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SpaceX Starlink internet approved in Canada, beta invites imminent

Reddit user slapmonkay received a beta invite to test Starlink internet in Montana and the state's northern neighbor could be next. (Reddit - /u/slapmonkay)

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SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet has officially won regulatory approval in Canada and CEO Elon Musk says that the first beta invites will begin to be sent out a matter of days from now.

Known as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), the decision was made well before most – including Musk himself – expected it, suggesting that the Canadian agency may have been responding to growing consumer enthusiasm and interest in Starlink internet. Since SpaceX began shipping Starlink user terminals to US beta testers less than two weeks ago, rural Americans have quickly come to heap praise on the new technology – warts and all.

Transparently deemed the “Better Than Nothing Beta” by SpaceX itself, the user-side hardware is still in its infancy and the satellite constellation is far smaller than optimal, resulting in the occasional dropped connection and inconsistent speeds and latency. Nevertheless, the service SpaceX has managed to deliver before anyone else appears to be extremely promising and is now poised to expand beyond the United States for the first time.

In the Northern US, particularly Montana, new Starlink beta users have already begun to demonstrate that the cutting-edge technology is impressively resilient in the face of extreme weather. Thus far, users have already shown their Starlink antennas happily chugging along in blizzard conditions – covered in snow, icicles hanging off – without significantly disrupting the quality of the internet they are delivering.

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Beta users have already begun putting Starlink user terminals through their paces as winter weather bares down on the northern US, demonstrating surprising resilience in the face of blizzard conditions and ice.

Canada will likely serve as an additional torture test for the Starlink antennas and services sent that way, although the far north will have to wait for the time being. At the moment, according to email correspondence between SpaceQ and Elon Musk, Starlink’s Canadian foray will be significantly limited at first. To understand why, one must first understand how Starlink works.

At the moment, each orbiting Starlink satellite services as a separate node in the network, only capable of communicating with user terminals (antennas) on the ground or more substantial SpaceX-operated hubs known as ground stations. Those ground stations are the backbone of the internet service, linking the orbiting network to the rest of the Earth-based internet. To connect end-users, a satellite orbiting over head will connect to their user terminal, receive uplink requests (clicking on a link, watching a video), route those requests through a separate beam to a ground station, which then beams that content back to the Starlink satellite before being beamed down to the end-user.

A plethora of Starlink user terminal prototypes were first spotted at SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas facilities in June 2020. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)
Starlink’s first public beta test program began rolling out in late October. (Reddit /u/wandering-coder)

Without those ground stations, Starlink is (somewhat) akin to a home network WiFi router without a cable modem. Unfortunately for SpaceX, radiocommunication hardware installation is often strictly regulated and the process is almost always unique and non-transferable in every country on Earth. As such, even with approval to serve Starlink internet in Canada, SpaceX still has to wait for individual approvals for each ground station, of which one or several dozen are necessary. Until those ground stations are approved, Starlink will only be available to Canadians below the 55th parallel, give or take.

On top of ground stations, SpaceX will also need to launch many, many more batches of Starlink satellites to be able to offer reliable and uninterrupted internet in most of the northern hemisphere (and the rest of the world). Nevertheless, with nearly 900 operational Starlink satellites launched less than a year after the first operational mission, it’s difficult to doubt that SpaceX will make it happen – and far sooner than most would reasonably expect.

Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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Tesla preps to build its most massive Supercharger yet: 400+ V4 stalls

The project will be an expansion of the current Eddie World Supercharger in Yermo, California, and will take place in several stages.

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla is preparing to build its most massive Supercharger yet, as it recently submitted plans for an over 400-stall Supercharging station in California, which would dwarf its massive 168-stall location in Lost Hills, California.

The project will be an expansion of the current Eddie World Supercharger in Yermo, California, and will take place in several stages.

The expansion, adjacent to the existing Eddie World Supercharger, which is currently comprised of 22 older V2 and V3 stalls limited to 150 kW, unfolds across six phases.

Construction on Phase 1 begins later this year with 72 V4 stalls. Subsequent stages will progressively add hundreds more, culminating in over 400 next-generation chargers. Site plans label expansive parking arrays across Phases 1–5 along Calico Boulevard, with Phase 6 design still to be determined.

The project was first flagged by MarcoRP, a notable Tesla Supercharger watcher.

Strategically located midway on I-15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the station targets heavy EV traffic on this high-demand corridor.

The surrounding 20-mile stretch already hosts over 200 high-power stalls (including 40 at 250 kW, 120 at 325 kW, and more), plus 96 in nearby Baker—yet bottlenecks persist during peak travel.

In scale, it eclipses all existing Tesla Superchargers. The current record holder, the solar- and Megapack-powered “Project Oasis” in Lost Hills, California, offers 164 stalls. Barstow’s former leader had 120. Eddie World 2 will be more than double that size, cementing Tesla’s dominance in ultra-high-capacity charging.

Tesla finishes its biggest Supercharger ever with 168 stalls

Development blends charging with convenience. Architectural drawings show integrated retail: a 10,100 square foot Cracker Barrel, a 4,300 square foot McDonald’s, a 3,800 square foot convenience store, additional restaurants, drive-thrus, outdoor dining, and lease space.

