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The Tesla Semi has been stuck in pilot-stage purgatory for years. It’s taken so long to officially launch, in fact, that Tesla gave it a facelift before it even hit production.
But the wait appears to be over. This week, Tesla said it produced the first truck off of its high-volume production line in Nevada.
It’s a big moment for one of Tesla’s most anticipated new products—at least, one that can be driven by a human. Trucking is ripe for disruption via electrification, and the long-awaited Semi could kick that transition into high gear.
Here’s what else is on the menu today:
Hyundai revealed its new Pleos infotainment system that aims to take the carmaker’s software game to Tesla’s level.
China’s ultra-high-end Hongqi brand could build cars in Europe.
Xpeng has a rival to Tesla Full Self-Driving. Our friends at Out of Spec Reviews tried it out.
—Tim Levin, Senior Editor
Photo: Tesla
The Tesla Semi Is Finally Going Into Mass Production
Unveiled in 2017, the Class 8 electric big rig took its sweet time to get to this point.
Photo: Hyundai
Hyundai’s New ‘Pleos’ Infotainment System Gets All The Right Features
Pleos Connect debuts next month with a pair of screens, plenty of physical buttons, and an AI companion.
Photo: Hongqi
China’s Rolls-Royce Rival May Have Found A Shortcut Into Europe
Hongqi, once known as Chairman Mao’s preferred car brand, may use a Stellantis plant in Spain to speed up its European EV push.
The Electrification of Heavy Machinery Has a Ground Floor
Tesla did it to cars. Now the same shift is coming for excavators, forklifts, cranes, and military equipment. The difference is that nobody has owned this moment yet — until RISE Robotics.
Their technology strips hydraulics out of heavy machinery entirely and replaces it with a patented electric actuator. No fluid. Full digital control. Built for the autonomous machines that are coming whether the industry is ready or not. The Pentagon is already a customer.
Last Round Oversubscribed. $9.7M in revenue already on the board. Dylan Jovine of ‘Behind the Markets’ spotted it early. The Wefunder community round lets anyone invest alongside institutional backers.
Photo: Out of Spec
Tesla FSD Has A Real Rival. But It Drives Very Differently
This first real-world test with Western journalists reveals where VLA 2.0 shines, and where FSD still pulls ahead.