’ trims, both coming in at sub-$40,000 starting prices, but being stripped of many of the features that come in the ‘Premium’ configuration levels.
Tesla launches two new affordable models with ‘Standard’ Model 3, Y offerings
The vehicles are Tesla’s answer to the loss of the tax credit, which was phased out by the Trump Administration. Tesla said it has been developing these models for over a year, as it revealed in early 2024 that it was working to create new vehicles that would be more affordable.
It also said it was developing vehicles to be built on a new-generation platform, which is a likely reference to the Cybercab, which has also been spotted at both Gigafactory Texas and the Fremont Factory.
The ‘Standard’ Model Y is now getting ready to fall into customer hands, according to some owners, who are preparing for or have already taken delivery of the new model:
Delivery day fr fr 🤙🏽 https://t.co/2xHAqjgL50 pic.twitter.com/OkKLZRJlJk
— TESBROS (@teslabros) October 21, 2025
Tesla slated deliveries for November when the two vehicles launched on October 8, but that seems to be an underpromise and overdeliver type of situation.
The new features for the Model Y include:
- New athletically tuned exterior and new alloy wheels to improve aerodynamics
- 15.4″ touchscreen in the front, the same as the other trims
- Available in three colors: Stealth Grey (free), White ($1,oo0 extra), Diamond Black ($1,500 extra)
- Textile and vegan leather interior
- Range sits at 321 miles
- New front fascia
- Covered glass roof (textile on inside)
- Windows are not acoustically laminated for a quieter cabin
- Manual mirrors and seats
- Smaller frunk
- No rear infotainment screen
- No basic Autopilot
- 69 kWh battery
- New 19″ Aperture wheels
- 0-60 MPH in 6.8 seconds
- 7 speaker stereo, down from 15 speakers in premium models
@teslarati 🚨 Tesla’s Affordable Models are here! Let’s talk about them! #tesla #fyp #viral #teslaev #elonmusk ♬ Natural Emotions – Muspace Lofi
Investor's Corner
Tesla analyst says this common earnings narrative is losing importance
“Numbers are going down next year, but that’s ok because it’s all about autonomy.”

A Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) analyst is doubling down on the idea that one common earnings narrative is losing importance as the company continues to work toward new technologies and projects.
This week, Tesla will report earnings for the third quarter, and one thing people always pay attention to is deliveries. Although Tesla reveals its deliveries for the quarter well before it reports earnings, many investors will look for commentary regarding the company’s strategy for responding to the loss of the $7,500 tax credit.
Tesla has made a few moves already, including a lease deal that takes a substantial amount of money off, launching new Standard models, and cutting up to 23 percent off of lease pricing.
Tesla makes crazy move to spur short-term demand in the U.S.
However, analysts are looking at the company in a different light.
Aligning with the narrative that Tesla is not just a car company and has many different projects, Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management believes many investors need to look at another part of the business.
Munster said the delivery figures for Q3, which landed at 497,099, the highest in company history, were padded by customers rushing to showrooms to take advantage of the expiring tax credit.
He believes that deliveries will be more realistic in subsequent quarters, but investors should not worry because the focus on Tesla is not going to be on how many cars it hands over to customers:
“Numbers are going down next year, but that’s ok because it’s all about autonomy.”
Here’s the $TSLA preview. Numbers are going down next year, but that’s ok because it’s all about autonomy. pic.twitter.com/mUb9scFtCA
— Gene Munster (@munster_gene) October 17, 2025
Tesla has been working nonstop to roll out a dedicated Robotaxi platform in various cities across the United States, and has already launched in two states: Texas and California.
It has also received regulatory approvals to test driverless Robotaxis in Arizona and Nevada, while seeking permissions in Florida and other states, according to the company’s online job postings.
Munster continued:
“Most people are hyper-focused on the Robotaxi opportunity and not focused as much on FSD.”
While Robotaxi is incredibly important, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) suite is also extremely crucial moving forward, as it sets the stage for the company to roll out a formidable self-driving service.
Tesla rolled out its newest FSD software to more owners last night, and as it expands, the company is gaining valuable data to refine its performance.
Earnings will be reported tomorrow at market close.
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