

News
Volkswagen Zwickau Plant sets EV production record
The Volkswagen Zwickau plant has set an EV production record for the company, producing 7,100 EVs between November 7th-11th.
Volkswagen’s Zwickau plant is a behemoth of a facility. The plant produces six models for three brands simultaneously. For Volkswagen, the plant produces the VW ID.3, VW ID.4, and VW ID.5; for Audi, the plant produces the Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron Sportback; and for Cupra, the plant produces the Cupra Born. According to Elecdrive, combining the production totals for each of these models for the week of November 7th-11th, the company set a production record of 7,100 units produced.
Elecdrive quotes Robert Janssen, Managing Director of Technology and Logistics at Volkswagen, after the successful production week saying; “This is a very good achievement of the entire team and a unique record because, before the transformation, such high numbers were not even technically possible.” Volkswagen brand manager Thomas Schafer shared similar gratitude and pride; “My thanks, therefore, go to my colleagues, who are impressively demonstrating how we are continuing to drive forward the transformation at Volkswagen with speed and high quality.”
Many criticized Volkswagen earlier this week for reconsidering building its Trinity EV production facility. But, the news released today regarding Volkswagen’s pre-existing EV production does build confidence in the German auto giant. At the pace set the other week, Volkswagen could produce 369,200 electric vehicles per year from the Zwickau plant alone. With the company continuing to ramp EV production at its other facilities, Volkswagen may be in better shape than initially anticipated.
The question many are asking is, how will this success translate at other Volkswagen plants? Will the other facilities be able to emulate the production rate of the Zwickau plant? Answers to these questions remain unclear, but there are some positive indicators.
Volkswagen has already promised a significant shift to EV production for the North American market, mainly to get their vehicles sold in the U.S. eligible for federal tax credits. Simultaneously, as VW Group brands have worked to expand production in China, the Chinese car market’s unquenchable thirst for electric vehicles is pushing the manufacturer to ramp EV production there as well.
Regarding other European Volkswagen plants, many expect Europe’s regulatory push towards electric vehicles to significantly motivate Volkswagen to increase EV production.
The push for EV production has been reflected in the company’s sales reports. Numerous VW Group brands have seen a rapid increase in demand for vehicles like the Audi e-tron, the Porsche Taycan, the VW ID.3 and ID.4, and even Europe-exclusive models from the Cupra and SEAT brands.
Volkswagen has the motivation and the capital to continue to ramp electric vehicle production, but the rate at which that is pursued in the coming months and years is still very much in the air.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s European launch frustrations revealed by Elon Musk
Tesla plans to launch Full Self-Driving in Europe later this year, but regulatory bodies are proving to make it a bigger challenge than it needs to be.

Tesla Full Self-Driving is set to launch in Europe in the future, but the region’s governing bodies are not giving the suite any chance to move forward, according to CEO Elon Musk, who blames the regulatory processes for robbing citizens of a safer mode of travel.
The automaker revealed late last year that it planned to bring Full Self-Driving to Europe sometime in 2025. However, Musk said that the launch of the suite is being continuously prolonged by both individual and European Union officials, dragging their feet with approvals.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Musk said the company is still dealing with and waiting for approvals from both the Dutch government and the EU’s governing officials, giving an indication that some progress has been made, but ultimately, there are still some bodies that are taking their time:
Waiting for Dutch authorities and then the EU to approve.
Very frustrating and hurts the safety of people in Europe, as driving with advanced Autopilot on results in four times fewer injuries!
Please ask your governing authorities to accelerate making Tesla safer in Europe. https://t.co/QIYCXhhaQp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025
He continued by stating that the delays are “very frustrating” and they “hurt the safety of people in Europe” because of Autopilot’s statistical prowess, which shows it is much safer than human drivers.
Tesla is readying for the launch of a completely driverless Robotaxi platform in the U.S., which is set to occur in the coming days. While the initial rollout of the platform will be reserved for a select few, public rides are slated for June 22, meaning anyone will be able to come to Austin and hail a Tesla Robotaxi through the company’s smartphone app.
The first Robotaxi without a driver was spotted in Austin yesterday and shared on X:
First Tesla driverless robotaxi spotted in the wild in Austin, TX
Musk dropped several hints that the Robotaxi launch, which has been rumored for June 12, is imminent. For now, the operation will take place in Austin and will eventually expand, likely to California next, as noted in past reports. The City’s official website confirmed that Tesla gained a license as an Autonomous Vehicle operator in the City of Austin earlier this week.
Tesla applied for a similar license in California earlier this year.
Energy
Tesla Lathrop Megafactory celebrates massive Megapack battery milestone
The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments.

