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Apple Aims for 2019 Launch of Electric Car, Triples Project Titan Team
Apple has given permission to the managers of its Project Titan project to triple the size of the team and work toward a “ship date” in the year 2019.

Leaks from inside Apple claim the company has given permission to Project Titan managers to triple the size of the staff from 600 to 1,800, most of which will be drawn from existing employees. Apple is also said to be targeting a “ship date” of 2019 for its first car, but according to the WSJ, a “ship date” marks the date in which the company’s engineering staff gives final approval to a design, not when manufacturing begins.
During last week’s Frankfurt auto show, senior executives from the world’s automakers were all talking about what Apple and Google are planning. Connectivity is now the watchword for cars of the future, and both Apple and Google have an advantage over traditional car makers when it comes to their prowess in electronics and digital technology.
Most of the car company chiefs are worried they may turn into mere suppliers of sub-systems to Apple and Google in the future. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Mercedes Benz, told the press in Frankfurt, “What is important for us is that the brain of the car, the operating system, is not iOS or Android or someone else but it’s our brain. We do not plan to become the Foxconn of Apple,” he said, referring to the Taiwanese company that manufactures the iPhone for Apple.
“Starting from sustainability, going over to digitalization, and ending up at autonomous driving — these three big things are really something that is a game changer for the automotive industry,” said Stephen Winkelmann, CEO of Lamborghini. “Everybody has to tackle these challenges.” Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen added, “By the end of this decade we will have transformed all of our new cars into smart phones on wheels.”
That was before Mr. Winterkorn got blindsided by the VW diesel emission cheating scandal. Now there are some who believe that scandal could severely weaken the company or perhaps put it out of business. Volkswagen’s market valuation has lost almost $18 billion since the news broke last Friday. That could make it an interesting takeover target for some cash-rich company — like Apple.
There are rumors the Apple car might be a minivan-like vehicle. But there is no hard news escaping from inside the company about what sort of vehicle it has in mind. No one knows whether it intends to manufacture the car itself or let others be responsible for assembling it. The only thing insiders will say is that the car will probably not be fully autonomous — at least not at first. Among other things, the regulatory environment needed to support self-driving cars will probably not be in place for some years to come.
Gene Munster, an equity analyst with Piper Jaffray, says he expects any Apple car to have three distinctive features: a unique design, the ability to work with other Apple devices, and some autonomous capability. Tesla cars already have most of the elements on that list. What new innovations will Apple bring to the party?
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Tesla Semis to get 18 new Megachargers at this PepsiCo plant
PepsiCo is set to add more Tesla Semi Megachargers, this time at a facility in North Carolina.

Tesla partner PepsiCo is set to build new Semi charging stations at one of its manufacturing sites, as revealed in new permitting plans shared this week.
On Friday, Tesla charging station scout MarcoRP shared plans on X for 18 Semi Megacharging stalls at PepsiCo’s facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, coming as the latest update plans for the company’s increasingly electrified fleet. The stalls are set to be built side by side, along with three Tesla Megapack grid-scale battery systems.
The plans also note the faster charging speeds for the chargers, which can charge the Class 8 Semi at speeds of up to 1MW. Tesla says that the speed can charge the Semi back to roughly 70 percent in around 30 minutes.
You can see the site plans for the PepsiCo North Carolina Megacharger below.

Credit: PepsiCo (via MarcoRPi1 on X)

