As everyone at Tesla’s Cyber Rodeo settles down to listen to Elon Musk’s talk at Giga Texas, the anticipation builds in the air. The Tesla community is eager and excited to hear about any updates and details Elon Musk will announce to the world at Giga Texas Cyber Rodeo.
Welcoming Elon Musk to the stage are drones depicting an image of Nikola Tesla, the inventor the company is named after. The drones also depicted the Cyber Rodeo sign. Later, the drone show formed the image of a moving vehicle, which turned out to be the Model Y. Next the drones formed the Cybertruck’s outline in the sky, an image few at the Cyber Rodeo will forget.
And, of course, in true Elon fashion, Tesla did not forget to highlight the community’s love for The Doge with drones. The Tesla hedgehog also made an appearance during the spectacular drone show.
After the drone show, Tesla showed a short clip of a “herd” Tesla Model Y’s running through Giga Texas grounds alongside a horse and its rider.
The video was cut short with the arrival of Elon Musk, arriving in style in an original Tesla Roadster — the car that started it all.
The following are Elon Musk’s comments from his Giga Texas Cyber Rodeo address.
“We’re gonna talk about the past, present and future,” Elon Musk told the crowd, showcasing the first car Tesla ever made: the Roadster.
“When we first started out Tesla, I thought we had — optimistically — a 10% chance of succeeding,” he stated. He thanked the Tesla team for their hard work and contributed the company’s current success to them.
Musk lists all the products Tesla offers, including its solar products. He announced that two-thirds of America’s electric vehicles are Tesla cars.
Musk highlighted the accomplishments of the Tesla AI team. He announced that Tesla was aiming for the wide release of FSD beta in North America this year.
“California was running out of room,” Musk stated. “And we needed a place to grow big. And there’s no place like Texas,” he said, thanking the state and particularly Travis County.
Musk revealed that Tesla Giga Texas is taller than the Burj Khalifa if the factory were turned on its side. In classic Elon Musk, the CEO said that one could fit a total of 194 billion hamsters in Giga Texas.
“And this building is the most advanced car factory that Earth’s ever seen,” proclaimed Elon Musk, bringing up the idea that Tesla’s factories are product in and of themselves once again.
Musk noted that Tesla is building its own cells at Giga Texas, the long-awaited 4680 cells. He proudly stated that the Austin factory could be one of the biggest cell factories in the world.
“Raw materials in, a bunch of stuff happens, and car out,” Musk said, describing the simplified version of Tesla’s main operations. He added that Tesla plans to produce the Cybertruck in Austin next year.
“I can’t wait to have this baby around. [Cybertruck] is gonna be epic,” Musk commented about the electric pickup truck.
Musk also stated that Giga Texas will be the most “high-volume” factory in America. He stated that Tesla will aim to command 20% of the auto market in the long term.
“We’re gonna move at a truly massive scale,” Elon Musk teased. He also hinted at the company’s Robotaxi fleet, describing it as futuristic and significantly different than Tesla’s other offerings. Musk also talked about Optimus.
Tesla plans to produce V1 Optimus, the Cybertruck, the next-generation Roadster, and the Semi next year.
Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen later showed up with the Cybertruck. Elon Musk pointed out that there are no handles on the Cybertruck. He apologized for the vehicle’s production delay, though both the CEO and the Design Chief assured the audience that the Cybertruck will be well worth the wait.
And with that, Elon Musk kicked off the Cyber Rodeo party! Several minutes’ worth of fireworks ensued.
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News
Tesla puts Giga Berlin in Plaid Mode with new massive investment
The facility, Tesla’s first in Europe, opened in 2022 and has become a cornerstone for Model Y production and, increasingly, in-house battery manufacturing. Recent announcements highlight a dual focus on scaling vehicle output and advancing vertical integration through 4680 battery cells.
Tesla is pushing forward with significant upgrades at its Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide, Germany, signaling renewed confidence in its European operations despite past market challenges.
The facility, Tesla’s first in Europe, opened in 2022 and has become a cornerstone for Model Y production and, increasingly, in-house battery manufacturing. Recent announcements highlight a dual focus on scaling vehicle output and advancing vertical integration through 4680 battery cells.
In April, plant manager André Thierig announced a 20 percent increase in Model Y production starting in July, following a record Q1 output of more than 61,000 vehicles. To support the ramp-up, Tesla plans to hire approximately 1,000 new employees beginning in May and convert 500 temporary workers to permanent positions.
The move is expected to lift weekly production significantly, addressing rebounding demand in Europe after a challenging 2025.
Today, we announced a $ 250m investment for our Giga Berlin Cell factory. This will enable 18GWh of annual 4680 cell production and create more than 1500 new jobs. Good news during challenging times for the German industry. pic.twitter.com/ou4SWMfWh9
— André Thierig (@AndrThie) May 12, 2026
The expansion builds on earlier progress. In 2025, Tesla secured partial approvals to add roughly 2 million square feet of factory space, raising potential annual vehicle capacity from around 500,000 toward 800,000 units, with longer-term ambitions approaching one million vehicles per year. Logistical improvements, new infrastructure, and battery-related facilities are already underway on company-owned land.
Battery production is the latest major focus. On May 12, Thierig revealed an additional $250 million investment in the on-site cell factory. This more than doubles the planned 4680 battery cell capacity to 18 gigawatt-hours annually—up from the 8 GWh target set in December 2025—while creating over 1,500 new battery-related jobs.
Total cell investments at the site now exceed previous figures, bringing the factory closer to full vertical integration: cells, packs, and vehicles produced under one roof. Tesla describes this as unique in Europe and a step toward stronger supply chain resilience.
