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Nikola unveils five new zero-emissions vehicles at Nikola World 2019 event

Nikola Motor unveils 5 new products at Nikola World 2019 event. | Credit: Dacia Ferris/Teslarati

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Nikola Motors unveiled its Nikola Two and Nikola Tre hydrogen-electric semi trucks along with three other new emissions-free transportation products at its Nikola World 2019 event. The company’s core mission is to rid the transportation industry of its reliance on diesel fuel, and their primary path to that future is via advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Trevor Milton, CEO and founder of Nikola, kicked off the event by arriving onstage with the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales. Annheuser-Busch has ordered 800 trucks from Nikola as part of the iconic beer brewing company’s sustainability mission. “I cannot wait to see your truck pull a load of Budweiser,” Ingrid De Ryck, VP of Procurement and Sustainability for Annheuser exclaimed later in the evening’s presentation.

Nikola is arguably best known for its upcoming zero emission semi trucks; however, the Arizona-based startup has been simultaneously developing products for both the military and outdoor adventure crowd.

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The first new product unveiled at Nikola World 2019 was the Nikola Reckless, a military all-terrain vehicle designed for superior performance and stealth thanks to its minuscule sound and heat signature. High-end specs are an expected given for this type of tailored vehicle, of which the Reckless undoubtedly has, but an additional perk described in the company’s presentation was the ATV’s 13” Infotainment screen which can be completely submerged without being damaged. The Reckless is also modular to enable a broad-range of military applications. “We believe all military vehicles will transform to battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells in the future,” Andrew Christian, NP of Business Development and Defense at Nikola’s Powersports division stated during the presentation.

The second product unveiled at Nikola’s event extended the company’s coined hashtag ‘#emissionsgameover’ beyond land transporatation. The Nikola Water Adventure Vehicle (WAV) is an all-electric jet-ski styled personal watercraft featuring an innovative platform. In comparison to electric vehicle “skateboard” architectures, the Nikola WAV will have a “wakeboard” architecture from which other watercraft can be developed.

The Nikola WAV, all-electric watercraft. | Credit: Nikola
The Nikola Reckless military all-terrain vehicle. | Credit: Nikola

The final product presented before the main semi truck attractions took stage was a redesigned version of the Nikola NZT Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV). NZT stands for “Net Zero Toll”, meaning the vehicle leaves zero footprint wherever it’s used. The flagship Powersports vehicle is meant to change its entire relative industry towards an emissions-free, near noise-pollution-free-direction.

Finally, the Nikola Two and Europe-bound Nikola Tre Class 8 semi trucks were unveiled, all rolling out onto the stage and floor, respectively. Two Nikola Two big rigs were debuted – one red, one in “Storm Trooper” white. “This is 800V of real…I’ve been preparing for this moment my whole life,” Milton stated prior to the Nikola Two roll out. The trucks at the event were hydrogen electric versions. Once in production, however, battery-only electric versions of the two semis will also be available for purchase.

Nikola Motor CEO Trevor Milton has a candid moment before unveiling the Nikola Two at the Nikola World 2019 event. | Photo: Dacia Ferris/Teslarati
The Nikola Two hydrogen electric semi truck unveiled at the Nikola World 2019 event. | Photo: Dacia Ferris/Teslarati

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The second day of Nikola World 2019 will have breakout sessions providing more details on the products revealed along with a demo track where the Nikola Two will be on display. Test ride-alongs will also be given for the NZT on a closed course track.

Follow @Teslarati for more behind-the-scenes coverage of day two of Nikola World 2019.

Watch the full live streamed Nikola World 2019 event below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dc8J3iSLw4

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Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Elon Musk to file lawsuit against former US Rep Jamaal Bowman: “I’ve had enough”

Bowman called the Tesla CEO a “Nazi” and a “thief” during a segment on CNN.

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MINISTÉRIO DAS COMUNICAÇÕES, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk has announced that he is filing a lawsuit against former United States Representative Jamaal Bowman over his recent comments in a CNN segment.

Musk shared his legal intentions in a post on social media platform X.

Bowman’s Comments

During an appearance on CNN, Bowman, who made news in 2023 by triggering a fire alarm while Congress was in session, strongly criticized Elon Musk. Unlike other Musk critics, Bowman went straight for the jugular, calling the CEO a “Nazi” and a “thief.” Bowman’s comments received polarizing reactions in social media, with some users stating that such words could be used to sue for defamation.

“The American people do not trust Elon Musk. And Elon Musk is incompetent in his position. And how do we know? Because they fired tens of thousands of people, it was challenged in court, the court said people have to go back, and now the people are coming back. He’s incompetent, he’s a thief, he’s a Nazi, and people don’t trust him,” Bowman said.

