In June 2020, I wrote a newsletter called “How Tesla’s Elon Musk dunks on the competition just as their momentum builds,” where I dissected Tesla’s strategies to derail competition in its footsteps. It seems that anytime a competing automaker is about to make a substantial step forward, Musk or Tesla releases an update that simply takes away any attention from anyone else. In this week’s newsletter, I want to talk about what Elon Musk and Tesla can do in 2021 to combat an expanding EV market, and take momentum away from the companies that claim they are “the next Tesla.”
Rivian
With Rivian coming to the market soon with its R1T pickup and R1S SUV later this year, Tesla has a unique opportunity to halt the oncoming automaker’s momentum. Rivian, headed by CEO RJ Scaringe, has an adventurous, outdoorsy appeal to its consumers and its reservation holders, a strategy that truly speaks to the EV drivers who choose electric powertrains because of their environmental impact. Rivian is likely the first electric car company that will see its products regularly used in offroad settings, just what they’re geared for.
Tesla has always had a relatively luxurious connotation with its name, as its cars are usually sporty, sleek, and perfect for open road driving where the accelerator can occasionally hit the floorboards (not suggested or recommended by me). However, Rivian’s R1T, which sports a traditional pickup truck design, isn’t as talked about or as popular as the Tesla Cybertruck. On frequent occasion, the Cybertruck seems to come out of nowhere with a newly-released modification or design update at the hands of Elon Musk. With Musk revealing that the Cybertruck has been modified and reduced in size by 3%, there is no reason that Tesla won’t show new pictures of the all-electric “Cyberpunk” inspired pickup when Rivian is about to gain momentum. The conversation will almost surely switch back to Tesla because of its name, the truck’s “polarizing” design, and Tesla’s notoriety in the segment.
This is a preview from our weekly newsletter. Each week I go ‘Beyond the News’ and handcraft a special edition that includes my thoughts on the biggest stories, why it matters, and how it could impact the future.
The R1S is a little bit tougher of a cookie to crack for Tesla because it doesn’t have anything that really matches the design of Rivian’s SUV. The only thing that could derail attention from the R1S are details about Tesla’s electric van. However, with the Cybertruck, Roadster, and $25k vehicle projects being talked about already and delays due to battery constraints, there isn’t much hope to hearing about the Tesla Van in the near future.
Even still, something simple as renders or Musk even mentioning the possibility of an electric van will drive media into a frenzy. It will likely be one of the only things talked about in the automotive world for several days. While Rivian will release its R1S, it will get coverage, but Musk and Tesla will take priority, I’d assume.
Lucid
Lucid is a company that seems to have the best chance of competing with Tesla in terms of electric car performance. The Lucid Air Dream Edition Limited is one of the premier electric vehicles in terms of performance, and it proved it by setting records at the Laguna Seca raceway in California. Arguably the most sporty electric car since the Model S, the Air has Tesla roots as Lucid’s CEO and CTO is Peter Rawlinson, a former Tesla employee who helped with the Model S project.
The problem for Lucid is that Tesla has the Roadster coming out within the near future. Lucid has already delayed production due to the pandemic, and it won’t come until later this year. Tesla has put the Roadster on hold several times, as it is still in development for a few meteoric features, like hovering, that Elon Musk seems hellbent on figuring out. While the Lucid Air has incredible performance and range that is impressive in its own right, it doesn’t hold a candle to the performance, range, or suspense that Tesla Roadster fans have felt. Updates to the Roadster are unbelievably sought after by enthusiasts, and any small detail is eaten up instantaneously by those who are interested in the vehicle. It is fair to assume that if Lucid announces its initial deliveries of the Air, Tesla could counter it with an update to the Roadster, big or small.
Not to mention, Tesla could singlehandedly take most of Lucid’s appeal away with a quick 10-second clip of the Model S Plaid+ doing a quarter-mile drag. Many people would be interested in the Air’s most robust performance package until they see the 1.7-second 0-60 MPH from Tesla’s new Model S powertrain.
Legacy Automakers and OEMs
There are a lot of advantages here, and one of the biggest could be Tesla’s introduction of Giga Texas later this year. More than a production plant, this facility is set to be an entire experience. A boardwalk, entertainment, tours, you name it. Giga Texas will be a production facility that puts much of its competition to bed simply because of its appeal. It will likely be the most immersive, personal “tour” experience that anyone ever has at a vehicle production plant. Who other than Tesla to make it happen?
Tesla doesn’t have to do much different than what it has done for the past few years to take momentum away from legacy automakers. Continuing to build highly-effective, revolutionary electric cars is all Tesla needs to do to convince people that it is ahead of legacy car companies in this front. Not much needs to change.
