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Porsche starts preparing its Zuffenhausen site for the Taycan’s production ramp
Porsche is setting the stage for the ramp of one of its most important vehicles to date — the Taycan — the veteran carmaker’s first all-electric car. The Taycan is expected to start production sometime in 2019, and to ensure that its facilities are ready for the vehicle, projects are now underway in Porsche’s Zuffenhausen facility, which will house the manufacturing line for the electric sedan.
The pedigreed carmaker has decided to set up the Taycan’s production lines in Zuffenhausen, a site with a long, storied history. Several cars, among them the iconic Porsche 911, the 718 Boxster, and the 718 Cayman, are built on the same location. A press release from Porsche notes that for the Taycan’s upcoming ramp, the company is creating 1,500 jobs and investing €700 million (over $797 million) to augment and prepare its facilities.
Several aspects of Porsche’s projects in Zuffenhausen stand out, particularly a conveyor system that transports drive system components and painted e-car bodies from the paint shop to the assembly line. The conveyor system is impressive, standing at a height of twenty meters above a four-lane main road in Stuttgart, which divides the site in half.
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- Porsche’s upcoming Taycan production facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. (Photo: Porsche)
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- Porsche’s upcoming Taycan production facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. (Photo: Porsche)
Porsche’s upcoming Taycan production facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. (Photo: Porsche)
Porsche also notes that the assembly and logistics hall for the Taycan’s production will be its largest building complex in Zuffenhausen. The company describes the construction of the structure as a balancing act, considering that the facility must be completed while the production of the 911, Boxster, and Cayman are continuing their usual output. Reiner Luth, head planner for the factory project, compares the balancing act to a medical procedure.
“The heart of Porsche beats in Zuffenhausen. We’re basically doing open-heart surgery,” he said.
Porsche has also shared images of its paint shop, whose steel structure is self-supporting. The company notes that final work on the Taycan’s paint shop is already underway. The Taycan’s body shop, which will be the second-largest building in the Zuffenhausen facility, is also being developed. Pre-production bodies of the 911 and later, the Taycan, will be made on the building.
Just like its rival, Tesla, Porsche intends to make its Zuffenhausen as environmentally-friendly as possible. Jürgen King, head of central construction management for the site’s expansion, explains that the factory will eventually be a C02-neutral plant. King also notes that the pace of the project is so far the fastest-moving in Porsche’s history.
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- Porsche’s upcoming Taycan production facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. (Photo: Porsche)
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- Porsche’s upcoming Taycan production facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. (Photo: Porsche)
Porsche’s upcoming Taycan production facilities in Zuffenhausen, Germany. (Photo: Porsche)
“Given these framework conditions, what we have is not only the biggest but also the fastest-moving construction site in Porsche’s history. When we’re finished expanding the factory for the Taycan, Porsche will produce zero-emission cars in a CO2-neutral plant. And that is a well-rounded result,” he said.
Porsche notes that the demand for the Taycan has been very impressive so far. Last year, the legacy automaker opened pre-orders for the vehicle, and the reception has been so positive that Porsche is now increasing the initial production of the vehicle. As noted by Porsche CEO Olliver Blume, for one, the company has logged almost 3,000 Taycan reservations in Norway alone. That’s a country where Porsche sells about 600 vehicles per year on average.
While the Taycan is about to enter production, Porsche is yet to unveil the final design of the all-electric car’s release version. So far, Porsche employs several dozens of camouflaged prototypes for testing, as well as a working version of the Mission E sedan concept car to promote the vehicle. In the company’s promotional materials for the car, Porsche states that despite the lack of engine in the Taycan, the all-electric car will still have the ever-present “soul” found in all of its other vehicles.
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Man credits Grok AI with saving his life after ER missed near-ruptured appendix
The AI flagged some of the man’s symptoms and urged him to return to the ER immediately and demand a CT scan.
A 49-year-old man has stated that xAI’s Grok ended up saving his life when the large language model identified a near-ruptured appendix that his first ER visit dismissed as acid reflux.
After being sent home from the ER, the man asked Grok to analyze his symptoms. The AI flagged some of the man’s symptoms and urged him to return immediately and demand a CT scan. The scan confirmed that something far worse than acid reflux was indeed going on.
Grok spotted what a doctor missed
In a post on Reddit, u/Tykjen noted that for 24 hours straight, he had a constant “razor-blade-level” abdominal pain that forced him into a fetal position. He had no fever or visible signs. He went to the ER, where a doctor pressed his soft belly, prescribed acid blockers, and sent him home.
The acid blockers didn’t work, and the man’s pain remained intense. He then decided to open a year-long chat he had with Grok and listed every detail that he was experiencing. The AI responded quickly. “Grok immediately flagged perforated ulcer or atypical appendicitis, told me the exact red-flag pattern I was describing, and basically said “go back right now and ask for a CT,” the man wrote in his post.
He copied Grok’s reasoning, returned to the ER, and insisted on the scan. The CT scan ultimately showed an inflamed appendix on the verge of rupture. Six hours later, the appendix was out. The man said the pain has completely vanished, and he woke up laughing under anesthesia. He was discharged the next day.
