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The Boring Company’s initial fare prices for the greater Vegas Loop are released

(Credit: The Boring Company)

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The Boring Company has released the fare prices for the Vegas Loop, and they are quite reasonable. With enough optimization, it appears that Elon Musk’s tunneling startup may indeed have a shot at disrupting and revolutionizing the public transportation sector.

The recently finished Las Vegas Convention Center Loop is only one part of a more expansive Vegas Loop being planned for Sin City. While the LVCC Loop is only designed to take passengers from one end of the Las Vegas Convention Center to the other, the Vegas Loop is designed to function more like a conventional public transport system, ferrying passengers to multiple destinations around the city.

The planned Vegas Loop system. (Credit: The Boring Company)

The Boring Company has posted its initial estimated fares per vehicle for the upcoming Vegas Loop. According to the tunneling startup’s official website, trips from McCarran Airport to the LVCC, which cover a distance of 4.9 miles, would take about 5 minutes and cost $10 per vehicle. A trip from Allegiant Stadium to the Convention Center would cost $6 per vehicle, and a trip from downtown Las Vegas to the LVCC could cost $5 per car.

As remarked by members of the r/BoringCompany subreddit, the tunneling startup’s initial Vegas Loop prices are more affordable than ride-hailing services such as Lyft. As of April 13, Lyft charges about $14.19 for the McCarran to LVCC, $10.84 for the Allegiant Stadium to LVCC, and $10.91 for the downtown Las Vegas to LVCC route. It should also be noted that trips in the Vegas Loop would likely be much faster due to the vehicles traveling underground.

The Vegas Loop’s initial fares. (Credit: The Boring Company)

For now, the Loop system uses Teslas like Model 3s to ferry passengers from one point to another. But in a recent interview with local media, Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, hinted that plans are underway to eventually upgrade the LVCC Loop to vehicles capable of transporting 16 passengers at a time. With such vehicles in place, the Vegas Loop would likely be able to accommodate passengers at capacities closer to conventional mass transport solutions.

The Loop’s potential does not only lie in its fast travel times and reasonable fares. It is also one of the most affordable in the market. During the bidding period for the Convention Center transport project, the LVCC Loop proved the most affordable, requiring only $52.5 million to complete. This made it far cheaper than another shortlisted project, an aboveground transit system from Austria-based Doppelmayr Garaventa Group that was estimated to cost $215 million to complete.

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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One of Tesla’s biggest threats just got banned in the U.S.

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In a major development that will inevitably strengthen Tesla’s dominant position in the American EV market, Polestar has been effectively banned from selling new vehicles in the United States, starting with the 2027 model year.

The U.S. Department of Commerce denied Polestar authorization under the Connected Vehicle Rule, which prohibits vehicles containing certain connected technologies (Cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) linked to China or Russia due to national security risks, including potential data collection on American drivers.

Polestar, which is majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, could not obtain the required exemption despite producing some models domestically.

Polestar confirmed it will sell off any remaining inventory of the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 models, while continuing service and warranty support for existing customers. No new models or major refreshes will reach U.S. buyers, and the company is pivoting its growth strategy to Europe, where it already generates the vast majority of its sales.

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The outcome removes a direct premium EV competitor that had positioned itself as a stylish, performance-oriented alternative to Tesla’s lineup. The Polestar 2 challenged the Model 3, while the Polestar 3 and 4 targeted segments overlapping with the Model Y and upcoming Tesla offerings. Polestar’s U.S. sales had already been sluggish amid intense competition and slower demand, representing just 6 percent of its global volume in the first quarter of 2026.

While Polestar was not on Tesla’s level in the U.S., it still places a dent in the evergrowing field of Tesla competitors in the country, where it has long dominated EV sales.

Tesla faces none of these hurdles. As a U.S.-founded and U.S.-headquartered company with major manufacturing in Fremont, Austin, and Nevada, Tesla’s vehicles are built with compliant domestic and allied supply chains. Its Full Self-Driving technology, over-the-air software updates, and vertically integrated ecosystem were developed entirely in-house without foreign ownership entanglements that trigger national security reviews, at least in the U.S.

Of course, it did face a similar threat in China a few years back:

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Elon Musk responds to reports of Tesla ban among China’s military over security concerns

The Connected Vehicle Rule, first advanced under the prior administration and upheld under the current one, is part of a broader U.S. effort to protect the domestic auto industry and critical technology from Chinese influence. High tariffs on Chinese-made EVs and related restrictions have already reshaped the market. Tesla benefits directly: it avoids these barriers while continuing to lead in U.S. EV sales volume, Supercharger network expansion, and energy storage integration.

