News
Tesla’s Elon Musk hints that he’s working on a “Master Plan Part 3”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently revealed something extremely exciting: he is currently working on Master Plan, Part 3. Musk’s Master Plan, two of which have already been published over the years, outlines his primary long-term goals for Tesla, as the company evolves from a simple startup automaker to something much more.
Musk’s first Master Plan pretty much flew under the radar, though it did reveal the company’s strategy for the coming years. Written in 2006, Musk’s Master Plan, Part 1 discussed how the company intends to enter the affordable vehicle market by gradually evolving its lineup from expensive sports cars like the original Roadster to more affordable, mainstream vehicles like the Model 3. Musk’s first Master Plan also mentioned how electric vehicle owners could become energy positive by charging their EVs from renewable sources like the sun.
Master Plan, Part 2 came ten years later, a time when the company was already producing the Model S and Model X. Published in 2016, Master Plan, Part Deux still highlighted that Tesla intends to enter all vehicle segments like heavy-duty trucks, pickups, and passenger-density urban transport. However, it also emphasized the importance of Tesla Energy and its solar products, as well as the value of advanced driver-assist systems like Autopilot. Musk also touched on the idea of the Tesla Network, which would be possible once autonomous driving is achieved.
Needless to say, Tesla has not completed Musk’s second Master Plan yet. While all the goals highlighted by the CEO in his first Master Plan were met with the launch and ramp of the Model 3, the goals indicated in Master Plan, Part Deux have proven to be far more challenging. Vehicles like the Tesla Semi and Cybertruck are still waiting to be produced, and the Solar Roof ramp has been rife with delays. The deployment of FSD has made some progress with the FSD Beta program, but true autonomy still seems to be a distant goal.
This does not mean to say that Elon Musk’s Master Plan, Part 3, would be ill-timed, however. Musk definitely has a vision for Tesla, and he knows where the company is going. His long tenure as Tesla’s CEO also provides him with a pretty good eye as to what the company could achieve in the future. With this in mind, and while details of Master Plan, Part 3 are yet to be released, speculations are abounding about what Musk’s third grand plan would entail. Some TSLA bulls that have watched the company for years have suggested that Master Plan, Part 3 may involve Tesla’s transition to an Artificial Intelligence and data company.
A focus on AI is not farfetched at all for Tesla, considering the company’s projects like Optimus and the wealth of data it is gathering from its fleet of vehicles every day. And it doesn’t even have to be limited to electric cars only. With products like its humanoid robot, Tesla’s AI projects could expand to a variety of industries. This is something that Musk seems to be quite excited about, as hinted at in a recent post on Twitter. The CEO highlighted that he has so much respect for those who do honest work in creating useful products and services for their fellow humans.
“Working hard to make useful products & services for your fellow humans is deeply morally good. I have so much respect for the associates doing an honest day’s work at Tesla or SpaceX building & servicing cars, rockets, Starlinks, batteries, solar & many other things,” Musk wrote.
Do you have any idea what Master Plan, Part 3 will entail? Sound off in the comments section below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Elon Musk
SpaceX announces new Starbase for ‘thousands of Starship launches annually’
SpaceX announced today that it would expand its launch capabilities into a new U.S. state: Louisiana.
Today, SpaceX, in conjunction with the Louisiana Economic Development Office, said that it will establish a new launch facility, which it will call Starbase, Louisiana. It will be located near Vermilion Parish, supporting thousands of launches each year, at least eventually.
CEO Elon Musk commented by stating, “Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!”
Starbase Louisiana will ultimately have over a dozen launch towers, enabling more than 30 Starship flights per day and making it the biggest launch site on Earth!
SpaceX makes sci-fi real. https://t.co/C7Ht0U12ba
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2026
The expansion is SpaceX’s latest move to push its launch cadence to be more frequent than ever. SpaceX said that Starbase, Louisiana, will be built to “support thousands of Starship flights a year,” with the first coming in 2029.
SpaceX announced the new facility in partnership with the Louisiana Economic Development Office as it will bring a major influx of jobs and investments into the area. Currently, it will produce more than 3,000 new jobs in Louisiana, and SpaceX plans to invest at least $100 billion into the entire facility, ensuring that many jobs are created as a result.
Environmental Responsibility
SpaceX acknowledges the impact launches could have on marshlands, local wildlife, and water sources. Here’s how the company plans to help with the issues in Vermilion Parish:
- Restoring the Shoreline: “In Vermilion Parish, the shoreline is eroding between 3.3 and 23 feet per year. We’re partnering with state and federal agencies to expand Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan and Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act projects, including Gulf shoreline protection breakwaters designed to reduce wave energy and slow loss along the Gulf edge.”
- Rebuilding the Marshlands: “In working with the state, we’re planning thousands of acres of marsh creation using beneficial-use placement of dredged material and offshore sediment sources. Restoration will also include interior marsh bank stabilization and rebuilding marsh in remnant canals. These projects can reconnect fragmented wetlands, restore natural buffers against storms, and return habitat that has been lost to erosion and historic canalization.”
