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Should Tesla Take Ford and GM’s “Tesla-beater” Seriously?
Ford and GM have claimed they could build a Tesla-beater as of late, but whether this holds any merit or something to be scoffed at remains to be seen.
Ford Tesla-beater Threat
Although we can theoretically see this happening much further down the road, as battery technology matures and EVs as a whole become the norm, the reality is still not that clear. Ford has certainly shown in the past that it can be a competitive threat when they pour enough money into an endeavor. Such is the case in the early 1960’s when Ford beat its Ferrari rivalry with the legendary GT40. However, a mass-production, consumer viable EV with long range capabilities is exponentially more difficult to execute on – something Elon Musk has long said.
Ford Focus Electric (Photo credit: Ford Motor Company)
Ford’s ‘Power of Choice’ strategy was designed to give consumers a choice of powertrain ranging from gasoline engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and full battery electric vehicles. Unfortunately, the only battery electric vehicle Ford offers is the Focus Electric. As to deciphering Ford’s Tesla-beater claim, the devil is in the details. Ford claims it is capable of making a bigger electric sedan than the Focus Electric. Ford Motor Company CEO, Mark Fields speaks about the Tesla Model S: “We drove it. We took it apart. We put it back together and we drove it again.” Ford could feasibly use the Fusion global platform and turn it into an EV. The problem lies not in the platform, but in the choice of battery and assembly.
Can GM Deliver a Tesla Model III-beater?
GM has also come out to boldly claim that it can offer Tesla a competitor for the upcoming Model III, according to HybridCars. Reportedly, a 2016 $30,000 range-extended GM car will benefit from improved batteries through lessons learned from its Voltec platform. But bare in mind that GM just revealed its much improved next-generation Volt will sport a larger gasoline powered onboard generator. Did you catch it? GM’s Tesla-beater is an extended range electric plug-in hybrid (PHEV). GM feels Tesla’s well educated EV buyers might be swayed with a PHEV, but we feel this would be better competition for the BMW i3 Rex, extended range EV than a battery electric Tesla. C’mon guys, let’s compare apples to apples.
GM and Ford Versus the Tesla Motors Philosophy
It is this type of news that keeps us writers writing, but the real comparison is not in powertrain platforms, but in design philosophies. Tesla designed its Model S completely in-house, with very little outsourcing, including the battery pack assembly. Detroit carmakers design their platforms and outsource most parts. Carmakers still treat battery assembly and the final pack as an outsourced commodity, unlike Tesla Motors. That is the crucial difference.
At this stage, the famous Gandhi quote comes to mind: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Whether Ford and GM can offer a Tesla-beater besides saying they are capable remains to be seen beyond quotes.
Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
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Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
