In a flash of dramatic irony, Andrew Wheeler, the Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, praised the Trump administration’s Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles rule, a rollback of fuel economy standards that would allow automakers to sell more polluting vehicles in the United States.
“Too many reporters fail to mention one very important point: the Obama era CAFÉ standards were not attainable by the auto industry. The truth is, the SAFE rule sets realistic standards, will reduce pollution, and save lives!” Wheeler posted.
Such statements, of course, attracted strong responses. In a call with reporters on Tuesday, California attorney general Xavier Becerra remarked that the EPA Administrator’s Twitter announcement was downright wrong. “(EPA administrator Andrew Wheeler) issued a tweet saying that this new rule would save lives, and reduce pollution, and that it would provide significant benefits to the American economy. In each case, he’s wrong,” Becerra said.
On Tuesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency announced the SAFE standards that will take the place of the Obama-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules, which required about 5% annual improvements in fuel efficiency every year from carmakers.
Under the CAFE rules, the EPA noted that automakers would have been required to sell cars and light trucks with an average fuel efficiency of about 54 miles per gallon in 2026 model cars. With the current administration’s SAFE rules, vehicles could simply average about 40 miles per gallon by 2026 to meet the new standards.
In a way, Wheeler’s tweet boiled down to one point. The old CAFE standards were simply unrealistic, and America needs the new SAFE rules to make sure automakers and car buyers win out. Interestingly enough, the EPA official’s post came amidst an ongoing climate crisis and a literal pandemic that involves a virus attacking people’s capability to breathe.
Bad timing and taste aside, the EPA Administrator appears to have conveniently forgotten one particular American carmaker that has had absolutely no problem meeting the “unrealistic” standards of the Obama-era CAFE rules. This carmaker currently stands as the most valuable US-based automaker by market cap, and in recent quarters, it has even turned a profit, highlighting the argument that there is a substantial demand and a solid business model for zero-emissions vehicles.
This carmaker, of course, is Tesla. The company had been producing electric cars since 2008, and it has been mass-producing vehicles since 2012. With the Model 3, Tesla started breaking into the mainstream market, with some car buyers trading in otherwise more affordable vehicles to acquire the electric sedan. A crossover, the Model Y, has begun deliveries ahead of schedule, and if initial impressions from professional reviewers are any indication, there’s a good chance that the all-electric crossover will be a disruptor as well.
With the United States’ SAFE rules, automakers like Ford and GM will likely have less incentive to push electric cars. This may be detrimental to both companies, considering that leaked production plans from both GM and Ford have shown that the veteran automakers are still committed to the internal combustion engine despite their pro-EV rhetoric. This could be a costly move for GM and Ford, since territories outside the United States, such as Europe and China, have committed to electrification.
But amidst all these, there is a silver lining. If veteran automakers like Ford and GM will not step up to the plate and provide good electric cars to meet the demand from buyers, a new breed of EV companies will. Tesla has proven that a well-designed, feature-rich, all-electric car like the Model 3 can dominate their established internal combustion counterparts. There’s a good chance that vehicles like the Cybertruck, or perhaps Rivian’s R1T, could do the same for high-end F-150s and RAM trucks.
In a way, the adjustment of the United States’ emissions standards could prove to be an opportunity for electric car makers. Beyond the United States, after all, authorities are going all-in on electric cars. And for some territories such as Europe and China, there is no more turning back.
Tesla Cybertruck is significantly different from traditional pickups on the market in a lot of ways. However, one feature that was recently modified with its interior was a highly requested characteristic that is present in other trucks, but was void from Cybertruck.
Tesla went with a five-seat configuration with Cybertruck: two in the front and three in the back. The spacious interior is matched with plenty of storage, especially up front, as a pass-through, center console, and other storage options, but some Tesla fans wanted something different: bench seating.
Bench seating is popular in many full-size pickups and allows three passengers to sit up front. The middle seat is usually accompanied by a fold-down storage unit with cupholders.
Tesla decided to opt for no bench seating up front, despite the fact that it equipped bench seating in the unveiling in 2019. Interior photos from the unveiling event from nearly six-and-a-half years ago show Tesla had originally planned to have a six-seat configuration.
This was adjusted after the company refined the design:
(Tesla Cybertruck interior configuration in 2019)
Despite Tesla abandoning this design, it does not mean owners were willing to accept it. One owner decided to modify their Tesla Cybertruck interior to equip that third seat between the driver’s and passenger’s thrones.
The fit is snug, and while it looks great, it is important to remember that this does not abide byregulations, as it would require an airbag to be technically legal. Please do not do this at home with your own Cybertruck:
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- Credit: @blueskykites
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- Credit: @blueskykites
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- Credit: @blueskykites
The Cybertruck is a popular vehicle in terms of publicity, but its sales have been underwhelming since first delivered to customers back in 2023. It’s hard to believe it’s been out for two-and-a-half years, but despite this, Tesla has not been able to come through on its extensive order sheet.