How a late-night conversation with Grok got me to demand the CT scan that saved my life from a ruptured appendix (December 2025)
byu/Tykjen ingrok
AI doctors could very well be welcomed
In the replies to his Reddit post, u/Tykjen further explained that he specifically avoided telling doctors that Grok, an AI, suggested he get a CT scan. “I did not tell them on the second visit that Grok recommended the CT scan. I had to lie. I told them my sister who’s a nurse told me to ask for the scan,” the man wrote.
One commenter noted that the use of AI in medicine will likely be welcomed, stating that “If AI could take doctors’ jobs one day, I will be happy. Doctors just don’t care anymore. It’s all a paycheck.” The Redditor replied with, “Sadly yes. That is what it felt like after the first visit. And the following night could have been my last.”
Elon Musk has been very optimistic about the potential of robots like Tesla Optimus in the medical field. Provided that they are able to achieve human-level articulation in their hands, and Tesla is able to bring down their cost through mass manufacturing, the era of AI-powered medical care could very well be closer than expected.
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Tesla expands Model 3 lineup in Europe with most affordable variant yet
The Model 3 Standard still delivers more than 300 miles of range, potentially making it an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers.
Tesla has introduced a lower-priced Model 3 variant in Europe, expanding the lineup just two months after the vehicle’s U.S. debut. The Model 3 Standard still delivers more than 300 miles (480 km) of range, potentially making it an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers.
Tesla’s pricing strategy
The Model 3 Standard arrives as Tesla contends with declining registrations in several countries across Europe, where sales have not fully offset shifting consumer preferences. Many buyers have turned to options such as Volkswagen’s ID.3 and BYD’s Atto 3, both of which have benefited from aggressive pricing.
By removing select premium finishes and features, Tesla positioned the new Model 3 Standard as an “ultra-low cost of ownership” option of its all-electric sedan. Pricing comes in at €37,970 in Germany, NOK 330,056 in Norway, and SEK 449,990 in Sweden, depending on market. This places the Model 3 Standard well below the “premium” Model 3 trim, which starts at €45,970 in Germany.
Deliveries for the Standard model are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026, giving Tesla an entry-level foothold in a segment that’s increasingly defined by sub-€40,000 offerings.
Tesla’s affordable vehicle push
The low-cost Model 3 follows October’s launch of a similarly positioned Model Y variant, signaling a broader shift in Tesla’s product strategy. While CEO Elon Musk has moved the company toward AI-driven initiatives such as robotaxis and humanoid robots, lower-priced vehicles remain necessary to support the company’s revenue in the near term.
Reports have indicated that Tesla previously abandoned plans for an all-new $25,000 EV, with the company opting to create cheaper versions of existing platforms instead. Analysts have flagged possible cannibalization of higher-margin models, but the move aims to counter an influx of aggressively priced entrants from China and Europe, many of which sell below $30,000. With the new Model 3 Standard, Tesla is reinforcing its volume strategy in Europe’s increasingly competitive EV landscape.
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Tesla FSD (Supervised) stuns Germany’s biggest car magazine
FSD Supervised recognized construction zones, braked early for pedestrians, and yielded politely on narrow streets.
Tesla’s upcoming FSD Supervised system, set for a European debut pending regulatory approval, is showing notably refined behavior in real-world testing, including construction zones, pedestrian detection, and lane changes, as per a recent demonstration ride in Berlin.
While the system still required driver oversight, its smooth braking, steering, and decision-making illustrated how far Tesla’s driver-assistance technology has advanced ahead of a potential 2026 rollout.
FSD’s maturity in dense city driving
During the Berlin test ride with Auto Bild, Germany’s largest automotive publication, a Tesla Model 3 running FSD handled complex traffic with minimal intervention, autonomously managing braking, acceleration, steering, and overtaking up to 140 km/h. It recognized construction zones, braked early for pedestrians, and yielded politely on narrow streets.
Only one manual override was required when the system misread a converted one-way route, an example, Tesla stated, of the continuous learning baked into its vision-based architecture.
Robin Hornig of Auto Bild summed up his experience with FSD Supervised with a glowing review of the system. As per the reporter, FSD Supervised already exceeds humans with its all-around vision. “Tesla FSD Supervised sees more than I do. It doesn’t get distracted and never gets tired. I like to think I’m a good driver, but I can’t match this system’s all-around vision. It’s at its best when both work together: my experience and the Tesla’s constant attention,” the journalist wrote.
Tesla FSD in Europe
FSD Supervised is still a driver-assistance system rather than autonomous driving. Still, Auto Bild noted that Tesla’s 360-degree camera suite, constant monitoring, and high computing power mark a sizable leap from earlier iterations. Already active in the U.S., China, and several other regions, the system is currently navigating Europe’s approval pipeline. Tesla has applied for an exemption in the Netherlands, aiming to launch the feature through a free software update as early as February 2026.
What Tesla demonstrated in Berlin mirrors capabilities already common in China and the U.S., where rival automakers have rolled out hands-free or city-navigation systems. Europe, however, remains behind due to a stricter certification environment, though Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for FSD Supervised’s approval in several countries in the region.
Man credits Grok AI with saving his life after ER missed near-ruptured appendix
Tesla expands Model 3 lineup in Europe with most affordable variant yet