Tesla does have its work cut out for it in Europe, though. European EV sales figures are dominated by Volvo, Kia, Renault, BMW, and Volkswagen. Tesla doesn’t have a car in the Top 20 in Europe yet this year, according to the EV Sales Blog. With Giga Berlin coming later this year as well, this will surely change. My guess is the Model Y cracks the Top 5 no later than three months after Giga Berlin’s initial rollout, simply due to demand, the appeal of the crossover body style in Europe, and the distinct advantage Tesla has over legacy car companies in terms of software.
Despite the tumble on Wall Street, Tesla still has plenty of time to turn 2021 around. With the EV sector growing this year as new manufacturers release their first products, Tesla has an opportunity to show that they’re still able to compete with the young guns of the EV industry. Tesla is sure to remain the top dog, and it could take some simple derailing of competition, just like it has done for years.
A big thanks to our long-time supporters and new subscribers! Thank you.
I use this newsletter to share my thoughts on what is going on in the Tesla world. If you want to talk to me directly, you can email me or reach me on Twitter. I don’t bite, be sure to reach out!
On behalf of the entire Teslarati team, we’re working hard behind the scenes on bringing you more personalized members benefits, and can’t thank you enough for your continued support!
EVgo has tapped Tesla Superchargers for its most recent efforts to expand its charging presence in the United States, a move that seems logical based on the effectiveness of the automaker’s own infrastructure.
EVgo opened its first Supercharger site in Illinois, a 12-stall station near downtown Chicago at 3145 South Ashland Avenue in the Riverside Square & River’s Edge center, right beside a grocery store. This marks the start of the company’s plan to deploy hundreds of Supercharger stalls across the United States, primarily at grocery-anchored Regency Centers properties where drivers can shop, eat, or run errands while they charge.
We’ve opened our first EVgo Supercharger location in Illinois, marking the start of our plan to add hundreds of Supercharger stalls across the U.S.
Designed for both NACS and CCS vehicles with Magic Dock technology, these new sites help make fast charging more accessible and convenient for all EV drivers. Learn more: https://t.co/V92t5FDryQ
— EVgo Fast Charging Network (@evgonetwork) November 5, 2026
The new location uses Tesla’s Magic Dock technology so both NACS and CCS vehicles can plug in natively without drivers needing to carry their own adapters. Peak power reaches 325 kW at this site, with pricing set between $0.25 and $0.35 per kWh depending on the hour—the same rate for Tesla and non-Tesla drivers.
The stalls also appear in Tesla’s in-car navigation and Trip Planner, making them easy for Tesla owners to find and route to. Illinois has seen EV registrations rise nearly 60 percent over the past two years, and EVgo’s broader network has experienced more than 700 percent growth in charging demand over three years, so the timing fits the market’s trajectory.
Choosing Tesla hardware through the Supercharger for Business program turns out to have been a smart, practical move.
Tesla’s V4 stalls and cabinets deliver high, reliable power with a proven track record of strong uptime, while Magic Dock delivers true dual-standard compatibility in one package. Because the sites show up in Tesla’s navigation tools, EVgo instantly gains visibility among millions of existing Tesla drivers, which should raise utilization and help the company double its addressable market as more vehicles adopt NACS. EVgo still owns the stations and sets pricing, yet benefits from Tesla’s established hardware, longer cables, and operational support.
The result is faster, lower-risk infrastructure expansion that serves every EV driver—Tesla or otherwise—with convenient, high-power charging at everyday retail locations. For drivers, that means fewer adapters, more predictable stops, and a denser network just as electric vehicles become everyday transportation.
Tesla’s Austin Gigafactory is reportedly shifting to round-the-clock vehicle production through the end of 2026, according to longtime drone observer Joe Tegtmeyer.
In his November 2 update, Tegtmeyer, widely regarded as one of the most reliable independent sources on Giga Texas activity (we call him the Drone GOAT), stated that the plant has added a night shift, creating two 12-hour production shifts.
Tegtmeyer said in his video:
“Now, I do have some interesting news about that when it comes to the production schedule here at Giga Texas, and things are actually looking pretty good, especially when you think about what the demand is and the delivery numbers that they’re looking for and what they’re expecting. So, normally they have shifts Monday through Friday. It’s a day shift and it’s about 10 hours long or so, give or take. But now they’re on day and night shifts and they’re going to 12-hour days. So they’re going to be adding or they have another shift. They have 12 hours for both of them. In addition to that, the typical downtime that we’re going to be seeing around the holidays, specifically Thanksgiving and Christmas to the New Year time frame is actually changed. And we’re not going to see those big several day events where there is no production. At least that’s what the plan is right now. So, it’s really a great sign, I think, when we consider what they’ve done in the past and what production and the deliveries have been so far. So, maybe it’s shaping up to be a really strong quarter.”
