News
Ford welcomes Tesla’s Pickup Truck: ‘We don’t take any of our competitors for granted’
The United States’ emerging all-electric pickup truck market is getting more interesting. Right after demonstrating the mammoth towing capabilities of its electric F-150 pickup, Ford stated that it is confident that it will maintain its lead in the US truck market despite the arrival of competitors from other, more aggressive companies. This includes Tesla, which is expected to unveil its own battery-electric pickup later this year.
The statements were related by Ford Chief Product Development Officer Hau Thai-Tang during a segment of Yahoo Finance’s The First Trade. While speaking about the electric F-150’s impressive 1-million-pound towing demonstration, the Ford exec was asked if he views Tesla as a credible competitor. Thai-Tang was clear on Ford’s stance, expressing the carmaker’s confidence in the pickup truck segment.
“We wanna focus on the Ford plan. We have dominated this segment; it’s the best-selling truck for 42 years. We think combining Built Ford Tough with electrification exemplifies all of those attributes customers love. We want to build on the leadership we have had,” he said.
The Ford exec also reminded the show’s hosts that the pickup truck market is a very competitive segment, and it is one that Ford has dominated for years. Thai-Tang also emphasized that Ford welcomes any competition, and that it has great respect for rival companies preparing to enter the electric pickup market. The executive further noted that amidst the arrival of competitors, Ford would be focusing on its core strengths.
“The pickup truck business is very competitive. Ford has dominated it. It’s a huge profit driver for us, and we want to maintain that leadership and continue to build a moat around that store. We don’t take any of our competitors for granted; we have a lot of respect for all of them — we just want to focus on doing what we do well,” he said.
The Ford Chief Product Development Officer’s comments bode well for the emerging electric pickup truck market. The segment is massive, as evidenced by the F-150 being one of the pillars of Ford’s business today. As such, it is encouraging to see a veteran such as Ford welcoming the competition from rivals. Instead of taking aim at upstart companies like Tesla, the Detroit-based automaker seems to be focused on simply doing what it does best.
If there is something that seems to need improvement, it is Ford’s timeframe for its impressive all-electric F-150. The exec noted that a hybrid version of the F-150 will be released on the market in 2020, though he stated that a battery-electric version is still a “couple of years out.” This is a shame, as the all-electric prototype utilized in its recent 1-million-pound towing demonstration already seemed to be quite refined. Considering the interest and positive reception received by the electric F-150, Ford might end up miscalculating its strategy by not expediting the vehicle’s release.
Tesla, for its part, is preparing to release a pickup truck that Elon Musk describes as a “cyberpunk” vehicle, one that will not look out of place in the Blade Runner franchise. Musk has expressed his enthusiasm for the Tesla Pickup Truck, even noting that it is a vehicle he is most excited about. Tesla’s pickup will be competitive in price as well, with Musk stating that the truck will start at $49,000 at most.
Energy
Tesla launches Cybertruck vehicle-to-grid program in Texas
The initiative was announced by the official Tesla Energy account on social media platform X.
Tesla has launched a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program in Texas, allowing eligible Cybertruck owners to send energy back to the grid during high-demand events and receive compensation on their utility bills.
The initiative, dubbed Powershare Grid Support, was announced by the official Tesla Energy account on social media platform X.
Texas’ Cybertruck V2G program
In its post on X, Tesla Energy confirmed that vehicle-to-grid functionality is “coming soon,” starting with select Texas markets. Under the new Powershare Grid Support program, owners of the Cybertruck equipped with Powershare home backup hardware can opt in through the Tesla app and participate in short-notice grid stress events.
During these events, the Cybertruck automatically discharges excess energy back to the grid, supporting local utilities such as CenterPoint Energy and Oncor. In return, participants receive compensation in the form of bill credits. Tesla noted that the program is currently invitation-only as part of an early adopter rollout.
The launch builds on the Cybertruck’s existing Powershare capability, which allows the vehicle to provide up to 11.5 kW of power for home backup. Tesla added that the program is expected to expand to California next, with eligibility tied to utilities such as PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E.
Powershare Grid Support
To participate in Texas, Cybertruck owners must live in areas served by CenterPoint Energy or Oncor, have Powershare equipment installed, enroll in the Tesla Electric Drive plan, and opt in through the Tesla app. Once enrolled, vehicles would be able to contribute power during high-demand events, helping stabilize the grid.
