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The Year of the ‘Giga Press’: How Tesla’s monster machines can complete Elon Musk’s 2nd Master Plan
One of the most exciting developments from Tesla eagerly awaited by the electric car community is the company’s use of its giant casting machines. Dubbed by its maker IDRA as the “Giga Press,” the house-sized monster machines are capable of producing single-cast pieces for Tesla’s vehicles, starting with the Model Y.
The Giga Press lives up to its name. Its physical footprint is formidable, measuring 20 meters x 7.5 meters x 6 meters. It also weighs a whopping 430 tons, or about five Space Shuttles. So massive is the Giga Press that it takes up to 24 flatbed trucks to transport its components.
When operating, the Giga Presses are no slouch, as they have a cycle time of ~80‒90 seconds, which translates to an output rate of 40‒45 completed castings per hour, or about ~1,000 castings per day. That’s over 300,000 castings per year, per machine.
A Platoon of Giga Presses
So far, Tesla has set up two Giga Presses on the grounds of the Fremont Factory. Flyovers of the site show that the two machines are already set up, though it remains to be seen when they would formally be deployed. Over in China, three other Giga Presses have been spotted in the Giga Shanghai complex, though the units were reportedly built by LK Machinery, IDRA’s parent company.
But what is rather remarkable is that Tesla has several more Giga Presses in order. Sandy Munro, in a recent interview with electric vehicle advocate Sean Mitchell, noted that he has heard through the grapevine that Tesla has ordered 11 more units of the Giga Presses. Previous reports point to Giga Berlin receiving eight of the machines, and flyovers at the Giga Texas site seem to reveal three isolation pits for the monster machines in the area.
Needless to say, the Giga Press is poised to become a key part of Tesla’s Gigafactories from now on. As Tesla rolls out its single-piece cast design for the vehicles in its lineup, the company’s platoon of Giga Press machines will likely play an even bigger role. This role will likely become prominent starting next year, 2021.
The Year of the Giga Press
Tesla has always been a rebel of sorts, and this became extremely prominent this year. 2020 will likely be known as the year when the world stopped, and automakers suffered deep wounds due to the pandemic. Tesla, being a company that has always swum against the current, thrived instead of dropped. It is even poised to end the year as the newest member of the S&P 500.
But 2020 is only the beginning of a new chapter in the Tesla story. With the company now on more stable footing, the electric car maker can focus on executing its ramp for 2021. This ramp would likely involve Tesla aiming to produce close to, or perhaps up to, a million vehicles in one year. Such a ramp would require the full deployment of its Giga Press machines.
There is little doubt that Giga Press No.1 and No.2 at the Fremont Factory will be deployed fully soon. Giga Press No.3, No.4, and No.5 at Gigafactory Shanghai will likely be operational in early 2021 as well. And with Gigafactory Berlin likely starting Model Y production sometime next year, there is a good chance that several of its Giga Presses would go live next year as well. These, as well as the speculated machines in the Cybertruck Gigafactory in Texas, should allow Tesla to turn 2021 into the year of the Giga Press.
A Multi-Segment Approach
Tesla is a company with a big goal, one which focuses on the Master Plan of its CEO. So far, Tesla has pretty much completed Elon Musk’s first Master Plan, but Part Deux still needs some worth to accomplish. This is especially true for one aspect of the CEO’s target—expanding the company’s vehicle product line to address all major segments.
So far, Tesla has vehicles that compete in the large sedan, midsize sedan, SUV, and crossover market. This is one of the reasons why there is still so much more for Tesla to do. Granted, the Cybertruck will address the pickup market, the Semi will address the long-haul segment, and the new Roadster will compete in the supercar market. But there are still other segments to tap. One of these is the compact car market, which is populated with small, low-cost vehicles that are extremely aggressively priced.
Tesla and Elon Musk have both noted that the company will be producing a $25,000 electric car that is smaller and cheaper than the Model 3. Such a vehicle would likely be equipped with the best innovations that the company can offer for it to be profitable. These include low-cost and disruptive tabless 4680 battery cells and massive single-piece casts that are produced with the Giga Press. And considering that both Giga Shanghai and Giga Berlin seem poised to produce the $25,000 Tesla, there seems to be a good chance that the company’s Giga Press platoon is only bound to get bigger in the near future.
Watch Sandy Munro and Sean Mitchell’s conversations about Tesla and its innovations in the video below.
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Man credits Grok AI with saving his life after ER missed near-ruptured appendix
The AI flagged some of the man’s symptoms and urged him to return to the ER immediately and demand a CT scan.
A 49-year-old man has stated that xAI’s Grok ended up saving his life when the large language model identified a near-ruptured appendix that his first ER visit dismissed as acid reflux.
After being sent home from the ER, the man asked Grok to analyze his symptoms. The AI flagged some of the man’s symptoms and urged him to return immediately and demand a CT scan. The scan confirmed that something far worse than acid reflux was indeed going on.
Grok spotted what a doctor missed
In a post on Reddit, u/Tykjen noted that for 24 hours straight, he had a constant “razor-blade-level” abdominal pain that forced him into a fetal position. He had no fever or visible signs. He went to the ER, where a doctor pressed his soft belly, prescribed acid blockers, and sent him home.
The acid blockers didn’t work, and the man’s pain remained intense. He then decided to open a year-long chat he had with Grok and listed every detail that he was experiencing. The AI responded quickly. “Grok immediately flagged perforated ulcer or atypical appendicitis, told me the exact red-flag pattern I was describing, and basically said “go back right now and ask for a CT,” the man wrote in his post.
