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Nikola Tre wins eligibility for $185k New York Truck Voucher Incentive
The Tre, a battery-electric heavy-duty zero-emissions vehicle from automaker Nikola, won eligibility into the New York Truck Voucher Incentive Program, which qualifies the truck for an incentive package valued at up to $185,000 per unit.
Nikola formally announced the Tre’s induction into the program on Thursday, stating that the NYTVIP provides discounts to fleets across New York State that purchase or lease any medium or heavy-duty zero-emission BEVs. The approval will qualify an up to $185,000 discount per unit, with a scrappage requirement.
Credit: Nikola Corp.
The NYTVIP was administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, which incentivizes EVs so that fleets can be adopted with less financial strain. The program significantly reduces the cost companies must pay for fleets up front.
Nikola is already registered in California under the Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), which is a program made possible by the State’s Air Resources Board, known as CARB. This program offers incentive amounts specific to each vehicle. The Nikola Tre qualifies for an incentive discount of $120,000 per unit in the HVIP. In total, eight electric semi-trucks qualify for the HVIP program, all in the amount of $120,000. The program also covers ePTOs, Heavy and Medium-Duty Buses, Refuses, School Buses, Step & Panel Vans, and Straight Trucks.
The Nikola Tre is expected to have the longest range among the Class-8 tractors offered by both the NYTVIP and HVIP programs. It also is recommended for metro-regional applications due to its improved visibility and maneuverability, along with a quiet and diesel smell-free ride.
Nikola announced in late April that it started production and shipment of the Tre. “We began production of the Tre BEV on March 21 here in Coolidge, and today we’re celebrating this milestone and the initial shipments of trucks to our customers,” company CEO Mark Russell said. “In 2022, we’re moving forward with every aspect of our business. Next year, fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are planned to be added to the manufacturing mix. We are focused on delivering vehicles and generating revenue.”
The Tre is built at Nikola’s Coolidge, Arizona manufacturing plant, which currently has a production capacity of 2,500 units every year. The company has received over 500 orders for the Tre, it said in May. The second phase of the facility is under construction, and is expected to be completed in the next year. It will increase annual production capacity to 20,000 units on two shifts, the company said.
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Tesla Model Y L six-seater approved for Australia ahead of launch
The variant was listed as YL5NDB on the Australian government’s ROVER approval website.
Tesla’s six-seat, extended-wheelbase Model Y L has been approved for sale in Australia, as per newly published government documents.
The variant, listed as YL5NDB on the Australian government’s ROVER approval website, has confirmed that Tesla has received regulatory clearance to offer the extended Model Y to domestic customers.
Documents seen by Drive show that the Model Y L has been approved in Australia in a single dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration. While Tesla has not formally announced a launch date, vehicles are typically approved for Australian sale several months before arriving in showrooms.
The Model Y L is a longer version of the regular Model Y, designed to accommodate a six-seat layout with two seats in each row. It measures 177mm longer overall than the regular Model Y, at 4969mm, and features a 150mm longer wheelbase at 3040mm.
Australian approval documents list the Model Y L with the same nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack used in the regular Model Y Long Range, which is expected to have a gross capacity of about 84kWh and a usable capacity of about 82kWh. Output is officially listed at 378kW in government filings, though real-world peak output may differ.
The Model Y L replaces the regular Model Y’s second-row bench with two captain’s chairs featuring heating, ventilation, and power adjustment. Heated third-row seats are also included.
Additional upgrades reported by Drive include an 18-speaker sound system, new front seats with single-piece backrests, and continuously variable shock absorbers. The only wheel option listed for the Australian model is 19-inch wheels.
In Europe, where the Model Y L has also received approval but has not yet launched, the variant is expected to claim up to 681km of WLTP range.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk highlights one of Tesla FSD Supervised’s most underrated features
In his post on X, Musk wrote, “Tesla self-driving now recognizes hand signals.”
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is able to recognize and respond to hand signals, as highlighted recently by CEO Elon Musk.
In his post on X, Musk wrote, “Tesla self-driving now recognizes hand signals.”
Musk shared the update in a quote reply to a video posted by Tesla Europe, which showed a vehicle operating with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) navigating a tight lane in the Netherlands while responding to hand gestures from a person directing traffic.
Hand signal recognition is an important capability for advanced driver-assistance and autonomous systems. In real-world driving, pedestrians, construction workers, parking attendants, and other drivers frequently use hand gestures to direct traffic, yield right of way, or indicate when it is safe to proceed. For a self-driving system operating in mixed environments, interpreting these non-verbal cues is critical.
Musk’s post comes as Tesla owners have surpassed 8 billion cumulative miles driven with FSD (Supervised) engaged. “Tesla owners have now driven >8 billion miles on FSD Supervised,” the company wrote in a post on X.
Annual FSD (Supervised) miles have increased sharply over the past five years. Roughly 6 million miles were logged in 2021, followed by 80 million in 2022, 670 million in 2023, 2.25 billion in 2024, and 4.25 billion in 2025.
In the first 50 days of 2026 alone, Tesla owners logged another 1 billion miles. At the current pace, the fleet is trending toward approximately 10 billion FSD (Supervised) miles this year.
Tesla’s latest North America safety data, covering all road types over a 12-month period, also indicates that vehicles operating with FSD (Supervised) were recorded one major collision every 5,300,676 miles. By comparison, the U.S. average during the same period was one major collision every 660,164 miles.
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Tesla hiring for Commercial Charging role hints at Semi push in Europe
The job opening was highlighted by David Forer, Senior Project Developer for Charging at Tesla, on LinkedIn.
Tesla appears to be expanding its Commercial Charging efforts in Central Europe. The job opening was highlighted by David Forer, Senior Project Developer for Charging at Tesla, on LinkedIn.
In a post on LinkedIn, Forer stated that Tesla is looking for a “high-energy executer to own Commercial Charging Sales in Central Europe.” He added that the role will involve closing commercial deals across Tesla’s “entire product range (Supercharging & Megacharging).”
The job listing specifies that the hire will lead the sale of Tesla’s high-power charging products, including Supercharger and Heavy Duty Charging, to major partners such as charge point operators, real estate owners, and retail companies. The role requires fluency in German and English and is based onsite in Munich.
Tesla already operates more than 75,000 Superchargers globally, though the Semi’s Megacharger network is still in its early stages. The inclusion of Heavy Duty Charging in the job description is notable, then, as it aligns with Tesla’s Megacharger infrastructure, which is designed to support the Tesla Semi.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently confirmed that the Tesla Semi is moving into high-volume production this 2026. In a post on X, Musk noted that “Tesla Semi starts high volume production this year.”
Aerial footage of the Tesla Semi Factory near Giga Nevada also shows that the facility looks nearly complete, with work now underway inside the facility.
Tesla has also refreshed the Semi lineup on its official website, listing two variants: Standard and Long Range. The Standard trim offers up to 325 miles of range with an energy consumption rating of 1.7 kWh per mile, while the Long Range version provides up to 500 miles.
Both variants support fast charging and can recover up to 60% of range in 30 minutes using compatible infrastructure such as the Megacharger Network.
The presence of Heavy Duty Charging in a Central Europe-focused sales role could indicate that Tesla is preparing charging infrastructure ahead of wider Semi deployment in the region. While Tesla has not formally announced a European launch timeline for the Semi, the vehicle, particularly its range, makes it an ideal fit for the area.
Tesla Model Y L six-seater approved for Australia ahead of launch
Elon Musk highlights one of Tesla FSD Supervised’s most underrated features
