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Tesla Semi competitor Nikola Motor promotes custom OS, 3-yr production estimate
As it continues the development of its first hydrogen-electric truck, Tesla Semi rival Nikola Motor posted an update on the software development for its vehicles. In a post on Twitter, Nikola noted that its custom operating system has reached a point where it could be cold booted in seconds. The hydrogen-electric truck startup also provided what appears to be a brief update on its software’s rollout. In its post, Nikola mentioned that its software still has three years of optimization left before it enters production.
How awesome is Nikola's operating system and instrument cluster? We can cold boot the infotainment system and instrument cluster in less than 8 seconds from start! And we have 3 years optimization left before production!
— Nikola Corporation (@nikolamotor) February 3, 2019
While Nikola is yet to release details about the upcoming custom OS for its hydrogen-electric trucks, the company has teased a number of features centered around its software nonetheless. Among these is the Digital Cockpit, which allows drivers to control most of the trucks’ functions and through a center 21″ touchscreen, as well as a feature called Surround Vision, which gives operators a virtual aerial view of the area surrounding the truck in real time. This feature is made possible by using a suite of cameras, radar, sonar, and computing software, allowing truck drivers to fully cover their blind spots while driving. Nikola also notes that its vehicles are equipped with the necessary hardware to enable full autonomous safety and convenience features.
That said, Nikola does have quite a lot of work to do before it could market its hydrogen-electric trucks as a viable alternative to diesel and all-electric long-haulers like the Tesla Semi, which is expected to begin initial production sometime this year. Nevertheless, the hydrogen-electric truck startup has ambitious plans for its vehicles’ hydrogen refueling network, with the company aiming to set up an estimated 820 refilling stations operating across the United States by 2028.
The emergence of zero-emissions vehicles like the Nikola One and the Tesla Semi could herald the start of a new era for the trucking market. Considering their capabilities, vehicles like Nikola One could replace long-range diesel trucks, and all-electric units like the Tesla Semi could easily dominate the market for shorter-range routes. This particular point appears to be evident for Nikola Motor CEO Trevor Milton, who recently took to LinkedIn to invite former Tesla employees who were affected by the electric car maker’s recent round of layoffs, which affected 7% of the company’s workforce.
In his post, Milton noted that his invitation to former Tesla employees is not in any way throwing shade at the electric car maker. The Nikola CEO also stated that the hydrogen-electric truck maker has “large cash reserves” to support hundreds of new employees. Following is Milton’s LinkedIn invitation.
“Forward this on to all Tesla workers. Anyone who was affected by the #tesla layoffs, please let me know and I’ll try to get you in front of our HR to be reviewed. We have hired as many as fit our positions from the #faraday and #gm layoffs so this is not a bash on Tesla. We are hiring hundreds of positions and have large cash reserves with a great company culture. See our glass door. I am taking time out of my crazy schedule to try to help in these situations.
“I feel for everyone that goes through that especially with financial obligations. If #tesla could they would keep everyone but it’s the result in growing in a competitive market. I hope I can help all those affected. Please DM me directly WITH your resume attached. I don’t have time to email asking for it so please include it and I’ll try to help as much as I can. You can also email joe.pike@nikolamotor.com if you want direct contact to HR.”
Nikola is currently preparing for Nikola World 2019, a two-day event in April that would feature the unveiling of the pre-production models of its hydrogen-electric trucks. The hydrogen-electric truck startup is also planning to unveil a 2.3-megawatt H2 fueling station that serves as a model for Nikola’s upcoming network of refilling stations at the upcoming event.
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.
Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.
The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.
Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:
- Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
- Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
- Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
- Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
- 89 cubic feet of trunk space
- Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
- Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
- Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
- Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
- 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
- 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
- 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
- FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI
Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:
- Door Trim Puddle Lights
- Suede Dashboard Wing
- Exterior and Interior Badging
- Floor Mats
- Sill Plates
The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.
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- Credit: Tesla
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- Credit: Tesla
It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.
Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.
Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.
The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.
The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”
Looking forward to the long weekend pic.twitter.com/URzH6zOUdn
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 1, 2026
Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.
With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.
However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.
Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:
This looks like a Model Y L https://t.co/TpnBwrLmH9
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 2, 2026
This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.
Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.
Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.
Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.
It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.
As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.
The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.
It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.
Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements
While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.
This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.
Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.
The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:
🚨 If you’re a Tesla investor, this is one interview you don’t want to skip. The full video posted below.
Jeff Lutz @thejefflutz and I sat down with Tesla VP of Engineering Lars Moravy, and it was packed with insights!
A few of the biggest takeaways:
• Cybercab is expected to… pic.twitter.com/fhYSr2dCqP
— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) July 1, 2026
Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990
Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.
