The electric vehicle landscape is getting more and more crowded, with new companies such as Lucid Motors and Rivian Automotive expected to deliver their first production vehicles to customers soon. Amidst this momentum, and as Rivian aims to go public with an impressive target valuation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has posted some advice — and a warning of sorts — to the newcomers of the mass EV market.
Musk’s initial thoughts about new electric car makers came as a response to Tesla bull Warren Redlich, who posted an image highlighting that both Lucid and Rivian are actually yet to deliver a legitimate production vehicle to customers. This contrasts greatly with what happened to Tesla, since the company had already delivered about 1,400 Roadsters before it went public on June 29, 2010 at $17 per share.
Rivian’s filings have revealed that the company is looking to get a valuation of about $80 billion when it goes public. This is quite substantial considering that the only deliveries of the R1T pickup truck that have been reported so far were to company employees. A recent report from Bloomberg noted that Rivian is looking to focus its deliveries this year on its Amazon electric delivery van, which would likely result in R1T deliveries being very conservative in the near future.
Lucid is a bit on the same boat, as the company has gone public without first delivering its highly-anticipated Air luxury sedan. So far, Lucid has stated that it is looking to start deliveries of the Air in late October. However, Lucid is only planning on producing 577 Air sedans in 2021, as per a Forbes report.
Commenting on the valuation of Lucid and Rivian, Elon Musk added that “(Is) it possible to start an EV company without shipping any cars & get a valuation less than a billion dollars!?” In a later post on Twitter, Musk shared more of his thoughts. According to the Tesla CEO, he is hoping that the newcomers to the EV sphere have a high tolerance for pain since scaling production, managing the supply chain, logistics, and service is a “world of hurt.”
This is not the first time that Elon Musk has posted a warning about the challenges of mass production. During the Q2 2021 earnings call, Musk reiterated these thoughts while describing how difficult it was to actually ramp the production of Tesla’s 4680 battery cells. Musk noted that in the 4680 batteries’ case, producing them in prototype form was incredibly easy, but ramping their output to a meaningful level was a completely different beast altogether.
“Limited production is easy, prototype production is easy but high-volume production is hard. There are a number of challenges in transitioning from sort of small-scale production to a large volume production,” Musk said. Considering Tesla’s experiences with “production hell” when it was ramping the Model 3, upcoming EV makers such as Rivian and Lucid would be wise to take note of Musk’s warnings and advice.
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Elon Musk
Tesla Cybercab coming next to Giga Berlin, Optimus possibly after
“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said.
Tesla could add the Cybercab and Optimus humanoid robot to the production lineup at Giga Berlin, as per recent comments from CEO Elon Musk.
During a recent interview with Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig, Musk identified the Cybercab as the most likely next major product for the German factory, with Optimus potentially following after.
“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said. He added that there are also “possibilities of Tesla Optimus” being produced in the facility.
Tesla has already begun production of the Cybercab in Giga Texas, with volume production expected to ramp this year. Based on Musk’s comments, it appears that if conditions align in Europe, Giga Berlin could eventually join that effort.
The CEO’s comments about Optimus coming to Gigafactory Berlin are quite unsurprising too considering that Musk has mentioned in the past that the humanoid robot will likely be Tesla’s highest volume product in the long run.
Giga Berlin will likely be able to produce mass volumes of Optimus, as the Model S and Model X lines being converted to an Optimus line in the Fremont Factory are already expected to produce 1 million units of the humanoid robot annually.
Apart from his comments about the Cybercab and Optimus, Elon Musk also confirmed that Giga Berlin has started ramping battery cell production and will continue expanding Model Y output, particularly as supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) gains regulatory approvals in Europe.
Taken together, the remarks suggest Berlin’s role could evolve beyond vehicle assembly into a broader multi-product manufacturing hub, not just a regional Model Y plant.
Energy
Tesla Powerwall distribution expands in Australia
Inventory is expected to arrive in late February and official sales are expected to start mid-March 2026.
Supply Partners Group has secured a distribution agreement for the Tesla Powerwall in Australia, with inventory expected to arrive in late February and official sales beginning in mid-March 2026.
Under the new agreement, Supply Partners will distribute Tesla Powerwall units and related accessories across its national footprint, as noted in an ecogeneration report. The company said the addition strengthens its position as a distributor focused on premium, established brands.
“We are proud to officially welcome Tesla Powerwall into the Supply Partners portfolio,” Lliam Ricketts, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Supply Partners Group, stated.
“Tesla sets a high bar, and we’ve worked hard to earn the opportunity to represent a brand that customers actively ask for. This partnership reflects the strength of our logistics, technical services and customer experience, and it’s a win for installers who want premium options they can trust.”
Supply Partners noted that initial Tesla Powerwall stock will be warehoused locally before full commercial rollout in March. The distributor stated that the timing aligns with renewed growth momentum for the Powerwall, supported by competitive installer pricing, consumer rebates, and continued product and software updates.
“Powerwall is already a category-defining product, and what’s ahead makes it even more compelling,” Ricketts stated. “As pricing sharpens and capability expands, we see a clear runway for installers to confidently spec Powerwall for premium residential installs, backed by Supply Partners’ national distribution footprint and service model.”
Supply Partners noted that a joint go-to-market launch is planned, including Tesla-led training for its sales and technical teams to support installers during the home battery system’s domestic rollout.
Elon Musk
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”
Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.
According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.
While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report.
The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.
The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.
Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.
The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.
Tesla Cybercab coming next to Giga Berlin, Optimus possibly after
Tesla Powerwall distribution expands in Australia
