For the first time in nearly thirty years, Hyundai will build a new automobile manufacturing plant in South Korea, and it will be completely dedicated to electric vehicles.
The plant will be fully dedicated to electric vehicles, according to Hyundai, which last built a manufacturing facility in South Korea in 1996.
Hyundai, spearheaded by the success of its IONIQ 5, has fully embraced the future of electrification. After the IONIQ 5 captured numerous awards and surged the automaker’s electric vehicle sales, the Korean car company is ready to build a state-of-the-art facility that will purely focus on bringing competitive and world-class electric vehicles to customers as quickly as possible.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 wins Triple Crown of awards, including World Car of the Year, at NYIAS
According to a report from Reuters, production is expected to begin at the facility by 2025, citing the company’s union as the group that gave those details. The union also stated that Hyundai had put the 2025 date out there during wage negotiations.
The new factory dedicated to future EVs comes after Hyundai and Kia committed $16.5 billion to South Korean production of electric vehicles. The company said it would build a new factory in South Korea with Kia in May, aiming to build 150,000 units annually. Originally, Hyundai and Kia planned to not begin production until the latter half of 2025.
Hyundai also secured a $5.54 billion investment in a new EV production facility in Georgia in the United States, which already is the home of a Kia manufacturing facility, which is amongst the largest in the country.
Amongst Hyundai’s future electric vehicles is the IONIQ 6, which was recently teased prior to its full unveiling, which is scheduled for this evening at 6:30 PM PDT.
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Tesla launches Model Y Performance in the U.S.
The new Model Y Performance now sports a 0-60 MPH acceleration rate of 3.3 seconds, a good improvement from the 3.5 seconds the 2025 version offered. It also has a better range rating, up to 308 miles from 277 miles in the previous model year.
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y Performance in the United States, boasting better range, performance, and features than its previous build.
The new Model Y Performance now sports a 0-60 MPH acceleration rate of 3.3 seconds, a good improvement from the 3.5 seconds the 2025 version offered. It also has a better range rating, up to 308 miles from 277 miles in the previous model year.
Tesla Model Y Performance zips around Nurburgring with new features
It is priced at $57,490, and will be eligible for the $7,500 EV tax credit for the remainder of today, September 30. If you’re reading this on or after October 1, you will be required to pay $57,490.
🚨 BREAKING: Tesla has officially launched the new Model Y Performance for $57,490
If you order today, the $7,500 EV tax credit will apply and bring your price down to $49,990! pic.twitter.com/GodX0HvOYx
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 30, 2025
Tesla also announced several new additions, both aesthetically and performance-wise. We’ll discuss them below:
Exterior Improvements
- New front/rear fascia
- Performance carbon spoiler for better aerodynamics – increased downforce and reduced drag
- New 21″ Arachnid wheels and tires with staggered fitment to improve grip and steering
- Adaptive damping adjusts handling and suspension for a smoother and more stable ride
Performance Improvements
- New Drive Modes give you greater control for high-speed driving
- Increased charge capacity thanks to high-density battery cells
Interior Improvements
- Quiet cabin with premium sound-damping materials & acoustic glass
- Heated/ventilated front sport seats & heated, perforated rear seats with power recline
- Added bolstering and side cushions for improved comfort and stabilty when cornering
- Cornered thigh cushion extenders, which were added to new Model Y L in China and Model Y Performance in Europe
- 16″ high-res touchscreen
Credit: Tesla
Credit: Tesla
Credit: Tesla
Tesla offered the Model Y Performance in other markets before the United States, with deliveries starting in Europe earlier this month.
The launch of the Model Y Performance in the United States is expected to add a few thousand units to next quarter’s delivery figures. However, Tesla is doing customers a favor by launching it ahead of the tax credit’s expiration at midnight.
Tesla Cybertruck police cruisers from noted tuner Unplugged Performance arrived to the Las Vegas Police Department this week.
