China’s ongoing Covid lockdowns are still affecting Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai facility. As per recent reports, Giga Shanghai’s shutdown has stretched out to at least 12 days, a substantial amount of time that could adversely affect the company’s vehicle production and delivery numbers this second quarter.
Shanghai has extended its Covid lockdowns indefinitely, likely as a way to curb the growing threat of the Omicron variant. With a record number of cases, Shanghai has all but become the epicenter of the country’s Covid outbreak, which is considered the worst that China has faced since the pandemic began.
As per a Bloomberg report, electric vehicle maker Tesla has reportedly informed some of its suppliers and employees at Gigafactory Shanghai that the facility would be shut down until at least Thursday. Gigafactory Shanghai’s vehicle production activities have been on pause since March 28, when the city entered into its phased lockdown strategy. The information was reportedly shared by individuals familiar with the matter, who opted to remain anonymous.
Overall, Tesla has effectively lost about 12 days of vehicle production in recent weeks. This could prove detrimental to Tesla’s second-quarter results, seeing as Gigafactory Shanghai currently stands as the company’s primary vehicle export hub. Last year alone, Gigafactory Shanghai accounted for about half of Tesla’s vehicle production and deliveries, and that’s with the site’s Model Y plant being ramped.
Tesla China has not issued a comment about these recent reports as of writing.
China’s ongoing Covid lockdown has already dealt a blow to the country’s economy. However, an uncontrolled outbreak of the virus would likely lead to an even worse scenario. This was something that was highlighted by economist Eric Zhu in a comment to Bloomberg.
“Shanghai’s lockdown has dealt a blow to China’s economy. But an out-of-control outbreak would lead to an even worse outcome. Choosing lockdowns — despite their growing costs — suggests China is not yet ready to take an alternative Covid exit path,” Zhu said.
While Gigafactory Shanghai already plays a substantial role in Tesla’s operations, the company is reportedly looking to expand its presence in China even further. Previous reports have suggested that Tesla is looking to start work on a new Shanghai plant soon, which should be located close to Gigafactory Shanghai. This upcoming facility could help Tesla China ramp its vehicle production to 2 million per year.
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Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall.
The Tesla Model Y has been named 2026 Drive Car of the Year overall winner, taking the top honor after being judged as the vehicle that “moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers.”
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall, but the vehicle’s Juniper update strengthened its case with new ownership benefits and expanded software capability.
Drive’s overall award compares category winners and looks at which model most significantly advances the local new car market. In 2026, judges pointed to the Model Y’s five-year warranty and the availability of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as a monthly subscription as key differentiators.
Priced from AU$58,900 before on-road costs, the all-electric crossover SUV offers a lot of value compared to similarly sized petrol and hybrid rivals. The ability to access Tesla’s Supercharger network across Australia also reduces friction for buyers moving to EV ownership.
Owners can add FSD (Supervised) for AU$149 per month. While it still requires driver oversight, the system expands the vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance capabilities and reflects Tesla’s software-first approach.
“The default choice for a reason. The Tesla Model Y makes the transition to electric both effortless and rewarding,” Drive wrote.
The 2025 Model Y facelift also sharpened the vehicle’s exterior, highlighted by a distinctive rear light bar that gives the crossover SUV a more modern road presence.
Drive described the Model Y as a benchmark for combining practicality, efficiency and technology at an accessible price point. With eligibility for federal Fringe Benefit Tax exemptions through novated leasing, its value proposition has improved for numerous buyers.
For 2026, the Model Y’s combination of range efficiency, charging access and software capability proved decisive. Ultimately, the award all but cements the Model Y’s position as one of the most influential vehicles in Australia’s evolving new-car market today.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates rapid Starship V3 timeline with next launch in sight
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.”
Elon Musk has confirmed that Starship will fly again next month, reiterating SpaceX’s aggressive timeline for the first launch of its Starship V3 rocket.
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.” The CEO’s post was accompanied by a video of Starship’s Super Heavy booster being successfully caught by a launch tower in Starbase, Texas.
The timeline is notable. In late January, Musk stated that Starship’s next flight, Flight 12, was expected in about six weeks. This placed the expected mission date sometime in March. That estimate aligned with SpaceX’s earlier statement that Starship’s 12th flight test “remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.”
If the vehicle does indeed fly next month, it would mark the debut of Starship V3, the upgraded platform expected to feature the rocket’s new Raptor V3 engines.
Raptor V3 is designed to deliver significantly higher thrust than earlier versions while reducing cost and weight. Starship V3 itself is expected to be optimized for manufacturability, a critical step if SpaceX intends to scale production toward frequent launches for Starlink, lunar missions, and eventually Mars.
Starship V3 is widely viewed as the version that transitions the program from experimental testing to true operational scaling. Previous iterations have completed multiple integrated flight tests, with mixed outcomes but steady progress. Expectations are high that SpaceX is now working on Starship’s refinement.
An aggressive launch schedule supports several priorities at once. It advances Starlink’s next-generation satellite deployment, supports NASA’s lunar ambitions under Artemis, and keeps SpaceX on track for its longer-term Moon and Mars objectives.
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Tesla Model Y L six-seater approved for Australia ahead of launch
The variant was listed as YL5NDB on the Australian government’s ROVER approval website.
Tesla’s six-seat, extended-wheelbase Model Y L has been approved for sale in Australia, as per newly published government documents.
The variant, listed as YL5NDB on the Australian government’s ROVER approval website, has confirmed that Tesla has received regulatory clearance to offer the extended Model Y to domestic customers.
Documents seen by Drive show that the Model Y L has been approved in Australia in a single dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration. While Tesla has not formally announced a launch date, vehicles are typically approved for Australian sale several months before arriving in showrooms.
The Model Y L is a longer version of the regular Model Y, designed to accommodate a six-seat layout with two seats in each row. It measures 177mm longer overall than the regular Model Y, at 4969mm, and features a 150mm longer wheelbase at 3040mm.
Australian approval documents list the Model Y L with the same nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack used in the regular Model Y Long Range, which is expected to have a gross capacity of about 84kWh and a usable capacity of about 82kWh. Output is officially listed at 378kW in government filings, though real-world peak output may differ.
The Model Y L replaces the regular Model Y’s second-row bench with two captain’s chairs featuring heating, ventilation, and power adjustment. Heated third-row seats are also included.
Additional upgrades reported by Drive include an 18-speaker sound system, new front seats with single-piece backrests, and continuously variable shock absorbers. The only wheel option listed for the Australian model is 19-inch wheels.
In Europe, where the Model Y L has also received approval but has not yet launched, the variant is expected to claim up to 681km of WLTP range.
Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
Elon Musk reiterates rapid Starship V3 timeline with next launch in sight
