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Tesla and Rivian are poised to battle Ford and GM for the US’ electric truck market
The US pickup truck market is a hefty prize for any automaker. In the second quarter alone, pickup trucks accounted for 33% of sales from Ford, GM, and Fiat Chrysler, up from 30% the previous year. Full-size trucks, such as the F-150, Silverado and RAM, continue to see growth as well, with the average price of such vehicles hitting $47,255 per unit.
Tyson Jominy, an analyst at research firm J.D. Power, explained in a statement to The Wall Street Journal that the US car industry’s interest in pickup trucks continues to be strong. “Trucks are the one sure bet for all three. They’re trying to take every cent off the table and use it to fund their research and development,” he said.
Yet, just like the passenger car sector, the pickup truck segment is about to feel the disruption from dedicated all-electric vehicles. Elon Musk has announced that Tesla will be releasing its own pickup truck later this year, and that it would be a vehicle so loaded with tech that it would not look out of place in the Blade Runner franchise. Rivian, itself a Detroit-based company, is poised to start producing its R1T pickup truck soon. The R1T is critically acclaimed, being a true off-roader that exudes luxury.
Both Tesla’s pickup truck and Rivian’s R1T will likely enter the market as quickly as their respective automakers are able. The pickup market is ripe for disruption after all, and any company that breaches the segment first with a truck that is both capable and reasonable in price would likely enjoy momentum for years to come. Quite surprisingly, neither Ford nor GM seem to be in any hurry to launch their own pickup trucks to the market.
This is quite surprising considering that both companies have immense experience in truck building. Each company has also stated that it will be releasing its own electric truck. Ford provided a teaser of its F-150 EV last June, which involved an impressive demonstration featuring the truck pulling over a million pounds of cargo. Back in April, GM CEO Mary Barra stated that General Motors will be releasing a “complete range of EVs, including full-size pickups.”
Ford, for its part, stated after its impressive F-150 EV demonstration that the vehicle is not slated for production anytime soon. Ford Chief Product Development Officer Hau Thai-Tang explained in an interview with Yahoo Finance that while a hybrid F-150 will be introduced next year, a battery-electric variant similar to the unit used in the 1-million-pound demonstration is still “a couple years out.” GM is equally vague, if not more. FCA is even less committal, not even confirming its plans for an electric pickup truck.
Considering the coming competition from younger companies such as Tesla and Rivian, both of whom are still hungry and aggressive, Ford, and GM’s decision to adopt a deliberate pace in their EV truck initiatives might prove to be a miscalculation. Such wait-and-see strategies, after all, could easily be remembered in the future as the stuff of hubris, if they are not careful.
This is especially true if one were to look at what the Tesla Truck and the Rivian R1T are both set to offer. Elon Musk has spoken a lot about Tesla’s pickup truck, from its “cyberpunk” appearance, Porsche 911-esque performace, and its $49,000 starting price. Rivian’s R1T, on the other hand, is so steeped in luxury amenities and nifty features that it almost seems like a full suite of Patagonia outdoor gear with wheels.
Granted, both Tesla and Rivian lack the experience in truck-building enjoyed by Ford and GM. That being said, Tesla has extensive experience in developing electric vehicles, and its battery tech is second to none. Rivian, on the other hand, is backed by what could very well be the deepest pocket in the tech industry today: Amazon. With this in mind, veteran automakers might be well advised to expedite the release of their own electric pickups, or risk being outperformed and outmaneuvered by upstart electric vehicle makers that are a fraction of their age.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
