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Volkswagen pondering battery facility in Canada: report

Paul Hudson, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Volkswagen is reportedly considering Ontario, Canada, as a potential site for a dedicated battery facility. Reports suggest that the province is optimistic about the automaker’s plans, with Ontario reportedly offering investments and other incentives for the project. 

This was not the first time that the idea of a Volkswagen battery cell plant in North America was brought forward. Back in December, Volkswagen Volkswagen Chief Executive Oliver Blume noted that Canada was “one logical option” for such a facility.  

A look at the province’s lobby registry for January 2023 shows several entries that have been logged for Volkswagen. Interestingly enough, one of the entries specifically lists Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume by name. Blume’s entry listed several subject matters for its lobbying, including economic development and trade, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, and transportation, among others. 

The entry also lists “lobbying targets” such as the Office of the Minister of Economic Development Job Creation and Trade and the Office of the Premier and Cabinet Office, as noted in Germany’s Handelsblatt business daily. 

A spokesperson from Volkswagen opted not to provide a comment on the report from the German publication. The spokesperson, however, stated that a final decision on the local location of a potential North American factory is yet to be reached. 

Similar to other veteran automakers, Volkswagen has launched a lineup of modern all-electric vehicles that are designed to be competitive in the emerging EV sector. But while Volkswagen’s ID line is yet to find solid footing in markets such as China, the company has continued to launch compelling all-electric cars like the ID.Buzz, the spiritual successor to the company’s beloved microbus from the 50s. 

The ID.Buzz has proven to be quite popular, winning motoring publication Carwow‘s “WOW Car of the Year” award in the van category. Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand CEO Thomas Schäfer has also noted that the company has received over 26,000 orders for the all-electric van. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla qualifies for awesome new first-time EV buyer incentive in California

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White Tesla Model X rear bumper showing California license plate

Tesla is one of several automakers whose vehicles qualify for an awesome new first-time EV buyer incentive program in California.

The Golden State launched the MyFirstEV incentive program, which helps those buying an electric vehicle for the first time with a $3,500 incentive on new-inventory purchases of a Model 3 or Model Y.

The incentive requires an order on or after August 3, and delivery must be taken while the program is still being funded. California has set aside $135.5 million to help strengthen its SEV market and support automotive innovation.

Incentives are offered at the point of sale, and used EVs are also available for a partial incentive of $1,750. Half of the $3,500 and $1,750 incentive amounts are covered by California, with the other half being covered by participating OEMs.

Additionally, rules apply for MSRP and how the vehicle will qualify for the incentive. Any vehicle from a non-California headquartered OEM must have an MSRP of $50,000 or less. Used vehicles must be priced at $25,000 or less and must be at least two model years older than the year of purchase.

The cars must also be purchased from manufacturers as certified pre-owned vehicles. Private dealerships are not eligible.

In total, California expects to incentivize over 73,000 ZEVs.

Participating Manufacturers

Fourteen total automakers are participating in California’s MyFirstEV program:

  • Chevrolet – Launching August 2026
  • Ford – Launching August 2026
  • Honda – Launching September 2026
  • Hyundai – Launching August 2026
  • Kia – Launching August 2026
  • Lexus – Launching September 2026
  • Lucid – Launching August 2026
  • Mitsubishi – Launching November 2026
  • Nissan – Coming Soon
  • Rivian – Coming Soon
  • Subaru – Launching September 2026
  • Tesla – Launching August 2026
  • Toyota – Launching September 2026
  • Volvo – Coming Soon

 

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Investor's Corner

SpaceX to report first-ever earnings today: here’s what to expect

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Credit: SpaceX

Elon Musk’s space exploration company, SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX), is set to report its earnings for the second quarter today in what will be its first-ever earnings call since going public in July.

SpaceX is trading down roughly 25 percent from its IPO. These early stock signals are usually a bit tumultuous, and considering this is the first company actively launching rockets that is available on the stock exchange, investors might have a tendency to be a bit skittish.

However, there are going to be some details that investors will hear for the first time today on the earnings call. Here’s what to look for:

Wall Street Expectations

Revenue is expected to fall somewhere around $6.8 billion, and will be heavily driven by Starlink, which is SpaceX’s widely popular satellite internet platform that has been adopted by numerous airlines, cruise ships, and other maritime operations. It is also available for consumers at home or in their cars.