The fleet will have ten total Cybertrucks, outfitted and equipped with all of the trimmings of a normal cruiser, but packed inside the polarizing but useful exoskeleton of the all-electric pickup.
Don’t freak out but the Cybertruck police have arrived in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/y1TYEBq8wP
— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) September 29, 2025
Back in February, it was announced by Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill that they would be specially fitted as a SWAT vehicle. Sheriff McMahill said that the Cybertrucks will keep officers safe because of their unique engineering:
“The cop inside will be safe no matter what; it will stop bullets.”
The Department was gifted the ten vehicles by Ben Horowitz, a billionaire businessman. The donation came shortly after a Cybertruck exploded outside of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1. Only the suspect was killed in the explosion.
Sheriff McMahill has big plans for the Cybertrucks in the police fleet:
“Imagine when we’re out and we’re charging these things, and officers will be approached by people from all over the community to see this thing. It’s an opportunity [to] inject humanity, to increase our community partnerships.”
I love the work we do. These are the most incredible police vehicles.@UpfitTesla pic.twitter.com/znktJwPm03
— Ben Schaffer (@BenSchafferUP) September 26, 2025
The introduction of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department Cybertrucks is just one way the law enforcement agency is using technology to its advantage. The Department also said in February that it would be using new drone technology to triangulate gunshots.
Police departments from all over the United States and even the world have adopted Tesla vehicles for their law enforcement fleets. Many agencies cite cost-effectiveness, affordability, performance, and charging as significant advantages for why EVs make sense for their fleets.
Some Cybertrucks have been utilized as police vehicles as well. Qatar used them to create a motorcade for President Donald Trump during a visit to the Middle East, and the Jalisco, Mexico PD will utilize several Cybertrucks while patrolling the FIFA World Cup.
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Tesla eyes Los Angeles for Robotaxi operation, job posting suggests
LA is also an ideal location for Robotaxi expansion because of its reputation as a hotspot for ride-sharing services.
Tesla is eyeing Los Angeles for its Robotaxi operation, a new job posting from the company suggests, as it aims to expand its service area in California.
Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi platform in California for several months now, first launching it in July in the Bay Area, spanning from San Francisco to San Jose, giving those who have access to the ride-hailing suite a pretty substantial service area to travel within.
However, the California operation is far from complete, as Tesla is aiming to expand to Los Angeles, a city that sits roughly seven hours south of San Francisco, but is among the most popular markets for its vehicles.
LA is also an ideal location for Robotaxi expansion because of its reputation as a hotspot for ride-sharing services.
Tesla is hiring a Vehicle Operator for its Robotaxi program in Marina Del Rey, a seaside community in Los Angeles County, located near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and several other hotspots. It is a frequent location of travel for tourists, making it ideal for Robotaxi:
Tesla Robotaxi expanding to Los Angeles… 👀 pic.twitter.com/ULBDmgl8Yq
— Jonathan Stokes (@jonathanwstokes) September 30, 2025
There is a substantial difference between how Tesla operates Robotaxi in California compared to Texas, the other state that currently allows passengers to hail a ride through the Tesla Robotaxi app.
In Texas, the majority of rides are considered “driverless,” as there is nobody sitting in the driver’s seat.
This applies to any ride that does not utilize any of the Texas freeways, as highways will require a driver in the seat, something Tesla did when its geofence in Austin expanded to include interstates.
Tesla adjusts Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin with new service area
In California, things are a bit different. The “Safety Monitor” sits in the driver’s seat, regardless of destination or route. This has drawn some criticism, but Tesla has taken this step in an effort to keep passengers and traffic as safe as possible, recognizing that this is essential for these early rides.
Eventually, and potentially as soon as the end of this year, Tesla could remove Safety Monitors from vehicles altogether, as CEO Elon Musk has hinted this is a possibility.
Tesla launches Model Y Performance in the U.S.
Tesla Cybertruck police cruisers from noted tuner arrive to Las Vegas PD
Tesla eyes Los Angeles for Robotaxi operation, job posting suggests
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