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Tesla in talks with Brazil-based startup to access lithium supply for EV batteries
Tesla is reportedly looking to strike a deal with Sigma Lithium Resources Group, a Brazilian startup company that can supply Tesla with lithium, a key ingredient of electric car batteries.
Sigma was granted a license to begin mining lithium by the Environmental Authority of the State of Minas Gerais, the Council of Environmental Policy on June 11, 2019. The license will allow Sigma to mine hard rock lithium, a crucial piece of automotive-grade lithium-ion batteries, for six-years, making the company an extremely valuable asset for automakers pursuing electric mobility.
It should be noted that Brazil was ranked No.7 among countries with the highest concentration of lithium. A large percentage of the metal, used primarily for the production of glass and batteries, is available in the Minas Gerais area.
Sigma has previously met with Tesla’s current lithium supplier, Ganfeng Lithium, a Chinese-based company that is currently the country’s largest supplier of the material. Tesla reportedly organized the meeting between both parties that unfortunately did not end in a deal. Sigma CEO Calvyn Gardner cited the Brazilian startup company could not meet the financial or production needs that Ganfeng requested.
“There’s a bunch of other things that they [Ganfeng] need, not just prices, but other demands which are a little more complicated that sort of restricts Sigma to almost supplying purely into China. It’s not really what we think we should be doing over the long term,” Gardner remarked at a mining conference in Brazil.
Gardner, who calls himself a “fan” of Tesla, was interested in purchasing a Model 3 for himself but ran into roadblocks as Tesla does not have a sales office in the South American country. After import taxes would have more than doubled the cost of the Model 3, he decided to hold off.
Striking a deal with Tesla would directly benefit both companies. Tesla currently uses Gigafactory partner Panasonic as its battery supplier but appears to be seeking to expand it lineup of partners, especially after the Japanese electronics conglomerate has cut its profit outlook due to China’s trade war with the US. Tesla’s acquisition of Maxwell Technologies, an ultracapacitor producer, also hinted at the electric car maker’s plans to pursue battery technology beyond its Panasonic partnership.
It would be beneficial for both Tesla and Sigma to strike a deal directly, with the Brazilian company shipping the lithium to the electric car maker. Unfortunately, this could only happen once makers of cathodes, another primary component of batteries, set up facilities in the United States.
Other large automakers that are bursting into the electric transportation market, such as Volkswagen and BMW, have held talks with Sigma already. Gardner, a graduate of the University of South Africa, is optimistic over the talks with both German automakers. “Having options to get lithium from other jurisdictions and that you can supply over the long term,” he said. “That’s what all of them are interested in and we think Sigma can do that.”
There is no shortage of money or optimism in the lithium mining industry. Sigma has recently received a $30 million loan from Japanese trading group Mitsui, according to Reuters. The money is planned to be used in building Sigma facilities, and will be repaid in a big way: a third of Sigma’s planned output of lithium from its Minas Gerais mining facility.
Elon Musk
SpaceX secures FAA approval for 44 annual Starship launches in Florida
The FAA’s environmental review covers up to 44 launches annually, along with 44 Super Heavy booster landings and 44 upper-stage landings.
SpaceX has received environmental approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct up to 44 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
The decision allows the company to proceed with plans tied to its next-generation launch system and future satellite deployments.
The FAA’s environmental review covers up to 44 launches annually, along with 44 Super Heavy booster landings and 44 upper-stage landings. The approval concludes the agency’s public comment period and outlines required mitigation measures related to noise, emissions, wildlife, and airspace management.
Construction of Starship infrastructure at Launch Complex 39A is nearing completion. The site, previously used for Apollo and space shuttle missions, is transitioning to support Starship operations, as noted in a Florida Today report.
If fully deployed across Kennedy Space Center and nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Starship activity on the Space Coast could exceed 120 launches annually, excluding tests. Separately, the U.S. Air Force has authorized repurposing Space Launch Complex 37 for potential additional Starship activity, pending further FAA airspace analysis.
