

News
SpaceX’s next-gen Falcon Heavy closer to reality as side booster leaves factory
A duo of rocket spottings on November 9th and 10th confirm that SpaceX’s next Falcon Heavy rocket – an amalgamation of three Falcon 9 boosters, an upper stage, and extensive modifications – is already in the late stages of manufacturing and is nearing the beginning of integrated structural and static fire testing.
As of now, this Falcon Heavy side booster could end up supporting either or both of two near-term launch contracts in place for the rocket, communications satellite Arabsat 6A or the US Air Force’s second Space Test Program (STP-2) launch
SpaceX's second Falcon Heavy is slowly but surely coming together 😀 https://t.co/AYJsQ8Mld5
— Eric Ralph (@13ericralph31) November 13, 2018
The question of the hour – at least for Falcon Heavy – is which of those two available payloads will be atop the rocket on its first truly commercial launch. While suboptimal, a few general characteristics of each payload, SpaceX’s history of commercial launches, and Falcon Heavy itself can offer a hint or two.
Triple the rocket, triple the trouble
Thanks in large part to the fact that the first integrated Falcon Heavy was composed of two relatively old Falcon 9 booster variants and a center core that was quite literally a one-off rocket, the process of reenginering and building another Falcon Heavy rocket off of the family’s newest Block 5 variant has likely been far harder than simply building another Falcon Heavy. Although all three original Falcon Heavy boosters (B1023, B1025, and B1033) were in the same league as Block 5, their Block 2 and Block 3 hardware was designed for approximately 10% less thrust and are almost entirely different vehicles from the perspective of structures and avionics.
Perhaps even more importantly, it’s unknown whether Falcon Heavy Block 1 (for lack of a better descriptor) was designed with serious reusability in mind, at least in the same sense as Falcon 9 Block 5 was. For instance, a major portion of the rocket’s extreme complexity and difficulties lies in the basic need to transmit three times as much thrust through the center core. To do that and do it without rocket-powered separation mechanisms, SpaceX had to develop structural attachments and connections capable of surviving unbelievable mechanical and thermal stresses for minutes on end.
- The first Falcon Heavy was a Frankenstein’s monster of sorts. (SpaceX)
- Falcon Heavy is seen here lifting off during its spectacular launch debut. (SpaceX)
- A Falcon Heavy side booster was spotted eastbound in Arizona on November 10th. (Reddit – beast-sam)
Clearly, this was an unfathomably difficult problem to solve in such a manner that Falcon Heavy would work at all the first time. Factor in the strategic need for those same components to survive repeated cycles of those stresses with minimal refurbishment in between and the problem at hand likely becomes a magnitude more difficult, at least. In large part, this helps to explain why there will end up being a minimum of 11-12 months between Falcon Heavy’s first and second launches.
Arabsat or STP?
Over the course of SpaceX’s last 2-3 years of commercial launch activity, the company and its customers have demonstrated time and time again a reliable pattern: commercial customers (in the sense of private entities) are far more willing to take risks with new technologies than SpaceX’s government customers. NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services is the exception for the latter group but also has no Falcon Heavy launch contracts. For Falcon Heavy, there are thus main three options at hand.
- Arabsat 6A launches first with 1-2 flight-proven boosters; the Air Force’s STP-2 mission flies on an all-new Falcon Heavy 4-6 months later.
- SpaceX builds entirely new Falcon Heavy rockets for both customers, requiring four new side boosters and two new center cores.
- STP-2 launches first on an all-new Falcon Heavy; Arabsat 6A launches second on the first flight-proven Falcon Heavy after 6+ months of additional delays.
- The USAF’s STP-2, a combination of a few dozen different satellites. (USAF)
- The communications satellite Arabsat-6A. (Lockheed Martin)
- LZ-1 and LZ-2, circa February 2018. (SpaceX)
- A closeup of one of Falcon Heavy’s side boosters after landing. (SpaceX)
Arabsat is far more likely to accept – for a significant discount – a ride aboard the first flight-proven Falcon Heavy, especially if it means preventing more major launch delays. If the Falcon Heavy side booster spotted eastbound last week is a refurbished Block 5 booster rather than a new rocket, than option 1 is the easy choice for most probable outcome. The real pack leader for Falcon Heavy Flight 2, however, will be the completion of a new Block 5 center core and its shipment to Texas for structural and static fire testing.
