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Tesla-style Giga Presses and Megacasts on the cards for Volkswagen’s future EV plans
With Tesla expanding its vehicle production capabilities through the deployment of facilities like Gigafactory Berlin and Giga Texas, the company’s lead in the electric vehicle sector has never been more evident. It is then unsurprising that some of Tesla’s competitors in the automotive segment are emulating some of the EV maker’s innovations to help them catch up in the electric car market.
Just last month, Volvo revealed that it would also be using Tesla-style megacasts for its next-generation electric vehicles. Volvo Solution Architect Vehicle Platform Mikael Fermer noted that the use of megacasts, which drastically reduce the number of components in a vehicle, would be the “biggest technology shift since we switched from wood to steel for car bodies.”
And now, Volkswagen also seems to be looking into the use of megacasts for its next-generation electric cars. VW is already a fairly successful electric vehicle maker among its legacy auto peers, but the company is still not quite as innovative as younger companies like Tesla. Tesla, for example, is already capable of churning out a Model Y in ten hours at Giga Berlin, but Volkswagen still takes about three times as much time to build the ID.3, a smaller electric car.
Volkswagen aims to improve its electric vehicle production process with its Trinity EV plant, a facility that’s expected to be operational in 2026. The Trinity plant is expected to improve EV production times for Volkswagen, which should be possible through the use of innovations such as large die castings and more automation. In a statement to Reuters, Volkswagen brand production chief Christian Vollmer noted that the company would achieve something big if it can produce electric cars in just ten hours.
“Our goal is clear: we want to set the standard with our production. If we can get to ten hours, we have achieved something big,” Vollmer said, adding that Volkswagen is already improving its productivity at a rate of about 5% per year.
Volkswagen is one of the world’s most experienced automakers, but it is quickly learning that building electric vehicles is a completely different ballgame. The company can already build cars like the Tiguan and Polo in 18 and 14 hours at its Germany and Spain plants, but its all-electric ID.3 still takes about 30 hours to build. Vollmer noted that improvements should be possible in the Trinity plant since the facility would allow the company to condense its operations.
However, it should be noted that Volkswagen does not plan to have Giga Presses at its new plant in Wolfsburg. Instead, the company plans to install the house-sized machines at a facility in Kassel, about 100 miles away, and simply transport the large die cast components by train.
Tesla, for its part, has noted that its efficiency in Gigafactory Berlin is due in no small part to its two Giga Presses, which apply 6,000 tonnes of pressure to make the rear underbody of the Model Y. Giga Berlin’s press shop can produce 17 components in less than six minutes for now, but with six more Giga Presses set to be deployed in the near future, the electric vehicle maker would be capable of producing its best-selling all-electric crossover even faster.
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Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia has grown to an impressive 5,615,201 articles as of today, closing in on 79% of the English Wikipedia’s current total of 7,119,376 articles.
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago. Needless to say, it would only be a matter of time before Grokipedia exceeds English Wikipedia in sheer volume.
Grokipedia’s rapid growth
xAI’s vision for Grokipedia emphasizes neutrality, while Grok’s reasoning capabilities allow for fast drafting and fact-checking. When Elon Musk announced the initiative in late September 2025, he noted that Grokipedia would be an improvement to Wikipedia because it would be designed to avoid bias.
At the time, Musk noted that Grokipedia “is a necessary step towards the xAI goal of understanding the Universe.”
Grokipedia was launched in late October, and while xAI was careful to list it only as Version 0.1 at the time, the online encyclopedia immediately earned praise. Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger highlighted the project’s innovative approach, noting how it leverages AI to fill knowledge gaps and enable rapid updates. Netizens also observed how Grokipedia tends to present articles in a more objective manner compared to Wikipedia, which is edited by humans.
Elon Musk’s ambitious plans
With 5,615,201 total articles, Grokipedia has now grown to almost 79% of English Wikipedia’s article base. This is incredibly quick, though Grokipedia remains text-only for now. xAI, for its part, has now updated the online encyclopedia’s iteration to v0.2.
