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Lucid Motors is looking to raise $8 billion more in planned mixed shelf offering

Lucid today announced its initial launch plans for the European market, including the forthcoming availability of both versions of Lucid Air Dream Edition with the most advanced electric powertrain available today. The Dream Edition R is optimized for efficiency with an estimated 900 km of range, and the Dream Edition P features 1,111 horsepower (828 kW).

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Luxury electric car maker Lucid Motors is looking to beef up its working capital. To accomplish this, the company filed for a new offering of up to $8 billion earlier this week. The funding should help Lucid keep its operations going as it continues to ramp the production and deliveries of its flagship Air sedan. 

Despite previous statements from company executives, Lucid is currently in what could be described as a “manufacturing hell” of sorts. In the second quarter, Lucid only delivered 679 cars, which was a notable increase from the 360 Air sedans that were delivered in Q1 2022 — but still far below the company’s estimates. 

Lucid’s production outlook has become progressively more conservative. The company had planned to produce 20,000 vehicles in 2022, but amid supply chain challenges, this estimate was reduced to a more feasible 12,000 to 14,000 vehicles. Following its Q2 2022 results, Lucid cut its annual production guidance once more to just 6,000 to 7,000 units for the year. 

Considering that the company is on an uphill climb to get over its production challenges and start delivering the Air sedan en masse, Lucid’s decision to raise funds again makes quite a bit of sense. Lucid filled for a mixed shelf offering, which allows the luxury EV maker to sell various types of securities in one or more separate offerings. According to a Reuters report, the size, price, and terms of the transactions would be determined at the time of sale. 

Ramping a car company is no joke, so it would not be surprising at all if Lucid ends up raising funds several more times in the future. Other EV makers that have successfully scaled their operations, such as Tesla, have done the same thing. With this in mind, it does appear that Lucid would likely remain fighting an uphill battle, at least for the near future. 

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Fortunately, Lucid is quite a realist. CEO Peter Rawlinson has been pretty open about the fact that the company would need to raise money as it ramps its operations. The EV maker has noted that it had already raised the $4.4 billion it needs for 2022, though Rawlinson also mentioned that Lucid would not be waiting until the end of the year to raise more cash. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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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Tesla China sales rise 48% quarter over quarter in August

The automaker sold 57,152 vehicles locally, as per data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Tesla China’s retail sales showed a rebound in August, rising 48.1% compared to May, the second month of the previous quarter, and 41% compared to July 2025. 

The automaker sold 57,152 vehicles locally, as per data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), while Giga Shanghai sold 83,192 units wholesale during the month. 

Tesla’s wholesale deliveries

August 2025 marked Tesla China’s best wholesale month of 2025 so far. Giga Shanghai recorded 83,192 wholesale units in August, up 22.6% from July’s 67,886 units. Of these, 24,304 were Model 3 sedans and 58,888 were Model Ys, with 26,040 vehicles exported. 

The Model Y remained Tesla’s standout product in China, accounting for 69% of local sales and ranking as the country’s second best-selling vehicle. The brand itself was ninth among all automakers in August, which is impressive considering the company’s BEV-only lineup.

Balancing growth against year-over-year declines

While August showed strong sequential gains, Tesla’s sales in China remain 10% lower compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date, Tesla is also down 7% against 2024 levels. That being said, over the past three months, sales have grown 12.6% compared to March through May, highlighting improved momentum in the second half of the year, as per industry estimates.

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A notable portion of this momentum could very well be attributed to the introduction of the Tesla Model Y L, an extended wheelbase six-seat version of the Model Y, which also happens to be the company’s best-selling vehicle. The Model Y L’s domestic deliveries in China are already starting, so it would be interesting to see where the company’s results are in the final month of the third quarter.

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Elon Musk confirms Tesla has never shown Optimus V3 design yet

Optimus is a cornerstone of the company’s pursuit towards sustainable abundance.

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Credit: Tesla Optimus/X

Elon Musk has clarified that the next iteration of Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus V3, has yet to be revealed publicly. His comments were posted on social media platform on X as Tesla enthusiasts discussed recent images of Optimus V2 and V2.5. 

Musk’s comment followed a recent video shared by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, which showed Musk demonstrating an updated Optimus prototype equipped with Grok AI.

Updated Optimus V2

The short video posted by Benioff showed a gold-colored Optimus unit answering questions through Tesla’s Grok AI assistant and taking tentative steps. The addition of Grok suggests Tesla is seeking to integrate conversational AI directly into Optimus, expanding its potential applications beyond mechanical movement to include workplace and consumer interaction.

The Optimus in the video was quite different from the V2 units that have been showcased by the company in the past. Its hands looked more human (though they appeared to be mannequin placeholders) and its body was painted gold. In a follow-up post, the official Tesla Optimus account teased the updated design with functional hands with the caption “I’ve been working on my figure.” 

Future versions

It was then no surprise that some in the Tesla community had the impression that the refined version of the prototype featured in the new images was Optimus V3. With its more advanced hands, forearms, and sleek new paint job, after all, the unit could very well be a whole new evolution of the humanoid robot. As per Musk, however, this was not the case. 

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In a response to an X user who compared the progress of Optimus to Starship’s Raptor V1, V2, and V3 engines, the CEO clarified that Tesla has not shown Optimus V3 yet. He also noted that the new images of the humanoid robot were of Optimus V2.5. “We haven’t shown Optimus V3 yet. It is sublime. The second two images are V2 and V2.5,” Musk wrote in his response.

Optimus plays a huge role in Tesla’s future, with the robot expected to be a high-volume product that is a cornerstone of the company’s pursuit towards sustainable abundance. Elon Musk’s 2025 pay package also directly involves Optimus, with one of his targets being the delivery of 1 million Optimus robots.

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SpaceX to expand Central Texas facility with $8M Bastrop project

Bastrop is already the site of several Elon Musk-led ventures.

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX is set to expand its presence in Central Texas with an $8 million project to enlarge its Bastrop facility, as per state filings. 

The 80,000-square-foot addition, which is scheduled to begin construction on September 24 and wrap in early January 2026, was registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and initially reported by My San Antonio

New investment

Bastrop is already the site of several Elon Musk-led ventures. The upcoming expansion will extend SpaceX’s office at 858 FM 1209, near Starlink’s operations and The Boring Company’s facilities. Just down the road, X is housed in the Hyperloop Plaza at 865 FM 1209.

SpaceX’s expansion reflects a steady buildup of resources in Bastrop since the private space firm established its presence in the area. The addition was praised by Tesla Governor Greg Abbott, who wrote on X that the expansion will “bring more jobs, innovations and will strengthen Starlink’s impact worldwide.” 

State support

In March, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a $17.3 million state grant to SpaceX for an “expansion of their semiconductor research and development (R&D) and advanced packaging facility in Bastrop.” The project is expected to create more than 400 new jobs and generate over $280 million in capital investment.

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Following the grant award, the Texas Governor also noted that SpaceX’s facility would be growing by 1 million square feet across three years to boost its Starlink program. SpaceX’s Starlink division is among the company’s fastest-growing segments, with the satellite internet system connecting over 6 million users and counting worldwide. 

Recent reports have also indicated that Starlink has struck a deal with EchoStar to acquire 50 MHz of exclusive S-band spectrum in the United States and global Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) licenses. This should pave the way for Starlink to provide 5G coverage worldwide, even in remote areas. 

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