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Lucid Air to offer vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-vehicle charging features

(Credit: Lucid Motors/Instagram)

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A recent press release from electric car maker Lucid Motors has revealed that the company will be rolling out its flagship Air sedan with a rather interesting feature: V2X. According to the company, “V2X” refers to “vehicle-to-everything,” which means that the Lucid Air will have full bi-directional capabilities built-in, allowing the car to function in both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) scenarios.

As noted by the company in a press release, the Lucid Air’s bi-directional home charging capabilities could provide a lot of value to owners of the luxury electric sedan. Thanks to bi-directional charging, Lucid Air owners could utilize their vehicles as an energy storage unit to power their homes, which is particularly useful during those occasional trips to off-grid areas. The company described these features as follows.

“Home charging is one of the key benefits of EV ownership. In addition to the standard Lucid Mobile Charging Cord that comes with every Lucid vehicle, Lucid has also developed the Lucid Connected Home Charging Station, one of the first AC charging stations with bi-directional charging ever offered. With bi-directional charging, owners can enjoy not just a more cost-effective charging method, but also use their Lucid Air as a temporary energy reserve to power their homes, including off-grid vacation properties,” the company noted.

(Credit: Lucid Motors)

The rollout of the bi-directional Lucid Connected Home Charging Station is made possible by the EV maker’s integrated partnership with Qmerit. Owners of the Air who are interested in taking advantage of their vehicles’ bi-directional charging capabilities would be required to complete a digital survey, which Qmerit will then use to manage the installation process using its network of licensed electricians. Pricing for the Connected Home Charging Station is yet to be announced.

The Lucid Air’s vehicle-to-vehicle capabilities were not discussed by the company much in its recent press release, but the practical applications of the function are notable. With such a feature in place, Lucid Air owners would be able to provide power from their vehicles’ batteries to other electric cars that are low on energy. Interestingly enough, Lucid has not stated if its V2V capabilities will be universally compatible with other EVs, or if it is designed to work only between two Air sedans.

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(Credit: Lucid Motors)

Vehicle-to-vehicle charging, while not yet mainstream, appears to be gaining ground in some territories. Just last year, for example, Hyundai launched India’s first V2V charging service, which allows owners with cars low on battery to call for another EV to be sent to their location. Once there, the recently-arrived electric car would be used as a power source for charging the customer’s vehicle.

The use of electric vehicles in V2G and V2V settings seems poised to spread in the near future. Earlier this year, reports emerged suggesting that industry leader Tesla is exploring vehicle-to-grid solutions for its growing fleet of vehicles, with noted Tesla hacker @greentheonly remarking that the company’s vehicles already have logic that allows DC to flow out of the company’s battery packs.

Interestingly enough, V2G is something that was discussed by former CTO JB Straubel, who noted back in 2015 that once there are a million Teslas on the road, the fleet could have substantial controllable load capacity. The 1-million-milestone was reached last March, and with Lucid offering “V2X” features right off the bat, it appears that the race to offer vehicle-to-grid services has just become a lot more interesting.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Starbase after dark: Musk’s latest photo captures a Spaceport on the brink of history

SpaceX’s Starbase city in Boca Chica, Texas is rapidly transforming the southern tip of the Lone Star State into one of the most ambitious launch complexes in history.

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Elon Musk shares nighttime view of latest Starbase in Texas

A striking nighttime photograph of SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, shared recently by Elon Musk on X, offers a dramatic glimpse of an operation that is rapidly transforming the southern tip of the Lone Star State into one of the most ambitious launch complexes in history.

The most immediately visible change in the photo is the presence of two fully erected Starship launch towers dominating the coastal skyline. The second orbital launch pad, known as Pad B, now features its fully erected tower, OLIT-3, which stands approximately 474 feet tall and incorporates an integrated water-cooled flame trench designed to minimize damage and reduce turnaround time between launches. The dual-tower silhouette against the night sky signals a decisive shift from experimental testing facility to high-cadence launch operations.

Grok Image concept of Elon Musk’s latest Starbase photo via X

Back at Starbase, Pad 2 is approaching hardware completion, with upgraded chopstick arms, a new chilldown vent system, and all 20 hold-down arms now fitted with protective doors to shield them from the intense exhaust of up to 33 Raptor 3 engines, according to a deeper dive by NASASpaceFlight.

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SpaceX has also received approval to nearly double the footprint of the Starbase launch site, with groundwork already underway to add LNG liquefaction plants, expanded propellant storage, and additional ground support infrastructure.

The photo also carries a milestone civic dimension. Starbase officially became a Texas city in May 2025 after a community vote, with SpaceX employees elected as mayor and commissioners of the newly incorporated municipality. That legal status streamlines launch approvals and gives SpaceX direct control over local infrastructure decisions.

The FAA has approved an increase in launches from Starbase in Texas from five to twenty-five per year, clearing the runway for the kind of flight frequency needed to fulfill Starship’s ultimate mission of ferrying cargo and crew to the Moon, servicing the Department of Defense, deploying next-generation Starlink satellites, and eventually establishing Elon Musk’s long sought after goal of a self-sustaining human presence on Mars.

Seen from above in the dark, Starbase looks less like a test site and more like a spaceport.

