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Volkswagen’s Power Day: Six new cell plants, new unified battery cell, charging network partnerships
Earlier today, German automaker Volkswagen held its first-ever “Power Day” event. Similar to Tesla’s Battery Day, Volkswagen outlined its plans for reducing the cost of electric vehicles, how it will supply battery cells for its massive EV push, a new “unified” battery cell, and the how company’s charging network is being funded by BP and other European-based energy companies.
Batteries and Cell Production
Every company involved with electric vehicles knows that to reduce the cost of its cars, sourcing batteries is 9/10ths of the battle. Batteries make up a substantial portion of an electric vehicle’s overall cost. With increased battery production and purchasing, EV makers hold the ability to lower the cost of their vehicles overall. Tesla outlined this last September at its own battery-focused event.
Volkswagen’s roadmap isn’t much different than Tesla’s. The company plans to increase cell production in Europe by a substantial margin, developing six new cell factories that will be fully operational by 2030.
“Together with partners, we want to have a total of six cell factories up and running in Europe by 2030, thus guaranteeing security of supply,” Thomas Schmall, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Group for Technology and CEO of VW Group Components, said. The six new factories will produce cells with a total energy value of 240 GWh per year by the time they are finished. Two of the factories will operate in Sweden, with one in Skellefteå and another in Salzgitter. The Salzgitter factory will produce cells for VW’s “high-volume segment” starting in 2025 and will have up to 40 GWh per year of capacity.
Additionally, the company said that it “has decided to refocus the previous plan in relation to cell production and concentrate production of its premium cells in the Swedish gigafactory “Northvolt Ett” in Skellefteå in collaboration with Northvolt.” This factory will begin producing cells in 2023 and will be expanded to a final annual capacity of 40 GWh.
Credit: Volkswagen
New Unified Battery Cell in 2023
Volkswagen’s plan to reduce costs is funneled through battery developments and improvements. Schmall outlined this with the idea of new, more cost-effective cells that will increase range and performance. “This will finally make e-mobility affordable and the dominant drive technology,” Schmall said.
While Volkswagen plans to purchase cells from suppliers, it also plans to create cells in-house within a series of battery production facilities. In 2023, a new, unified cell will be launched and installed in 80% of the Volkswagen group’s electric vehicles. “We will use our economies of scale to the benefit of our customers when it comes to the battery too. On average, we will drive down the cost of battery systems to significantly below €100 per kilowatt-hour,” Schmall added.
“Integration of the Value Chain”
In an attempt to secure the long-term supply of its battery cells to alleviate any concerns over its transition to electromobility, Volkswagen says it will focus on partnerships with selected strategic partners. “The new prismatic unified cell also offers the best conditions for the transition to the solid state cell – the next quantum leap in battery technology, which Volkswagen anticipates for the middle of the decade. The Group focuses consistently on strategic partnerships and efficient use of resources both for batteries and for charging,” VW said. Additionally, the VW Group said it will adhere to its strategic financial targets and will continue to aim for a 6% CAPEX ratio by 2025. It also plans to have a net cash flow of more than €10 billion in its core automotive business.
Charging Network fueled by partnerships with BP, Iberdrola, Enel
Volkswagen isn’t only working on its battery plans. The company also is working on expanding its charging platform by calling upon European power companies to help with the rollout. Partnerships with IONITY and BP will establish 8,000 new charging points throughout Europe. Additionally, 4,000 150 kW chargers will be installed at BP and ARAL service stations in Germany and Great Britain. Spain-based Iberdrola will assist Volkswagen with main traffic route coverage in Spain, and Italian company Enel will help with main and urban motorways in Italy.
Volkswagen says its total investment package for the charging infrastructure will cost around €400 million by 2025 and is looking for other companies to partner with.
In North America, 3,500 fast-charging points will be installed by Electrify America by the end of the year. In China, 17,000 will be installed as well.
Credit: Volkswagen
Planned V2G Capability
While Volkswagen says it intends to “integrate the electric car in private, commercial and public energy systems in the future,” it says that vehicles using the MEB platform will support energy storage capabilities starting in 2022. Bidirectional wall boxes to energy management systems will be developed as well, allowing owners to supply power to residential buildings, businesses, or the general power grid when needed.