The approval supports SpaceX’s long-term strategy, which includes deploying a large constellation of satellites intended to power space-based artificial intelligence data infrastructure. The company has previously indicated that expanded Starship capacity will be central to that effort.
The FAA review identified likely impacts from increased noise, nitrogen oxide emissions, and temporary airspace closures. Commercial flights may experience periodic delays during launch windows. The agency, however, determined these effects would be intermittent and manageable through scheduling, public notification, and worker safety protocols.
Wildlife protections are required under the approval, Florida Today noted. These include lighting controls to protect sea turtles, seasonal monitoring of scrub jays and beach mice, and restrictions on offshore landings to avoid coral reefs and right whale critical habitat. Recovery vessels must also carry trained observers to prevent collisions with protected marine species.
Elon Musk
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge.”
The Woodlands Township, Texas, has formally entered The Boring Company’s tunneling sweepstakes.
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” which offers up to one mile of tunnel construction at no cost to a selected community.
The Woodlands’ proposal, dubbed “The Current,” features two parallel 12-foot-diameter tunnels beneath the Town Center corridor near The Waterway. Teslas would shuttle passengers between Waterway Square, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Town Green Park and nearby hotels during concerts and large-scale events, as noted in a Chron report.
Township officials framed the tunnel as a solution for the township’s traffic congestion issues. The Pavilion alone hosts more than 60 shows each year and can accommodate crowds of up to 16,500, often straining Lake Robbins Drive and surrounding intersections.
“We know we have traffic impacts and pedestrian movement challenges, especially in the Town Center area,” Chris Nunes, chief operating officer of The Woodlands Township, stated during the meeting.
“The Current” mirrors the Loop system operating beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, where Tesla vehicles transport passengers through underground tunnels between venues and resorts.
The Boring Company issued its request for proposals (RFP) in mid-January, inviting cities and districts to pitch local uses for its tunneling technology. The Woodlands must submit its application by Feb. 23, though no timeline has been provided for when a winning community will be announced.
Nunes confirmed that the board has authorized a submission for “The Current’s” proposal, though he emphasized that the project is still in its preliminary stages.
“The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has authorized staff to submit an application to The Boring Company, which has issued an RFP for communities interested in leveraging their technology to address community challenges,” he said in a statement.
“The Board believes that an underground tunnel would provide a safe and efficient means to transport people to and from various high-use community amenities in our Town Center.”
News
Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall.
The Tesla Model Y has been named 2026 Drive Car of the Year overall winner, taking the top honor after being judged as the vehicle that “moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers.”
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall, but the vehicle’s Juniper update strengthened its case with new ownership benefits and expanded software capability.
Drive’s overall award compares category winners and looks at which model most significantly advances the local new car market. In 2026, judges pointed to the Model Y’s five-year warranty and the availability of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as a monthly subscription as key differentiators.
Priced from AU$58,900 before on-road costs, the all-electric crossover SUV offers a lot of value compared to similarly sized petrol and hybrid rivals. The ability to access Tesla’s Supercharger network across Australia also reduces friction for buyers moving to EV ownership.
Owners can add FSD (Supervised) for AU$149 per month. While it still requires driver oversight, the system expands the vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance capabilities and reflects Tesla’s software-first approach.
“The default choice for a reason. The Tesla Model Y makes the transition to electric both effortless and rewarding,” Drive wrote.
The 2025 Model Y facelift also sharpened the vehicle’s exterior, highlighted by a distinctive rear light bar that gives the crossover SUV a more modern road presence.
Drive described the Model Y as a benchmark for combining practicality, efficiency and technology at an accessible price point. With eligibility for federal Fringe Benefit Tax exemptions through novated leasing, its value proposition has improved for numerous buyers.
For 2026, the Model Y’s combination of range efficiency, charging access and software capability proved decisive. Ultimately, the award all but cements the Model Y’s position as one of the most influential vehicles in Australia’s evolving new-car market today.
SpaceX secures FAA approval for 44 annual Starship launches in Florida
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