By clearing Polestar from the new-vehicle playing field, the policy reduces competitive pressure in the premium and performance EV segments where Tesla has invested billions. American consumers seeking cutting-edge electric vehicles now have one fewer option tied to foreign adversaries — and one clearer path to the market leader that has driven the EV transition from the start.

For Tesla, this is more than regulatory relief. It is a strategic tailwind that reinforces its position as America’s premier EV innovator at a time when domestic manufacturing and technological independence matter most.

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Tesla Cybercab stands to gain from new Trump autonomy rules

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Credit: Teslarati

Tesla Cybercab stands to gain from new rules that the Trump Administration is aiming to enforce on autonomous vehicles. On Thursday, NHTSA, under the Trump Administration’s U.S. Department of Transportation, commenced rulemaking on the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).

This effort aims to eliminate the mandate for manual brake pedals in vehicles that are designed to be driven exclusively by automated driving systems. This would impact the Tesla Cybercab, which the company has stated would operate without a steering wheel or pedals.

Tesla Cybercab launch is imminent after latest sighting at Giga Texas

The Trump Administration is looking to revise FMVSS No. 135, which requires standard braking systems on light-duty vehicles.

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Currently, the regulation requires light-duty cars to use traditional manual braking systems that allow operators to slow the vehicle. With the advent of self-driving in the U.S., these regulations need updating, and these are the changes that could come to FMVSS No. 135:

  • Removes requirements for hand- or foot-operated brake controls for vehicles designed never to be operated by a human. Existing rules still apply to AVs that retain manual controls.
  • All subject vehicles must still meet the same stopping distance performance criteria via alternative testing procedures.
  • While this update ensures AVs can physically stop when commanded, NHTSA is separately developing safety performance requirements for AVs in real-world driving scenarios.
  • NHTSA will continue to use its broad defect enforcement authority to investigate unsafe ADS behavior and oversee recalls.

As autonomy becomes a greater part of passenger travel, these types of rule adjustments will be more than reasonable. It will give manufacturers the ability to self-certify their vehicles and avoid any red tape that could ultimately delay the deployment of these vehicles.

Administrators are also incredibly excited about the opportunity to play a role in the advancement of self-driving vehicles.

“We are at the cusp of the greatest technological revolution in vehicle technology since the innovation of the Model T,” NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said. “If we want America to lead the way, we have to reimagine our regulatory framework. That’s why under Secretary Sean Duffy’s AV Framework, NHTSA is tearing down pointless barriers to innovative designs while strengthening the fundamental safety requirements that matter and holding AV developers accountable for safe performance.”

The Cybercab entered mass production at Gigafactory Texas in April. Tesla ultimately plans to push the vehicle into its Robotaxi fleet, potentially when frameworks like these are established.

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Tesla plans production boost at Giga Berlin following rebound in Europe

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Credit: Andre Thierig | X

Tesla plans to boost production at its Gigafactory Berlin plant in Germany following a sharp rebound in sales and demand in Europe after a softer 2025.

The plans put Tesla in a better position to compete with strengthening companies in Europe and potentially other markets; demand indicators show Tesla is much better off than in 2025.

Last year was a tough year for Tesla in terms of overall demand in Europe. The company produced over 200,000 vehicles at the German plant last year, a soft figure compared to the 375,000 vehicles Tesla lists as its current capacity at the factory.

Tesla’s overall European sales dropped significantly last year due to a variety of factors. However, sales are rebounding, and demand is strong once again, and only getting stronger. Tesla is now planning to bump production of Model Y vehicles at Giga Berlin upward by about 20 percent. It will also bring 1,000 new jobs to the plant.

Tesla confirmed the details of its planned production expansion in Germany this morning. It is a strategy to keep up with strengthening demand.

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In Q1, Tesla saw a record 61,000 vehicles produced at Giga Berlin. European registrations rebounded sharply, with Model Y seeing 117 percent increases in March 2026 compared to last year. Germany alone saw stark increases, with a quadrupling in registrations to 9,252 units.

This trend continued in other key European markets, including France, Denmark and Sweden. Tesla registrations were up over 46 percent in some of these markets, and Model Y continued its trend as a top BEV in the market.

Demand has been recovering strongly in 2026, giving Tesla a reason to expand production efforts at the factory. These increases signal management’s confidence in sustained or growing European pull for Berlin-built vehicles.

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