News
Tesla confirms multiple registered Cybertrucks in Europe
Another Tesla Cybertruck has been registered in Europe, as was confirmed over the weekend by one of the company’s engineers for the unique electric vehicle (EV).
On Sunday, Tesla’s Lead Cybertruck Engineer Wes Morrill reposted an image on X of a Cybertruck driving in the Netherlands with a European license plate. The photo, which was originally posted by X user Dénis van Vliet on Saturday, shows the Cybertruck driving on a freeway in Eindhoven, though he also notes that the EV has an Albanian license plate.
“First Cybertruck registered in EU, driving in Netherlands? Someone was bound to figure it out eventually,” Morrill wrote.
Credit: Dénis van Vliet | X
READ MORE ON THE TESLA CYBERTRUCK: Tesla Cybertruck spotted at BYD facility in China
When implicitly asked by another user how European buyers could somehow get Cybertrucks registered, Morill responded by saying, “Make friends.”
Morrill also shared an update later in the afternoon, saying that he had missed the previously registered Cybertrucks, effectively confirming that those had also been fully registered.
Upon further inspection, van Vliet confirmed that the Cybertruck is owned by rapper Kosso, who recently talked about purchasing the car is Oisterwijk, though he was considering getting plates from either the Czech Republic or Albania. On Sunday, the vehicle was seen again in Lanaken, Belgium in a story from Nieuwsblad that confirmed that it is Kosso’s Cybertruck.
Tesla Cybertrucks that were previously reported to be registered in the EU
The news follows a few other reports this year that some Cybertrucks had been registered in the European Union (EU). Most recently, a France-based Tesla Advisor reported that the first Cybertruck had been registered in the Czech Republic, though he did not disclose to Teslarati how exactly the vehicle had managed to gain registration.
During Tesla’s Annual Shareholder Meeting in June, Elon Musk said that the company may be able to certify the Cybertruck for markets outside of North America in 2025, though it would be “for sure just North America” this year. He has also hinted at the potential for a version of the Cybertruck developed specifically for European and Chinese markets, while many have expressed doubts around the EV’s ability to meet certain pedestrian safety regulations in the past.
In an interview with Top Gear last December, for example, Tesla Vice President of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy cast some doubt on the Cybertruck’s ability to be eligible for registration in Europe, largely due to its protruding edges.
“One, the truck market in the U.S. is huge and two, European regulations call for a 3.2mm external radius on external projections,” Moravy said. “Unfortunately, it’s impossible to make a 3.2mm radius on a 1.4mm sheet of stainless steel.”
Despite this, Tesla has also made its ambitions to bring the Cybertruck to other countries clear through worldwide display tours of the vehicle, showing it off in several Asian and European countries throughout much of the year. The company first announced plans to bring the Cybertruck to the United Kingdom and parts of Europe in April, after previously displaying the vehicle in China, Japan, and other parts of Asia.
Tesla also brought the Cybertruck to its Gigafactory Berlin in March as a display, though these and others in its world tour didn’t seem to be registered units. Cybertrucks being registered in Europe have been rumored since around this time this year, though they likely have been imported by the buyers after being purchased in North America.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
Tesla Cybertrucks get faster charging ahead of V4 cabinet rollout
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Elon Musk
Musk bankers looking to trim xAI debt after SpaceX merger: report
xAI has built up $18 billion in debt over the past few years, with some of this being attributed to the purchase of social media platform Twitter (now X) and the creation of the AI development company. A new financing deal would help trim some of the financial burden that is currently present ahead of the plan to take SpaceX public sometime this year.
Elon Musk’s bankers are looking to trim the debt that xAI has taken on over the past few years, following the company’s merger with SpaceX, a new report from Bloomberg says.
xAI has built up $18 billion in debt over the past few years, with some of this being attributed to the purchase of social media platform Twitter (now X) and the creation of the AI development company. Bankers are trying to create some kind of financing plan that would trim “some of the heavy interest costs” that come with the debt.
The financing deal would help trim some of the financial burden that is currently present ahead of the plan to take SpaceX public sometime this year. Musk has essentially confirmed that SpaceX would be heading toward an IPO last month.
The report indicates that Morgan Stanley is expected to take the leading role in any financing plan, citing people familiar with the matter. Morgan Stanley, along with Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and JPMorgan Chase & Co., are all expected to be in the lineup of banks leading SpaceX’s potential IPO.
Since Musk acquired X, he has also had what Bloomberg says is a “mixed track record with debt markets.” Since purchasing X a few years ago with a $12.5 billion financing package, X pays “tens of millions in interest payments every month.”
