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Tesla’s Elon Musk gets invited to hire Ohio’s GM workers: ‘Lordstown is ready for you’
When GM announced that it was closing several of its plants in the US and Canada, questions were raised if Elon Musk would jump on the opportunity to acquire more facilities for Tesla. The electric car maker, after all, has grown significantly over the years, starting as a niche carmaker that manufactured a small, quick two-door sports car, and evolving to a company that currently produces one of America’s best-selling passenger cars. With the Model 3 ramp, Tesla has found itself struggling to meet demand, and even its expansive Fremont factory, as Elon Musk put it, had become “packed to the gills.”
Tesla is poised for even more growth, as the company is set to release some of its most ambitious vehicles yet, such as the Model Y SUV, the Tesla pickup truck, the Tesla Semi, and the next-generation Tesla Roadster. With GM closing several of its plants, an opportunity appears to be emerging for Tesla to acquire more manufacturing capabilities in the US. This is an idea that Elon Musk is open to, as revealed during his recent segment in CBS‘ 60 Minutes. When asked by host Lesley Stahl if he is interested in acquiring facilities that GM would be retiring, Musk answered in the affirmative.
“It’s possible that we would be interested, if they (GM) were going to sell a plant or not use it, that we would take it over,” he said.
Musk’s statement appears to have resonated with Ohio officials, particularly Governor John Kasich. In a recent post on Twitter, Kasich invited Musk and Tesla to come to Ohio. Kasich even pitched the state’s workers to the CEO, stating that “there are no better workers than Ohio workers.” Directly referencing the GM plant set to be closed down in 2019, the Ohio governor added that “Lordstown is ready for you.” Musk, for his part, has issued a brief response to Kasich’s post.
Thanks, will consider next year
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2018
The past few years have not been kind to the seasoned auto workers from Lordstown, Ohio. Over the course of 2018, the 52-year-old assembly plant, which is responsible for building the Chevrolet Cruze, had seen several layoffs. Back in April, for example, GM cut the plant’s second shift, eliminating 1,500 jobs in the process. By late November, the American legacy automaker confirmed that it would be retiring the facility next year, as the company focuses on building crossovers, SUVs, pickups, and electric vehicles.
Ohio’s officials attempted to keep the Lordstown plant open for as long as they could. A report from local news outlet Cincinnati.com noted that US Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio’s senior senator, attempted to get a commitment from GM CEO Mary Barra. Ohio governor John Kasich did the same, even discussing the possibility of repurposing the facility with the GM CEO. Despite these efforts, the Lordstown assembly plant was listed as one of the facilities under GM’s chopping block nonetheless.
My statement on a conversation I had this morning with GM CEO Mary Barra. pic.twitter.com/B8Tf5xu4Tr
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) November 29, 2018
If Tesla does end up acquiring GM’s Lordstown plant, the electric car maker would be able to tap into a seasoned workforce that has decades of experience building cars. This bodes well for Tesla, particularly as the company has several vehicles expected for release in the coming years. That said, acquiring the plant might present challenges for the electric car maker as well, particularly as the United Auto Workers union (UAW), an organization that is not in good terms with Tesla, was influential in the Lordstown facility.
Tesla’s mission of accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy is starting to take form. Faced with competitive, disruptive, zero-emissions vehicles like the Model 3, legacy carmakers such as GM are now taking on a more EV-friendly approach. As the established companies go through these transitions, though, there are bound to be casualties. For GM, some of these casualties are the Lordstown plant’s employees. For these seasoned workers, the possible arrival of Tesla might very well be what they need to ensure that the auto industry remains alive in the state for years to come.
Elon Musk
Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence
The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.
Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chip is nearly complete, and work on its successor is already underway, as per a recent update from Elon Musk.
The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.
Musk details AI chip roadmap
In his post, Elon Musk stated that Tesla’s AI5 chip design is “almost done,” while AI6 has already entered early development. Musk added that Tesla plans to continue iterating rapidly, with AI7, AI8, AI9, and future generations targeting a nine-month design cycle.
He also noted that Tesla’s in-house chips could become the highest-volume AI processors in the world. Musk framed his update as a recruiting message, encouraging engineers to join Tesla’s AI and chip development teams.
Tesla community member Herbert Ong highlighted the strategic importance of the timeline, noting that faster chip cycles enable quicker learning, faster iteration, and a compounding advantage in AI and autonomy that becomes increasingly difficult for competitors to close.
AI5 manufacturing takes shape
Musk’s comments align with earlier reporting on AI5’s production plans. In December, it was reported that Samsung is preparing to manufacture Tesla’s AI5 chip, accelerating hiring for experienced engineers to support U.S. production and address complex foundry challenges.
Samsung is one of two suppliers selected for AI5, alongside TSMC. The companies are expected to produce different versions of the AI5 chip, with TSMC reportedly using a 3nm process and Samsung using a 2nm process.
Musk has previously stated that while different foundries translate chip designs into physical silicon in different ways, the goal is for both versions of the Tesla AI5 chip to operate identically. AI5 will succeed Tesla’s current AI4 hardware, formerly known as Hardware 4, and is expected to support the company’s Full Self-Driving system as well as other AI-driven efforts, including Optimus.
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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025
According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.
The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.
According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.
The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring.
This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.
The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.
ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.
“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.
“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.
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Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade
Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.
Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.
Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.
Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error.
More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report.
Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.
Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.
Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.
“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted.
Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence
Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025
