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Tesla seems on track to have over 10 Giga Presses by the end of the year

Credit: Gabeincal/YouTube

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The Giga Press is shaping up to be one of Tesla’s trump cards in the emerging electric vehicle sector. And if recent comments from the company that produces the Giga Press are any indication, it appears that Tesla may be on track to end 2021 with over 10 of the giant die-casting machines deployed in its production facilities. 

During a recent virtual open house, Italy-based IDRA Group remarked that two of its house-sized Giga Press machines have already been shipped and installed at its customer’s plants. The company added that the contraptions are running production batches of the largest casted parts ever made worldwide. Such a statement mirrors previous comments from Elon Musk, who has noted in the past that Tesla’s single-piece casts for the Model Y are among the largest in the industry. 

This was not the most notable part of IDRA’s open house. Elaborating further, the Italy-based die-cast machine maker also noted that nine additional Giga Presses should be delivered within this year. Similar to its previous videos, the company did not name Tesla as its customer, though industry veteran Sandy Munro has remarked in the past that 11 Giga Presses have been ordered by Tesla for its operations. 

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“I found out through the grapevine that they bought 11 more of those casting machines. That’s a lot. I mean, that’s a lot of casting machines, and they’re looking at it as the bargain of the century. Rather than buying a stamping line or what have you, you buy these things and just change the dies to push out whatever you want,” Munro remarked

What is rather interesting is that Tesla’s Giga Presses are only getting bigger. During the Q4 and FY 2020 earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that Tesla would soon be ordering the equipment necessary to make the Cybertruck, one of which is an 8,000-ton casting press that would produce the all-electric pickup truck’s rear body casting. Sure enough, IDRA announced last month that it had secured the order for its largest and most ambitious casting machine yet—an 8,000-ton Giga Press that could be used to make parts for pickup trucks and large SUVs. 

“Once again, IDRA makes a world’s first for technological innovation, and we are very proud to announce that today, on the 16th of March 2021, we’ve been able to secure the first order for an 8,000-ton die-casting machine. This order is being placed by a leading global manufacturer for new energy vehicles,” IDRA General Manager Riccardo Ferrario said

Watch IDRA’s virtual open house in the video below. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla rolls out tasty new trade-in deal for a limited time

Tesla has rolled out a tasty new trade-in deal in the United Kingdom for a limited time, knocking just over the equivalent of $5,000 off of the price of a new or inventory Model 3 or Model Y.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla has rolled out a tasty new trade-in deal in the United Kingdom for a limited time, knocking just over the equivalent of $5,000 off of the price of a new or inventory Model 3 or Model Y.

The move, which could be a great way to incentivize sales in the United Kingdom, will take off £3,750 ($5,043) from the price of either of Tesla’s two most popular models, but it’s only valid until March 31, 2026. It requires the order and delivery to take place within the first quarter to qualify for the discount.

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The bonus is designed to lower the cost barrier for switching to electric vehicles, stacking the £3,750 on top of the actual trade-in value of any eligible car — this includes petrol, diesel, or even an EV from another automaker. It applies to both new builds and inventory vehicles, including test drive and showroom models, but excludes certified pre-owned Teslas.

This promotion comes amid intensifying competition in the European EV sector. Chinese giant BYD, which snatched the EV sales title from Tesla for 2025, has been aggressively expanding in the European market, undercutting prices and capturing market share with its widely affordable models, including the Seagull.

Tesla’s strategy echoes similar incentives that have been offered in other markets at different times. With UK EV adoption hovering around 20 percent of new car sales in 2025, such deals could accelerate the transition, especially as government mandates phase out fossil fuels by 2035.

There have been enthusiastic reactions to the offer on X, the social media platform owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. These incentive programs are few and far between, and are never predictable in terms of availability. However, Tesla could be using this discount to get the year off to a good start.

For potential buyers, the deal underscores Tesla’s agility in a competitive landscape. As EV infrastructure improves and battery tech advances, incentives like this could tip the scales for those who might be more hesitant to make the jump.

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With Q1 2026 deliveries ramping up and Tesla coming off a yearly decline in deliveries, the company is undoubtedly looking to push things forward and get the year off to a great start.

