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Tesla continues at the ‘speed of Elon’ with Gigafactory Texas’ new hiring ramp
Tesla’s tendency to experience delays with the rollout of its vehicles and features have fostered the term “Elon Time,” which humorously refers to the CEO’s habit of being overly-optimistic with his target timeframes. But with the company hitting its rhythm with the construction of its Gigafactories in Shanghai, Berlin, and now, Texas, a new term has recently emerged: “the speed of Elon.”
Quoted by a developer in Travis County, the “speed of Elon” refers to the surprisingly quick progress of a massive project. And as Tesla’s new job postings indicate, it appears that “Elon Speed” does not only apply to Gigafactory Texas’ construction; it also applies to the facility’s hiring ramp. As of August 11, 2020, there are 39 positions open for Giga Texas, which is quite interesting considering that ground-leveling activities are still ongoing.
A look at Tesla’s Careers page shows that the electric car maker is offering various types of work for Giga Texas, with some posts relating to construction work and others relating to vehicle production once the facility opens. Job listings for the surrounding Austin area have also been posted by the Silicon Valley-based EV maker. As noted in a KHOU 11 report, salaries for workers in Gigafactory Texas will start at about $35,000 annually. Laura Huffman, the president and CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, explained the potential benefits to the area in a statement.
“We’re looking at construction, engineering, manufacturing, operations, information technology and design. And one of the things that I think is most beneficial to our community about Tesla coming to Austin is that, not only are they going to look for workforce from our community, from people that we have right here, right now, but they’re going be partnering with local educators to make sure that the job training is in place. So we’re going to be building skills in these areas as they build the site and as they hire their teams,” she said.
The arrival of Tesla in Del Valle, an underdeveloped section of southeastern Travis County, is poised to become a game-changer for residents of the area. As noted in a report from the Austin American-Statesman, the average median income stands at just about $20,000 per year within the Del Valle Independent School District’s boundaries. With this in mind, Gigafactory Texas’ starting annual salary of $35,000 could very well be a welcome change for the area’s residents. This is especially notable since Tesla has noted that about 65% of its estimated 5,000 jobs in the factory would involve unskilled labor.
The “speed of Elon” evident in the company’s current construction of its Gigafactories in China, Germany, and Texas is the culmination of years worth of hard work and, to some degree, a line of notable errors. Tesla has learned a lot over the past few years, and fortunately, it appears that the company has found a pretty good formula to ensure that its industry-leading electric vehicle factories are built in a manner that is efficient and quick. Considering the progress of Giga Shanghai and Giga Berlin, there seems to be a good chance that Giga Texas will be built in “Elon Speed” as well.
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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
