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Volvo throws down the gauntlet, will produce only “electrified” vehicles by 2019
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Volvo plans to only produce cars with an electric motor by 2019, and hopes to have 1 million EVs on the road by 2025.
“This announcement marks the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “Volvo Cars has stated that it plans to have sold a total of 1 million electrified cars by 2025. When we said it, we meant it.”
Volvo’s announcement is a major stride for the sustainable energy vehicle market, according to a Volvo press release. With the evolution of the electric motor and the decline of the internal combustion engine, Volvo is looking to join the likes of Tesla in developing EVs and changing the world’s transportation.
The company is the “first car company in the world to say that the pure internal combustion engine is going to evolve into the next stage of its development,” said David Ibison, SVP of Corporate Communications, in a press conference Wednesday.
Volvo Cars’ T8 Twin Engine Range, all of which are plug-in hybrids
Volvo plans to roll out five electric models between 2019 and 2021, two of which will be on Volvo’s performance car arm Polestar. These five models will become the car giant’s main product as other ICE models are “phased out,” according to the press release.
The announcement comes as an example of Volvo’s commitment to clean energy and reducing the environmental impact of its vehicles and factories, a goal that aligns with Elon Musk and Tesla’s vision for a sustainable future.
While the company’s optimism for sustainability was apparent Wednesday, there are still several real-world, practical questions that need to be answered when it comes to logistics. A major challenge for EV developers has been integrating its production process to make battery and vehicle production realistic.
“We were skeptical on the cost of batteries and the lack of infrastructure to charge cars. We still believe that plug-in vehicles are very good bridge into the new world,” Samuelsson said when asked about the company’s new direction. “Battery costs have come down and there is also movement in charging infrastructure.”
Some skeptical voices in the industry are saying that the announcements could be the result of Geely — a Chinese automotive manufacturer that invested $11 billion into Volvo — pushing for a product that can compete with Tesla.
“It (Tesla) is a tough competitor,” Samuelsson said. “We are becoming the second automaker to go all electric.”
Tesla fans everywhere will no doubt harp on his words: “second automaker.”
As Volvo joins Jaguar, Chevy and other car companies to be more competitive in the EV market, one can’t help but imagine Elon Musk smiling, his long-term hopes for sustainable energy coming to fruition.
Update 2:05 ET: An earlier version of this article stated that Volvo would produce only EV’s, it is now corrected to reflect Volvo’s plans to produce only “electrified” vehicles, including plug-in hybrids.
Elon Musk
New details emerge on The Boring Company’s Universal tunnel plans
The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public.
Newly released bidding documents have shed light on how Elon Musk’s Boring Company plans to connect Universal Orlando Resort’s north campus to Universal Epic Universe.
The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public about the planned Loop system.
The Shingle Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District voted Feb. 11 to begin contract negotiations with The Boring Company after ranking it the top bidder for the Universal Orlando transport project. Now, evaluation documents obtained by local news media reveal how the company intends to execute the project, according to Attraction Insight.
The proposal describes a twin-tunnel configuration, with one tunnel in each direction. It also noted that permitting, design, and construction could take roughly a year and a half once approvals are secured. The company indicated it could deploy multiple tunnel boring machines and install temporary support infrastructure, including muck storage pits and stormwater systems, during construction.
Bid documents list eight internal specialists assigned to the project, including tunnel engineers, structural engineers, and tunnel boring machine experts. Six subcontractors would handle fire protection, communications, soil treatment, and concrete work.
The company stated it “has the necessary internally produced tunneling equipment and personnel immediately available to complete this project for the district as quickly as permits and approvals can be obtained.”
Operationally, the system would mirror the company’s Las Vegas Loop model, using Tesla vehicles to provide point-to-point transport rather than fixed-route buses. The proposal frames the concept as “on-demand, express transportation,” with vehicles dispatched as needed and capacity adjustable in real time.
Stations could be built underground or above ground with ramp access into tunnels. The documents also referenced potential future integration of a configurable Robovan for passengers and cargo, though capacity projections for the Orlando tunnels have not yet been disclosed.
The proposal states that the Loop can integrate “easily into environmentally sensitive areas,” but it does not provide detailed mitigation plans for Central Florida’s high water table and limestone geology, which is susceptible to sinkholes. The company has stated that it intends to hire an Orlando-based geotechnical firm to evaluate soil conditions.
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Tesla Giga Berlin dispute against IG Metall union leads to investigation
As per a report from rbb24, police seized a laptop belonging to an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday afternoon.
German authorities have opened an investigation into an IG Metall union representative following allegations that a confidential works council meeting at Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin was secretly recorded. The probe follows a criminal complaint filed by Tesla management last week.
As per a report from rbb24, police seized a laptop belonging to an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors in Frankfurt (Oder) confirmed that an investigation is underway into a possible unauthorized audio recording of an internal works council meeting.
Under German law, recording a non-public meeting without consent may constitute a criminal offense.
Tesla stated that Gigafactory Berlin employees alerted management after allegedly discovering that an external union representative, who was attending the event as a guest, had recorded the session. Plant manager André Thierig stated in a post on X that the representative was “caught in action,” prompting the company to contact police and file a criminal complaint.
The seized device is now part of the investigation, and authorities will determine whether any unlawful recording had indeed occurred.
IG Metall has denied the accusation. In comments to German media, representatives rejected Tesla’s claim and described the electric vehicle maker’s allegation as an election campaign tactic ahead of upcoming works council elections.
The election at Tesla’s Grünheide plant is scheduled for March 2–4, 2026, with about 11,000 employees being eligible to vote. Regular works council elections in Germany are held every four years between March and May.
The incident comes amid tensions between Tesla and organized labor in Germany. While works councils operate independently from unions, IG Metall has been active at the plant and has previously criticized Tesla’s labor practices. Authorities, for their part, have not yet announced whether charges will be filed, though the investigation remains ongoing.
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Tesla rolls out xAI’s Grok to vehicles across Europe
The initial rollout includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain.
Tesla is rolling out Grok to vehicles in Europe. The feature will initially launch in nine European territories.
In a post on X, the official Tesla Europe, Middle East & Africa account confirmed that Grok is coming to Teslas in Europe. The initial rollout includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain, and additional markets are expected to be added later.
Grok allows drivers to ask questions using real-time information and interact hands-free while driving. According to Tesla’s support documentation, Grok can also initiate navigation commands, enabling users to search for destinations, discover points of interest, and adjust routes without touching the touchscreen, as per the feature’s official webpage.
The system offers selectable personalities, ranging from “Storyteller” to “Unhinged,” and is activated either through the App Launcher or by pressing and holding the steering wheel’s microphone button.
Grok is currently available only on Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck vehicles equipped with an AMD infotainment processor. Vehicles must be running software version 2025.26 or later, with navigation command support requiring version 2025.44.25 or newer.
Drivers must also have Premium Connectivity or a stable Wi-Fi connection to use the feature. Tesla notes that Grok does not currently replace standard voice commands for vehicle controls such as climate or media adjustments.
The company has stated that Grok interactions are processed securely by xAI and are not linked to individual drivers or vehicles. Users do not need a Grok account or subscription to enable the feature at this time as well.
New details emerge on The Boring Company’s Universal tunnel plans
Tesla Giga Berlin dispute against IG Metall union leads to investigation
