California Governor Gavin Newsom is currently visiting China to discuss climate initiatives, and one stop on Sunday included a visit to U.S. automaker Tesla’s factory in Shanghai.
Governor Newsom visited and toured the Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai on Sunday, as detailed ahead of the trip by Cal Matters and reported by Elex Michaelson in a video on X. The visit to the world’s most productive electric vehicle (EV) plant underscores the unique relationship between the U.S. and China, as the latter country still controls much of the supply chain for EV battery materials.
The visit is intended to look at how China and California can cooperate on climate goals, and it included trips to Shenzen, where a fully electric 16,000-bus fleet is operational, an offshore wind facility in Jiangsu, and finally, the Shanghai facility. In addition, Newsom test-drove one of BYD’s hybrid vehicles and held a meeting in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In the video shared by Michaelson, you can see Newsom and other officials watching as the Model Y production line is in action. Michaelson notes that the facility produces around 2,000 cars per day at Giga Shanghai.
.@GavinNewsom tours @Tesla’s gigafactory outside Shanghai, China.
They produce 2,000 new cars a day here. pic.twitter.com/DE62OyEWKL
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) October 29, 2023
In a separate video shared on X by WuWa on Sunday, Newsom was asked multiple questions outside of Giga Shanghai, including how he saw Tesla’s role in the cooperation between the U.S. and China.
“It’s demonstrable,” Newsom said. “I mean the jobs it’s created, the entrepreneurial spirit, the innovation. I’m happy to see the success of this facility.”
Newsom was also asked if he would talk to Tesla CEO Elon Musk when he returns to the U.S. about what he saw at Giga Shanghai, responding that he “imagines” they will, and noting that Tesla moved its engineering and R&D headquarters back to California earlier this year, as located in Palo Alto. Tesla also operates a large factory in Fremont, California.
Additionally, Newsom was spotted test-driving Tesla’s newly redesigned Model 3, which you can see below in a video shared by Sawyer Merritt.
California governor Gavin Newsom test drives the new Tesla Model 3pic.twitter.com/khN7Y7UTC6
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 29, 2023
During his time in Jiangsu, Governor Newsom also signed a memorandum of understanding on climate change work, with a particular focus on offshore wind development. The state of California hopes to be producing 25 gigawatts of offshore wind electricity by 2045, which could provide around 13 percent of the state’s power supply and could power roughly 25 million homes in the state.
California has particularly ambitious climate and EV adoption goals compared to many other U.S. states, including a ban on the sale of new gas cars starting in 2035. Although the state has been ahead of the U.S. on EV adoption thus far, China still remains the top miner and producer of EV battery materials.
According to U.K. firm TechInsights, China manages about 80 percent of the world’s cobalt processing, 76 percent of the world’s natural graphite processing, 56 percent of its synthetic graphite and 60 percent of the world’s processing capacity for lithium compounds. The country also produces 50 percent of the world’s sodium hydroxide.
President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) requires at least half of all EV battery components to be sourced in the U.S. or from a country with a free trade agreement.
California to disperse $40.5 million in funding for EV fast-chargers
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Tesla posts Optimus’ most impressive video demonstration yet
The humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network.

When Elon Musk spoke with CNBC’s David Faber in an interview at Giga Texas, he reiterated the idea that Optimus will be one of Tesla’s biggest products. Seemingly to highlight the CEO’s point, the official Tesla Optimus account on social media platform X shared what could very well be the most impressive demonstration of the humanoid robot’s capabilities to date.
Optimus’ Newest Demonstration
In its recent video demonstration, the Tesla Optimus team featured the humanoid robot performing a variety of tasks. These include household chores such as throwing the trash, using a broom and a vacuum cleaner, tearing a paper towel, stirring a pot of food, opening a cabinet, and closing a curtain, among others. The video also featured Optimus picking up a Model X fore link and placing it on a dolly.
What was most notable in the Tesla Optimus team’s demonstration was the fact that the humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network. The robot’s actions were also learned directly from Optimus being fed data from first-person videos of humans performing similar tasks. This system should pave the way for Optimus to learn and refine new skills quickly and reliably.
Tesla VP for Optimus Shares Insight
In a follow-up post on X, Tesla Vice President of Optimus (Tesla Bot) Milan Kovac stated that one of the team’s goals is to have Optimus learn straight from internet videos of humans performing tasks, including footage captured in third person or by random cameras.
“We recently had a significant breakthrough along that journey, and can now transfer a big chunk of the learning directly from human videos to the bots (1st person views for now). This allows us to bootstrap new tasks much faster compared to teleoperated bot data alone (heavier operationally).
“Many new skills are emerging through this process, are called for via natural language (voice/text), and are run by a single neural network on the bot (multi-tasking). Next: expand to 3rd person video transfer (aka random internet), and push reliability via self-play (RL) in the real-, and/or synthetic- (sim / world models) world,” Kovac wrote in his post on X.
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Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City
SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025.

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.
Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.
As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.
On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”
Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.
Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.
News
The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans
The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.
Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.
“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”
Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.
Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.
“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”
The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.
Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.
“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”
A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.
As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.
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