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Tesla nears $100 billion market cap, closes in on Volkswagen as 2nd most valuable automaker in world
Tesla quietly crept up the $100 billion market capitalization mark in extended trading hours on Tuesday. Tesla stock was pegged at $547.20 at the end of the trading day but saw an increase to $555 in after-hours trading, pushing the all-electric carmaker’s valuation to $100 billion.
This further widens Tesla’s lead as the most valuable automaker in the US. It also puts the Elon Musk-led electric car company close to dethroning Volkswagen ($100.59 billion) as the second most valuable car company in the world. Toyota currently holds the title as the world’s most valuable automaker at $232 billion.
The highly anticipated jump into the $100 billion threshold comes as Tesla shares soared more than 7 percent on Tuesday, following one analyst’s bullish predictions.
In a note to investors, New Street analyst Pierre Ferragu raised his 12-month price target to $800, up from an initial target of $530.
The analyst believes Tesla will be able to deliver 2 to 3 million cars annually by 2025 and anticipates “industry-leading margins” that will raise stock prices to $1,100 to $1,700 per share and propel Tesla’s market cap to $250 to $530 billion.
Tesla just traded as a $100 billion company for the first time (in after-hours trading) $tsla pic.twitter.com/tRfr3Q6aZk
— Tom Randall (@tsrandall) January 21, 2020
Most valuable automaker in the US
Tesla crossing the $100 billion barrier is the latest in a series of financial gains for the carmaker. It follows last week’s record-breaking achievement as Tesla surged past Ford’s record $81 billion valuation in 1999.
Although the numbers do not account for inflation and debt, this remains an impressive feat for Elon Musk, who led the company from its early days in 2003 to become the arguably most disruptive company in automotive history. Investors who have stayed with the carmaker since its initial public offering in 2010 have seen their investments increase by 1,100 percent.
Currently, Tesla’s valuation is near the value of the Big Three combined: Ford at $36.64 billion, General Motors at $49.99 billion, and Fiat-Chrysler at $21.38 billion.
Continued growth leading to gains
The most recent win comes hot on the heels of Tesla’s debut of the Made-in-China Model 3. Musk himself flew to Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai, China to personally deliver the first locally made Model 3 to the first Chinese customers. He also formally announced a Model Y program in the country.
Gigafactory 4 is also poised to rise in Brandenburg, Germany. Tesla recently announced its board of directors has approved the purchase contract for a 300-hectare property in Grunheide that will serve as the site for its fourth electric vehicle factory.
Tesla’s Q4 2019 report also spiked investor optimism as the company announced it has delivered 119,000 vehicles from October to December last year. This boosts Tesla’s annual deliveries to 367,500 vehicles in 2019, up by more than 50 percent from 2018.
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Tesla China delivery centers packed as Q4 2025 enters its final month
Fresh photos from delivery centers in the country show rows upon rows of Model Ys and Model 3s.
Tesla’s delivery centers in China are filled with vehicles as the company ramps up for its final push in Q4 2025. Fresh photos from delivery centers in the country show rows upon rows of Model Ys and Model 3s, signaling strong end-of-quarter momentum.
A delivery push for Q4 2025
A recent aerial shot from a Tesla delivery center in China captures the company’s efforts to deliver as many vehicles as possible as the year comes to a close. As could be seen in the image, which was posted by on X by Tesla enthusiast Nic Cruz Patane, the facility was filled with numerous Model Y and Model 3 units, each vehicle seemingly ready to be handed over to customers.
Echoing the scene, another post, reportedly from two weeks prior, showed a similar scene in a Shanghai location, which was packed with Model Y units. X user Roberto Nores shared the photo, noting that the image also shows multiple Model Y Ls, a six-seat extended wheelbase version of the popular all-electric crossover.
Towards a strong Q4 finish
China remains Tesla’s volume powerhouse, accounting for a good portion of the company’s global deliveries in recent quarters. That being said, reports did emerge in early November stating that the company only reached 26,006 retail sales during October, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The reasons for this remain to be seen, though a focus on exports could have been a contributing factor.
Tesla China does seem to be hinting at some momentum this November. Just recently, Tesla watchers observed that the order page for the Model Y in China shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks.
Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship FL launch site will witness scenes once reserved for sci-fi films
A Starship that launches from the Florida site could touch down on the same site years later.
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has released its Final Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX’s efforts to launch and land Starship and its Super Heavy booster at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s SLC-37.
According to the Impact Statement, Starship could launch up to 76 times per year on the site, with Super Heavy boosters returning within minutes of liftoff and Starship upper stages landing back on the same pad in a timeframe that was once only possible in sci-fi movies.
Booster in Minutes, Ship in (possibly) years
The EIS explicitly referenced a never-before-seen operational concept: Super Heavy boosters will launch, reach orbit, and be caught by the tower chopsticks roughly seven minutes after liftoff. Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage will complete its mission, whether a short orbital test, lunar landing, or a multi-year Mars cargo run, and return to the exact same SLC-37 pad upon mission completion.
“The Super Heavy booster landings would occur within a few minutes of launch, while the Starship landings would occur upon completion of the Starship missions, which could last hours or years,” the EIS read.
This means a Starship that departs the Florida site in, say, 2027, could touch down on the same site in 2030 or later, right beside a brand-new stack preparing for its own journey, as noted in a Talk Of Titusville report. The 214-page document treats these multi-year round trips as standard procedure, effectively turning the location into one of the world’s first true interplanetary spaceports.
Noise and emissions flagged but deemed manageable
While the project received a clean bill of health overall, the EIS identified two areas requiring ongoing mitigation. Sonic booms from Super Heavy booster and Starship returns will cause significant community annoyance” particularly during nighttime operations, though structural damage is not expected. Nitrogen oxide emissions during launches will also exceed federal de minimis thresholds, prompting an adaptive management plan with real-time monitoring.
Other impacts, such as traffic, wildlife (including southeastern beach mouse and Florida scrub-jay), wetlands, and historic sites, were deemed manageable under existing permits and mitigation strategies. The Air Force is expected to issue its Record of Decision within weeks, followed by FAA concurrence, setting the stage for rapid redevelopment of the former site into a dual-tower Starship complex.
SpaceX Starship Environmental Impact Statement by Simon Alvarez
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Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) testing gains major ground in Spain
Based on information posted by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), it appears that Tesla is already busy testing FSD in the country.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) program is accelerating across Europe, with Spain emerging as a key testing hub under the country’s new ES-AV framework program.
Based on information posted by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), it appears that Tesla is already busy testing FSD in the country.
Spain’s ES-AV framework
Spain’s DGT launched the ES-AV Program in July 2025 to standardize testing for automated vehicles from prototypes to pre-homologation stages. The DGT described the purpose of the program on its official website.
“The program is designed to complement and enhance oversight, regulation, research, and transparency efforts, as well as to support innovation and advancements in automotive technology and industry. This framework also aims to capitalize on the opportunity to position Spain as a pioneer and leader in automated vehicle technology, seeking to provide solutions that help overcome or alleviate certain shortcomings or negative externalities of the current transportation system,” the DGT wrote.
The program identifies three testing phases based on technological maturity and the scope of a company’s operations. Each phase has a set of minimum eligibility requirements, and applicants must indicate which phase they wish to participate in, at least based on their specific technological development.

Tesla FSD tests
As noted by Tesla watcher Kees Roelandschap on X, the DGT’s new framework effectively gives the green flight for nationwide FSD testing. So far, Tesla Spain has a total of 19 vehicles authorized to test FSD on the country’s roads, though it would not be surprising if this fleet grows in the coming months.
The start date for the program is listed at November 27, 2025 to November 26, 2027. The DGT also noted that unlimited FSD tests could be done across Spain on any national route. And since Tesla is already in Phase 3 of the ES-AV Program, onboard safety operators are optional. Remote monitoring would also be allowed.
Tesla’s FSD tests in Spain could help the company gain a lot of real-world data on the country’s roads. Considering the scope of tests that are allowed for the electric vehicle maker, it seems like Spain would be one of the European countries that would be friendly to FSD’s operations. So far, Tesla’s FSD push in Europe is notable, with the company holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy. Tesla is also pushing for national approval in the Netherlands in early 2026.
