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Live: SpaceX Crew Demo-2 Splashdown

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 14:31:18 GMT

UPDATE: SpaceX’s Dragon capsule successfully splashed down, returning NASA astronauts back to earth safely.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are scheduled to splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico after a two-month stay at the International Space Station.

The astronauts were carried to ISS aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, marking a return to human spaceflight by the U.S. NASA’s last crewed flight happened in July 2011.

Behnken and Hurley are expected to splashdown at 2:48 p.m. ET. off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. The splashdown is the first such landing since 1975.

Watch SpaceX’s livestream of the splashdown above.

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Musk Talks Up Tesla’s Big Hiring Spree

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 18:40:42 GMT

Tesla’s hiring spree could bring headcount to 65,000 by the end of the year, Chief Executive Elon Musk told Automotive News.

Musk discusses “the whole trajectory of Tesla from basically nothing…from five employees in 2014 to 60,000-plus in 2020.”

The increase would represent a 35% increase from the just over 48,000 employees at the end of 2019.

The growth in headcount is driven by Tesla’s expansion across new factories. The company opened Giga Shanghai this year, broke ground on Giga Berlin, and announced a new U.S. Factory in Texas.

Tesla’s product line is also set to swell significantly in the next couple years, as the company adds an electric pickup, semi, and sports car to its offerings. Additionally, the company continues to scale its Tesla Energy unit offering products such as solar panels and energy storage systems.

Musk made the comments regarding hiring during a three-part interview with trade publication Automotive News. The CEO discusses “a wide range of topics, including manufacturing challenges, the company’s streak of quarterly profits and soaring market value. He also opens up about why the EV maker is so popular, getting more range out of future vehicles and how the federal tax credit program for EVs is putting Tesla at a ”significant disadvantage.'”

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Panasonic Plans to Bump Battery Density by 20% in 5 Years

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 14:46:17 GMT

Panasonic’s new “2170” lithium-ion battery cells will improve energy density by 20% over the next five years, the company said Thursday.

The “2170” lithium-ion cells were first used in Tesla’s Model 3 in 2017. The battery already has the highest density, but the latest development should make an impact on the range of Tesla’s vehicles. Panasonic said the battery density has already been improved by 5%.

The new cells will be produced by Panasonic at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada. Reuters reported that Tesla will start converting manufacturing lines at the factory in September.

Panasonic also intends to commercialize a cobalt-free version “in two to three years,” in an effort to reduce dependency on materials mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo where there are controversial labor conditions.

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Musk Says Tesla Will Sell Software, Powertrains, Batteries to Other Automakers

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 17:19:11 GMT

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said Tuesday on Twitter that the company is keen to help other automakers with their challenges developing more sustainable vehicles.

“Tesla is open to licensing software and supplying powertrains and batteries,” Musk said on Twitter. “We’re just trying to accelerate sustainable energy, not crush competitors!”

Musk has previously said that the aim of it’s upcoming Roadster aims to give a “hardcore smackdown to gas-powered cars.” So, while they may not want to “crush” other car companies, they at least want to crush the gas-powered models they’re producing today.

Musk has previously touted an open-source model for its software, saying it’s available to “anyone who, in good faith, wants to use [its] technology.”

While the company has been litigious regarding some trade secrets escaping the headquarters, Musk seems to be signaling that they’re more open to collaboration than ever.

When asked if the company would consider licensing it’s self-driving Autopilot software, Musk replied “sure.”

Sure
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2020

Tesla is responsible for a number of automotive breakthroughs, so it will be interesting to see which offerings may appeal most to partners. Autopilot is an obvious advantage to share with automakers, but other features such as over-the-air updates and battery tech may also have takers.

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Tesla Cybertruck Could Be Tempered For Unique Colors Or Tattoos

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 01:42:16 GMT

When you heat cold-rolled steel, you get various colors. Elon Musk says this is possible with the Tesla Cybertruck.

The Tesla Cybertruck is unique in that it isn’t painted. Instead, it is just the color of stainless steel. Of course, people can choose to modify the Tesla however they want. More than likely, many folks will wrap their Cybertruck. This allows them to choose the color of their liking, it protects the vehicle, and it’s reversible. When they get tired of one color, they can remove it and wrap it in another.

