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After global milestone, where will Tesla Supercharging expand to next?

Credit: Tesla

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Tesla recently announced they had placed their 40,000th Tesla Supercharger, making them the world’s most extensive DC fast charging network. But where will the company expand to next?

Like all other companies currently producing electric vehicles, Tesla has always faced the issue of offering charging to its buyers. Even today, with Tesla’s supercharging network being as extensive as it is, it is nowhere near the scale of gas stations available to ICE vehicles. Ultimately, this leads to a poorer ownership experience for EV drivers. Looking globally, there are a few areas where Tesla may want to expand first.

First, it is essential to recognize that the Supercharger network has requests for new charging locations everywhere, and it will likely be working on expanding its network for years to come. The best thing that Tesla can do is intelligently place upcoming chargers. Below are just some of the challenges and opportunities that Tesla may find helpful in the near future as the Supercharger network grows.

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North America –

Tesla has a massive presence in the North American market, particularly in the United States, and one of the primary reasons for the company’s success has been its extensive Supercharger network. But even here, Tesla will need to expand as more and more people switch to Tesla products by the day.

Foremost is the concern about city/urban charging. Because most people don’t have access to charging at their homes in dense urban areas, they are forced to use Supercharging locations. And while Tesla has already focused on making charging available in these communities, the daily lines for charging and the enraged Twitter posts indicate that more will be needed as soon as possible.

At the same time, ensuring that charging is located in rural areas is another concern. People in these communities have the opposite problem as those who are in the cities. While they can often easily charge at home, they lack access even to Tesla destination charging near them, effectively forcing them to drive far out of their way to charge their vehicles quickly.

Finally, while the United States and Canada have been serviced fairly well in terms of Tesla charging, Mexico lags years behind in terms of development. Despite having a multiple times bigger population than Canada, Tesla Superchargers are exceedingly rare outside of Mexico City. Hopefully, by introducing more charging infrastructure to the country, Mexico can also grow the demand for electric vehicles.

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Europe –

While North America and China have seen dramatic growth in Supercharging locations, Europe has seen more conservative growth, mirroring the demand for Tesla products on the continent. And while Europeans have a wealth of options for electric vehicles (certainly more than in the United States), Tesla should consider an expansion of charging in Europe as a form of leverage to entice buyers away from other brands from Stellantis, Volkswagen Group, and Renault Group.

The three major markets on the continent, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, are likely on the top of the list for Tesla. The company entered these countries first as they came to the European market, yet with exponential demand for their products, they will be pushed by consumers to construct more chargers here first.

At the same time, countries that Tesla has only recently expanded to, including Spain, Italy, and Portugal, will be looking for more charging. And without Tesla’s support in developing that infrastructure, Tesla risks losing customers to competitors who can offer a better charging experience on CCS.

Asia –

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The Asian market is far more bifurcated than any other market. The American EV giant has correctly seized on the demand for electric vehicles in China, the world’s biggest car market. And from their investment, they have become the largest western EV brand in the country. However, other significant markets, including Japan, South Korea, and much of South East Asia, remain lacking both Tesla Supercharging locations and demand for electric vehicles generally.

Expansion in China will likely be an ongoing process. A country with over 1 billion people will always have problems with supply. And perhaps this is great news for Tesla as they have an excellent opportunity to grow their market share in the blossoming economy.

Simultaneously, Japan has a similarly fledgling demand for electric vehicles. Despite the country’s reluctance to accept the technology, sales have steadily grown as consumers have become more comfortable with the option. As the third largest economy and one that hasn’t entirely accepted electric vehicles into the norm yet, Tesla should see the island nation as an untouched source of fresh customers.

Overall, Tesla finds itself in a target-rich environment. Any supercharger they place will certainly be helpful for someone. We can only hope that as charging becomes a more profitable venture, Tesla will be more incentivized to place more DC fast chargers and ensure more charging availability for everyone.

What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

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Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

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Tesla posts Optimus’ most impressive video demonstration yet

The humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network.

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Credit: Tesla Optimus/X

When Elon Musk spoke with CNBC’s David Faber in an interview at Giga Texas, he reiterated the idea that Optimus will be one of Tesla’s biggest products. Seemingly to highlight the CEO’s point, the official Tesla Optimus account on social media platform X shared what could very well be the most impressive demonstration of the humanoid robot’s capabilities to date.

Optimus’ Newest Demonstration

In its recent video demonstration, the Tesla Optimus team featured the humanoid robot performing a variety of tasks. These include household chores such as throwing the trash, using a broom and a vacuum cleaner, tearing a paper towel, stirring a pot of food, opening a cabinet, and closing a curtain, among others. The video also featured Optimus picking up a Model X fore link and placing it on a dolly.

What was most notable in the Tesla Optimus team’s demonstration was the fact that the humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network. The robot’s actions were also learned directly from Optimus being fed data from first-person videos of humans performing similar tasks. This system should pave the way for Optimus to learn and refine new skills quickly and reliably.

Tesla VP for Optimus Shares Insight

In a follow-up post on X, Tesla Vice President of Optimus (Tesla Bot) Milan Kovac stated that one of the team’s goals is to have Optimus learn straight from internet videos of humans performing tasks, including footage captured in third person or by random cameras.

“We recently had a significant breakthrough along that journey, and can now transfer a big chunk of the learning directly from human videos to the bots (1st person views for now). This allows us to bootstrap new tasks much faster compared to teleoperated bot data alone (heavier operationally).

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“Many new skills are emerging through this process, are called for via natural language (voice/text), and are run by a single neural network on the bot (multi-tasking). Next: expand to 3rd person video transfer (aka random internet), and push reliability via self-play (RL) in the real-, and/or synthetic- (sim / world models) world,” Kovac wrote in his post on X.

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Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City

SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025. 

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(Credit: Jenny Hautmann/Wikimedia Commons)

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.

Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.

As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.

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On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”

Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.

Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.

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The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans

The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.

Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.

“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”

Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.

Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.

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“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”

The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.

Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.

“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”

A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.

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As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.

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