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Tesla Semi is leading the charge toward the phase-out of diesel trucks
Tesla’s Semi is one of the commercial electric vehicles receiving support from fifteen different U.S. States, along with the Nation’s capital of Washington, D.C.
On Tuesday, a new joint memorandum aimed toward providing a surge for electric trucks and removing diesel-powered vehicles from the road was discussed.
The electric automaker’s commercial vehicle is arguably the most popular in the class of zero-emission commercial vehicles. With plans to begin production soon, the Tesla Semi could accelerate the push toward states revising laws that deal with commercial vehicles and their impact on the environment.
A report from Reuters indicated that several states are pushing toward a future that includes only electric, zero-emissions medium and large trucks by 2050. This plan would effectively eliminate the need for the standard diesel big rigs that are responsible for transporting goods across the United States.
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Washington D.C., and Vermont are among the States and Territories involved in the plan.
California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) announced just weeks ago that it had approved a policy that would require all manufacturers to sell a rising number of sustainable models starting in 2024. Almost every larger truck will need to be electrified by 2045, according to CARB’s plan to minimize emissions from commercial vehicles.
The previously listed states said that the initiative aims to reduce the number of large pickup trucks and vans, delivery trucks, box trucks, school and transit buses, and long-haul delivery trucks that utilize gas and diesel for their power source. The goal is to ensure that every medium and heavy-duty vehicle is zero-emission by 2050.
There is a short term goal of 30% zero-emissions vehicle sales by 2030.
The Tesla Semi will undoubtedly be one of the most popular electric commercial vehicles on the road in the United States. Some of the largest businesses in the country, including many package delivery chains such as the United Parcel Service (UPS), DHL, and FedEx, have pre-ordered 125, 10, and 20 of the trucks, respectively.
The Semi was due to be postponed until 2021, but a leaked email from CEO Elon Musk indicated that Tesla employees were to prepare for a “volume production” push of the vehicle in 2020.
The Semi could lead the charge in the battery-electric commercial vehicle sector, much like the Model 3 has changed the appeal of electric sedans. In many ways, Tesla has changed the way most people think about an electric car. The goal is to continue to do this with the Semi.
With more businesses and corporations planning to move toward electrifying their fleet, the Semi is in a prime position to lead the charge. The U.S. States involved in the announcement are interested in environmentally friendly commercial vehicles, which could end up revolutionizing the way goods are transported from distributor to consumer.
Elon Musk
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge.”
The Woodlands Township, Texas, has formally entered The Boring Company’s tunneling sweepstakes.
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” which offers up to one mile of tunnel construction at no cost to a selected community.
The Woodlands’ proposal, dubbed “The Current,” features two parallel 12-foot-diameter tunnels beneath the Town Center corridor near The Waterway. Teslas would shuttle passengers between Waterway Square, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Town Green Park and nearby hotels during concerts and large-scale events, as noted in a Chron report.
Township officials framed the tunnel as a solution for the township’s traffic congestion issues. The Pavilion alone hosts more than 60 shows each year and can accommodate crowds of up to 16,500, often straining Lake Robbins Drive and surrounding intersections.
“We know we have traffic impacts and pedestrian movement challenges, especially in the Town Center area,” Chris Nunes, chief operating officer of The Woodlands Township, stated during the meeting.
“The Current” mirrors the Loop system operating beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, where Tesla vehicles transport passengers through underground tunnels between venues and resorts.
The Boring Company issued its request for proposals (RFP) in mid-January, inviting cities and districts to pitch local uses for its tunneling technology. The Woodlands must submit its application by Feb. 23, though no timeline has been provided for when a winning community will be announced.
Nunes confirmed that the board has authorized a submission for “The Current’s” proposal, though he emphasized that the project is still in its preliminary stages.
“The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has authorized staff to submit an application to The Boring Company, which has issued an RFP for communities interested in leveraging their technology to address community challenges,” he said in a statement.
“The Board believes that an underground tunnel would provide a safe and efficient means to transport people to and from various high-use community amenities in our Town Center.”
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Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall.
The Tesla Model Y has been named 2026 Drive Car of the Year overall winner, taking the top honor after being judged as the vehicle that “moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers.”
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall, but the vehicle’s Juniper update strengthened its case with new ownership benefits and expanded software capability.
Drive’s overall award compares category winners and looks at which model most significantly advances the local new car market. In 2026, judges pointed to the Model Y’s five-year warranty and the availability of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as a monthly subscription as key differentiators.
Priced from AU$58,900 before on-road costs, the all-electric crossover SUV offers a lot of value compared to similarly sized petrol and hybrid rivals. The ability to access Tesla’s Supercharger network across Australia also reduces friction for buyers moving to EV ownership.
Owners can add FSD (Supervised) for AU$149 per month. While it still requires driver oversight, the system expands the vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance capabilities and reflects Tesla’s software-first approach.
“The default choice for a reason. The Tesla Model Y makes the transition to electric both effortless and rewarding,” Drive wrote.
The 2025 Model Y facelift also sharpened the vehicle’s exterior, highlighted by a distinctive rear light bar that gives the crossover SUV a more modern road presence.
Drive described the Model Y as a benchmark for combining practicality, efficiency and technology at an accessible price point. With eligibility for federal Fringe Benefit Tax exemptions through novated leasing, its value proposition has improved for numerous buyers.
For 2026, the Model Y’s combination of range efficiency, charging access and software capability proved decisive. Ultimately, the award all but cements the Model Y’s position as one of the most influential vehicles in Australia’s evolving new-car market today.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates rapid Starship V3 timeline with next launch in sight
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.”
Elon Musk has confirmed that Starship will fly again next month, reiterating SpaceX’s aggressive timeline for the first launch of its Starship V3 rocket.
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.” The CEO’s post was accompanied by a video of Starship’s Super Heavy booster being successfully caught by a launch tower in Starbase, Texas.
The timeline is notable. In late January, Musk stated that Starship’s next flight, Flight 12, was expected in about six weeks. This placed the expected mission date sometime in March. That estimate aligned with SpaceX’s earlier statement that Starship’s 12th flight test “remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.”
If the vehicle does indeed fly next month, it would mark the debut of Starship V3, the upgraded platform expected to feature the rocket’s new Raptor V3 engines.
Raptor V3 is designed to deliver significantly higher thrust than earlier versions while reducing cost and weight. Starship V3 itself is expected to be optimized for manufacturability, a critical step if SpaceX intends to scale production toward frequent launches for Starlink, lunar missions, and eventually Mars.
Starship V3 is widely viewed as the version that transitions the program from experimental testing to true operational scaling. Previous iterations have completed multiple integrated flight tests, with mixed outcomes but steady progress. Expectations are high that SpaceX is now working on Starship’s refinement.
An aggressive launch schedule supports several priorities at once. It advances Starlink’s next-generation satellite deployment, supports NASA’s lunar ambitions under Artemis, and keeps SpaceX on track for its longer-term Moon and Mars objectives.