Time will tell. For now, a completed Falcon Heavy side booster is the best sign yet that SpaceX may manage the rocket’s second launch in the first quarter of 2019, whichever launch that may be.
News
How Tesla’s Standard models will help deliveries despite price disappointment
“What a giant miss,” one person said.
“With all due respect, no way is this what y’all have been hyping for 6 quarters…” another one claimed.
“So…where are the affordable models?” another reply read.

When Tesla unveiled its Standard versions of the Model 3 and Model Y this week, reactions were mixed. Many liked the addition of two new models, but they were also concerned about the price.
“What a giant miss,” one person said.
“With all due respect, no way is this what y’all have been hyping for 6 quarters…” another one claimed.
“So…where are the affordable models?” another reply read.
Tesla launches two new affordable models with ‘Standard’ Model 3, Y offerings
There’s no arguing it: $36,990 and $39,990 for the Model 3 Standard and Model Y Standard were not what consumers had in mind.
But, despite Tesla getting its new offerings to a price that is not necessarily as low as many expected, the two cars still have a chance to assist with quarterly deliveries.
Here’s how:
First-time Tesla buyers will lean toward Standard models
Tesla owners have become accustomed to expecting all the bells and whistles in their cars. Heated seats, ventilated seats, acoustic glass, vegan leather, industry-leading performance, world-class range, and a glass roof are all expected by current or past owners.
But what about new owners?
New owners do not have these high expectations, so to many of those who have not sat in a Tesla or driven one before, they are going to be blown away by the minimalistic looks, capabilities, and features of the Standard models.
The Premium models will feel like the high-end offerings that other automakers also have for sale, except they’ll only be a few thousand dollars more than Tesla’s base models. With other companies, the price for these higher-end trims is $10,000 or more.
The more affordable Standard models will be there, but if buyers want the extra features, they’ll likely be able to justify the extra few thousand dollars.
Tesla’s Standard Models fall under the U.S. Average Transaction Price
Kelley Blue Book releases a new report each month showing the average transaction price (ATP) of all vehicles sold in the U.S. for that month.
The latest report, released on September 10 for the month of August, revealed an ATP of $49,077. This was up 0.5% from July ($48,841) and higher year over year by 2.6%.
Technically, Tesla’s new Standard models fall well under that ATP, meaning they technically do qualify as “affordable.” However, realistically speaking, affordable does not mean “under the national average.”
It means accessible for low-income families, single-parent households, and other groups. This would likely be under $30,000.
Déjà Vu with the Cybertruck Rear-Wheel-Drive
When Tesla offered the Cybertruck RWD, it stripped out many of the best features of the Cybertruck, such as the adjustable air suspension, powered tonneau cover, and interior materials, just to name a few.
It was $10,000 less than the Cybertruck AWD, but many people essentially viewed it as a way to push consumers toward the more expensive variants, since the discount was a better value than missing out on features.
Tesla released the Cybertruck RWD to make the AWD look like a deal
Something similar could happen with the Standard models. With it only being a few thousand dollars less than the Premium Model 3 and Model Y, some consumers will see it as a better option to go with the more expensive trim levels.
Even if they don’t, many car buyers will see it as a deal to grab the Standard versions.
News
Tesla bull sees a new path to 600,000 deliveries per quarter
“We believe the launch of a lower cost model represents the first step to getting back to a ~500k quarterly delivery run-rate, which will be important to stimulate demand for its fleet with the EV tax credit expiring at the end of September.”

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) bull Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities published a new note to investors on Thursday evening, which seemed to open up the possibility of the automaker returning to a growth rate in terms of deliveries.
After nearly two years of leveling off with deliveries, which was expected, Tesla is now slated to potentially return to growth, Ives says, as it has introduced new, more affordable models. It launched its Standard offerings for the Model 3 and Model Y this week, a strategy to bring cheaper cars to customers amid the loss of the $7,500 tax credit.