Volkswagen’s full Power Day event is available below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdnRfNwj1Fg
News
Tesla broadens most-wanted Model Y to eight new markets
This rollout targets Asia’s booming EV adoption, driven by family buyers seeking practicality without sacrificing performance or luxury. It positions Tesla against rising local competitors offering affordable three-row options.
Tesla has broadened the availability of the most-wanted Model Y trim to eight new Asian markets, expanding the footprint of what is one of the most highly requested vehicle configurations in the U.S.
Tesla has officially launched ordering for the Model Y L, its long-wheelbase six-seater electric SUV, across eight key Asian territories: Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The announcement signals a major expansion for the family-oriented variant first introduced in China in August 2025. In Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the vehicle had already been previewed at several motor shows, so fans in the area were familiar with the Model Y L and its distinct differences to the standard-sized trims.
🚨 Tesla has launched the Model Y L for order in eight new Asian territories:
– Japan
– South Korea
– Hong Kong
– Macau
– Singapore
– Thailand (previously unveiled at the Bangkok International Motor Show)
– Malaysia (previously unveiled)
– Philippines (previously unveiled) pic.twitter.com/PidNwRxuEU— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 3, 2026
Local pricing reflects taxes, incentives, and import duties. Malaysia estimates RM260,000 with Q2 2026 deliveries; Singapore lists S$248,999 (including COE); Macau prices at 398,750 patacas. Similar competitive positioning is expected in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the Philippines, where the Model Y L undercuts many traditional three-row SUVs while offering full EV benefits.
This rollout targets Asia’s booming EV adoption, driven by family buyers seeking practicality without sacrificing performance or luxury. It positions Tesla against rising local competitors offering affordable three-row options.
Notably, the Model Y L remains unavailable in the U.S. market, where demand for a stretched Model Y has been high. Although CEO Elon Musk said that something “way cooler than a minivan” is on the way in the U.S., the dimensions of the Model Y L simply fit the needs of many American families.
Elon Musk says Tesla is developing a new vehicle: ‘Way cooler than a minivan’
The Model Y L stands out with its stretched dimensions: 4,976 mm long and a 3,040 mm wheelbase—179 mm and 150 mm longer, respectively, than the standard Model Y. Height increases slightly to 1,668 mm, creating a true three-row, 2+2+2 layout with individual captain’s chairs in the second row for easier third-row access.
Maximum cargo capacity reaches 2,539 liters with seats folded, making it ideal for growing families or those needing versatile space in dense urban environments. But it’s not just a grocery-getter or a kid-hauler: The performance matches Tesla’s reputation.
Dual-motor all-wheel drive delivers 0-100 km/h acceleration in about 5.0 seconds (or 4.5 seconds in some market specs), with a top speed of 201 km/h. The vehicle boasts a WLTP-rated range of up to 681 km, supported by an approximately 88-97 kWh battery pack (market-dependent) and 250 kW DC fast charging.
With deliveries slated for Q2 2026 and strong early interest mirroring China’s rapid pre-orders, the Model Y L could become a bestseller in these dynamic markets. Tesla’s targeted expansion essentially generalizes its commitment to tailoring vehicles to regional needs while advancing sustainable mobility across Asia.
Lifestyle
Tesla hit by Iranian missile debris in Israel
A Tesla in Israel absorbed a direct hit from missile debris, and the glassroof held.
On March 30, 2026, Lara Shusterman was in Netanya, Israel when Iranian ballistic missiles triggered air raid sirens across the city. While she remained in safety, her 2024 Tesla Model Y did not escape untouched. A heavy piece of missile debris struck the car’s massive glass roof, leaving a deep crater but without shattering. In a Facebook post to the Tesla Israel community the following morning, Shusterman described what happened: “The glass did not shatter into dangerous shards. She stopped the damage and pushed the metal part to the ground.” She closed by thanking Elon Musk and the Tesla team for building what she called “security and a sense of trust even in extreme situations.”
Netanya is a coastal city in central Israel, roughly 18 miles north of Tel Aviv and has been among the areas most frequently struck during Iran’s ongoing missile campaign, following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military infrastructure. Falling shrapnel from intercepted missiles is a common occurrence.
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- Tesla Model Y glass roof shattered from a piece of falling Iranian missile debris
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- A piece of Iranian missile debris that struck Lara Shusterman’s Tesla Model Y in Netanya, Israel on March 30, 2026, after being intercepted by Israeli air defenses.
