Connect with us

News

Elon Musk’s Boring Co. to build concrete batch plant for tunnel “rings”

Published

on

Elon Musk’s tunneling startup, The Boring Company, will use custom concrete rings for its tunneling projects. According to a request for tax exclusion that the company submitted to the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority last December, the Boring Co. tunnels will use a type of concrete that is superior to the industry standard.

As stated in the company’s documents, The Boring Company intends to build a batch plant and a carousel system to manufacture and transport concrete rings — tunnel walls made up of multiple segments that are linked together. The tunneling startup expects that the rings it will be producing would be able to withstand earthquakes and over 100 years of continuous use.

The Boring Company noted that it would utilize “advanced materials” to manufacture its tunnels’ concrete walls. The concrete that the company intends to produce would be durable as well, with the startup stating that the segments are expected to reach strengths in excess of 6,500 pounds per square inch.

Apart from this, the startup’s concrete also has a setting time of just 1-7 days, substantially shorter than the industry standard of 28 days. The Boring Company further noted that the concrete it would be using is formulated in a way that would make the segments incredibly dense, making the Boring Co.’s rings less permeable and more resistant to corrosion.

Advertisement

The concrete rings for the Boring Company tunnels are only as effective as the machine that makes and sets them, however. In this light, the tunneling startup stated that it would be using a fully-automated carousel system that is designed to transport and set the concrete rings without human intervention.

“The system used to produce the concrete rings has been customized by The Boring Company, and the company represents that it is the world’s first fully-automated carousel system. This equipment requires precise engineering and will allow for higher precision and speeds than what is currently on the market, according to the TBC.

“Additionally, the fully-automated carousel will enable the production and transportation of the rings without human intervention, but The Boring Company represents that the process will still be monitored by staff for safety and quality from a control center. TBC represents this carousel system, and the specialized moulds will produce rings that are lighter than standard concrete rings, while maintaining their strength.”

The document also revealed that The Boring Co. would be making the manufacturing facility of the concrete rings fully electric. Apart from being more environmentally-friendly than conventional systems that use fossil fuels, an all-electric manufacturing process for the company’s concrete segments is expected to result in a 20% decrease in energy consumption.

Advertisement

The Boring Co. expects to purchase the property for its batch plant within the next 12 months.

While only a year old, the Boring Company has taken some considerable strides this year so far. Just recently, we reported on the startup raising $113 million in a funding round. The startup has also managed to take a step forward in its efforts to build a 2.7-mile proof-of-concept tunnel under Sepulveda Boulevard in West LA and Culver City, with the LA City Council Public Works Committee exempting the company from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla Semi expands pilot program to Texas logistics firm: here’s what they said

Mone said the Tesla Semi it put into its fleet for this test recorded 1.64 kWh per mile efficiency, beating Tesla’s official 1.7 kWh per mile target and delivering a massive leap over conventional diesel trucks.

Published

on

Credit: Mone Transport

Tesla has expanded its Semi pilot program to a new region, as it has made it to Texas to be tested by logistics from Mone Transport. With the Semi entering production this year, Tesla is getting even more valuable data regarding the vehicle and its efficiency, which will help companies cut expenditures.

Mone Transport operates in Texas and on the Southern border, and it specializes in cross-border U.S.-Mexico freight operations. After completing some rigorous testing, Mone shared public results, which stand out when compared to efficiency metrics offered by diesel vehicles.

“Mone Transport recently had the opportunity to put the Tesla Semi to the test, and we’re thrilled with the results! Over 4,700 miles of operations at 1.64 kWh/mile in our Texas operation. We’re committed to providing zero-emission transportation to our customers!” the company said in a post on X.

Mone said the Tesla Semi it put into its fleet for this test recorded 1.64 kWh per mile efficiency, beating Tesla’s official 1.7 kWh per mile target and delivering a massive leap over conventional diesel trucks.

Comparable Class 8 diesel semis, typically achieving 6-7 miles per gallon, consume roughly 5.5 kWh per mile in energy-equivalent terms, meaning the Semi uses three to four times less energy while also producing zero tailpipe emissions.