🚨 Wedbush’s Dan Ives put up a new Tesla $TSLA note:
“The AI valuation will start to get unlocked in the Tesla story and we believe the march to an AI driven valuation for TSLA over the next 6-9 months has now begun in our view with FSD and autonomous penetration of Tesla’s…
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 10, 2025
In his note to investors, Ives said:
“We believe the launch of a lower cost model represents the first step to getting back to a ~500k quarterly delivery run-rate, which will be important to stimulate demand for its fleet with the EV tax credit expiring at the end of September.”
Although these cars come in only slightly under $40,000, there is some belief that they will do two things: attract car buyers looking for an under-$40k EV with Tesla’s technology and infrastructure, or push those on the fence to the now-Premium models, which are simply the Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive and Long Range All-Wheel-Drive.
Ives said in the note that Tesla’s plans for a $25,000 car are “on hold,” but it seems as if that vehicle will be the Cybercab, which the company unveiled a year ago today.
That project seems to be moving forward as well, based on what we saw at both Fremont and Gigafactory Texas yesterday. At Fremont, the Cybercab was spotted on the Test Track, while crash-tested units were spotted at the factory in Austin.
After the Standard models were rolled out and the Cybercab or another $25,000 unit arrives, Ives believes Tesla could actually get closer to 600,000 deliveries per quarter, he said on CNBC this morning:
BREAKING: DAN IVES SAYS — $TSLA WILL DELIVER ABOVE 600K CARS PER QUARTER 👀
He says Tesla stock is going to $600+ ! pic.twitter.com/fWLfMnH1XH
— TheSonOfWalkley (@TheSonOfWalkley) October 10, 2025
Moving forward, Tesla has much more going for it than its potential growth in quarterly deliveries. Ives recognizes that a majority of what Tesla’s value will come from in the future: AI and autonomy.
Ives said:
“The AI valuation will start to get unlocked in the Tesla story and we believe the march to an AI driven valuation for TSLA over the next 6-9 months has now begun in our view with FSD and autonomous penetration of Tesla’s installed base and the acceleration of Cybercab in the US representing the golden goose for Musk & Co. We believe Tesla could reach a $2 trillion market cap early 2026 in a bull case scenario and $3 trillion by the end of 2026 as full scale volume production begins of the autonomous and robotics roadmap.”
Ives and Wedbush maintained their $600 price target and ‘Outperform’ rating on Tesla stock.
News
The Tesla Model Y Standard is actually a great deal in Europe
A €10,000 delta could very well prove to be a meaningful difference for numerous consumers.

It’s no secret that the Model Y Standard proved polarizing to numerous Tesla watchers in the United States. At just a few thousand dollars less than the Model Y Premium, the entry-level variant seemed like a subpar deal considering all the features that are missing from the vehicle.
In Europe, however, the story might be different, and the Model Y Standard might actually end up being a pretty good deal for numerous car shoppers.
Model Y Standard
Perhaps the biggest complaint against the Model Y Standard in the United States was its price. Listed at $39,990, it was only $5,000 less than the Model Y Premium Rear Wheel Drive (RWD), which starts at $44,990 before options. Considering the list of features and functions that are absent in the Model Y Standard, a good number of Tesla community members noted that the vehicle should have been priced lower, perhaps around $34,990, for it to truly be a good deal.
Otherwise, the entry-level Model Y could end up following in the footsteps of the Cybertruck Rear Wheel Drive, which was priced just below $70,000, but was missing a long list of features that were included on the Cybertruck AWD. The Cybertruck RWD has since been discontinued, likely because of low orders.
Different story in Europe
While the Model Y Standard may not make much sense in the United States, its pricing actually makes it a very good deal in Europe. A look at the order page for the Model Y in The Netherlands, for example, shows that the Model Y Standard is priced at €39,990 before options, €10,000 less than the Model Y Premium Rear Wheel Drive, which is priced at €50,990 before options.
As noted by Tesla watcher @KamermanMenno on social media platform X, a €10,000 delta is a meaningful difference for numerous consumers. Given the significant price difference, the Model Y Standard could become the ideal entry-level vehicle for drivers looking to join the Tesla ecosystem at the lowest possible cost. The fact that the Model Y Standard is a crossover SUV bodes well for the vehicle, given the segment’s popularity as well.
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