News
Tesla Semi production to ‘earnestly’ begin by 2020
When Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla Semi last November, the bold CEO announced that the all-electric truck would likely start production sometime in 2019. While details for Tesla’s ramp for the Semi are still largely unknown, the company has nonetheless provided an update on the upcoming vehicle’s rollout, stating that the company would begin “earnestly” producing the Semi by 2020.
The update on the Semi’s production was shared by Eric Markowitz & Dan Crowley of Worm Capital, one of Tesla’s investors which currently owns about $200 million worth of TSLA stock. The Worm Capital financial analysts were part of a group who were invited to tour Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 in Nevada last month. Markowitz and Crowley wrote about their insights from the Giga 1 tour in a post on the financial firm’s official website. Among these were information related by Tesla head of investor relations Martin Viecha, who dropped some updates about the company’s products and its plans for the near future.
For one, the Tesla head of investor relations reportedly noted that the company is aiming to start exporting the Model 3 to other countries sometime next year. What’s more, Veicha also noted that Tesla is planning on “earnestly” producing the Semi by 2020.
The update on the Semi’s production appears to suggest that Tesla is, for the most part, keeping its original target for the long-hauler’s initial rollout. Musk’s 2019 estimate for the start of the Semi’s production is undoubtedly aggressive and optimistic, but if Tesla intends to hit its stride with the Semi’s production by 2020, the company would probably need to start manufacturing the first electric trucks either in 2019 (within Musk’s original target), or early 2020 (if the vehicle’s rollout ends up happening in Tesla’s ever-prevalent ‘Elon Time’).
Tesla’s goal for the Semi is actually quite feasible, considering that the vehicle shares several components with the Model 3. This was confirmed during the Q2 2018 earnings call, when the company noted that the two vehicles share parts such as powertrains, door handles, and touchscreens, to name a few. On account of these similarities, as well as the manufacturing lessons Tesla learned during the Model 3 ramp, there is a pretty good chance that the Semi’s production would not see as many difficulties as the electric sedan’s.
In true Tesla fashion, the Semi boasts strong performance figures, thanks to its four Model 3-derived electric motors that enable the long-hauler to sprint from 0-60 mph in just 5 seconds without cargo. The Semi is also classified as a Class 8 vehicle, allowing it to transport the maximum amount of load usually permitted on US highways. Furthermore, the electric truck will be capable of operating in “Convoy Mode,” a system that will enable several Semis to semi-autonomously draft in close proximity with each other to reduce energy usage from wind resistance.
Tesla is currently continuing real-world tests of the Semi, with the long-hauler’s prototype being sighted traveling across the United States. Over the past few weeks, the Semi has visited some of the company’s reservation holders such as J.B. Hunt, UPS, and Ruan Transport Management Systems. Through interactions with the engineers accompanying the Semi across its interstate travels, some members of the Tesla community have been able to acquire some compelling tidbits of information about the prototype long-hauler, such as its 26-camera system, its carbon fiber body, and its upcoming sleeper features.
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.”
News
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.
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