He copied Grok’s reasoning, returned to the ER, and insisted on the scan. The CT scan ultimately showed an inflamed appendix on the verge of rupture. Six hours later, the appendix was out. The man said the pain has completely vanished, and he woke up laughing under anesthesia. He was discharged the next day.
How a late-night conversation with Grok got me to demand the CT scan that saved my life from a ruptured appendix (December 2025)
byu/Tykjen ingrok
AI doctors could very well be welcomed
In the replies to his Reddit post, u/Tykjen further explained that he specifically avoided telling doctors that Grok, an AI, suggested he get a CT scan. “I did not tell them on the second visit that Grok recommended the CT scan. I had to lie. I told them my sister who’s a nurse told me to ask for the scan,” the man wrote.
One commenter noted that the use of AI in medicine will likely be welcomed, stating that “If AI could take doctors’ jobs one day, I will be happy. Doctors just don’t care anymore. It’s all a paycheck.” The Redditor replied with, “Sadly yes. That is what it felt like after the first visit. And the following night could have been my last.”
Elon Musk has been very optimistic about the potential of robots like Tesla Optimus in the medical field. Provided that they are able to achieve human-level articulation in their hands, and Tesla is able to bring down their cost through mass manufacturing, the era of AI-powered medical care could very well be closer than expected.
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Tesla expands Model 3 lineup in Europe with most affordable variant yet
The Model 3 Standard still delivers more than 300 miles of range, potentially making it an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers.
Tesla has introduced a lower-priced Model 3 variant in Europe, expanding the lineup just two months after the vehicle’s U.S. debut. The Model 3 Standard still delivers more than 300 miles (480 km) of range, potentially making it an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers.
Tesla’s pricing strategy
The Model 3 Standard arrives as Tesla contends with declining registrations in several countries across Europe, where sales have not fully offset shifting consumer preferences. Many buyers have turned to options such as Volkswagen’s ID.3 and BYD’s Atto 3, both of which have benefited from aggressive pricing.
By removing select premium finishes and features, Tesla positioned the new Model 3 Standard as an “ultra-low cost of ownership” option of its all-electric sedan. Pricing comes in at €37,970 in Germany, NOK 330,056 in Norway, and SEK 449,990 in Sweden, depending on market. This places the Model 3 Standard well below the “premium” Model 3 trim, which starts at €45,970 in Germany.
Deliveries for the Standard model are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026, giving Tesla an entry-level foothold in a segment that’s increasingly defined by sub-€40,000 offerings.
Tesla’s affordable vehicle push
The low-cost Model 3 follows October’s launch of a similarly positioned Model Y variant, signaling a broader shift in Tesla’s product strategy. While CEO Elon Musk has moved the company toward AI-driven initiatives such as robotaxis and humanoid robots, lower-priced vehicles remain necessary to support the company’s revenue in the near term.
Reports have indicated that Tesla previously abandoned plans for an all-new $25,000 EV, with the company opting to create cheaper versions of existing platforms instead. Analysts have flagged possible cannibalization of higher-margin models, but the move aims to counter an influx of aggressively priced entrants from China and Europe, many of which sell below $30,000. With the new Model 3 Standard, Tesla is reinforcing its volume strategy in Europe’s increasingly competitive EV landscape.
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Tesla FSD (Supervised) stuns Germany’s biggest car magazine
FSD Supervised recognized construction zones, braked early for pedestrians, and yielded politely on narrow streets.
Tesla’s upcoming FSD Supervised system, set for a European debut pending regulatory approval, is showing notably refined behavior in real-world testing, including construction zones, pedestrian detection, and lane changes, as per a recent demonstration ride in Berlin.
While the system still required driver oversight, its smooth braking, steering, and decision-making illustrated how far Tesla’s driver-assistance technology has advanced ahead of a potential 2026 rollout.
FSD’s maturity in dense city driving
During the Berlin test ride with Auto Bild, Germany’s largest automotive publication, a Tesla Model 3 running FSD handled complex traffic with minimal intervention, autonomously managing braking, acceleration, steering, and overtaking up to 140 km/h. It recognized construction zones, braked early for pedestrians, and yielded politely on narrow streets.
Only one manual override was required when the system misread a converted one-way route, an example, Tesla stated, of the continuous learning baked into its vision-based architecture.
Robin Hornig of Auto Bild summed up his experience with FSD Supervised with a glowing review of the system. As per the reporter, FSD Supervised already exceeds humans with its all-around vision. “Tesla FSD Supervised sees more than I do. It doesn’t get distracted and never gets tired. I like to think I’m a good driver, but I can’t match this system’s all-around vision. It’s at its best when both work together: my experience and the Tesla’s constant attention,” the journalist wrote.
Tesla FSD in Europe
FSD Supervised is still a driver-assistance system rather than autonomous driving. Still, Auto Bild noted that Tesla’s 360-degree camera suite, constant monitoring, and high computing power mark a sizable leap from earlier iterations. Already active in the U.S., China, and several other regions, the system is currently navigating Europe’s approval pipeline. Tesla has applied for an exemption in the Netherlands, aiming to launch the feature through a free software update as early as February 2026.
What Tesla demonstrated in Berlin mirrors capabilities already common in China and the U.S., where rival automakers have rolled out hands-free or city-navigation systems. Europe, however, remains behind due to a stricter certification environment, though Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for FSD Supervised’s approval in several countries in the region.
Man credits Grok AI with saving his life after ER missed near-ruptured appendix
Tesla expands Model 3 lineup in Europe with most affordable variant yet