This is mostly due to price, as Cybertruck was simply not as affordable as Tesla originally planned. Its three configurations were initially priced at $39,990, $49,990, and $69,990. At release, Cybertruck was priced above $100,000.
This priced out many of those who had placed orders, which is the main reason Cybertruck has not lived up to its expectations in terms of sales. The adjustments to the specific features, like the removal of the bench seat, likely did not impact sales as much as pricing did.
This modification shows some creativity by Tesla owners, but also shows that the Cybertruck could always be the subject of a potential refresh to include some of these features. Tesla routinely adjusts its vehicle designs every few years, so maybe the Cybertruck could get something like this if it chooses to refresh its all-electric pickup.
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk drops massive bomb about Cybercab
“And there is so much to this car that is not obvious on the surface,” Musk said.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk dropped a massive bomb about the Cybercab, which is the company’s fully autonomous ride-hailing vehicle that will enter production later this year.
The Cybercab was unveiled back in October 2024 at the company’s “We, Robot” event in Los Angeles, and is among the major catalysts for the company’s growth in the coming years. It is expected to push Tesla into a major growth phase, especially as the automaker is transitioning into more of an AI and Robotics company than anything else.
The Cybercab will enable completely autonomous ride-hailing for Tesla, and although its other vehicles will also be capable of this technology, the Cybercab is slightly different. It will have no steering wheel or pedals, and will allow two occupants to travel from Point A to Point B with zero responsibilities within the car.
Tesla shares epic 2025 recap video, confirms start of Cybercab production
Details on the Cybercab are pretty face value at this point: we know Tesla is enabling 1-2 passengers to ride in it at a time, and this strategy was based on statistics that show most ride-hailing trips have no more than two occupants. It will also have in-vehicle entertainment options accessible from the center touchscreen.
It will also have wireless charging capabilities, which were displayed at “We, Robot,” and there could be more features that will be highly beneficial to riders, offering a full-fledged autonomous experience.
Musk dropped a big hint that there is much more to the Cybercab than what we know, as a post on X said that “there is so much to this car that is not obvious on the surface.”
And there is so much to this car that is not obvious on the surface
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2026
As the Cybercab is expected to enter production later this year, Tesla is surely going to include a handful of things they have not yet revealed to the public.
Musk seems to be indicating that some of the features will make it even more groundbreaking, and the idea is to enable a truly autonomous experience from start to finish for riders. Everything from climate control to emergency systems, and more, should be included with the car.
It seems more likely than not that Tesla will make the Cybercab its smartest vehicle so far, as if its current lineup is not already extremely intelligent, user-friendly, and intuitive.
Investor's Corner
Tesla Q4 delivery numbers are better than they initially look: analyst
The Deepwater Asset Management Managing Partner shared his thoughts in a post on his website.
Longtime Tesla analyst and Deepwater Asset Management Managing Partner Gene Munster has shared his insights on Tesla’s Q4 2025 deliveries. As per the analyst, Tesla’s numbers are actually better than they first appear.
Munster shared his thoughts in a post on his website.
Normalized December Deliveries
Munster noted that Tesla delivered 418k vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2025, slightly below Street expectations of 420k but above the whisper number of 415k. Tesla’s reported 16% year-over-year decline, compared to +7% in September, is largely distorted by the timing of the tax credit expiration, which pulled forward demand.
“Taking a step back, we believe September deliveries pulled forward approximately 55k units that would have otherwise occurred in December or March. For simplicity, we assume the entire pull-forward impacted the December quarter. Under this assumption, September growth would have been down ~5% absent the 55k pull-forward, a Deepwater estimate tied to the credit’s expiration.
“For December deliveries to have declined ~5% year over year would imply total deliveries of roughly 470k. Subtracting the 55k units pulled into September results in an implied December delivery figure of approximately 415k. The reported 418k suggests that, when normalizing for the tax credit timing, quarter-over-quarter growth has been consistently down ~5%. Importantly, this ~5% decline represents an improvement from the ~13% declines seen in both the March and June 2025 quarters.“
Tesla’s United States market share
Munster also estimated that Q4 as a whole might very well show a notable improvement in Tesla’s market share in the United States.
“Over the past couple of years, based on data from Cox Automotive, Tesla has been losing U.S. EV market share, declining to just under 50%. Based on data for October and November, Cox estimates that total U.S. EV sales were down approximately 35%, compared to Tesla’s just reported down 16% for the full quarter. For the first two months of the quarter, Cox reported Tesla market share of roughly a 65% share, up from under 50% in the September quarter.
“While this data excludes December, the quarter as a whole is likely to show a material improvement in Tesla’s U.S. EV market share.“
Tesla Cybertruck undergoes interior mod that many owners wanted
Tesla CEO Elon Musk drops massive bomb about Cybercab