“I’ve Had Enough”

In a comment to a video of Bowman’s CNN segment that was shared on X, Musk stated that the former Democratic Congressman’s words have crossed a line. “I’ve had enough. Lawsuit inbound,” Musk wrote in a post on X. Musk’s post received some support from X users, several of whom noted that it’s high time the CEO fought back against the vitriol that is consistently thrown his way.

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Musk has been on the receiving end of protests from critics who oppose his work with U.S. President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Opposition against Musk has spilled over to Tesla, resulting in stores being shot, firebombed by Molotov cocktails, vandalized, and vehicles and Superchargers being subjected to arson. Even regular Tesla owners have reported a growing wave of vandalism incidents.

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Tesla aiming to produce first “legion” of Optimus robots this 2025

Tesla is aiming to start the production of Optimus this year, and its first run will be no joke.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Q1 2025 All-Hands meeting saw CEO Elon Musk share a key update about the company’s most ambitious product yet — Optimus. As per Musk, Tesla is aiming to start the production of Optimus this year, and its first run will be no joke. 

Tesla Optimus’ Quick Evolution

Tesla initially announced Optimus during its AI Day event in 2021. At the time, Tesla only had a mockup of the robot and a literal person in a suit to demonstrate what Optimus could look like. By 2022, Tesla had a working prototype of the robot. Optimus’ progress has been rapid since then, with several dozens of the humanoid robots interacting with attendees at the Cybercab’s unveiling last October.

Optimus’ Potential

During the recent All-Hands meeting, Elon Musk reiterated the idea that Optimus could very well be the biggest product of all time, likely being ten times larger than the next-biggest product. Musk also shared an update about Optimus’ production, stating that the first humanoid robot has been manufactured at the Fremont Factory.

A Legion for 2025

When discussing Optimus’ ramp, Musk clarified that Tesla is internally aiming for enough parts to produce 10,000 to 12,000 Optimus robots this year. However, since Optimus is a completely different product, even half of 10,000 units would be a huge victory for Tesla. Tesla also plans to ramp Optimus to a notable degree in 2026, with the company aiming for 50,000 units, or 10 “legions” of humanoid robots, next year.

“So this year, we hopefully will be able to make about 5,000 Optimus robots.  We’re technically aiming for enough parts to make 10,000, maybe 12,000, but since it’s a totally new product with a totally new, like everything is totally new, I’ll say we’re succeeding if we get to half go the 10,000.

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“But even 5,000 robots, that’s the size of a Roman legion, FYI, which is like a little scary thought. Like a whole legion of robots, I’ll be like ‘whoa.’ But I think we will literally build a legion, at least one legion of robots this year, and then probably 10 legions next year. I think it’s kind of a cool unit, you know? Units of legion. So probably 50,000-ish next year,” Musk said.

Tesla’s Q1 2025 All-Hands Meeting can be viewed below.

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Tesla Shanghai Megafactory starts exporting Megapacks, first to Australia

Tesla Asia celebrated the Shanghai Megafactory’s first Megapack exports on X.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Tesla has begun exporting Megapack battery systems from its Shanghai Megafactory, with the first shipment departing for Australia on Friday. This marks a key step in Tesla Energy’s expansion into the global energy storage industry, utilizing its new China-based Megafactory to supply several new markets.

Tesla Asia celebrated the Shanghai Megafactory’s first Megapack exports through its official social media account on X.

Tesla Megapacks in Focus

The Tesla Megapack is capable of storing 3.9 MWh of energy, and they are designed for grid use. As per Tesla in its official website, each Megapack battery has enough energy to power an average of 3,600 homes for one hour. The Megapack is designed to be infinitely scalable as well, making it a good fit for large-scale sustainable energy projects.

The Shanghai Megafactory

The Shanghai Megafactory began production in early 2025, a record eight months after its May 2024 groundbreaking. With an initial output of 10,000 units annually, equal to about 40 GWh, the Shanghai Megafactory has the potential to significantly boost Tesla’s battery storage deployments.

As per a report from Xinhua News Agency, Tesla is expecting its energy deployments to rise 50% year-over-year this 2025.

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Tesla Leaders on the Shanghai Megafactory

Mike Snyder, vice president of energy and charging at Tesla, previously outlined the potential of the Shanghai Megafactory. “Megafactory gives us the ability to scale production and efficiency. We can lower logistics costs as well as product costs, and grow the business to new markets,” he stated. 

The Shanghai Megafactory also seems to be part of Tesla’s efforts to grow its presence in China, which was highlighted by CEO Elon Musk during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. During their meeting, Musk reportedly stated that “Tesla is willing to deepen cooperation with China and achieve more win-win results.”

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