Earnings Per Share (EPS) expectations fall at a net loss of $0.23 per share. Wall Street sees this as a total net loss of roughly $1.9 billion.

EBITDA is expected to come in between $2 billion and $2.1 billion.

What Investors Want to Know

Tesla uses the Say platform to help work with both retail and institutional investors to answer relevant and quality questions that address concerns or questions that they might have.

However, SpaceX is doing things differently, as the company launched its own Investor Relations website where these questions are being fielded. Just like the Tesla questions, they seem to be less focused on the operational tasks and overall progress of the company, and more novelty.

Here are the top five:

  • Has the team thought about what possibilities there are with your mascot Asteroid? Whether it’s starting additional foundations for kids in its name, helping kids learn about space, etc. Kids are our future, and Asteroid would be a fun and easy way to help.
  • Baby Asteroid is already making a difference through charity around the world. Could SpaceX take it even further with programs that inspire kids to explore space?
  • SpaceX has some legendary vehicle names. Would you ever allow the public to name a Starship, even knowing there is a 99% chance it becomes Shipy McShipface?
  • When can we expect to see more footage of the Human Landing System?
  • Will Asteroid (your mascot) go to Mars?

SpaceX will report its earnings today, August 4, at 4:30 P.M. EDT.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving insurance program with heavy discount expands

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Lemonade has expanded its innovative Autonomous Car insurance program to Tennessee, giving Tesla owners in the state a substantial discount on Full Self-Driving (FSD) miles. Announced on August 3, the product offers 50 percent off every mile driven with FSD activated, positioning the digital insurer as a leader in pricing insurance around autonomous technology.

The program, marketed as Lemonade Autonomous Car insurance, uses a direct connection via Tesla’s Fleet API (with customer permission) to automatically distinguish FSD-engaged miles from manual driving. Policyholders pay a low base rate when the vehicle is stationary and a few cents per mile when moving, with the 50 percent reduction applied specifically to FSD miles.

Coverage includes standard protections such as liability, collision, comprehensive, roadside assistance, and Tesla-specific benefits like access to certified repair shops and emergency crash services. Eligible vehicles require Hardware 4, as well as recent firmware.

Lemonade first unveiled the product on January 21 of this year, describing it as a first-of-its-kind offering designed for self-driving cars, starting with Tesla FSD. It began rolling out in Arizona on January 26, followed by Oregon about a month later. Subsequent expansions brought it to Indiana in early June 2026 and Colorado later that month.

Tennessee marks the fifth state.

Tesla Full Self-Driving gets outrageous insurance offer with insanely cheap rates

The discount rests on Lemonade’s strong belief in the safety of Tesla’s FSD system. The company cites Tesla’s data showing that FSD-driven miles are twice as safe as those driven manually, or associated with roughly a 50 percent crash reduction.

Lemonade Co-founder and President Shai Wininger has emphasized this distinction: “Traditional insurers treat a Tesla like any other car, and AI like any other driver. But a car that sees 360 degrees, never gets drowsy, and reacts in milliseconds can’t be compared to a human.”

He added that “Teslas driven with FSD are involved in far fewer accidents” and committed that as FSD software improves and becomes safer, Lemonade’s prices will drop further.

Tesla Full Self-Driving gets an offer to be insured for ‘almost free’

This approach leverages Lemonade’s existing pay-per-mile technology and AI-driven risk models, which analyze nuanced vehicle data including software version and sensor performance. The company expects the model to reward higher FSD usage with greater savings while supporting mixed households that include both Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles under one policy. Bundling with home, renters, or pet insurance can yield additional discounts.

As autonomous driving technology advances, Lemonade’s state-by-state expansion of usage-based pricing that directly reflects real-world safety data represents a notable shift in how insurers evaluate risk.

Tesla owners in the five available states – Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, Colorado, and now Tennessee – can obtain quotes quickly through the Lemonade app or website, potentially lowering the overall cost of ownership for vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems. Further states are expected as regulatory approvals progress.

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