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Tesla’s pickup truck and Rivian’s R1T can topple the mighty Ford F-150
The mighty Ford F-150 might see a legitimate challenge in the near future, if the veteran automaker neglects to prepare adequately for the arrival of two all-electric pickup trucks on the market — the Tesla Truck and the Rivian R1T.
The disruption of battery-powered pickup trucks was highlighted in a note from Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas on Thursday. Addressing the firm’s investors, the analyst stated that an electric pickup successfully launched by a new player like Tesla or Rivian “could be a serious problem for the Detroit-based traditional automakers.” With the arrival of compelling vehicles, Jonas noted that experienced carmakers like Ford could lose the opportunity to gain a “first mover advantage” in the electric pickup market.
Promising Challengers
The Wall St analyst’s points hit the nail on the head, considering that the innate characteristics of electric vehicles such as instant torque and generous towing capacity are factors that are vital to the pickup truck market. The Rivian R1T, for example, is listed with a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds, though CEO RJ Scaringe noted in a recent interview that the truck could tow far beyond its official rating. Thanks to the R1T’s four electric motors, the truck is also able to hit 60 mph in just 3 seconds.
The Tesla Truck, on the other hand, has been mentioned several times by Elon Musk in recent months. Last year, Musk held a Twitter brainstorming session with his social media followers to list down features that are important for pickup truck owners. By the end of the session, Musk noted that the Tesla Truck would have two electric motors and dynamic suspension, a range of 400-500 miles per charge, four-wheel steering, a 240-volt connection for heavy-duty tools, and even an air compressor to run other equipment. Musk also noted that the vehicle could tow as much as 300,000 pounds.
Tesla’s Acid Test
Anyone skeptical of the potential disruption from an electric vehicle does not need to look very far. Over the past year, Tesla’s Model 3 midsize sedan all but shook the United States’ passenger car market, creeping up on ubiquitous vehicles like the Toyota Camry and dominating in revenue rankings. By the end of 2018, the Model 3 was the US’ best-selling luxury vehicle, despite being a sedan in a market that prefers SUVs and pickup trucks.
With a battery-powered pickup truck that is reasonably priced and well-equipped with features, carmakers such as Tesla and Rivian could challenge even the US auto industry’s biggest sellers, including the Ford F-150. One thing that would be a hindrance to this potential disruption, of course, would be the capability of electric car makers to scale production, especially considering the demand for pickups in the US. In this light, Rivian must still prove itself, since the production of the R1T is yet to begin. Tesla, on the other hand, is already learning the art of mass production, as shown by its growing pains with the Model 3 ramp.
A Way to Maintain the Status Quo
Despite the upcoming challenge and Wall Street’s recent warning, Ford does have a way to maintain the status quo in the pickup truck market. Last month, Jim Farley, Ford’s president of global markets, announced that the F-series would be going electric. Farley later added that the decision to adopt all-electric and hybrid power is a way to “future-proof” the company’s most successful vehicle line.
If recent sightings are any indication, it appears that Ford is at least testing an electric prototype of the F-150. As noted in a recent sighting, a camouflaged electric F-150 has been spotted charging at a station. The vehicle looked a lot like a regular truck, save for its charging port and its higher ride height, which appeared to be the result of batteries installed underneath the vehicle. Provided that Ford does not show some ill-timed hubris by giving the electric F-150 mediocre specs and range, the company could very well weather the storm of electric trucks coming its way.
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Tesla earns top honors at MotorTrend’s SDV Innovator Awards
MotorTrend’s SDV Awards were presented during CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
Tesla emerged as one of the most recognized automakers at MotorTrend’s 2026 Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Innovator Awards.
As could be seen in a press release from the publication, two key Tesla employees were honored for their work on AI, autonomy, and vehicle software. MotorTrend’s SDV Awards were presented during CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
Tesla leaders and engineers recognized
The fourth annual SDV Innovator Awards celebrate pioneers and experts who are pushing the automotive industry deeper into software-driven development. Among the most notable honorees for this year was Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s Vice President of AI Software, who received a Pioneer Award for his role in advancing artificial intelligence and autonomy across the company’s vehicle lineup.
Tesla also secured recognition in the Expert category, with Lawson Fulton, a staff Autopilot machine learning engineer, honored for his contributions to Tesla’s driver-assistance and autonomous systems.
Tesla’s software-first strategy
While automakers like General Motors, Ford, and Rivian also received recognition, Tesla’s multiple awards stood out given the company’s outsized role in popularizing software-defined vehicles over the past decade. From frequent OTA updates to its data-driven approach to autonomy, Tesla has consistently treated vehicles as evolving software platforms rather than static products.