Previously, General Assembly typically operated on a single roughly 10-hour day shift, Monday through Thursday or Friday. The new arrangement keeps General Assembly on its Monday-to-Thursday schedule while adding overnight capacity, and most other areas of the factory continue working the full week with some weekend activity.
Notably, the plant is also forgoing the multi-day shutdowns around Thanksgiving and the Christmas–New Year period that have occurred in prior years
Giga Texas currently builds the Model Y, the larger Model Y L, the Cybertruck, and the Cybercab robotaxi. Tesla has not confirmed the shift change or specified which lines will receive the extra output. Recent comments suggest Cybercab production has been constrained by the pace at which the Robotaxi fleet can absorb new vehicles, making the Model Y and Model Y L the more likely beneficiaries as the company works through order backlogs.
Tegtmeyer’s November 2 footage and commentary also highlighted broader site progress. Cortex 2 continues to expand, with additional compute coming online, a roughly 25 percent lengthening of the structure on the north end, and work on a third cooling plant.
The Boring Company tunnel site showed increased activity in the large launch pit, while the Advanced Technology Chip Fab (a SpaceX–Tesla joint R&D facility) continued steel superstructure and heavy truss installation, along with concrete pours.
The reported capacity increase arrives as Tesla aims for a strong fourth quarter following solid third-quarter results. While unconfirmed by the company, the information aligns with Tegtmeyer’s consistent track record of accurate on-site observations.
If Tesla makes the decision to sustain the all-day production plans, the dual 12-hour shifts would meaningfully raise weekly output potential at one of Tesla’s most important manufacturing hubs.
News
Tesla opens new “Cybaer” Engineering Center in Berlin
Tesla opened its Berlin Engineering Center, uniting four sites and 30 labs near Giga Berlin.
Tesla has opened a new engineering hub in Berlin, putting the teams that design and test its European parts about 30 minutes from the factory that builds them.
The Berlin Tesla Engineering Center, or BTEC, opened Wednesday in the Köpenick district. Tesla Europe said on X that the project went from permit to operational in under a year and consolidates four engineering sites and 30 labs onto a single campus. It is the company’s third hub of this kind, after Fremont and Shanghai.
“We’re combining materials, powertrain, vehicle engineering & validation under one roof, enabling a short feedback loop between development & ramp,” Tesla Europe wrote.
Berlin Tesla Engineering Center opens today From permit to operational in under a year, it brings 4 engineering sites onto 1 campus w/ 30 different labs in Köpenick, 30 minutes from Giga Berlin With our 3rd hub of this kind after Fremont & Shanghai, we’re combining materials, powertrain, vehicle engineering & validation under one roof – enabling a short feedback loop between development & ramp — Tesla Europe, Middle East & Africa (@teslaeurope) November 4, 2026
Tesla converted the former production halls of a cable factory for the site. About 250 engineers and technicians are starting there, most of them relocated from existing Tesla facilities such as Tilburg in the Netherlands. Tesla has already applied for approval of a second phase that would take the headcount to roughly 500, and it put the total investment at €100 million.
The labs cover battery cells, motors, materials and complete vehicles, and a large hall is set aside for safety testing of components, including airbags. During the opening, staff demonstrated a pedestrian leg impact test on the front of a Tesla using a catapult rig, Tagesspiegel reported. The center’s logo is a cubist Berlin bear that employees call the “Cybaer.”
Tesla said its Berlin design and engineering teams already contributed to the Model Y, Semi and Roadster, and that the work continues at BTEC. The center will handle technical problem solving for Giga Berlin in Grünheide while also developing and validating parts for vehicles built in China and the United States.
“We came here to stay,” BTEC head Brückner told dpa. “We serve all of Europe via Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg.” He said a site close to the plant was a priority, and that the old industrial building allowed Tesla to move quickly.
That proximity matters more now that Giga Berlin is growing again. In June, Tesla said it would raise Model Y output at the plant to 7,500 vehicles per week and hire 1,000 more workers after a record first quarter of more than 61,000 units. The factory recently built 7,000 Model Ys in a single week for the first time. Tesla also more than doubled the planned 4680 cell capacity at the site to 18 GWh per year in May, and has talked about eventually taking Grünheide to one million vehicles annually.
Sales are giving Tesla reason to invest. KBA data released the same day showed Tesla’s German registrations nearly quadrupled year over year in October to 2,932 units, bringing the total for the first ten months of 2026 to 47,742.
EVgo taps Tesla Superchargers for mass charging expansion
Tesla Giga Texas reportedly moves to 24/7 production
