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Tesla courted with $1 Billion incentive for Cybertruck Gigafactory in Missouri
Recent reports from Missouri reveal that Joplin is offering a $1 billion package to Tesla if the electric car maker decides to build its upcoming Cybertruck Gigafactory in the city. The $1 billion package includes a massive 1,042-acre plot of land at a 50% discount, a 100% tax break for 12 years, and generous state incentives. Considering that the city is located at the heart of America’s pickup truck industry, Joplin’s pitch may very well be compelling for the electric car maker.
In a briefing on Monday, president of the chamber Toby Teeter mentioned that a formal proposal outlining the city’s offer has already been submitted to Tesla Corporate about a week ago. This places Joplin in the running against cities like Austin, TX, which is rumored to be the frontrunner in Tesla’s Cybertruck Gigafactory race, and Tulsa, OK, which has offered a massive 1500-acre plot of land for the upcoming electric pickup factory.
“Tesla is looking for a new location somewhere in the Midwest for a Gigafactory. Approximately a week ago, the city of Joplin and the Chamber of Commerce put a formal bid together and submitted it to Tesla corporate,” he said, as noted in a Joplin Globe report.
The 1,042-acre site will be located near west 20th Street and JJ Highway, within the Wildwood Ranch development west of Joplin. If Tesla’s previous facilities are any indication, the Cybertruck Gigafactory could employ up to 7,000 people from the area, making it a valuable contributor to the state’s economy.
Commenting further, Teeter stated that Joplin’s workforce amounts to 193,000 people within a 20-mile radius and 279,000 within a 30-mile radius. About 150 dedicated battery engineers and over 500 licensed engineers are also present within a 60-mile radius. But perhaps most importantly, the president of the chamber stated Joplin is located right at the heart of America’s pickup truck industry, making it the perfect location for the Cybertruck Gigafactory.
“We’re also the trucking capital of America. That gives Tesla front-row access to its next market with four of the largest trucking companies in the nation within a 60-mile radius,” Teeter said.
Joplin Mayor Gary Shaw, for his part, stated that the Gigafactory would be an opportunity for the city. Considering Tesla’s reputation for being a next-generation carmaker, the presence of a Cybertruck factory in Joplin would likely make the city more attractive to professionals, both in the automotive and the tech industry.
“I think it would be a great opportunity to get ready if we weren’t. I think it just opens some doors. One of the things Toby and we, as a city, saw with our two major medical centers and the KCU medical school coming here is that we need to attract people to come to our community. It would be using a lot of our workers, but I believe it would be a very big attraction for people to come from the rest of the state or from other areas of the country” to live and work here,” Shaw said.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has mentioned that the Cybertruck is seeing a lot of demand from consumers. Designed unlike anything else on the road today, the Cybertruck has the potential to disrupt the extremely popular and lucrative pickup market. If successful, the Cybertruck may do to pickups what the Model 3 did to high-performance midsize sedans. Tesla would just have to be ready to meet the demand for the all-electric truck.
Tesla is continuing to refine and improve its Robotaxi program from A to Z, and it is now going to make some sweeping changes to the smartphone app portion of the suite.
The company is aiming to make some sweeping changes with the release of Robotaxi app version 26.4.5, which was recently decompiled by Tesla App Updates on X. The update reveals significant new code, focused on remote operations, safety protocols, and seamless autonomous ride-hailing.
These improvements evidently signal Tesla’s preparations for scaling unsupervised Cybercab deployments, particularly the steering wheel-less variants spotted in production. The enhancements emphasize providing a reliable experience that gives passengers support when needed, along with operational efficiency.
Version 26.4.5 of the Robotaxi app has been de-compiled and we’ve got some interesting things added this update (https://t.co/jInbED7fOv):
– Remote Operator Voice Calls 📞
– Proactive Remote Assistance 🤖
– Manual Override + Remote Start for wheel-less Cybercabs 🎮
-…
— Tesla App Updates (iOS) (@Tesla_App_iOS) May 16, 2026
Remote Operator Voice Calls
One standout addition is support for remote operator voice calls. The app now includes a dedicated native voice-communication system linking passengers directly to Tesla teleoperators via the vehicle’s cabin microphone and speakers.
This feature allows real-time assistance during rides, addressing issues like navigation questions or comfort adjustments without disrupting the autonomous journey. It builds on existing support protocols, making human intervention more accessible and intuitive.
Proactive Remote Assistance
The update introduces proactive remote assistance capabilities. Rather than waiting for passenger-initiated requests, the system can anticipate and offer help based on monitored conditions.
This might include something like suggesting route changes, climate adjustments, or addressing potential delays. By integrating AI-driven monitoring with human oversight, Tesla aims to deliver a smoother, more attentive experience that exceeds traditional ride-sharing services.
Manual Override and Remote Start for Steering Wheel-less Cybercabs
A key highlight for the wheel-less Cybercab fleet is manual override plus remote start functionality. Fleet operators and technicians can now temporarily take control or remotely start vehicles lacking steering wheels. This is crucial for lower-speed maneuvers, such as getting vehicles from tight parking situations or even performing maintenance.
Controls are strictly limited for safety–typically to speeds under 2 MPH–ensuring these interventions remain emergency measures only.
Tesla is adding a secure “Enable Manual Drive” mode that will allow those fleet operators or others to take control temporarily.
Additionally, a Remote Start feature, which authorizes an empty vehicle to begin a driverless ride alone.
Ride-Hailing and Dispatch Features
Ride dispatch has been enhanced with soft-matching and multi-stop support. The app can intelligently pair riders with available Cybercabs while accommodating multiple destinations in a single trip.