CEO Elon Musk mentioned the potential for a matte black Cybertruck. Other color options have also been suggested, so we don’t know with 100-percent certainty that the electric pickup truck will only be available in one color. Recently, Twitter user Ghost of Tesla Phx (@Ghost_TeslaPhx) took to Twitter to beg Musk for a white oxide Cybertruck. Musk said it wouldn’t be impossible.

Not impossible
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2020

As usual, due to Musk’s massive number of followers and seemingly constant Twitter engagement, this fired up a conversation. Apparently, if you temper (heat) the Cybertruck’s cold-rolled steel, you can get different colors.

Avid Tesla fan and Musk supporter Viv (@flcnhvy) tweeted the following:

Yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2020

Musk’s response was simply “yes,” likely meaning he agrees with Viv that it is, in fact, possible. For clarification of the potential color rainbow, K10 (@Kristennetten) replied with the tweet below:

Different colors the CyberTruck can be tempered: pic.twitter.com/GQnyHTCRlC
— K10© (@Kristennetten) July 26, 2020

Even more interesting is the fact that you could use a laser to heat parts of the steel and create a tattoo of sorts:

I mentioned this toohttps://t.co/XQrHMfuHmU
— Ghost of Tesla Phx (@Ghost_TeslaPhx) July 27, 2020

We’re pretty confident Tesla won’t offer any of this at Cybertruck production. However, you’d better bet on the fact that the aftermarket industry will get involved quickly if this is something that is truly viable.

As always, feed us with your wisdom in the comment section below. Is this something that’s bound to happen?

This article originally appeared on Inside EVs.

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Elon Musk Says Teslas Are Too Expensive, Hints At New Compact Electric Car

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 01:20:05 GMT

This new cheaper and smaller Tesla hatchback could be designed in Germany and possibly even be built at the new Gigafactory.

Speaking during an earnings call last week, Elon Musk expressed his point that the cars that Tesla is currently building are still too expensive. Even with the introduction of the Model 3, which in the States now starts at $37,990, Musk thinks the automaker needs an even cheaper model.

Musk told investors he was on the call with that

‘ It is important to make the car affordable. Like the thing that bugs me the most about where we are right now is that our cars are not affordable enough. We need to fix that. ‘

He didn’t give a specific time frame for when this new model would hit the market, but we imagine it would be smaller than the Model 3, and it may not even be built in the U.S. (or China). Earlier in July, Musk replied to a tweet specifically asking about a ‘ smaller European style hatchback ‘ by saying it would

‘ Probably a good one to design & engineer in Germany. ‘

And since it would be a model aimed at the European market, it could end up being built at Tesla’s new Gigafactory in Germany too. If the automaker does give this project the go-ahead, then it may end up being called the Tesla Model 2.

Source: Business Insider

This article originally appeared on Inside EVs.

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Musk: Giga Berlin to Be Constructed With ‘Impossible-Seeming Speed’

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 18:28:31 GMT

Tesla’s new factory near Berlin will be built even faster than the speedy construction of Giga Shanghai, Chief Executive Elon Musk said in a tweet.

“Giga Berlin will come together at an impossible-seeming speed,” Musk said on Twitter. “The prefabricated construction method in Germany is extremely impressive.”

Tesla’s Giga Shanghai went from permits to completed factory in 168 days.

Musk shared a rendering earlier this month of the factory, which is currently under construction. The factory is styled with a slightly more modern look than other Tesla factories. Solar panels line the roof. When asked on Twitter if there might be room for a pool, Musk replied “sure.”

Construction crews have reportedly already started raising concrete beams and walls delivered to the site.

Tesla broke ground on the factory, the company’s first in Europe, in June. There was a slight delay due to environmental activists and regulators concerns with the destruction of forest land. But, the project now seems to be in full swing.

Tesla hopes to start production at the plant by this time next year. Tesla has said the first vehicles off the European assembly line will the by the Model Y crossover SUV.

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