News
The Boring Company’s wastewater permit in TX to be discussed at public meeting
Texas Senator Sarah Eckhardt formerly requested a public hearing regarding The Boring Company’s (TBC) plans to dump treated wastewater into the Colorado Rivier.
“The proposed site currently has some of the highest water quality standards in Texas, having been designated as ‘exceptional’ for aquatic life use, and ‘primary contact 1’ for recreational use activities with a higher risk of ingesting the water, such as swimming, and is designated to provide water for use as a public water system for drinking water supply,” wrote Senator Sarah Eckhardt in her request for a public meeting.
Senator Eckhardt noted that many residents have submitted public comments expressing their concerns over The Boring Company’s wastewater permit request. Some industrial companies and municipalities already dispose their treated wastewater in Texas waters. However, residents near TBC’s Bastrop site believe that the company’s wastewater disposal request could set a precedent that might have long-term impacts on the Colorado River.
The Boring Company’s Wastewater Permit Request
In July, TBC submitted a permit request to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) via Gapped Bass LLC, an entity associated with Elon Musk’s tunneling company. The permit request revealed that The Boring Company planned to dump 142,500 gallons into the Colorado River below Lady Bird Lake.
The treated wastewater would be a mixture of domestic wastewater and water used in an industrial process. The domestic wastewater comes from onsite break rooms, bathrooms, and 15 housing units for employees. The industrial wastewater comes from a metal cutting process, which uses jets to cut metal.
The permit request states that The Boring Company would initially use its treated wastewater to irrigate 63 acres of grasslands the company owns adjacent to the treatment facility. The contingency flow and future flow of the wastewater would be routed through TBC’s property up to the Colorado river via a 1,500 feet underground pipe.
Complaints about The Boring Company’s Bastrop Site
Earlier this year TCEQ opened a pair of investigations on The Boring Company’s Bastrop site after receiving complaints regarding wastewater and concrete production.
Some of the tunneling company’s neighbors believe there is a lack of transparency regarding TBC’s work on the site. Nearby residents have also complained about increased traffic in the area and voiced concerns about the site development infringing on their pastoral views and quality of life.
Bastrop County Commissioner Mel Hammer was confident that TCEQ would not find anything to suggest that TBC is violating in its investigations.
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Elon Musk
Tesla China posts strong February wholesale growth at Gigafactory Shanghai
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla China sold 58,599 vehicles wholesale in February, reflecting strong year-over-year growth. The figure includes both domestic deliveries in China and vehicles exported to international markets.
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla’s February wholesale result represents a 91% increase year over year, compared with 30,688 vehicles in February 2025. Month over month, the result was down 15.2% from January, when Tesla China recorded 69,129 wholesale units.
The February total reflects combined sales of the Model 3 and Model Y produced at Gigafactory Shanghai. The facility produces the two vehicles for both domestic sales and exports.
Gigafactory Shanghai continues to serve as Tesla’s primary vehicle export hub, supplying vehicles to markets across Asia and Europe. Data compiled by Tesla watchers shows that 18,485 vehicles were sold domestically in China in January 2026, while exports accounted for 50,644 units during the same period.
Tesla has also been extending financing programs in China as it pushes to strengthen domestic demand. The company recently extended its seven-year ultra-low-interest and five-year interest-free financing programs through March 31, marking the second extension of the promotion this year.
The financing initiative was first introduced on January 6 as a strategy aimed at offsetting higher ownership costs ahead of China’s planned 5% NEV purchase tax in 2026. The promotion was originally scheduled to expire at the end of January before being extended to February and then again through the end of the first quarter.
Tesla’s efforts come amid growing competition in China’s EV market. According to data compiled by CNEV Post, Tesla’s 2025 retail sales in China reached 625,698 vehicles, representing a 4.78% year-over-year decline. Part of that decline was linked to the Model Y changeover to its updated variant in early 2025, which temporarily reduced deliveries during the transition period.
News
Tesla Model Y L spotted on transport trucks in Australia
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
Tesla’s upcoming Model Y L has been spotted on transport trucks in Australia. Sightings of the six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y variant have been reported on social media platform X by members of the Australian Tesla community.
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
The sighting follows earlier observations by Tesla enthusiasts in Sydney, where a covered vehicle believed to be a Model Y L was spotted at a Supercharger.
The Sydney sighting drew attention after observers noted that the vehicle’s tare weight appeared to match the ADR approval listing for the Model Y L, suggesting it could indeed be the extended wheelbase variant of the electric SUV.
Tesla has previously confirmed that the Model Y L will launch in Australia and New Zealand in 2026. The confirmation was reported by techAU following a media release from Tesla Australia and New Zealand.
The Model Y L expands the existing Model Y lineup with seating for six passengers. The vehicle features a longer body compared with the standard Model Y in order to accommodate a spacious second and third row.
Tesla has opted for a 2-2-2 seating configuration instead of a traditional seven-seat layout for the Model Y L. The design includes two individual seats in the middle row to provide easier access to the third row and additional passenger space.
Tesla Australia and New Zealand has also stated that the Model Y L will be covered under the company’s updated warranty structure beginning in 2026.
Tesla has not yet announced pricing or official range figures for the Model Y L in Australia.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk shares timeframe for X Money early public access rollout
X Money is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.
Elon Musk has stated that X Money, the digital payments system being developed for social media platform X, is expected to enter early public access next month.
The update was shared by Musk in a post on X. “𝕏 Money early public access will launch next month,” Musk wrote in his post.
As noted in a Reuters report, X Money is being developed as a digital payment service that’s directly integrated into the X platform.
The system is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.
Musk has previously discussed plans to introduce payments and financial services as part of X’s broader development.
Since acquiring the platform in 2022, Musk has discussed expanding X to include a range of services such as messaging, media, and financial tools.
Elon Musk has shared his goal of transforming X into an “everything app.” During a previous podcast interview with members of the Tesla community, Musk mused about turning X into something similar to China’s WeChat, which allows users to shop, pay, communicate, and perform a variety of other tasks.
“In China, you do everything in WeChat… it’s kickass… Outside of China, there’s nothing like it, people live on one app. My idea would be like how about if we just copy WeChat,” Musk joked at the time.
To prepare for the rollout of X Money, X has partnered with payment company Visa to support the development of payment services for the platform’s users. The move could allow X to tap into the growing demand for digital and in-app financial transactions as the company builds additional services around its existing user base.
Tesla China posts strong February wholesale growth at Gigafactory Shanghai
Tesla Model Y L spotted on transport trucks in Australia