That debt is held by Bank of America, Barclays, Mitsubishi, UFJ Financial, BNP Paribas SA, Mizuho, and Société Générale SA.
X merged with xAI last March, which brought the valuation to $45 billion, including the debt.
SpaceX announced the merger with xAI earlier this month, a major move in Musk’s plan to alleviate Earth of necessary data centers and replace them with orbital options that will be lower cost:
“In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale. To harness even a millionth of our Sun’s energy would require over a million times more energy than our civilization currently uses! The only logical solution, therefore, is to transport these resource-intensive efforts to a location with vast power and space. I mean, space is called “space” for a reason.”
The merger has many advantages, but one of the most crucial is that it positions the now-merged companies to fund broader goals, fueled by revenue from the Starlink expansion, potential IPO, and AI-driven applications that could accelerate the development of lunar bases.
News
Tesla pushes Full Self-Driving outright purchasing option back in one market
Tesla announced last month that it would eliminate the ability to purchase the Full Self-Driving software outright, instead opting for a subscription-only program, which will require users to pay monthly.
Tesla has pushed the opportunity to purchase the Full Self-Driving suite outright in one market: Australia.
The date remains February 14 in North America, but Tesla has pushed the date back to March 31, 2026, in Australia.
NEWS: Tesla is ending the option to buy FSD as a one-time outright purchase in Australia on March 31, 2026.
It still ends on Feb 14th in North America. https://t.co/qZBOztExVT pic.twitter.com/wmKRZPTf3r
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 13, 2026
Tesla announced last month that it would eliminate the ability to purchase the Full Self-Driving software outright, instead opting for a subscription-only program, which will require users to pay monthly.
If you have already purchased the suite outright, you will not be required to subscribe once again, but once the outright purchase option is gone, drivers will be required to pay the monthly fee.
The reason for the adjustment is likely due to the short period of time the Full Self-Driving suite has been available in the country. In North America, it has been available for years.
Tesla hits major milestone with Full Self-Driving subscriptions
However, Tesla just launched it just last year in Australia.
Full Self-Driving is currently available in seven countries: the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.
The company has worked extensively for the past few years to launch the suite in Europe. It has not made it quite yet, but Tesla hopes to get it launched by the end of this year.
In North America, Tesla is only giving customers one more day to buy the suite outright before they will be committed to the subscription-based option for good.
The price is expected to go up as the capabilities improve, but there are no indications as to when Tesla will be doing that, nor what type of offering it plans to roll out for owners.
Elon Musk
Starlink terminals smuggled into Iran amid protest crackdown: report
Roughly 6,000 units were delivered following January’s unrest.
The United States quietly moved thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after authorities imposed internet shutdowns as part of its crackdown on protests, as per information shared by U.S. officials to The Wall Street Journal.
Roughly 6,000 units were delivered following January’s unrest, marking the first known instance of Washington directly supplying the satellite systems inside the country.
Iran’s government significantly restricted online access as demonstrations spread across the country earlier this year. In response, the U.S. purchased nearly 7,000 Starlink terminals in recent months, with most acquisitions occurring in January. Officials stated that funding was reallocated from other internet access initiatives to support the satellite deployment.
President Donald Trump was aware of the effort, though it remains unclear whether he personally authorized it. The White House has not issued a comment about the matter publicly.
Possession of a Starlink terminal is illegal under Iranian law and can result in significant prison time. Despite this, the WSJ estimated that tens of thousands of residents still rely on the satellite service to bypass state controls. Authorities have reportedly conducted inspections of private homes and rooftops to locate unauthorized equipment.
Earlier this year, Trump and Elon Musk discussed maintaining Starlink access for Iranians during the unrest. Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington of encouraging dissent, though U.S. officials have mostly denied the allegations.
The decision to prioritize Starlink sparked internal debate within U.S. agencies. Some officials argued that shifting resources away from Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) could weaken broader internet access efforts. VPNs had previously played a major role in keeping Iranians connected during earlier protest waves, though VPNs are not effective when the actual internet gets cut.
According to State Department figures, about 30 million Iranians used U.S.-funded VPN services during demonstrations in 2022. During a near-total blackout in June 2025, roughly one-fifth of users were still able to access limited connectivity through VPN tools.
Critics have argued that satellite access without VPN protection may expose users to geolocation risks. After funds were redirected to acquire Starlink equipment, support reportedly lapsed for two of five VPN providers operating in Iran.
A State Department official has stated that the U.S. continues to back multiple technologies, including VPNs alongside Starlink, to sustain people’s internet access amidst the government’s shutdowns.
Musk bankers looking to trim xAI debt after SpaceX merger: report
SpaceX launches Crew-12 on Falcon 9, lands first booster at new LZ-40 pad