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Lucid and Uber team with Nuro for new robotaxi program with Gravity SUV

The plan currently is to launch it to the public in the Bay later this year.

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Credit: Lucid

Lucid and Uber are teaming up with Nuro to launch an autonomous robotaxi program utilizing the automaker’s Gravity SUV. The project will be unveiled at CES 2026, introducing an in-cabin rider experience completely designed by Uber, the world’s largest ride-sharing service.

Back in 2025, the partnership between the three companies was announced, aiming to launch a unique ride-sharing platform using over 20,000 Lucid vehicles equipped with the Nuro Driver technology. The vehicles are owned and operated by Uber.

The companies have already initiated some testing in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a big step in the right direction for the project. The plan currently is to launch it to the public in the Bay later this year. Nuro will lead the testing using robotaxi engineering prototypes that are supervised by autonomous vehicle operators.

Currently, there are over 100 robotaxis in the Engineering Test Fleet.

The Gravity vehicles are fitted with a next-gen sensor array featuring high-res cameras, solid-state LiDAR sensors, and radars that will provide a 360-perception model, as well as a “purpose-built roof-mounted halo designed to maximize sensor visibility,” which is seen on top of the Gravity unit above.

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The halo also has integrated LEDs to help riders more easily identify the correct vehicle by displaying their initials. The halo will also provide clear status updates from pickup through dropoff.

These units for the robotaxi program between the three companies will start being produced later this year at Lucid’s Arizona AMP-1 factory.

Uber chose the Lucid Gravity specifically due to its “unprecedented comfort” and its reputation, as it was named to Car and Driver’s 10 Best for 2026. But Uber is customizing some things for the Gravity so that it is specifically catered to robotaxi riders:

  • For the first time, Uber is designing the in-vehicle rider experience, which will include interactive screens with entertainment and climate control options, as well as support contacts and vehicle maneuver requests, like a request to pull over.
  • It will also have in-vehicle visualization, showing what the robotaxi sees and its path in real-time. This will be a nice transition for those who are skeptical about driverless vehicles, and will show what the vehicle and its sensors, LiDAR, and cameras see.
  • The Gravity is also a sizeable SUV, which will give riders space for themselves and their luggage.

This is the latest application of a ride-hailing platform that leans on autonomy for its operation, essentially phasing out the need for human drivers in various markets, starting with the Bay Area.

More companies are dipping their toes in the project, giving them the opportunity to establish some early momentum, as there are only a handful of companies that are currently operating this in the United States. Uber, Lucid, and Nuro aim to be the next, and initiating this program at this time is big for their chance at success.

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Tesla Cybercab test fleet expands in Austin and Bay Area

In total, the Robotaxi fleet is comprised of 139 total vehicles in both Austin and the Bay Area. The vast majority of these units are Model Y cars, but the Cybercab is the most recent addition to the fleet. 

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Credit: Adan Guajardo

Tesla has expanded its fleet of Cybercab test units in both Austin and the Bay Area of California, as the vehicle is heading toward the first production stages, hopefully early this year.

As the first few units were spotted in Austin late last year, Tesla is now operating seven total Cybercab units in testing, three of which were spotted over the weekend in Texas. Bay Area testing just started on January 3, with both units also being added to the fleet on Saturday and Sunday.

In total, there are seven Cybercabs now operating, according to Robotaxi Tracker, each with different license plates that have been observed over the course of the last several weeks; the first unit was spotted in Austin on December 18.

The expansion of the Cybercab test fleet is a slow but steady process that Tesla is taking to get the car on public roads ahead of its initial production stages.

CEO Elon Musk said last week that Tesla has already started some test production phases of the vehicle at Gigafactory Texas, which is located outside of Austin.

Tesla Cybercab tests are going on overdrive with production-ready units

However, it will likely be some time before Tesla actually adds it to the fleet for rides that are available to the public. Tesla plans to build it without a steering wheel or pedals, so the company will have to reach Level 5 autonomy at that point before customers can hail rides and take it to their destination.

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In total, the Robotaxi fleet is comprised of 139 total vehicles in both Austin and the Bay Area. The vast majority of these units are Model Y cars, but the Cybercab is the most recent addition to the fleet.

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