Elon Musk has shared bold ideas for Grokipedia, including sending a record of the entire knowledge base to space as part of xAI’s mission to preserve and expand human understanding. At some point, Musk stated that Grokipedia will be renamed to Encyclopedia Galactica, and it will be sent to the cosmos.
“When Grokipedia is good enough (long way to go), we will change the name to Encyclopedia Galactica. It will be an open source distillation of all knowledge, including audio, images and video. Join xAI to help build the sci-fi version of the Library of Alexandria!” Musk wrote, adding in a later post that “Copies will be etched in stone and sent to the Moon, Mars and beyond. This time, it will not be lost.”
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Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
More than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3.
The Tesla Model 3 became the most popular used electric car in the Netherlands in 2025, cementing its dominance well beyond the country’s new-car market.
After years at the top of Dutch EV sales charts, the Model 3 now leads the country’s second-hand EV market by a wide margin, as record used-car purchases pushed electric vehicles further into the mainstream.
Model 3 takes a commanding lead
The Netherlands recorded more than 2.1 million used car sales last year, the highest level on record. Of those, roughly 4.8%, or about 102,000 vehicles, were electric. Within that growing segment, the Tesla Model 3 stood far ahead of its competitors.
In 2025 alone, 11,338 used Model 3s changed hands, giving the car an 11.1% share of the country’s entire used EV market. That means more than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3, Auto Week Netherlands reported. The scale of its lead is striking: the gap between the Model 3 and the second-place finisher, the Volkswagen ID3, is more than 6,700 vehicles.
Rivals trail as residual values shape rankings
The Volkswagen ID.3 ranked a distant second, with 4,595 used units sold and a 4.5% market share. Close behind was the Audi e-tron, which placed third with 4,236 registrations. As noted by Auto Week Netherlands, relatively low residual values likely boosted the e-tron’s appeal in the used market, despite its higher original price.
Other strong performers included the Kia Niro, the Tesla Model Y, and the Hyundai Kona, highlighting continued demand for compact and midsize electric vehicles with proven range and reliability. No other model, however, came close to matching the Model 3’s scale or market presence.
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Tesla Model Y Standard Long Range RWD launches in Europe
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Tesla has expanded the Model Y lineup in Europe with the introduction of the Standard Long Range RWD variant, which offers an impressive 657 km of WLTP range.
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Model Y Standard Long Range RWD Details
Tesla Europe & Middle East highlighted some of the Model Y Standard Long Range RWD’s most notable specs, from its 657 km of WLTP range to its 2,118 liters of cargo volume. More importantly, Tesla also noted that the newly released variant only consumes 12.7 kWh per 100 km, making it the most efficient Model Y to date.
The Model Y Standard provides a lower entry point for consumers who wish to enter the Tesla ecosystem at the lowest possible price. While the Model 3 Standard is still more affordable, some consumers might prefer the Model Y Standard due to its larger size and crossover form factor. The fact that the Model Y Standard is equipped with Tesla’s AI4 computer also makes it ready for FSD’s eventual rollout to the region.
Top Gear’s Model Y Standard review
Top Gear‘s recent review of the Tesla Model Y Standard highlighted some of the vehicle’s most notable features, such as its impressive real-world range, stellar infotainment system, and spacious interior. As per the publication, the Model Y Standard still retains a lot of what makes Tesla’s vehicles well-rounded, even if it’s been equipped with a simplified interior.
Top Gear compared the Model Y Standard to its rivals in the same segment. “The introduction of the Standard trim brings the Model Y in line with the entry price of most of its closest competition. In fact, it’s actually cheaper than a Peugeot e-3008 and costs £5k less than an entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron. It also makes the Ford Mustang Mach-E look a little short with its higher entry price and worse range,” the publication wrote.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