Credit: PepsiCo (via MarcoRPi1 on X)
READ MORE ON THE TESLA SEMI: Tesla to build Semi Megacharger station in Southern California
PepsiCo’s Tesla Semi fleet, other Megachargers, and initial tests and deliveries
PepsiCo was the first external customer to take delivery of Tesla’s Semis back in 2023, starting with just an initial order of 15. Since then, the company has continued to expand the fleet, recently taking delivery of an additional 50 units in California. The PepsiCo fleet was up to around 86 units as of last year, according to statements from Semi Senior Manager Dan Priestley.
Additionally, the company has similar Megachargers at its facilities in Modesto, Sacramento, and Fresno, California, and Tesla also submitted plans for approval to build 12 new Megacharging stalls in Los Angeles County.
Over the past couple of years, Tesla has also been delivering the electric Class 8 units to a number of other companies for pilot programs, and Priestley shared some results from PepsiCo’s initial Semi tests last year. Notably, the executive spoke with a handful of PepsiCo workers who said they really liked the Semi and wouldn’t plan on going back to diesel trucks.
The company is also nearing completion of a higher-volume Semi plant at its Gigafactory in Nevada, which is expected to eventually have an annual production capacity of 50,000 Semi units.
Tesla executive teases plan to further electrify supply chain
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Tesla sales soar in Norway with new Model Y leading the charge
Tesla recorded a 54% year-over-year jump in new vehicle registrations in June.

Tesla is seeing strong momentum in Norway, with sales of the new Model Y helping the company maintain dominance in one of the world’s most electric vehicle-friendly markets.
Model Y upgrades and consumer preferences
According to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), Tesla recorded a 54% year-over-year jump in new vehicle registrations in June. The Model Y led the charge, posting a 115% increase compared to the same period last year. Tesla Norway’s growth was even more notable in May, with sales surging a whopping 213%, as noted in a CNBC report.
Christina Bu, secretary general of the Norwegian EV Association (NEVA), stated that Tesla’s strong market performance was partly due to the updated Model Y, which is really just a good car, period.
“I think it just has to do with the fact that they deliver a car which has quite a lot of value for money and is what Norwegians need. What Norwegians need, a large luggage space, all wheel drive, and a tow hitch, high ground clearance as well. In addition, quite good digital solutions which people have gotten used to, and also a charging network,” she said.
Tesla in Europe
Tesla’s success in Norway is supported by long-standing government incentives for EV adoption, including exemptions from VAT, road toll discounts, and access to bus lanes. Public and home charging infrastructure is also widely available, making the EV ownership experience in the country very convenient.
Tesla’s performance in Europe is still a mixed bag, with markets like Germany and France still seeing declines in recent months. In areas such as Norway, Spain, and Portugal, however, Tesla’s new car registrations are rising. Spain’s sales rose 61% and Portugal’s sales rose 7% last month. This suggests that regional demand may be stabilizing or rebounding in pockets of Europe.
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Tesla to open first India experience center in Mumbai on July 15
The event is scheduled for July 15 at the Bandra Kurla Complex, a premier business district in Mumbai.

Tesla is officially entering India with the opening of its first showroom and experience center in Mumbai next week. The event is scheduled for July 15 at the Bandra Kurla Complex, a premier business district in Mumbai.
Tesla imports to India signal an early-stage market entry strategy
According to Indian customs data, Tesla has imported approximately $1 million worth of vehicles, charging equipment, and merchandise into the country between January and June. The shipments include six Model Y comprised of five standard variants valued at $32,500 each and one long-range model valued at $46,000. Several Superchargers and related accessories were also imported into the country, as noted in a Yahoo Finance report.
These vehicles are expected to serve as display models and test units as Tesla gauges interest and navigates India’s high import duties, which hover around 70% on fully built vehicles. Despite the significant tariffs in the country, Tesla has opted to begin its India expansion with imported cars.
An invitation to the Tesla India launch event has been making the rounds online. As could be seen in the document, Tesla noted that July 15 would be the launch of Tesla in India through the opening of a Tesla experience centre at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.
Tesla India’s hiring and expansion efforts are underway
Tesla has filled a number of key roles from the 30+ positions it advertised earlier this year. Recent hires include store managers, service executives, and sales staff, while ongoing recruitment is focused on supply chain engineers and vehicle operators to support the company’s Autopilot program.
Indian officials have been open about their intention to encourage Tesla to establish a manufacturing hub in the country. Tesla does seem open to the idea, at least, with reports last year hinting that Elon Musk was set to visit the country to discuss or even potentially announce a domestic project. The trip, however, was ultimately canceled.
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