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Tesla proved that innovation is king by shrugging off the pandemic
Following the release of Tesla’s second quarter vehicle production and delivery report, TSLA bears were quick to point out that the electric car maker’s sales dropped nearly 5% year over year. What was, of course, not mentioned by the company’s critics was the fact that Tesla’s 4.8% YoY decline was largely due to the pandemic, which has ravaged the auto industry as a whole. In the grand scheme of things, Tesla’s nearly 5% drop was tantamount to the electric car maker shrugging off the effects of the coronavirus.
Tesla’s decline in year over year sales was minuscule compared to those experienced by prominent, experienced carmakers like GM, which saw a decline of 34%, and Toyota, whose sales dropped 35%. This was reflected, at least to some degree, by the rise in Tesla stock, which saw a sharp increase since the release of the company’s Q2 delivery and production report. Instead of struggling amidst the outbreak of the coronavirus, Tesla actually seems to be thriving.
Raw sales figures aside, Tesla’s meteoric rise seems to emphasize that in today’s auto industry, innovation is king. Tesla is currently the world’s largest automaker by market cap, far surpassing Toyota, and a notable part of this is due to the company behaving much like a tech company than a traditional carmaker. The auto industry, after all, does not tend to innovate fast, with companies usually moving at a snail’s pace when it comes to improvements to its vehicles.
Tesla’s electric vehicles, while already equipped with a healthy amount of features, are bound to get better over time, thanks to constant over the air updates. This has become even more prominent in recent years, especially following the company’s decision to make basic Autopilot standard for all its vehicles save for the $35,000 Standard Range Model 3. Such a strategy all but ensured that every Tesla owner would experience having a vehicle that improves over time.
As noted in a Forbes article by tech veteran Enrique Dans, Tesla has now become the gold standard for the auto industry, which has long been used to a deliberate pace of innovation. The most notable example of this is the Tesla Model S, the electric car maker’s first vehicle that it designed from the ground up. Eight years since its initial release, the Model S is still breaking records, standing as the first and only electric vehicle with an EPA range of over 400 miles.
It is pertinent to note that consumers by nature are drawn to superior products. This is one of the reasons why Apple and its iPhone ultimately crushed the mobile phone titans of its time from companies like Nokia and BlackBerry. Cars are also high ticket items, which means that consumers will likely opt for vehicles that provide the most features and performance within their budget. Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y are two of these vehicles, as they offer an experience that is notably different, and perhaps even better, than those provided by similarly priced gas powered cars.
Elon Musk previously noted that it’s insane to buy something else other than a Tesla. The statement then seemed like the overly optimistic proclamations of a CEO standing by the value of his company’s products. Yet as demand for the Model 3 is maintained and as demand for the Model Y increases, and as the company shrugs off what could very well be the worst pandemic in decades, it is starting to appear like Elon Musk may not be exaggerating at all.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk shares updated Starship V3 maiden launch target date
The comment was posted on Musk’s official account on social media platform X.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared a brief Starship V3 update in a post on social media platform X, stating the next launch attempt of the spacecraft could take place in about four weeks.
The comment was posted on Musk’s official account on social media platform X.
Musk’s update suggests that Starship Flight 12 could target a launch around early April, though the schedule will depend on several remaining milestones at SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility in Texas.
Among the key steps is testing and certification of the site’s new launch tower, launch mount, and tank farm systems. These upgrades will support the next generation of Starship vehicles.
Booster 19 is expected to roll to the launch site and be placed on the launch mount before returning to the production facility to receive its 33 Raptor engines. The booster would then return for a static fire test, which could mark the first time a Super Heavy booster equipped with Raptor V3 engines is fired on the pad.
Ship 39 is expected to undergo a similar preparation process. The vehicle will likely return to the production site to receive its six engines before heading to Massey’s test site for static fire testing.
Once both stages are prepared, the booster and ship will roll out to the launch site for the first full stack of a V3 Super Heavy and V3 Starship. A full wet dress rehearsal is expected to follow before any launch attempt.
