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Elon Musk’s Boring Company abandons one of its planned LA tunnel projects
As The Boring Company prepares to hold a public showing for its first completed tunnel this coming December 10, Elon Musk’s tunneling startup has revealed that it is dropping its plans to dig a tunnel under Sepulveda Blvd. on the Westside of LA. The company’s decision to abandon its project comes amidst its settlement with a group of Westside advocates who alleged that local government violated state law when it decided to exempt the Boring Company’s proof-of-concept tunnel from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
In a joint statement on Tuesday, The Boring Company, together with the plaintiffs of the case, stated that they have “amicably settled” the lawsuit. The terms of the two parties’ settlement remain confidential, though, as noted by an attorney for the Westside advocates to The San Diego Union-Tribune. With plans for the Sepulveda Blvd tunnel now abandoned, The Boring Co. would be focusing on building the Dugout Loop, a tunnel system connecting the Dodger Stadium and a Metro station, instead.
The legal opposition against the Sepulveda tunnel emerged last May, when two local neighborhood groups — the Brentwood Residents Coalition and the Sunset Coalition — filed a lawsuit, alleging that the project is actually part of a larger system of tunnels that would be used for public transportation in the future.
The tunneling startup was moving briskly through the permit process then, partly since The Boring Company noted that the tunnel would not be used to transport commuters, allowing the project to gain an exemption from environmental review. This was indicated on The Boring Company’s FAQ on its website.
“The tunnel would be used for construction logistics verification, system testing, safety testing, operating procedure verification, and line-switching demonstrations. Phase 1 would not be utilized for public transportation until the proof-of-process tunnel is deemed successful by County government, City government, and TBC.”
At the heart of the plaintiffs’ lawsuit was a map that The Boring Company released for its planned tunnel routes. Included in the proposed routes was a line that appeared to trace the route of the Sepulveda Blvd tunnel. In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs noted that “the state’s stringent environmental review requirements cannot be evaded by chopping large projects into smaller pieces that taken individually appear to have no significant environmental impacts.” The Westside advocates also voiced their disapproval of the city’s commission to approve a route that The Boring Company would use for hauling 80,000 cubic yards of dirt from the tunnel.
The Boring Company’s projects in LA’s Westside have attracted their own fair share of critics. When the advocates filed their lawsuit earlier this year, for one, Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole aired his skepticism of the tunneling startup’s concept as a whole.
“We’ll have people stuck in traffic on the surface, and this miracle fast lane underground for the people who can afford it. It’ll be toll lanes on steroids,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
While The Boring Company’s settlement with the Westside advocates is a notable roadblock to its projects in the LA area, the tunneling startup is nonetheless making progress on its other activities. The test tunnel under the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne is now getting refined and is set for public viewing on December 10, and the construction of a prototype garage-elevator that connects directly to a tunnel is seeing a lot of activity. Permits to establish The Brick Store, an outlet where Boring Bricks would be sold, have also been filed.
Apart from these, the tunneling startup is preparing to start its most ambitious project to date — the high-profile Chicago-O’Hare high-speed transport line, which is expected to begin construction soon. Updates about the project have been scarce so far, though photographs taken by Teslarati photographers Pauline Acalin and Tom Cross suggest that a gantry for the Chicago tunnel line, as well as what appears to be a next-generation Tunnel Boring Machine, is under construction.
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Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels
This is a step up from the prices that were revealed back in 2017, but with inflation and other factors, it is no surprise Tesla could not come through on the numbers it planned to offer nine years ago. When the Semi was unveiled in November 2017, Tesla had three pricing levels:
Tesla Semi pricing appears to have been revealed after the company started communicating with the entities interested in purchasing its all-electric truck. The pricing details come just days after Tesla revealed it planned to offer two trim levels and uncovered the specs of each.
After CEO Elon Musk said the Semi would enter volume production this year, Tesla revealed trim levels shortly thereafter. Offering a Standard Range and a Long Range trim will fit the needs of many companies that plan to use the truck for local and regional deliveries.
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It will also be a good competitor to the all-electric semi trucks already available from companies like Volvo.
With the release of specs, Tesla helped companies see the big picture in terms of what the Semi could do to benefit their business. However, pricing information was not available.
A new report from Electrek states that Tesla has been communicating with those interested companies and is pricing the Standard Range at $250,000 per unit, while the Long Range is priced at $290,000. These prices come before taxes and destination fees.
$TSLA – TESLA IS QUOTING $290,000 FOR ITS 500-MILES ELECTRIC SEMI TRUCK – ELECTREK
— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) February 10, 2026
This is a step up from the prices that were revealed back in 2017, but with inflation and other factors, it is no surprise Tesla could not come through on the numbers it planned to offer nine years ago. When the Semi was unveiled in November 2017, Tesla had three pricing levels:
- $150,000 for a 300-mile range version
- $180,000 for a 500-mile range version
- $200,000 for a limited “Founders Series” edition; full upfront payment required for priority production and limited to just 1,000 units
Tesla has not officially released any specific information regarding pricing on the Semi, but it is not surprising that it has not done so. The Semi is a vehicle that will be built for businesses, and pricing information is usually reserved for those who place reservations. This goes for most products of this nature.
