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Ford F-150 Electric’s edge against rivals like the Tesla Cybertruck may be a gas generator
The pickup truck segment is about to be disrupted by all-electric vehicles, with veterans like Ford and General Motors and younger companies like Tesla and Rivian preparing their respective entries into what could very well be a lucrative market. Amidst this budding competition, each company seems to be making the necessary preparations to ensure that their vehicle has key advantages over the competition.
Tesla seems to be relying on its pedigree as an experienced electric vehicle manufacturer, with the Cybertruck boasting specs that are nothing short of insane at its price point. This is on top of an ever-growing Supercharger Network that’s capable of charging the steel beast at rapid speeds. Rivian, on the other hand, seems to be leaning heavily on the luxury adventure market, with its vehicles boasting clever features that are designed to delight those who love the outdoors. Ford, for its part, appears to be going on a rather interesting route.
A recent patent from the veteran hints at what could very well be Ford’s strategy to ensure that customers of its all-electric truck would not experience concerns about the vehicle’s range. While Rivian’s patents tease an auxiliary battery that could extend range, and while Tesla will no doubt push the Cybertruck’s range as far as it could go through its battery innovations, Ford appears to have opted for something much simpler: a gas generator.
Ford’s patent shows a concept for a portable generator that could be fitted into an all-electric pickup truck. The generator is actually pretty sleek, with the unit being designed to look like a toolbox. As noted by the veteran carmaker, high-voltage battery packs typically provide only a limited amount of electric-only driving range. Thus, it is pertinent to provide a way for customers to add electric-only driving range to their vehicles. A generator addresses this need.
Ford’s generator will not be just an off-the-shelf unit, either. The patent states that all of the generator-related components, from the engine to the fuel to the hookup to the vehicle’s power system, would be contained in a unit that could be fitted and removed from the truck as necessary. This generator could then be utilized to charge the vehicle’s battery pack, among other uses. Ford outlines its idea in the section below.
“The electrified vehicle may be operable to travel over a specific distance prior to energy depletion of the battery pack, which may lead to operator range anxiety. Accordingly, the electrified vehicle may additionally be equipped with a generator for increasing the travel range of the electrified vehicle. Like the battery pack, the generator may be operably connected to the electric machine through the inverter over the voltage bus. The generator may also be connected in either parallel or series relative to the battery pack,” Ford’s patent noted.
Of course, using a gas-powered generator in an all-electric truck kind of defeats the purpose of a zero-emissions vehicle, but there is no denying that longtime Ford owners will likely be more open to the F-150 Electric if such a feature is available. Ultimately, after all, every Ford F-150 Electric that is sold is one less traditional, gas-guzzling F-150 on the streets. And that, in the grand scheme of things, matters a lot, at least to a certain degree.
Read Ford’s gas generator patent for its electric pickup below.
Ford F150 EV Range Extender Patent by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
Elon Musk
Tesla and xAI team up on massive new project
It is the latest move by a Musk company to automate, streamline, and reduce the manual, monotonous, and tedious work currently performed by humans through AI and robotics development. Digital Optimus will be capable of processing and actioning the past five seconds of a real-time computer screen video and keyboard and mouse actions.
Elon Musk teased a massive new project, to be developed jointly by Tesla and xAI, called “Digital Optimus” or “Macrohard,” the first development under Tesla’s investment agreement with xAI.
Musk announced on X that Digital Optimus will “be capable of emulating the function of entire companies.”
Macrohard or Digital Optimus is a joint xAI-Tesla project, coming as part of Tesla’s investment agreement with xAI.
Grok is the master conductor/navigator with deep understanding of the world to direct digital Optimus, which is processing and actioning the past 5 secs of…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2026
It is the latest move by a Musk company to automate, streamline, and reduce the manual, monotonous, and tedious work currently performed by humans through AI and robotics development. Digital Optimus will be capable of processing and actioning the past five seconds of a real-time computer screen video and keyboard and mouse actions.
Essentially, it will be an AI version of a desk worker in many capacities, including accounting, HR tasks, and others.