Advertisement

Tesla Semi undergoes major redesign as dedicated factory preps for deliveries

The performance of the Tesla Semi in Mone Transport’s testing aligns with data from other participants in the pilot program. ArcBest’s ABF Freight Division logged 4,494 miles over three weeks in 2025, averaging 1.55 kWh per mile across varied routes, including a grueling 7,200-foot Donner Pass climb. The truck “generally matched the performance of its diesel counterparts,” the carrier said.

PepsiCo, which operates the largest known Semi fleet, recorded 1.7 kWh per mile in North American Council for Freight Efficiency testing. Additional pilots showed similar gains: DHL hit 1.72 kWh per mile, and Saia achieved 1.73 kWh per mile.

These metrics underscore the Semi’s ability to slash operating costs through superior efficiency, lower maintenance, and zero-emission operation. As charging infrastructure scales and production ramps toward 2026 targets, participants like Mone Transport are proving electric semis can seamlessly integrate into freight networks, accelerating the industry’s shift to sustainable, high-performance trucking.

Advertisement

Tesla continues to prep for a more widespread presence of the Semi in the coming months as it recently launched the first public Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles. It is working on building out infrastructure for regional runs on the West Coast initially, with plans to expand this to the other end of the country in the coming years.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

SpaceX weighs Nasdaq listing as company explores early index entry: report

The company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index.

Published

on

Credit: SpaceX/X

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly leaning toward listing its shares on the Nasdaq for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could become the largest in history. 

As per a recent report, the company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index. The update was reported by Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the publication, SpaceX is considering Nasdaq as the venue for its eventual IPO, though the New York Stock Exchange is also competing for the listing. Neither exchange has reportedly been informed of a final decision.

Reuters has previously reported that SpaceX could pursue an IPO as early as June, though the company’s plans could still change.

Advertisement

One of the publication’s sources also suggested that SpaceX is targeting a valuation of about $1.75 trillion for its IPO. At that level, the company would rank among the largest publicly traded firms in the United States by market capitalization.

Nasdaq has proposed a rule change that could accelerate the inclusion of newly listed megacap companies into the Nasdaq-100 index.

Under the proposed “Fast Entry” rule, a newly listed company could qualify for the index in less than a month if its market capitalization ranks among the top 40 companies already included in the Nasdaq-100.

If SpaceX is successful in achieving its target valuation of $1.75 trillion, it would become the sixth-largest company by market value in the United States, at least based on recent share prices. 

Advertisement

Newly listed companies typically have to wait up to a year before becoming eligible for major indexes such as the Nasdaq-100 or S&P 500.

Inclusion in a major index can significantly broaden a company’s shareholder base because many institutional investors purchase shares through index-tracking funds.

According to Reuters, Nasdaq’s proposed fast-track rule is partly intended to attract highly valued private companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic to list on the exchange.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Elon Musk

The Boring Company’s Prufrock-2 emerges after completing new Vegas Loop tunnel

The new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.

Published

on

Credit: The Boring Company/X

The Boring Company announced that its Prufrock-2 tunnel boring machine (TBM) has completed another Vegas Loop tunnel in Las Vegas. The company shared the update in a post on social media platform X.

According to The Boring Company’s post, the new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.

The new tunnel marks the fourth tunnel constructed near Westgate Las Vegas as the Vegas Loop network continues expanding across the city.

The Boring Company also noted that the new tunnel surpassed its previous internal record of 2.26 miles for a single Vegas Loop segment.

Advertisement

Construction of the tunnel involved moving roughly 68,000 cubic yards of dirt. The excavation process also used about 4.8 miles of continuous conveyor belt, powered by six motors totaling 825 horsepower.

The Boring Company’s Prufrock-series all-electric tunnel boring machines are designed to support the rapid expansion of company’s underground transportation projects, including the growing Vegas Loop network. Prufrock machines are designed for reusability, thanks in no small part to their capability to be deployed and retrieved easily through their “porposing” feature.

The Vegas Loop, specifically the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop segment, has already been used during major events. Most recently, the LVCC Loop supported the 2026 CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction trade show, which was held from March 3-7, 2026. 

As per The Boring Company, the LVCC Loop transported roughly 82,000 passengers across the convention center campus during the event’s duration. 

Advertisement

CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of the largest construction trade shows in North America, drawing more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries this year.

The LVCC Loop forms the initial segment of the broader Vegas Loop network, which remains under active development as The Boring Company continues building new tunnels throughout the city.

Continue Reading