The plans come amid regulatory and community hurdles. Earlier expansion proposals faced protests over environmental concerns and water usage, leading to phased approvals beginning in 2024. Tesla has navigated these by emphasizing sustainable practices and economic benefits, including thousands of local jobs in Brandenburg.
With nearly 12,000 employees already on site and production steadily climbing, Gigafactory Berlin is poised for growth. The combined vehicle and battery expansions position the plant as a key hub for Tesla’s European ambitions, potentially making it one of the continent’s largest manufacturing complexes if local support continues.
As EV demand recovers, these investments underscore Tesla’s commitment to scaling efficiently in Germany while addressing regional supply chain needs.
News
Honda gives up on all-EV future: ‘Not realistic’
Mibe believes the demand for its gas vehicles is certainly strong enough and has changed “beyond expectations.” As many drivers went for EVs a few years back, hybrids are becoming more popular for consumers as they offer the best of both worlds.
Honda has given up on a previous plan to completely changeover to EVs by 2040, a new report states. The company’s CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, said that the idea is “not realistic.”
Mibe believes the demand for its gas vehicles is certainly strong enough and has changed “beyond expectations.” As many drivers went for EVs a few years back, hybrids are becoming more popular for consumers as they offer the best of both worlds.
Mibe said (via Motor1):
“Because of the uncertainty in the business environment and also the customer demand, is changing beyond our expectation and, therefore, we have judged that it’ll be difficult to achieve. That ratio [100-percent electric in 2040] is not realistic as of now. We have withdrawn this target.”
Instead of going all-electric, Honda still wants to oblige by its hopes to be net carbon neutral by 2050. It will do this by focusing on those popular hybrid powertrains, planning to launch 15 of them by March 2030.
Honda will invest 4.4 trillion yen, or almost $28 billion, to build hybrid powertrains built around four and six-cylinder gas engines.
There are so many companies abandoning their all-electric ambitions or even slowing their roll on building them so quickly. Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, and Nissan have all retreated from aggressive EV targets by either cancelling, delaying, or pausing the development of electric models.
Hyundai’s 2030 targets rely on mixed offerings of electric, hybrid & hydrogen vehicles
Early-decade pledges from multiple brands proved overly ambitious as infrastructure lags, battery costs remain high in some markets, and many buyers prefer hybrids for their convenience and range. Toyota has long championed hybrids, while others have quietly extended internal-combustion timelines.
For Honda—historically known for reliable gasoline engines—this shift leverages its core strengths while buying time to refine electric technology. Whether the hybrid-heavy strategy will protect market share in an increasingly competitive landscape remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the gas engine is far from dead at Honda, unfortunately.
Elon Musk
Delta Airlines rejects Starlink, and the reason will probably shock you
In a pointed exchange on X, Elon Musk defended SpaceX’s uncompromising approach to Starlink’s in-flight internet service, explaining why Delta Air Lines walked away from a deal.
SpaceX frontman Elon Musk explained on Wednesday why commercial airline Delta got cold feet over offering Starlink for stable internet on its flights — and the reason will probably shock you.
In a pointed exchange on X, Elon Musk defended SpaceX’s uncompromising approach to Starlink’s in-flight internet service, explaining why Delta Air Lines walked away from a deal.
Delta rejected Starlink because it insisted on routing all connectivity through its branded “Delta Sync” portal rather than allowing a simple Starlink experience.
Instead, the airline partnered with Amazon’s Project Kuiper—rebranded as Amazon Leo—for high-speed Wi-Fi on up to 500 aircraft, with rollout targeted for 2028. At the time of the announcement, Kuiper had roughly 300 satellites in orbit, while Starlink operated more than 10,400.
The use of the “Delta Sync” portal would not work for SpaceX, as Musk went on to say that:
“SpaceX requires that there be no annoying ‘portal’ to use Starlink. Starlink WiFi must just work effortlessly every time, as though you were at home. Delta wanted to make it painful, difficult and expensive for their customers. Hard to see how that is a winning strategy.”
Musk doubled down in a follow-up post:
“Yes, SpaceX deliberately accepted lower revenue deals with airlines in exchange for making Starlink super easy to use and available to all passengers.”
Not exactly. SpaceX requires that there be no annoying “portal” to use Starlink.
Starlink WiFi must just work effortlessly every time, as though you were at home.
Delta wanted to make it painful, difficult and expensive for their customers. Hard to see how that is a winning…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 13, 2026
SpaceX has structured its airline agreements to prioritize zero-friction access—no captive portals, no SkyMiles logins, no paywalls or ads blocking basic connectivity.
While this means forgoing higher-margin deals that would let carriers monetize the service more aggressively, it ensures Starlink feels like home broadband at 35,000 feet. Passengers on partner airlines such as United, Qatar Airways, and Air France have already praised the service for enabling seamless video calls, streaming, and work mid-flight without interruptions.
Delta’s choice reflects a different philosophy. By keeping Wi-Fi behind its Delta Sync ecosystem, the airline aims to drive loyalty program engagement and control the digital passenger journey. Yet, critics argue this short-term control comes at the expense of immediate competitiveness.
Airlines already installing Starlink are pulling ahead in customer satisfaction surveys, while Delta passengers face years of reliance on slower, legacy systems until Leo launches.
SpaceX’s decision to trade revenue for simplicity will pay off in the longer term, as Starlink is already positioning itself as the default high-speed option for carriers that value passenger satisfaction over incremental fees.
Musk’s focus on creating not only a great service but also a reasonable user experience highlights SpaceX’s prowess with Starlink as it continues to expand across new partners and regions.
Tesla puts Giga Berlin in Plaid Mode with new massive investment
Honda gives up on all-EV future: ‘Not realistic’
