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Elon Musk discusses potential Tesla investment with Mongolia’s PM
Elon Musk discussed potential Tesla investments in Magnolia with Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene. On Tuesday, the pair discussed a possible joint research venture about rare earth elements and battery minerals through a virtual meeting.
Global think tank ODI held a roundtable earlier this year that discussed Magnolia’s New Recovery Policy and where the country currently stands in the economic supply chain. According to ODI research Mongolia’s economic growth over the last decade grew remarkably at an average of 8%. The Asian country’s growth was mainly driven by mining revenue.
Mongolia possesses large deposits of coal, copper, gold, silver, and other metallic ores. In recent years, foreign investors have mostly been interested in the country’s gold and copper mine of Oyu Tolgoi. However, Tesla may be more interested in another mineral Mongolia has in its mines: lithium.
In 2020, reports of large lithium deposits in Mongolia started to spread, making the country a frontier of Li exploration and extraction. For instance, Li Ion Energy, which claims to be Mongolia’s first Li brine explorer and developer, has a Baavhai Uul lithium brine project that spans 80,000+ hectares that yield average grade of 426ppm lithium and max grade 811ppm Li. In February 2023, China Mining Resources Group Co., LTD purchased Ltd URT lithium mine project in Mongolia for $20 million.
Mongolia’s New Recovery Policy hopes to boost investment opportunities in the country. In short, the government is open for business from foreign investors like Tesla.
“We have a number of diversification plans in place to boost investment opportunities in Mongolia stemming from our landmark “New Recovery Policy,” which will create an investment-friendly climate. Our overarching message to foreign investors is clear: Mongolia is open for business,” said the Mongolian Prime Minister in an interview.
Tesla & Lithium
Tesla needs lithium to produce batteries for its electric vehicles. The company has secured lithium ore agreements with several companies over the years. At the Q1 2023 earnings call, Karn Budhiraj—Tesla’s Vice President of Supply Chain—hinted that the EV manufacturer isn’t exactly lacking in lithium supply. Tesla plans to continue procuring the battery mineral.
“The other thing that’s happening is because of the price spike, a lot of the companies that are in this business are becoming more ambitious about finding more upstream resources and exploring locations in Africa as well as South America. So that’s also helping the macro situation with pricing,” Budhiraj said about lithium and its pricing.
However, Tesla’s main concern with lithium lies in the refining process, not the supply. Musk has emphasized that the main choke point of lithium is refining capacity. To address the issue, Tesla invested in a Texas-based lithium refinery.
The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.
Elon Musk
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.
News
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.
News
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