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- Tesla Model Y glass roof shattered from a piece of falling Iranian missile debris
Source: Tesla Israel Facebook Group
The incident is a testament to Tesla’s structural engineering. Tesla’s glass roof is designed to support over four times the vehicle’s own weight. That strength has shown up in real-world accidents too. In 2021, a Model Y in California was struck by a falling tree during a storm, with the glass roof holding firm and the cabin remaining intact. In another widely reported incident, a Tesla Model Y plunged 250 feet off the cliff at Devil’s Slide in California in January 2023, with all four occupants, including two young children, surviving.
Disturbing details about Tesla’s 250-foot cliff drop emerge amid initial investigation
Tesla officially launched sales in Israel in early 2021 and captured over 60 percent of Israel’s EV market in the first year. The brand’s foothold in Israel remains significant. Tens of thousands of Teslas are now on Israeli roads, making incidents like Shusterman’s easy to corroborate. On the same week her Model Y took the hit, the U.S. Space Force awarded SpaceX a $178.5 million contract to launch missile tracking satellites, a separate but fitting reminder of how intertwined the Musk ecosystem has become with the realities of modern conflict.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk calls out $2 trillion SpaceX IPO valuation as ‘BS’
In a swift rebuke on X, Elon Musk dismissed reports claiming SpaceX had confidentially filed for an initial public offering targeting a valuation above $2 trillion, labeling the information as unreliable.
Elon Musk is quick to call out any false information regarding him or his companies on his social media platform, known as X.
A recent report that claimed SpaceX was aiming to go public with an IPO in the coming weeks at a massive valuation of $2 trillion was called out by Musk, who referred to it as “BS.”
In a swift rebuke on X, Elon Musk dismissed reports claiming SpaceX had confidentially filed for an initial public offering targeting a valuation above $2 trillion, labeling the information as unreliable.
The exchange highlights ongoing media speculation about the rocket company’s future and Musk’s frustration with what he views as inaccurate financial reporting. The report came from Bloomberg.
Don’t believe everything you read.
Bloomberg publishes bs.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 3, 2026
The controversy erupted on April 2, 2026, when influencer Mario Nawfal amplified claims from Bloomberg.
The outlet posted that SpaceX had boosted its IPO target valuation above $2 trillion, describing it as potentially one of the largest public offerings in history. Musk challenged the story.
It echoes past instances where Musk has corrected valuation rumors about his companies, emphasizing that speculation often outpaces reality.
Background context adds nuance.
Earlier reports indicated SpaceX had filed confidential IPO paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, potentially positioning it for a record-breaking debut that could eclipse Saudi Aramco’s 2019 listing.
Initial estimates pegged a possible valuation north of $1.75 trillion, building on a post-merger figure around $1.25 trillion after SpaceX absorbed xAI. A subsequent Bloomberg update claimed advisers were floating figures above $2 trillion to investors, with the offering potentially raising up to $75 billion.
SpaceX remains a private powerhouse. Its achievements include thousands of Starlink satellites providing global broadband, routine Falcon 9 rocket reusability, and a mission to slash launch costs, along with ambitions for Starship to enable Mars colonization.
The company also benefits from government contracts with NASA and the Department of Defense. A public listing could democratize access for retail investors while subjecting SpaceX to greater scrutiny and quarterly reporting pressures.
Critics of the reports point to the confidential nature of filings, which limits verifiable details. Musk has previously downplayed inflated valuations, once calling an $800 billion figure for SpaceX “too high.”
Supporters argue that hype around mega-IPOs, especially amid the ongoing AI fervor, fuels premature narratives that distract from core technical milestones, such as full Starship reusability and Starlink constellation expansion.
The incident reflects broader tensions in tech finance. Anonymous sourcing in valuation stories can drive market chatter and betting activity, yet it risks misinformation.
Bloomberg defended its reporting through multiple articles citing “people familiar with the matter,” but Musk’s blunt dismissal resonated widely on X, with users piling on to question media reliability.
Whether SpaceX ultimately goes public remains uncertain. Musk has teased an IPO tied to Starlink maturity, but priorities center on engineering breakthroughs over Wall Street timelines. For now, the $2 trillion figure joins a list of rumored milestones that Musk insists should be taken with skepticism.
Tesla broadens most-wanted Model Y to eight new markets
Tesla hit by Iranian missile debris in Israel