Musk said:
“Grok is the master conductor/navigator with deep understanding of the world to direct digital Optimus, which is processing and actioning the past 5 secs of real-time computer screen video and keyboard/mouse actions. Grok is like a much more advanced and sophisticated version of turn-by-turn navigation software. You can think of it as Digital Optimus AI being System 1 (instinctive part of the mind) and Grok being System 2. (thinking part of the mind).”
Its key applications would be used for enterprise automation, simulating entire companies, high-volume repetitive tasks, and potentially, future hybrid use with the Optimus robot, which would handle physical tasks, while Digital Optimus would handle the clerical work.
The creation of a digital AI suite like Digital Optimus would help companies save time and money, as well as become more efficient in their operations through massive scalability. However, there will undoubtedly be concerns from people who are skeptical of a fully-integrated AI workhorse like this one.
From an energy consumption perspective and just a general concern for the human workforce, these types of AI projects are polarizing in nature.
However, Digital Optimus would be a great digital counterpart to Tesla’s physical Optimus robot, as it would be a hyper-efficient addition to any company that is looking for more production for less cost.
Musk maintains that there is no other company on Earth that will be able to do this.
Elon Musk
Tesla China posts strong February wholesale growth at Gigafactory Shanghai
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla China sold 58,599 vehicles wholesale in February, reflecting strong year-over-year growth. The figure includes both domestic deliveries in China and vehicles exported to international markets.
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla’s February wholesale result represents a 91% increase year over year, compared with 30,688 vehicles in February 2025. Month over month, the result was down 15.2% from January, when Tesla China recorded 69,129 wholesale units.
The February total reflects combined sales of the Model 3 and Model Y produced at Gigafactory Shanghai. The facility produces the two vehicles for both domestic sales and exports.
Gigafactory Shanghai continues to serve as Tesla’s primary vehicle export hub, supplying vehicles to markets across Asia and Europe. Data compiled by Tesla watchers shows that 18,485 vehicles were sold domestically in China in January 2026, while exports accounted for 50,644 units during the same period.
Tesla has also been extending financing programs in China as it pushes to strengthen domestic demand. The company recently extended its seven-year ultra-low-interest and five-year interest-free financing programs through March 31, marking the second extension of the promotion this year.
The financing initiative was first introduced on January 6 as a strategy aimed at offsetting higher ownership costs ahead of China’s planned 5% NEV purchase tax in 2026. The promotion was originally scheduled to expire at the end of January before being extended to February and then again through the end of the first quarter.
Tesla’s efforts come amid growing competition in China’s EV market. According to data compiled by CNEV Post, Tesla’s 2025 retail sales in China reached 625,698 vehicles, representing a 4.78% year-over-year decline. Part of that decline was linked to the Model Y changeover to its updated variant in early 2025, which temporarily reduced deliveries during the transition period.
News
Tesla Model Y L spotted on transport trucks in Australia
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
Tesla’s upcoming Model Y L has been spotted on transport trucks in Australia. Sightings of the six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y variant have been reported on social media platform X by members of the Australian Tesla community.
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
The sighting follows earlier observations by Tesla enthusiasts in Sydney, where a covered vehicle believed to be a Model Y L was spotted at a Supercharger.
The Sydney sighting drew attention after observers noted that the vehicle’s tare weight appeared to match the ADR approval listing for the Model Y L, suggesting it could indeed be the extended wheelbase variant of the electric SUV.
Tesla has previously confirmed that the Model Y L will launch in Australia and New Zealand in 2026. The confirmation was reported by techAU following a media release from Tesla Australia and New Zealand.
The Model Y L expands the existing Model Y lineup with seating for six passengers. The vehicle features a longer body compared with the standard Model Y in order to accommodate a spacious second and third row.
Tesla has opted for a 2-2-2 seating configuration instead of a traditional seven-seat layout for the Model Y L. The design includes two individual seats in the middle row to provide easier access to the third row and additional passenger space.
Tesla Australia and New Zealand has also stated that the Model Y L will be covered under the company’s updated warranty structure beginning in 2026.
Tesla has not yet announced pricing or official range figures for the Model Y L in Australia.
Tesla and xAI team up on massive new project
Tesla China posts strong February wholesale growth at Gigafactory Shanghai
