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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.
Tesla will resolve its massive recall of nearly three million vehicles in China with stickers and a software update.
On Friday, Chinese regulators filed recall plans against Tesla, Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, Chery, Geely, Dongfeng, Arcfox, and FAW to resolve what is essentially a carbon-copy issue throughout each of the companies’ vehicle models: emergency door release latches are simply not visible enough.
Tesla door handle saga gets its latest chapter and a big change is coming
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The companies will be required to add things that will make these latches, which will open the door in the event of an emergency, more visible. Of the 7 million vehicles impacted, Tesla accounts for 2,975,910 units. More than 1.9 million of those are Model Y vehicles, with the rest, just over 970,000, being Model 3s.
To resolve the issue, Tesla is going to add warning labels to the emergency latches free of charge, and then utilize an Over-the-Air update to add a post-crash window-lowering strategy, according to CNEVpost.
This massive effort to fix the all-electric Model Y and Model 3’s emergency latch system comes just months after several probes across various markets identified the trouble some had identifying this latch. Those who had gotten involved in car accidents that stripped the vehicle of its power were not aware that every Tesla has emergency door latches.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said that severe crashes that disable a vehicle’s low-voltage system could not only hinder occupants from getting out, but also make it more difficult for emergency response workers to gain entry.
SAMR is starting to tighten the regulations it has on door handles on vehicles. A new mandatory national standard will take effect for all models starting January 1, 2027, and will require all doors to be equipped with mechanical release mechanisms. This will effectively end purely electronic door handles. Models already on sale with type approval have been granted a two-year transition period, which will enable things to change until January 2029.
Tesla has officially confirmed plans to bring its all-electric Semi truck to Europe, with full specifications and market-launch details set for unveiling at the IAA Transportation trade fair in Hannover, Germany.
The event runs September 15–20, with a possible press preview on September 14. The announcement, shared via Tesla’s Semi account, marks a significant expansion beyond North America nearly nine years after the truck’s original 2017 reveal.
🚨 Tesla Semi is coming to Europe!
Sustainable logistics is a huge market internationally, and now Tesla is involved in it outside of the U.S. market! https://t.co/q3hjX6ybMv pic.twitter.com/mxTaVY3UsE
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 20, 2026
In the United States, the Semi’s path has been gradual. Limited pilot production and customer deliveries began in late 2022, primarily to fleets such as PepsiCo. After years of refinement, high-volume manufacturing started on April 29, 2026, at a dedicated facility adjacent to Gigafactory Nevada.
The plant targets an annual capacity of 50,000 units, though the ramp is expected to be gradual, with “many thousands” of trucks projected by the end of 2026.
Demand is building, with recent orders including 500 units for Einride (deliveries starting September 2026, serving Amazon and others) and hundreds more from operators such as WattEV. Pricing stands at approximately $260,000 for the Standard Range and $290,000 for the Long Range before incentives.
Tesla Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels
Earlier in 2026, Tesla finalized production specifications that incorporated substantial updates. In February, the company detailed two variants designed for a full 82,000-pound gross combination weight.
The Standard Range offers about 325 miles of range with a 548 kWh battery and curb weight under 20,000 pounds. The Long Range delivers roughly 500 miles with an 822 kWh pack and a 23,000-pound curb weight. Both use three independent rear-axle motors producing up to 800 kW (about 1,073 horsepower), achieve energy consumption of around 1.7 kWh per mile, and support megawatt-class charging at up to 1.2 MW—recovering about 60 percent of range in 30 minutes through the MCS standard.
Additional refinements include a roughly 1,000-pound weight reduction versus earlier prototypes, improved aerodynamics, a 48-volt electrical architecture, electric power take-off up to 25 kW for refrigerated trailers, and fleet management software with over-the-air updates.
These advances position the Semi as a competitive option against diesel trucks on operating costs and performance. For Europe, adaptations such as lighting, cab configurations (including potential sleeper options), and regulatory compliance are anticipated.
With series production underway in Nevada and major fleet commitments secured, the upcoming IAA reveal will clarify timelines, European-specific specs, and pricing, potentially accelerating electrification of heavy-duty freight on both continents.
Investor's Corner
Tesla Robotaxi gets a massive upgrade in Nevada
Nevada regulators just approved a massive expansion of Tesla’s robotaxi fleet across the entire county.
Tesla’s robotaxi footprint in Nevada just grew by roughly 500 times in a single regulatory vote.
The Nevada Transportation Authority approved Tesla’s full Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit on Thursday, clearing the way for the company to deploy up to 5,000 driverless vehicles across Clark County over the next 12 months. The decision came during a four hour general session meeting that Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt watched live and reported on X, noting the vote replaces the interim order that had limited Tesla to just 10 robotaxis on a narrow stretch of the Las Vegas Strip.
EXCLUSIVE: Tesla has just officially received approval for its full Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit in Nevada, clearing the way for Tesla to launch a paid public Robotaxi service in Las Vegas.
This officially allows @Tesla to deploy up to 5,000 robotaxis over the next… pic.twitter.com/DPs5UtUlrE
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 20, 2026
That earlier cap, covered here after it surfaced on August 13, came with restrictions that looked stricter than what Tesla runs in Austin: a 45 mph speed ceiling, no airport pickups, and a geofence confined to the Strip corridor. The new approval extends Tesla’s operating authority to all of Clark County, with room to request an even wider geofence across the state.
Tesla representatives at the meeting said they have no intention of putting 5,000 cars on the road right away. Commercial rides are expected to start within 30 days, pending vehicle inspections, insurance filings, and fare approval, the standard steps every robotaxi operator in Nevada has had to clear.
Tesla’s own Robotaxi account replied to the news with a short line, The golden future is upon us.
The timing lines up with Tesla’s broader robotaxi push this month. The company is preparing to open Cybercab rides to the public in Austin as soon as this month, and it opened a sweepstakes for riders to win a seat at the launch event. Tesla filed its original application for a 5,000 vehicle Nevada fleet back in June, a request regulators trimmed to 10 vehicles when they issued the interim order in July. Thursday’s vote effectively grants the number Tesla asked for from the start.
Zoox, the Amazon owned robotaxi operator, has run in Nevada since 2025 and was capped at 100 vehicles before Thursday’s decision. Tesla’s new ceiling puts it well ahead of that comparison on paper, though the company has said its actual fleet size will depend on how quickly FSD v15 rolls out, the software update executives have called the gateway to scaling unsupervised robotaxi operations nationwide.
Tesla will resolve massive China recall with stickers and a software update
Tesla Semi is officially headed to Europe