This optimizes fleet utilization, reduces wait times, and improves efficiency for shared rides. Soft-matching likely considers factors like proximity, rider preferences, and vehicle availability for better user satisfaction.
Rider-Cabin Sync, Real-Time Routing
New synchronization tools allow the rider’s app to mirror and control cabin settings like seating, climate, and entertainment directly from their phone. Real-time routing updates adapt dynamically to traffic or road conditions, while dynamic safety monitoring continuously assesses the environment.
The app can now push updates directly to the main screen, enabling Center Display Control. Additionally, there is a dedicated navigation protocol sharing the exact coordinates of road closures and construction, which could prevent the car from getting stuck and needing manual override.
These features create a cohesive, responsive experience where the vehicle and app work in harmony.
Kill Switch
A high-security command lets Tesla completely freeze a vehicle’s ability to drive. This would take the vehicle out of the Robotaxi fleet for any reason Tesla sees fit, and would not allow it to be put into gear even with the correct equipment, like valid keys.
Elon Musk
SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon just joined forces for one reason: Starlink is winning.
America’s three largest wireless carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, announced on On May 14, 2026 that they had agreed in principle to form a joint venture aimed at pooling their spectrum resources to expand satellite-based direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity across the United States in what can be seen as a direct response to SpaceX’s Starlink initiative. D2D, in plain terms, is technology that lets a standard smartphone connect directly to a satellite in orbit, the same way it connects to a cell tower, with no extra hardware required.
The alliance is widely seen as a means to slow Starlink’s rapid expansion in the satellite internet and mobile markets. SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile service launched commercially in July 2025 through a partnership with T-Mobile, starting with messaging before expanding to broadband data. SpaceX secured access to valuable wireless spectrum through its $17 billion deal with EchoStar, paving the way for significantly faster satellite-to-phone speeds.
SpaceX was not shy about its reaction. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell responded on X: “Weeeelllll, I guess Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David.” SpaceX’s VP of Satellite Policy David Goldman went further, flagging potential antitrust concerns and asking whether the DOJ would even allow three dominant competitors to coordinate in a market where a new rival is actively entering.
Weeeelllll, I guess @Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David 🙂 https://t.co/5GzS752mxL
— Gwynne Shotwell (@Gwynne_Shotwell) May 14, 2026
Financial analysts at LightShed Partners were blunt, saying the announcement showed the three carriers are “nervous,” and pointed to the timing: “You announce an agreement in principle when the point is the announcement, not the deal. The timing, weeks ahead of the SpaceX roadshow, was the point.”
As Teslarati reported, SpaceX’s next generation Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current system, with custom silicon and phased array antennas enabling around 20 times the throughput of the first generation. The carriers’ JV, which has no definitive agreement, no financial structure, and no deployment timeline yet, will need to move quickly to matter.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is targeting a Nasdaq listing as early as June 12, aiming for what would be the largest IPO in history. With Starlink now serving over 9 million subscribers across 155 countries, holding 59 carrier partnerships globally, and now powering Air Force One, the carriers’ joint venture announcement landed at exactly the wrong time to look like anything other than a defensive move.
Tesla just raised Model Y prices for the first time in two years, with the largest increase being $1,000.
The move signals shifting dynamics in the competitive electric vehicle market as the company continues to work on balancing demand, profitability, and accessibility.
The new pricing affects premium trims while leaving entry-level options unchanged. The Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) now starts at $45,990, a $1,000 increase.
The Model Y Premium All-Wheel Drive (AWD)—previously referred to in the post as simply “Model Y AWD”—rises to $49,990, also up $1,000. The top-tier Model Y Performance sees a more modest $500 bump, bringing its starting price to $57,990.
Tesla Model Y prices just went up:
New prices:
🚗 Model Y Premium RWD: $45,990 – up $1,000
🚗 Model Y AWD: $49,990 – up $1,000
🚗 Model Y Performance: $57,990 – up $500 https://t.co/e4GhQ0tj4H pic.twitter.com/TCWqr3oqiV— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 16, 2026
Base models remain untouched to preserve affordability. The entry-level Model Y RWD holds steady at $39,990, and the base Model Y AWD stays at $41,990. This selective approach keeps the crossover accessible for budget-conscious buyers while extracting more revenue from higher-margin configurations.
After years of aggressive price cuts to stimulate volume amid slowing EV adoption and rising competition from rivals like BYD, Ford, and GM, Tesla appears confident in underlying demand. Recent lineup refreshes for the 2026 Model Y, including refreshed styling and efficiency gains, have helped maintain its status as America’s best-selling EV.
By protecting base prices, Tesla avoids alienating price-sensitive customers while improving margins on the more popular variants.
Tesla Model Y ownership review after six months: What I love and what I don’t
For consumers, the changes are relatively modest—under 3% on affected trims—and still position the Model Y competitively against gas-powered SUVs in the same class. Federal tax credits and potential state incentives may further offset costs for eligible buyers.
This marks a subtle but notable shift from the deep discounting era that defined much of 2024 and 2025. As the EV market matures into 2026, Tesla’s pricing strategy will be closely watched for clues about production ramps, new variants like the rumored longer-wheelbase Model Y, and broader profitability goals.
In short, today’s adjustment reflects a company that remains dominant yet pragmatic—willing to test higher pricing where demand supports it. It is unlikely to deter consumers from choosing other options.
Tesla is making sweeping improvements to Robotaxi
Starship V3 is here putting SpaceX closer to Mars than it has ever been
