It appears that initial construction work at Tesla’s Gigafactory Mexico site has begun. This was hinted at in aerial videos shared by Mexican media at the upcoming electric vehicle complex.
Gigafactory Mexico is arguably the most ambitious electric vehicle production facility from Tesla. Unlike facilities like Giga Berlin, which are producing popular existing vehicles like the Model Y crossover, Gigafactory Mexico is tasked with the production of the yet-to-be-unveiled next-generation platform. The vehicle is expected to be priced at around $25,000.
Following the announcement of Giga Mexico, reports initially suggested that the buildout of the facility could start as early as March, and that its construction speed would rival that of Giga Shanghai. Local officials estimated then that vehicle production could start sometime in 2024. Later reports, however, stated that vehicle production would be starting around the first quarter of 2025 instead.
As noted in a Milenio report, recent footage taken at the upcoming Tesla property showed that machinery is already present in the area. Apart from heavy equipment, cones alerting motorists of construction activities at the site could also be seen on the road. Granted, the presence of heavy equipment on the site is undoubtedly small progress, but it does seem to suggest that construction work at Giga Mexico is about to start.
Last month, Nuevo León Governor Samuel Alejandro García Sepúlveda noted that permits for Gigafactory Mexico were progressing forward. The official also noted that the first stages of the facility’s buildout were about to start. Considering the presence of heavy equipment on the site this week, it appears that the Governor’s estimate may be accurate.
“We do not yet have a date for when, but the good news is that all the permits for the environment, energy, water, everything is already checked, it is advancing. So at any moment, we are going to give them the news that the first stone is being laid,” he said.
Watch the Giga Mexico site update from Mexican media outlet Milenio in the video below.
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Tesla Model Y dominated China’s NEV sales in December 2025
As per sales data from China, the all-electric crossover finished first among the country’s best-selling EVs and plug-in hybrids.
The Tesla Model Y ranked as China’s top-selling new energy vehicle in December, leading an intensely competitive market packed with strong domestic brands.
As per sales data from China, the all-electric crossover finished first among the country’s best-selling EVs and plug-in hybrids. The Model 3 also placed within the country’s top ten vehicles.
Model Y leads China’s NEV rankings
The graphic, shared on X and sourced from Chinese auto industry data aggregator Yiche, listed the top 20 best-selling new energy vehicles in China for December. Tesla’s Model Y claimed the No. 1 position with roughly 65,874 units sold, finishing well ahead of a field dominated by domestic manufacturers such as BYD, SAIC-GM-Wuling, and Xiaomi.
The chart also showed strong performances from other high-volume models, including BYD’s Qin Plus, which sold 46,837 units during the month. Tesla’s Model 3 ranked eighth overall, with just under 28,000 units sold, placing it ahead of numerous locally produced competitors despite its rather premium price.
Tesla China’s strong December
Tesla China had a stellar December 2025. During the month, Tesla sold 97,171 vehicles wholesale in China, as per data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The result marked Tesla China’s second-highest monthly total on record, trailing only November 2022’s peak of 100,291 units.
December’s wholesale figure represented a 3.63% increase from the same month a year earlier and a 12.08% jump from November. Industry watchers have suggested that part of the surge was driven by Tesla pulling deliveries forward to allow customers to benefit from more favorable purchase tax policies before year-end.
Despite this, December’s results suggest that Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 remain highly competitive offerings in China, which is extremely impressive considering the competition from domestic players and their still premium price.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s net worth is nearing $800 billion, and it’s no small part due to xAI
A newly confirmed $20 billion xAI funding round valued the business at $250 billion, adding an estimated $62 billion to Musk’s fortune.
Elon Musk moved within reach of an unprecedented $800 billion net worth after private investors sharply increased the valuation of xAI Holdings, his artificial intelligence and social media company.
A newly confirmed $20 billion funding round valued the business at $250 billion, adding an estimated $62 billion to Musk’s fortune and widening his lead as the world’s wealthiest individual.
xAI’s valuation jump
Forbes confirmed that xAI Holdings was valued at $250 billion following its $20 billion funding round. That’s more than double the $113 billion valuation Musk cited when he merged his AI startup xAI with social media platform X last year. Musk owned roughly 49% of the combined company, which Forbes estimated was worth about $122 billion after the deal closed.
xAI’s recent valuation increase pushed Musk’s total net worth to approximately $780 billion, as per Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List. The jump represented one of the single largest wealth gains ever recorded in a private funding round.
Interestingly enough, xAI’s funding round also boosted the AI startup’s other billionaire investors. Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud held an estimated 1.6% stake in xAI worth about $4 billion, so the recent funding round boosted his net worth to $19.4 billion. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison each owned roughly 0.8% stakes that are now valued at about $2.1 billion, increasing their net worths to $6 billion and $241 billion, respectively.
The backbone of Musk’s net worth
Despite xAI’s rapid rise, Musk’s net worth is still primarily anchored by SpaceX and Tesla. SpaceX represents Musk’s single most valuable asset, with his 42% stake in the private space company estimated at roughly $336 billion.
Tesla ranks second among Musk’s holdings, as he owns about 12% of the EV maker’s common stock, which is worth approximately $307 billion.
Over the past year, Musk crossed a series of historic milestones, becoming the first person ever worth $500 billion, $600 billion, and $700 billion. He also widened his lead over the world’s second-richest individual, Larry Page, by more than $500 billion.
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Tesla Cybercab sighting confirms one highly requested feature
The feature will likely allow the Cybercab to continue operating even in conditions when its cameras could be covered with dust, mud, or road grime.
A recent sighting of Tesla’s Cybercab prototype in Chicago appears to confirm a long-requested feature for the autonomous two-seater.
The feature will likely allow the Cybercab to continue operating even in conditions when its cameras could be covered with dust, mud, or road grime.
The Cybercab’s camera washer
The Cybercab prototype in question was sighted in Chicago, and its image was shared widely on social media. While the autonomous two-seater itself was visibly dirty, its rear camera area stood out as noticeably cleaner than the rest of the car. Traces of water were also visible on the trunk. This suggested that the Cybercab is equipped with a rear camera washer.
As noted by Model Y owner and industry watcher Sawyer Merritt, a rear camera washer is a feature many Tesla owners have requested for years, particularly in snowy or wet regions where camera obstruction can affect visibility and the performance of systems like Full Self-Driving (FSD).
While only the rear camera washer was clearly visible, the sighting raises the possibility that Tesla may equip the Cybercab’s other external cameras with similar cleaning systems. Given the vehicle’s fully autonomous design, redundant visibility safeguards would be a logical inclusion.
The Cybercab in Tesla’s autonomous world
The Cybercab is Tesla’s first purpose-built autonomous ride-hailing vehicle, and it is expected to enter production later this year. The vehicle was unveiled in October 2024 at the “We, Robot” event in Los Angeles, and it is expected to be a major growth driver for Tesla as it continues its transition toward an AI- and robotics-focused company. The Cybercab will not include a steering wheel or pedals and is intended to carry one or two passengers per trip, a decision Tesla says reflects real-world ride-hailing usage data.
The Cybercab is also expected to feature in-vehicle entertainment through its center touchscreen, wireless charging, and other rider-focused amenities. Musk has also hinted that the vehicle includes far more innovation than is immediately apparent, stating on X that “there is so much to this car that is not obvious on the surface.”
Tesla Model Y dominated China’s NEV sales in December 2025
Elon Musk’s net worth is nearing $800 billion, and it’s no small part due to xAI