The Semi will be built at a new, dedicated production facility in Sparks, Nevada, which Tesla broke ground on in 2024. The factory was nearly complete in late 2025, and executives confirmed that the first “online builds” were targeted for that same time.
Meaningful output is scheduled for this year, as Musk reiterated earlier this week that it would enter mass production this year. At full capacity, the factory will build 50,000 units annually.
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Tesla executive moves on after 13 years: ‘It has been a privilege to serve’
“It is challenging to encapsulate 13 years in a single post. The journey at Tesla has been one of continuous evolution. From the technical intricacies of designing, building, and operating one of the world’s largest AI clusters to impactful contributions in IT, Security, Sales, and Service, it has been a privilege to serve,” Jegannathan said in the post.
Tesla executive Raj Jegannathan is moving on from the company after 13 years, he announced on LinkedIn on Monday.
“It is challenging to encapsulate 13 years in a single post. The journey at Tesla has been one of continuous evolution. From the technical intricacies of designing, building, and operating one of the world’s largest AI clusters to impactful contributions in IT, Security, Sales, and Service, it has been a privilege to serve,” Jegannathan said in the post.
After starting as a Senior Staff Engineer in Fremont back in November 2012, Jegannathan slowly worked his way through the ranks at Tesla. His most recent role was Vice President of IT/AI Infrastructure, Business Apps, and Infosec.
However, it was reported last year that Jegannathan had taken on a new role, which was running the North American sales team following the departure of Troy Jones, who had held the position previously.
While Jegannathan’s LinkedIn does not mention this position specifically, it seemed to be accurate, considering Tesla had not explicitly promoted any other person to the role.
It is a big loss for Tesla, but not a destructive departure. Jegannathan was one of the few company executives who answered customer and fan questions on X, a unique part of the Tesla ownership experience.
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It currently remains unclear if Jegannathan was removed from the position or if he left under his own accord.
“As I move on, I do so with a full heart and excitement for what lies ahead. Thank you, Tesla, for this wonderful opportunity!” he concluded.
The departure marks a continuing trend of executives leaving the company, as the past 24 months have seen some significant turnover at the executive level.
Tesla has shown persistently elevated executive turnover over the past two years, as names like Drew Baglino, Rohan Patel, Rebecca Tinucci, Daniel Ho, Omead Afshar, Milan Kovac, and Siddhant Awasthi have all been notable names to exit the company in the past two years.
There are several things that could contribute to this. Many skeptics will point to Elon Musk’s politics, but that is not necessarily the case.
Tesla is a difficult, but rewarding place to work. It is a company that requires a lot of commitment, and those who are halfway in might not choose to stick around. Sacrificing things like time with family might not outweigh the demands of Tesla and Musk.
Additionally, many of these executives have made a considerable amount of money thanks to stock packages the company offers to employees. While many might be looking for new opportunities, some might be interested in an early retirement.
Tesla is also in the process of transitioning away from its most notable division, automotive. While it still plans to manufacture cars in the millions, it is turning more focus toward robotics and autonomy, and these plans might not align with what some executives might want for themselves. There are a wide variety of factors in the decision to leave a job, so it is important not to immediately jump to controversy.
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Lemonade launches Tesla FSD insurance program in Oregon
The program was announced by Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger on social media platform X.
Tesla drivers in Oregon can now receive significant insurance discounts when using FSD, following the launch of Lemonade’s new Autonomous Car insurance program.
The program was announced by Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger on social media platform X.
Lemonade launches FSD-based insurance in Oregon
In a post on X, Wininger confirmed that Lemondade’s Autonomous Car insurance product for Tesla is now live in Oregon. The program allows eligible Tesla owners to receive roughly 50% off insurance costs for every mile driven using Tesla’s FSD system.
“And… we’re ON. @Lemonade_Inc’s Autonomous Car for @Tesla FSD is now live in Oregon. Tesla drivers in Oregon can now get ~50% off their Tesla FSD-driven miles + the best car insurance experience in the US, bar none,” Wininger wrote in his post.
As per Lemonade on its official website, the program is built on Tesla’s safety data, which indicates that miles driven using FSD are approximately twice as safe as those driven manually. As a result, Lemonade prices those miles at a lower rate. The insurer noted that as FSD continues to improve, associated discounts could increase over time.
How Lemonade tracks FSD miles
Lemonade’s FSD discount works through a direct integration with Tesla vehicles, enabled only with a driver’s explicit permission. Once connected, the system distinguishes between miles driven manually and those driven using FSD, applying the discount automatically to qualifying miles.
There is no minimum FSD usage requirement. Drivers who use FSD occasionally still receive discounted rates for those miles, while non-FSD miles are billed at competitive standard rates. Lemonade also emphasized that coverage and claims handling remain unchanged regardless of whether a vehicle is operating under manual control or FSD at the time of an incident.
The program is currently available only to Teslas equipped with Hardware 4 or newer, running firmware version 2025.44.25.5 or later. Lemonade also allows policyholders to bundle Tesla insurance with renters, homeowners, pet, or life insurance policies for additional savings.
Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels
Tesla executive moves on after 13 years: ‘It has been a privilege to serve’
