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Bill Gates shares insights on Tesla and all-electric trucks in MKBHD interview

(Credit: MKBHD/YouTube)

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In a recent, brief interview with YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee, billionaire-philanthropist Bill Gates talked about his views on electric vehicles such as Tesla, as well as his thoughts on emissions from the transportation sector. In the short conversation, the Microsoft co-founder praised Tesla’s electric cars, though he also admitted that there is still a lot that needs to be done to make transportation significantly cleaner.

Bill Gates is no stranger to Tesla’s vehicles. Back in 2016, the tech titan was filmed driving casually in a Tesla Model X with Seveneves author Neal Stephenson. Referring to the Silicon Valley-based electric car maker in his recent interview; Gates pointed out that Tesla’s vehicles are “amazing,” while stating that the company still has a long road ahead. The Microsoft co-founder also noted that car buyers would soon have more electric vehicles to choose from.

“Tesla is an amazing product that’s catching on, but it’s still a pretty small percentage of the market. It’s a premium price vehicle, and they lost their $7,500 tax credit, so it’s making it tougher. Now, a ton of other manufacturers are gonna come in, partly because the California zero emissions and partly because people see these trends. There will be a lot of great electric cars to choose from,” Gates said.  

Unfortunately, Bill Gates still appeared to be quite cautious with the idea of batteries being used for the long-haul market. The billionaire-philanthropist further added that electric cars would not be fully emissions-free until the grid becomes completely independent of fossil fuels.

“(For) passenger cars — the power output you need is lower than for a truck. So eventually, batteries might work for a truck, but it’s a far more difficult problem because the weight is a lot higher there. Even those passenger cars, one thing to be careful of is unless the electric has gotten to zero, the electric car is still an emitter because of the indirect emissions from the electricity it uses. And so, only in the places where you both get the electric cars to a high percentage and you get the electric sources to be zero emissions, then you’ve got that passenger transport car piece near to zero,” Gates said.

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While the Microsoft co-founder has a valid point regarding his concerns about electric vehicles, it should be noted that EVs are cleaner than fossil fuel-powered cars even if the electricity used to charge them comes mainly from coal. This point was highlighted in a recent study from Bloomberg NEF, which concluded that carbon dioxide emissions from battery-powered vehicles are 40% lower than those from cars equipped with internal combustion engines, even in areas that are reliant on coal such as China.

The billionaire-philanthropist also appears to be discounting the progress in battery technology that have been accomplished by companies such as Tesla. Over the past year, Elon Musk hinted that Tesla is already closing in on the $100 per kWh mark, which would help the company’s electric cars achieve price parity with gas-powered vehicles. Battery tech has also progressed to a point where the Tesla Semi, an upcoming all-electric long-hauler, has been noted to feature closer to 600 miles per charge. So compelling are the improvements in batteries that even companies such as Nikola Motor, which has sworn by hydrogen-electric tech, have decided to release battery-powered variants of its upcoming trucks.

Based on Bill Gates’ statements in his interview with Marques Brownlee, it appears that it would still take some time before he fully warms up to the idea of battery-powered vehicles serving as potential catalysts for the world’s transition towards sustainable energy. Considering Tesla’s progress over the years, it might only be a matter of time before the Microsoft co-founder fully embraces electric cars.

Watch MKBHD’s interview with Bill Gates in the video below.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla posts Optimus’ most impressive video demonstration yet

The humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network.

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Credit: Tesla Optimus/X

When Elon Musk spoke with CNBC’s David Faber in an interview at Giga Texas, he reiterated the idea that Optimus will be one of Tesla’s biggest products. Seemingly to highlight the CEO’s point, the official Tesla Optimus account on social media platform X shared what could very well be the most impressive demonstration of the humanoid robot’s capabilities to date.

Optimus’ Newest Demonstration

In its recent video demonstration, the Tesla Optimus team featured the humanoid robot performing a variety of tasks. These include household chores such as throwing the trash, using a broom and a vacuum cleaner, tearing a paper towel, stirring a pot of food, opening a cabinet, and closing a curtain, among others. The video also featured Optimus picking up a Model X fore link and placing it on a dolly.

What was most notable in the Tesla Optimus team’s demonstration was the fact that the humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network. The robot’s actions were also learned directly from Optimus being fed data from first-person videos of humans performing similar tasks. This system should pave the way for Optimus to learn and refine new skills quickly and reliably.

Tesla VP for Optimus Shares Insight

In a follow-up post on X, Tesla Vice President of Optimus (Tesla Bot) Milan Kovac stated that one of the team’s goals is to have Optimus learn straight from internet videos of humans performing tasks, including footage captured in third person or by random cameras.

“We recently had a significant breakthrough along that journey, and can now transfer a big chunk of the learning directly from human videos to the bots (1st person views for now). This allows us to bootstrap new tasks much faster compared to teleoperated bot data alone (heavier operationally).

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“Many new skills are emerging through this process, are called for via natural language (voice/text), and are run by a single neural network on the bot (multi-tasking). Next: expand to 3rd person video transfer (aka random internet), and push reliability via self-play (RL) in the real-, and/or synthetic- (sim / world models) world,” Kovac wrote in his post on X.

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Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City

SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025. 

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(Credit: Jenny Hautmann/Wikimedia Commons)

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.

Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.

As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.

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On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”

Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.

Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.

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The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans

The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.

Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.

“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”

Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.

Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.

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“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”

The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.

Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.

“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”

A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.

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As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.

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