This has made Tesla’s vehicles very unique in their respective sectors, as they are arguably the only cars that objectively get better over time. This is especially true for vehicles that are loaded with the company’s Full Self-Driving system, which are getting progressively more intelligent and autonomous over time. The majority of Tesla’s updates to its vehicles are free as well, which is very much appreciated by customers worldwide.
Elon Musk
Judge clears path for Elon Musk’s OpenAI lawsuit to go before a jury
The decision maintains Musk’s claims that OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit structure violated early assurances made to him as a co-founder.
A U.S. judge has ruled that Elon Musk’s lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its founding nonprofit mission can proceed to a jury trial.
The decision maintains Musk’s claims that OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit structure violated early assurances made to him as a co-founder. These claims are directly opposed by OpenAI.
Judge says disputed facts warrant a trial
At a hearing in Oakland, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated that there was “plenty of evidence” suggesting that OpenAI leaders had promised that the organization’s original nonprofit structure would be maintained. She ruled that those disputed facts should be evaluated by a jury at a trial in March rather than decided by the court at this stage, as noted in a Reuters report.
Musk helped co-found OpenAI in 2015 but left the organization in 2018. In his lawsuit, he argued that he contributed roughly $38 million, or about 60% of OpenAI’s early funding, based on assurances that the company would remain a nonprofit dedicated to the public benefit. He is seeking unspecified monetary damages tied to what he describes as “ill-gotten gains.”
OpenAI, however, has repeatedly rejected Musk’s allegations. The company has stated that Musk’s claims were baseless and part of a pattern of harassment.
Rivalries and Microsoft ties
The case unfolds against the backdrop of intensifying competition in generative artificial intelligence. Musk now runs xAI, whose Grok chatbot competes directly with OpenAI’s flagship ChatGPT. OpenAI has argued that Musk is a frustrated commercial rival who is simply attempting to slow down a market leader.
The lawsuit also names Microsoft as a defendant, citing its multibillion-dollar partnerships with OpenAI. Microsoft has urged the court to dismiss the claims against it, arguing there is no evidence it aided or abetted any alleged misconduct. Lawyers for OpenAI have also pushed for the case to be thrown out, claiming that Musk failed to show sufficient factual basis for claims such as fraud and breach of contract.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers, however, declined to end the case at this stage, noting that a jury would also need to consider whether Musk filed the lawsuit within the applicable statute of limitations. Still, the dispute between Elon Musk and OpenAI is now headed for a high-profile jury trial in the coming months.
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Tesla Giga Shanghai celebrates 5 million electric drive unit milestone
The milestone was celebrated by the company in a post on its official Weibo account.
Tesla China has reached another manufacturing milestone at Gigafactory Shanghai, rolling out the facility’s 5 millionth locally produced drive unit.
The milestone was celebrated by the company in a post on its official Weibo account. In its post, the Giga Shanghai team could be seen posing with the 5 millionth drive unit.
Giga Shanghai’s major benchmark
The milestone drive unit was produced at Gigafactory Shanghai, which produces the Model Y and the Model 3. In a release, Tesla China noted that its three-in-one integrated electric drive system combines the motor, gearbox, and inverter into a single compact assembly. This forms a powerful “heart” for the company’s electric cars.
Tesla China also noted that its drive units’ integrated design improves energy conversion efficiency while reducing overall weight and complexity, benefits that translate into stronger performance, improved handling, and longer service life for its vehicles.
The new milestone builds on earlier achievements at the same site. In July 2024, Tesla announced that its 10 millionth electric drive system globally had rolled off the line at the Shanghai plant, making it the first self-produced Tesla component to reach that volume.
More recently, the factory also produced its 4 millionth China-made vehicle, a Model Y L. The factory has also continued hitting global production milestones, rolling out Tesla’s 9 millionth EV worldwide late last year, with the landmark vehicle being a Tesla Model Y.
Tesla China’s role
Construction of Giga Shanghai began in January 2019, with production starting by the end of that year. This made it the first wholly foreign-owned automotive manufacturing project in China. The facility began delivering Model 3 vehicles locally in early 2020 and added Model Y production in 2021. The plant is now capable of producing about 1 million vehicles annually.
Throughout 2025, Giga Shanghai delivered 851,732 vehicles, representing a 7.08% year-on-year decline, according to data compiled by CNEVPost. Even so, recent months showed renewed momentum.
In December alone, Tesla China recorded wholesale sales of 97,171 vehicles, including domestic deliveries and exports, making it the company’s second-best monthly total on record, per data from the China Passenger Car Association. Retail sales during December reached roughly 94,000 units, up about 13% year over year.
Tesla earns top honors at MotorTrend’s SDV Innovator Awards
Judge clears path for Elon Musk’s OpenAI lawsuit to go before a jury
