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Tesla Semi gains companion in Volvo VNR Electric Class-8 truck

(Credit: Volvo)

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Volvo recently introduced its VNR Electric Class 8 truck, which might be a good companion for the Tesla Semi on North American roads. The Volvo VNR Electric is equipped with a 264kWh battery pack with an operating range of up to 150 miles, depending on the configuration of the truck. The all-electric Volvo heavy-duty truck can also charge up to 80% in 70 minutes.

The Volvo VNR Electric comes in three configurations. 

  • Single-axle straight truck with a gross vehicle weight rating of 33,300lbs.
  • A 4×2 two tractor configuration with a 66,000-lb. gross combination weight raising (GCWR)
  • A 6×2 two tractor configuration with up to 82,000-lb. GCWR for certain applications.

“The Volvo VNR Electric marks a significant step forward for electromobility in an industry that we are committed to leading as it undergoes rapid, significant change,” said the President of Volvo Trucks North America Peter Voorhoeve. “Volvo Trucks believes and invests in sustainable electromobility. Our deep understanding of the transportation ecosystem—the technology, infrastructure and applications in the trucking industry—have enabled us to deliver a solution that is both advanced yet easy to own and operate.”

(Credit: Volvo)

The Tesla Semi was unveiled with 300 and 500 miles of range, depending on the variant, three years ago. Since 2017, Tesla has worked on battery improvements which could increase the Semi’s range. Elon Musk hinted as much during his online appearance at the European Battery Conference. 

“Getting a range of 500 km is I think, quite easy. And this is assuming a truck that is pulling a load of something in the order of 40 metric tons. So that’s a heavy truck. For long-range trucking, up to, we think, easily 800 kilometers, and we see a path over time, to get to about 1,000 kilometers of range. We think this is going to be extremely competitive and compelling to trucking companies,” Musk said at the conference.

There is clearly a range gap between Tesla and Volvo’s all-electric Class 8 trucks, but each may find its own niche in an electrified trucking market. On its official website, the legacy automaker specified that the Volvo VNR Electric would be build for local or regional distribution, pickup and delivery, as well as food and beverage distribution.

Based on Volvo’s description, the VNR Electric aims to target city-to-city or more localized deliveries, which fits with its current range capacity.  Meanwhile, the Tesla Semi seems more suited to take on long-haul drives, like state-to-state deliveries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag449gVwNFw&feature=emb_logo

Volvo VNR Electric Brochure by Maria Merano on Scribd

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla dominates Cars.com’s Made in America Index with clean sweep

Tesla continues to dominate Cars.com’s Made in America Index with a clean sweep of the Top 4 spots.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has dominated the Cars.com Made-in-America Index with a clean sweep of the top four spots. All four Tesla vehicles that were eligible for the analysis placed in the top four.

The Model 3 overtook the Model Y for first place this year. The all-electric crossover was first in 2024, but the Model 3 managed to overtake its sibling vehicle to claim the top spot in 2025. The Model Y took second, while the Model S took third, and the Model X took fourth.

This is an improvement from last year, as the Model Y took first, but the Model S and Model X placed fourth and ninth, respectively. The Model 3 was not in the Top 10 in 2024.

“Tesla continues to lead, claiming the top four spots and showcasing its commitment to domestic production. About 25% of the more than 400 vehicles on sale in the U.S. made this year’s AMI, and whether a vehicle is No. 1 or No.99, it contributes to the U.S. economy,” Patrick Masterson, lead researcher for the program, said.

More than 400 vehicles were analyzed for this year’s study, with Cars.com officially ranking 117 of them. There were two other EVs in the Top 10, as the Kia EV6 took sixth place, and the Volkswagen ID.4 finished in tenth.

This year’s study reflected major geographic and strategic shifts across the automotive industry. Of the 117 vehicles ranked in the program, they were produced at 36 domestic factories, leaving only 11 total factories that did not yield a car on the list. There are 47 assembly plants in operation in the U.S.

However, there still has not been a vehicle to quite reach the 100 percent domestic parts content, something that is extremely elusive. Masterson says the global supply chain is still extremely crucial to even the most American-built cars on the market.

The average domestic parts content of the Top 10 cars was 83.4 percent in 2006, but that number has shrunk to 70.3 percent in this year’s rankings.