EV-centric features include pull-through bays for Cybertrucks and trailers, ensuring accessibility for larger vehicles and future Semi trucks.

This phased approach minimizes disruption while scaling capacity. It supports Tesla’s broader vision amid rising EV adoption, Robotaxi corridors, and long-haul needs. Once complete, Eddie World 2 won’t just charge vehicles; it will redefine highway stops, turning a dusty desert exit into a futuristic EV oasis.
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Tesla makes latest move to remove Model S and Model X from its lineup

Tesla’s latest decisive step toward phasing out its flagship sedan and SUV was quietly removing the Model S and Model X from its U.S. referral program earlier this week.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has made its latest move that indicates the Model S and Model X are being removed from the company’s lineup, an action that was confirmed by the company earlier this quarter, that the two flagship vehicles would no longer be produced.

Tesla has ultimately started phasing out the Model S and Model X in several ways, as it recently indicated it had sold out of a paint color for the two vehicles.

Now, the company is making even more moves that show its plans for the two vehicles are being eliminated slowly but surely.

Tesla’s latest decisive step toward phasing out its flagship sedan and SUV was quietly removing the Model S and Model X from its U.S. referral program earlier this week.

The change eliminates the $1,000 referral discount previously available to new buyers of these vehicles. Existing Tesla owners purchasing a new Model S or Model X will now only receive a halved loyalty discount of $500, down from $1,000.

The updates extend beyond the two flagship vehicles. New Cybertruck buyers using a referral code on Premium AWD or Cyberbeast configurations will no longer get $1,000 off. Instead, both referrer and buyer receive three months of Full Self-Driving (Supervised).

The loyalty discount for Cybertruck purchases, excluding the new Dual Motor AWD trim level, has also been cut to $500.

These adjustments apply only in the United States, and reflect Tesla’s broader strategy to optimize margins while boosting adoption of its autonomous driving software.

The timing is no coincidence. Tesla confirmed earlier this year that Model S and Model X production will end in the second quarter of 2026, roughly June, as the company reallocates factory capacity toward its Optimus humanoid robot and next-generation vehicles.

With annual sales of the low-volume flagships already declining (just 53,900 units in 2025), incentives are no longer needed to drive demand. Production is winding down, and Tesla expects strong remaining interest without subsidies.

Industry observers see this as the clearest sign yet of an “end-of-life” phase for the vehicles that once defined Tesla’s luxury segment. Community reactions on X range from nostalgia, “Rest in power S and X”, to frustration among long-time owners who feel perks are eroding just as the models approach discontinuation.

Some buyers are rushing orders to lock in final discounts before they vanish entirely.

Doug DeMuro names Tesla Model S the Most Important Car of the last 30 years

For Tesla, the move prioritizes efficiency: fewer discounts on outgoing models, a stronger push for FSD subscriptions, and a focus on high-margin Cybertruck trims amid surging orders.

Loyalists still have a narrow window to purchase a refreshed Plaid or Long Range model with remaining incentives, but the message is clear: Tesla’s lineup is evolving, and the era of the original flagships is drawing to a close. 

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Tesla Australia confirms six-seat Model Y L launch in 2026

Compared with the standard five-seat Model Y, the Model Y L features a longer body and extended wheelbase to accommodate an additional row of seating.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla has confirmed that the larger six-seat Model Y L will launch in Australia and New Zealand in 2026. 

The confirmation was shared by techAU through a media release from Tesla Australia and New Zealand.

The Model Y L expands the Model Y lineup by offering additional seating capacity for customers seeking a larger electric SUV. Compared with the standard five-seat Model Y, the Model Y L features a longer body and extended wheelbase to accommodate an additional row of seating.

The Model Y L is already being produced at Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai for the Chinese market, though the vehicle will be manufactured in right-hand-drive configuration for markets such as Australia and New Zealand.

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Tesla Australia and New Zealand confirmed the vehicle will feature seating for six passengers.

“As shown in pictures from its launch in China, Model Y L will have a new seating configuration providing room for 6 occupants,” Tesla Australia and New Zealand said in comments shared with techAU.

Instead of a traditional seven-seat arrangement, the Model Y L uses a 2-2-2 layout. The middle row features two individual seats, allowing easier access to the third row while providing additional space for passengers.

Tesla Australia and New Zealand also confirmed that the Model Y L will be covered by the company’s updated warranty structure beginning in 2026.

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“As with all new Tesla Vehicles from the start of 2026, the Model Y L will come with a 5-year unlimited km vehicle warranty and 8 years for the battery,” the company said.

The updated policy increases Tesla’s vehicle warranty from the previous four-year or 80,000-kilometer coverage.

Battery and drive unit warranties remain unchanged depending on the variant. Rear-wheel-drive models carry an eight-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty, while Long Range and Performance variants are covered for eight years or 192,000 kilometers.

Tesla has not yet announced official pricing or range figures for the Model Y L in Australia.

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