Tesla recently blew some minds when the company posted a video demonstration of its Optimus Gen 2 humanoid robot. But inasmuch as the Tesla Bot is already very impressive today, CEO Elon Musk has shared an even more ambitious target for Optimus — one that could hopefully be accomplished in a year.
The Optimus Gen 2 video that Tesla released revealed several updates that have been implemented on the humanoid robot. Most notable of these were Optimus Gen 2’s hand movements, which were so humanlike that Tesla skeptics promptly dismissed the video as CGI.
Tesla noted in the video that Optimus Gen 2 is equipped with faster, newly designed 11-DoF hands, and its fingers now feature tactile sensing. Tesla demonstrated this new feature by having Optimus Gen 2 transfer an egg from one container to the next. Elon Musk, for his part, noted on X that so much engineering has gone to Optimus Gen 2’s hands, but the Tesla team is not done.
So much engineering has gone into the hands. In a year, it will be able to thread a needle.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 13, 2023
As per the CEO, Optimus should be able to thread a needle in a year. That’s an insane target, as even human beings could have difficulties threading a needle without the help of tools. If Optimus could hit such an ambitious target in a year, Tesla would effectively establish itself as one of the leaders in robotics.
Considering the rapid progress of Optimus, it is quite easy to forget just how young the program is. Tesla announced its humanoid robot project during AI Day 2021, and at the time, all the company had to show for its efforts was a static model showcasing the robot’s target design and a man dancing around the stage in a robot suit. The dancing robot suit segment of AI Day 2021 was met with equal amounts of mockery and skepticism.
Pace of Progress— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 13, 2023
It became a bit more difficult to deny the progress of Tesla’s humanoid robot program in AI Day 2.0, which was held in September 2022. During the event, Tesla showed off its development prototype, fondly named “Bumblebee,” which was built with off-the-shelf parts, walking on its own onstage. Tesla also revealed Optimus Gen 1, which was built with custom parts. The robot, however, was still unable to stand on its own then.
By May 2023, Tesla posted a video on social media showing Optimus Gen 1 walking around on its own. And on September 2023, the electric vehicle maker posted a follow-up video showing Optimus Gen 1 sorting objects by color and doing some yoga poses. The progress of Optimus Gen 1 from AI Day 2.0 to the September 2023 demonstration was already pretty insane, so needless to say, it would be very interesting to see just how Optimus Gen 2 improves further next year.
Tesla’s video demonstration of Optimus Gen 2 can be viewed below.
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Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
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Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