Some might wonder where cars like the Tesla Cybertruck or Rivian R1T are on the list. However, these vehicles did not qualify because the study only considers cars under a gross weight of 8,500 pounds.

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Tesla China roars back with highest vehicle registrations this Q2 so far

Tesla China’s 80% week-over-week growth was the most notable among Chinese EV brands.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla China saw a notable rise in new vehicle registrations in the week of June 9 to 15, 2025. During the week, Tesla China’s registrations saw an impressive 80% week-over-week increase, resulting in the electric vehicle maker posting its highest insurance registration figures this Q2 so far. 

Tesla China Roars Back

During the week ending June 15, 2025, Tesla China saw 15,500 insurance registrations. This represents an 80% increase from the previous week’s 8,640 units. This is also the highest number of registrations that Tesla has posted in China for the past ten weeks, as noted in a CNEV Post report.

Tesla watchers have observed that the electric vehicle maker’s 80% week-over-week growth was the most notable among Chinese EV brands. Following Tesla was Xpeng, which saw a 52% week-over-week growth to 6,400 registrations, and Nio, which saw a 9.3% week-over-week increase to 4,700 registrations. 

Tesla China does not report its weekly vehicle registration figures, though the company’s overall performance in the Chinese auto market can be inferred through new vehicle registration data. Fortunately, these registrations are closely tracked and reported by industry watchers, as well as automakers like Li Auto.

Tesla Model Y Impact

Industry watchers estimate that Tesla China was able to deliver 11,200 new Model Y units to customers in the week ending June 15. This represents a week-over-week improvement of about 85% from the previous week. This bodes well for the revamped all-electric crossover, as it suggests that demand for the vehicle remains strong.

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The new Model Y is Tesla’s highest volume seller. Thus, it would not be a surprise if the company’s numbers this Q2 2025 end up relying on the sales figures of the revamped all-electric crossover. Fortunately, Tesla has two more weeks before the quarter ends, which should be enough to increase its quarterly sales numbers to a notable degree.

Tesla’s domestic sales in China totaled 38,588 units in May, down 30% year-over-year but up 34% percent from April, as per data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). In the same month, Giga Shanghai also exported 23,074 vehicles in May.

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SpaceX Ax-4 Mission prepares for ISS with new launch date

SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA set new launch date for the Ax-4 mission after addressing ISS & rocket concerns.

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SpaceX-Ax-4-mission-iss-launch-date
(Credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX is preparing for a new launch date for the Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA addressed recent technical challenges and announced a new launch date of no earlier than Thursday, June 19, for the Ax-4 mission. The delay from June 12 allowed teams to assess repairs to small leaks in the ISS’s Zvezda service module.

NASA and Roscosmos have been monitoring leaks in the Zvezda module’s aft (back) segment for years. However, stable pressure could also result from air flowing across the hatch seal from the central station. As NASA and its partners adapt launch schedules to ensure station safety, adjustments are routine.

“Following the most recent repair, pressure in the transfer tunnel has been stable,” a source noted, suggesting the leaks may be sealed.

“By changing pressure in the transfer tunnel and monitoring over time, teams are evaluating the condition of the transfer tunnel and the hatch seal between the space station and the back of Zvezda,” the source added.

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SpaceX has also resolved a liquid oxygen leak found during post-static fire inspections of the Falcon 9 rocket, completing a wet dress rehearsal to confirm readiness. The Ax-4 mission is Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut trip to the ISS. It will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a Falcon 9 rocket with a new Crew Dragon capsule.

“This is the first flight for this Dragon capsule, and it’s carrying an international crew—a perfect debut. We’ve upgraded storage, propulsion components, and the seat lash design for improved reliability and reuse,” said William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s vice president of build and flight reliability.

The Ax-4 mission crew is led by Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space’s director of human spaceflight and former NASA astronaut. The Ax-4 crew includes ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot, alongside mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The international team underscores Axiom’s commitment to global collaboration.

The Ax-4 mission will advance scientific research during its ISS stay, supporting Axiom’s goal of building a commercial space station. As teams finalize preparations, the mission’s updated launch date and technical resolutions position it to strengthen private space exploration’s role in advancing space-based innovation.

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