Tesla noted that events may occur with little notice, so participants are encouraged to keep their Cybertrucks plugged in when at home and to manage their discharge limits based on personal needs. Compensation varies depending on the electricity plan, similar to how Powerwall owners in some regions have earned substantial credits by participating in Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs.
News
Samsung nears Tesla AI chip ramp with early approval at TX factory
This marks a key step towards the tech giant’s production of Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chips in the United States.
Samsung has received temporary approval to begin limited operations at its semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas.
This marks a key step towards the tech giant’s production of Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chips in the United States.
Samsung clears early operations hurdle
As noted in a report from Korea JoongAng Daily, Samsung Electronics has secured temporary certificates of occupancy (TCOs) for a portion of its semiconductor facility in Taylor. This should allow the facility to start operations ahead of full completion later this year.
City officials confirmed that approximately 88,000 square feet of Samsung’s Fab 1 building has received temporary approval, with additional areas expected to follow. The overall timeline for permitting the remaining sections has not yet been finalized.
Samsung’s Taylor facility is expected to manufacture Tesla’s AI5 chips once mass production begins in the second half of the year. The facility is also expected to produce Tesla’s upcoming AI6 chips.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently stated that the design for AI5 is nearly complete, and the development of AI6 is already underway. Musk has previously outlined an aggressive roadmap targeting nine-month design cycles for successive generations of its AI chips.
Samsung’s U.S. expansion
Construction at the Taylor site remains on schedule. Reports indicate Samsung plans to begin testing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment next month, a critical step for producing advanced 2-nanometer semiconductors.
Samsung is expected to complete 6 million square feet of floor space at the site by the end of this year, with an additional 1 million square feet planned by 2028. The full campus spans more than 1,200 acres.
Beyond Tesla, Samsung Foundry is also pursuing additional U.S. customers as demand for AI and high-performance computing chips accelerates. Company executives have stated that Samsung is looking to achieve more than 130% growth in 2-nanometer chip orders this year.
One of Samsung’s biggest rivals, TSMC, is also looking to expand its footprint in the United States, with reports suggesting that the company is considering expanding its Arizona facility to as many as 11 total plants. TSMC is also expected to produce Tesla’s AI5 chips.
News
Anti-Tesla union leader ditches X, urges use of Threads instead
Tesla Sweden and IF Metall have been engaged in a bitter dispute for over two years now.
Marie Nilsson, chair of Sweden’s IF Metall union and a prominent critic of Tesla, has left X and is urging audiences to follow the union on Meta’s Threads instead.
Tesla Sweden and IF Metall have been engaged in a bitter dispute for over two years now.
Anti-Tesla union leader exits X
In a comment to Dagens Arbete (DA), Nilsson noted that her exit from X is not formally tied to IF Metall’s long-running labor dispute with Tesla Sweden. Still, she stated that her departure is affected by changes to the platform under Elon Musk’s leadership.
“We have stayed because many journalists pick up news there. But as more and more people have left X, we have felt that the standard has now been reached on that platform,” she said.
Jesper Pettersson, press officer at IF Metall, highlighted that the union’s departure from X is only indirectly linked to Tesla Sweden and Elon Musk. “Indirectly it does, since there is a lot of evidence that his ownership has caused the change in the platform to be so significant.
“We have nevertheless assessed that the platform had value for reaching journalists, politicians and other opinion leaders. But it is a microscopic proportion of the public and our members who are there, and now that value has decreased,” Petterson added.
IF Metall sees Threads as an X alternative
After leaving X, IF Metall has begun using Threads, Meta’s alternative to the social media platform. The union described the move as experimental, noting that it is still evaluating how effective the platform will be for outreach and visibility.
Pettersson acknowledged that Meta also does not operate under Sweden’s collective bargaining model, but said the union sees little alternative if it wants to remain visible online.
“In a perfect world, all large international companies would be supporters of the Swedish model when they come here. But unfortunately, the reality is not like that. If we are to be visible at all in this social media world, we have to play by the rules of the game. The alternative would be to become completely invisible, and that would not benefit our members,” he said.
Tesla launches Cybertruck vehicle-to-grid program in Texas
Samsung nears Tesla AI chip ramp with early approval at TX factory