Elon Musk has previously shared how SpaceX plans to eventually recover Starship’s upper stage using the launch tower’s robotic arms. Musk noted that the company will only attempt to catch the Starship spacecraft after two successful soft landings in the ocean. The approach is intended to reduce risk before attempting a recovery over land.
“Should note that SpaceX will only try to catch the ship with the tower after two perfect soft landings in the ocean. The risk of the ship breaking up over land needs to be very low,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Such a milestone would represent a major step toward the full reuse of the Starship system, which remains a central goal for SpaceX’s long-term launch strategy.
News
Tesla opens first public Tesla Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles
The development was highlighted in a post on social media platform X by the official Tesla Semi account.
Tesla has opened its first public Tesla Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles. The station reportedly offers up to 750 kW charging speeds and is open to Tesla Semi customers.
The development was highlighted in a post on social media platform X by the official Tesla Semi account.
Tesla Semi Megachargers
The Los Angeles site seems to be the first public Tesla Semi Megacharger that is not located at a Tesla factory. It is also the third Megacharger site currently visible on Tesla’s map.
The Megacharger system is designed specifically for the Tesla Semi and is capable of delivering extremely high charging speeds to support long-haul trucking operations. Infrastructure such as this will likely play a key role in making the Semi competitive with diesel-powered transport trucks.
Tesla’s progress with the Semi has also drawn attention in recent days after Elon Musk biographer Ashlee Vance shared photos from inside the Tesla Semi factory near Giga Nevada. The images suggested that preparations for higher production volumes may be underway, hinting that a broader ramp of the Tesla Semi’s production indeed be approaching.
New deployment strategies
Tesla has continued expanding its broader charging network through several new strategies aimed at accelerating infrastructure deployment. One of these initiatives is the Supercharger for Business program, which allows third parties to purchase Tesla Supercharger equipment and deploy charging stations while still integrating with Tesla’s network.
The program recently marked a milestone in Alpharetta, Georgia, where the city deployed four 325 kW city-branded Superchargers near the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety on Old Milton Parkway. The chargers support the city’s Tesla Model Y police vehicles while also remaining accessible to the public.
As per a report from EVwire, the project was designed not only to support fleet charging but also to generate economic returns that could offset the city’s investment. Tesla’s Supercharger for Business program has already attracted several participants, including businesses and charging providers such as Suncoast Charging, Pie Safe bakery in Idaho, Francis Energy in Oklahoma, and Wawa convenience stores.
Elon Musk
The Boring Company’s Vegas Loop moves 82k riders during CONEXPO
The Loop’s feat was highlighted by The Boring Company in a post on its official account on social media platform X.
The Boring Company said its Vegas Loop system transported roughly 82,000 passengers during the recent CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction trade show in Las Vegas. The event was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) from March 3-7, 2026.
The Loop’s feat was highlighted by The Boring Company in a post on its official account on social media platform X.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026
CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of the largest construction trade shows in North America. This year’s event was quite impressive, attracting more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries across the world.
Considering the number of this year’s attendees, the LVCC Loop seemed to have proven itself to be a very useful transportation solution. A video posted by The Boring Company on its official X account featured attendees expressing their enthusiasm for the underground transport system, with some stating that they would like to see similar tunnels across Las Vegas.
The LVCC Loop is only part of the greater Vegas Loop network, which is actively under construction.
New Vegas Loop extensions
One of the newest additions is a station at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort on the Strip. The station is located on level V-1 of the resort’s south valet area, according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. From the Fontainebleau, passengers can travel free of charge to stations serving the Las Vegas Convention Center, as well as to Loop stations at Encore and Westgate.
The system is also expanding beyond the Strip corridor. In December, The Boring Company began offering Vegas Loop rides to and from Harry Reid International Airport. These trips include a limited above-ground segment after receiving approval from the Nevada Transportation Authority to allow surface street travel tied to Loop operations.
The Boring Company President Steve Davis previously told the Review-Journal that the University Center Loop segment, which is currently under construction, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The extension would allow Loop vehicles to travel beneath Paradise Road between the convention center and the airport, with a planned station just north of Tropicana Avenue.
Elon Musk shares updated Starship V3 maiden launch target date
Tesla opens first public Tesla Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles