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Tesla loses Director who designed one of the company’s best features

Thomas Dmytryk, who has spent over 11 years with Tesla and helped to develop Over-the-Air updates and the company’s vehicles’ ability to utilize them to improve, has decided to leave.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has lost the director who designed one of the company’s best features: Over-the-Air updates.

Thomas Dmytryk, who has spent over 11 years with Tesla and helped to develop Over-the-Air updates and the company’s vehicles’ ability to utilize them to improve, has decided to leave. In a lengthy statement on LinkedIn, Dmytryk said that he’s “closing the book.” He had nothing but good things to say:

“After 11 incredible years at Tesla, I’m closing the book. It’s been the ride of a lifetime: always on the news, innovating relentlessly, constantly pushing the limits. Tesla is THE place for talented, passionate people. I feel insanely lucky to have been part in that culture for so long.”

It appears the intense lifestyle of developing and creating intensively for so long might have caught up to Dmytryk, who did not give his definitive plans for the future, and it appears he may be taking some time off before jumping into a new venture:

“The future? Extremely bright. Ambitions intact, just getting started as a transformative company that could elevate billions of lives. So why leave now?! Human life’s always been my North Star, right now I need to be with mines. I’ve always admired Tesla’s top leadership and vision. But what I’ve always found incredible is the tenacity, brilliance and devotion of people on the front line. YOU make Tesla unstoppable. I wish you all the best and of course EPIC wins.”

The move was first reported by NotaTeslaApp.

Over-the-Air updates are among Tesla’s best features. They are used to improve the Full Self-Driving suite, add features, remedy recalls, and more. Many vehicles have the ability to receive OTA updates, as I did in a Ford Bronco previous to my Model Y. However, Tesla does them better than anyone else: they’re seamless, effective, and frequent. Your car always improves.

The move is a blow to Tesla, of course, considering Dmytryk’s massive contribution to the company and extremely long tenure spent, but not something that is overwhelmingly detrimental. Tesla deals with a lot of extremely intelligent people, some of whom are the best in their field, so they are sure to find a suitable replacement.

However, it’s no secret that the company has been losing some of its top talent, some of whom were in executive roles. Some have left to take on new projects, and others have not revealed their career plans.

It seems at least some of those employees are simply deciding to walk away and try new things after working so hard for so long. According to Dmytryk’s LinkedIn, he also played a large part in Musk’s acquisition of X, as he stated he “worked at Twitter/X ~45/week while working at the same pace for Tesla.”

That averages a 13-hour day, seven days a week, or 18 hours for the normal five-day work week.

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Tesla’s most wanted Model Y heads to new region with no sign of U.S. entry

Unlike the standard Model Y, the “L” stretches the wheelbase by roughly 150 mm and the overall length by about 177 mm to 4,976 mm. The result is a genuine 2-2-2 seating layout that gives six adults proper legroom and cargo space — a true family hauler without the cramped third-row compromises of many three-row SUVs.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla’s most wanted Model Y configuration is heading to a new region, and although U.S. fans and owners have requested the vehicle since its release last year, it appears the company has no plans to bring it to the market.

According to fresh regulatory filings, the six-seat Model Y L is coming to South Korea with signs indicating an imminent launch. The extended-wheelbase configuration, already a hit in China, just cleared energy-efficiency certification from the Korea Energy Agency, paving the way for deliveries as early as the first half of 2026.

The vehicle is already built at Tesla’s Giga Shanghai facility in China, making it an ideal candidate for the Asian market, as well as the European one, as the factory has been known as a bit of an export hub in the past.

It seems like Tesla was prepping for this release anyway, as the timing was no accident. A camouflaged Model Y L prototype was spotted testing on Korean highways the same day the certification dropped. Tesla has already secured similar approvals for Australia and New Zealand, with both markets expecting the larger Model Y in 2026.

Unlike the standard Model Y, the “L” stretches the wheelbase by roughly 150 mm and the overall length by about 177 mm to 4,976 mm. The result is a genuine 2-2-2 seating layout that gives six adults proper legroom and cargo space — a true family hauler without the cramped third-row compromises of many three-row SUVs.

South Korean filings list it as an all-wheel-drive imported electric passenger vehicle with a 97.25 kWh total battery capacity supplied by LG Energy Solution. Local tests show an impressive 543 km (337 miles) combined range at room temperature and 454 km (282 miles) in colder conditions, easing one of the biggest concerns for Korean EV buyers.

Tesla Model Y lineup expansion signals an uncomfortable reality for consumers

But for U.S. fans, things are not looking good for a launch in the market.

CEO Elon Musk has been blunt. The six-seater “wouldn’t arrive in the U.S. until late 2026, if ever,” he said, pointing to the company’s heavy bet on unsupervised Full Self-Driving and robotaxi platforms like the Cybercab. With the Model X slated for discontinuation, many families hoped the stretched Model Y would slide into the lineup as an affordable three-row bridge. So far, that hope remains unfulfilled.

For now, South Korean drivers will be among the first buyers outside China to enjoy the spacious, efficient Model Y L. Tesla continues its global rollout strategy, tailoring vehicles to regional tastes while North American customers keep refreshing their apps and crossing their fingers.

The Model Y L proves the appetite for practical, family-sized electric SUVs is stronger than ever. Hopefully, Tesla will listen to its fans and bring the vehicle to the U.S. where it would likely sell well.

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