News
Tesla exec talks China’s Design Center location, fluidity, and why cross-departmental cooperation matters
Tesla Chief of Design Franz von Holzhausen’s recent talk with select members of the Chinese media showcased several key insights from the esteemed executive. During his conversation, von Holzhausen touched on topics such as Tesla’s upcoming Design Center in China, the difference between vehicle design and art, the importance of fluidity, and why cross-departmental cooperation matters.
The Design Chief was asked a total of 12 questions during the video conference with Chinese media. Among these was an inquiry about Tesla’s planned Design Center in the country, which was announced earlier this year. While details about the upcoming facility have been pretty slim so far, the center is speculated to be tasked with the creation of an affordable vehicle that will be specifically designed for the Chinese market.
Interestingly enough, von Holzhausen remarked that the Design Center may not be located in Shanghai at all. “The design center may not be located in Shanghai, but it will be located in the country,” he noted, adding that in terms of design and engineering for vehicles, it is best to tap into local talent to do local design.
Franz also remarked that Tesla is a company that does not have a rigid design language. This could be seen in Tesla’s upcoming vehicles like the Cybertruck, which feature a design that is nowhere close to the theme adopted in the Model 3 and the Model Y. All three vehicles are futuristic in their own right, but the Cybertruck utilizes an almost brutalist approach, allowing it to optimize its durability.
For Tesla, von Holzhausen stated that the company looks at the best design plan for each vehicle individually so that every EV could be developed around its maximum potential. He also added that there is a difference between vehicle design and art, as the latter is something highly personal and the former involves solving problems while optimizing aesthetics. That being said, the Chief Designer highlighted that Tesla aims to design products that are the best in their class and featuring a design that can last the test of time.
Perhaps the most notable part of von Holzhausen’s talk, however, lay in his remarks about Tesla’s interdisciplinary approach. The executive noted that Tesla implements a high degree of cross-departmental cooperation, with the company requiring its designers to have engineering thinking and engineers being required to have a design concept. This allows Tesla to find solutions to problems quickly while creating products and vehicles that are unified and complete.
Tesla’s vehicles have become synonymous with the electric vehicle movement, and a lot of this has to do with the stellar work that Franz von Holzhausen and his team have done over the years. Tesla, after all, has pretty much become a household name, and future vehicles like the Cybertruck instantly became known across the globe. Based on the Chief Designer’s insights in his recent talk, it appears that Tesla’s bold strategies extend well into its design process, and this is something that could be expected in the products and vehicles that the company will be releasing in the coming years.
Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
News
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
News
Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