The Tesla Lathrop Megafactory recently achieved a new milestone. As per the official Tesla Megapack account on X, the Lathrop Megafactory has produced its 15,000th Megapack 2 XL battery.
15,000 Megapack Batteries
Tesla celebrated the milestone with a photo of the Lathrop Megafactory team posing with a freshly produced Megapack battery. To commemorate the event, the team held balloons that spelled out “15,000” as they posed for the photo.
The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments. Designed for grid-scale applications, each Megapack offers 3.9 MWh of energy and 1.9 MW of power. The battery is extremely scalable, making it perfect for massive energy storage projects.
More Megafactories
The Lathrop Megafactory is Tesla’s first dedicated facility for its flagship battery storage system. It currently stands as the largest utility-scale battery factory in North America. The facility is capable of producing 10,000 Megapack batteries every year, equal to 40 GWh of clean energy storage.
Thanks to the success of the Megapack, Tesla has expanded its energy business by building and launching the Shanghai Megafactory, which is also expected to produce 40 GWh of energy storage per year. The ramp of the Shanghai Megafactory is quite impressive, with Tesla noting in its Q1 2025 Update Letter that the Shanghai Megafactory managed to produce over 100 Megapack batteries in the first quarter alone.
Tesla Energy’s Potential
During the first quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that the Megapack is extremely valuable to the energy industry.
“The Megapack enables utility companies to output far more total energy than would otherwise be the case… This is a massive unlock on total energy output of any given grid over the course of a year. And utility companies are beginning to realize this and are buying in our Megapacks at scale,” Musk said.
News
Tesla launches “TeslaVision” video contest to celebrate Model Y deliveries
The program marks a revival of Tesla’s popular Project Loveday initiative back in 2017.

Tesla has announced the TeslaVision Contest, a global video showcase inviting fans and owners to highlight the impact of the company’s vehicles on people.
The program marks a revival of its Project Loveday initiative in 2017, which was extremely well-received by the electric vehicle community.
A Contest to Celebrate the New Model Y
As per the TeslaVision contest’s official website, the program is being rolled out to commemorate the launch and deliveries of the new Model Y across all continents. Thus, the contest could be seen as a global celebration and showcase of owners and fans who made Tesla the household brand that it has become today.
Participants are tasked with creating a 90-second or shorter video demonstrating how Tesla vehicles provide “more freedom, more safety, more fun, more convenience.” Submissions must be uploaded to YouTube and shared on X and Instagram with the tag @Tesla and the phrase “TeslaVision contest.”
Videos must align with Tesla’s mission to accelerate sustainable energy, be suitable for all ages, and avoid references to non-Tesla brands. English text or voice-overs are required, and entrants must relinquish rights to their content for Tesla’s commercial use.
A Big Prize Awaits
When Tesla launched Project Loveday in 2017, the company noted that the contest’s winner would receive an all-expenses paid invitation to an upcoming Tesla product launch. For TeslaVision, the grand prize is a lot more tangible, with the winner receiving a new Model Y AWD. They will also get an all-expenses-paid trip to Gigafactory Texas. Second and third-place winners will also receive a Giga Texas tour.
Finalists will be selected based on creativity, originality, relevance to the prompt, and entertainment value. Tesla will shortlist 100 videos, with the top 10 subject to public voting to influence the final judging. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States, Mexico, and Canada, aged 18 or older, with a valid driver’s license and Tesla account. No purchase is necessary, though entries are limited to just one per person.
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