- Preserving Coastal Wildlife: “Pecan Island and nearby wetlands are high-value habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and other coastal wildlife. SpaceX is not developing the full footprint of the land and will preserve wetlands and wildlife habitat. At existing launch sites, waterfowl and other birds continue to use nearby habitat during operations. Working with wildlife agencies, landowners, and conservation groups, SpaceX will support monitoring and management so this habitat stays productive and hunting, fishing, birding, and other recreational activities that are part of this coast’s culture can continue.”
SpaceX shares rose about 2.5 percent on the news.
Cybertruck
Tesla just made Cybertruck more expensive
Tesla Cybertruck trims saw a big price change, at least on two of the three available to consumers, as demand for the all-electric pickup appears to be increasing.
Tesla bumped up its Base All-Wheel-Drive trim level up to $74,990 from $69,990 and the Premium All-Wheel-Drive configuration from $79,990 to $84,990. The Cyberbeast price remains unchanged at $99,990.
🚨 Cybertruck prices went up as Tesla bumped them 7%
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TESLARATI Premium Membership
$19.99 USD– Tesla Cybertruck AWD is now $74,990
– Tesla Cybertruck Premium AWD now $84,990
– Tesla Cyberbeast now $99,990 https://t.co/MYJbaw56GL— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 25, 2026
Despite questions of demand for the truck, Tesla is bumping its two least expensive trims up $5,000 to signal that there are plenty of buyers. Although SpaceX has been buying Tesla Cybertruck units to utilize as company vehicles, it is no secret that the Cybertruck is among the most sought-after Tesla models out there.
The issue has always been pricing, at least for the most part. When Tesla initially launched the Cybertruck AWD at $59,990 a few months back, the company stated that price would remain intact for just ten days due to the influx of orders it received.
Cybertruck Sales: Is It the Product or Pricing?
Depending on who you ask, you will likely hear one of two explanations for relatively low Cybertruck sales: either the product itself or the pricing.
Yes, this is the best-selling all-electric pickup on the market. However, there are people who simply hate the look of it, which I understand, but do not agree with. Look is totally subjective, and I love the look of the Cybertruck.
Some people will not buy the Cybertruck because of the look, but I am under the impression that sales would be much better if this truck were priced lower; something that might not be possible considering Tesla’s need to make money on its products. When it was unveiled in 2019, its most expensive trim level was $69,990. Now, the cheapest trim level is more expensive than that.
I would be in a Cybertruck if it were more affordable. I LOVE my Model Y, but Cybertruck is the best vehicle Tesla makes, and it’s not particularly close. Even in the base model, the steer-by-wire, the space, storage, and performance make it more desirable than the Model Y to me. I cannot be the only Tesla owner without a Cybertruck who feels this way.
If you’re interested in buying a Tesla vehicle, use my referral link.
Energy
Tesla Semi factory is getting a celebration nobody expected
Tesla will inaugurate its Nevada Semi factory September 24, five months after production quietly began ramping.
Tesla says it will officially inaugurate its new Semi factory in Nevada next month. The Tesla Semi account posted the announcement on X, sharing a graphic titled “Semi Rollout” with a date of September 24. No further details were given about the format of the event or who would attend.
While Tesla’s dedicated Semi plant in Sparks, adjacent to Gigafactory Nevada, opened back in April, with the first trucks rolling off the high volume line on April 29, the timing for the factory inauguration comes at a surprise. The ribbon cutting event five months into production is a break from how Tesla has usually handled its other factories, where the first truck or car off the line typically served as the milestone moment.
Inauguration of new Semi factory in Nevada next month pic.twitter.com/a8kAlxrOOn
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TESLARATI Premium Membership
$19.99 USD— Tesla Semi (@tesla_semi) August 24, 2026
The 1.7 million square foot factory was built as part of a $3.6 billion expansion Tesla announced in early 2023, and it shares a site with the battery cell lines that feed the Semi’s structural pack, a decision meant to remove the supply bottleneck that delayed the truck for years. The plant is designed for 50,000 trucks a year at full ramp. Semi program director Dan Priestley has said production “is now ramping” rather than claiming it has reached scale.
Nine years passed between the Semi’s 2017 unveiling and this stage of production, with the truck slipping from an original 2019 target through hand built pilot units for PepsiCo and a slow build out of the Nevada plant. An inauguration event now gives Tesla a stage to talk up that ramp and reset expectations for how many trucks it can begin delivering at scale.
The September date also lines up with the Semi’s next milestone. Tesla confirmed the truck is heading to Europe with a full unveiling at the IAA Transportation trade show in Hannover, Germany, running September 15 through 20. Between the Nevada event and the Hannover reveal, Tesla has roughly a week and a half in September to make the case that the Semi is now a truck being built and sold on two continents rather than tested in a handful of fleets.

