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A new excerpt from Elon Musk’s biography confirms that Tesla will build its first next-generation electric cars in Texas rather than at the upcoming Gigafactory Mexico.

This should be reassuring amid potential delays in building the new plant.

At Tesla’s 2023 Investor Day in March, the automaker unveiled a new car manufacturing system, which CEO Elon Musk claimed would be faster, more efficient, and enable the production of cheaper electric vehicles.

Tesla is calling it the “Unboxed Process”:

The general idea is that Tesla wants to be able to work on separate sections of the vehicle individually and only bring the car together at a new “more final” assembly.

It differs from the more traditional car manufacturing model to move the entire vehicle body down a line all the way to the final assembly.

Tesla’s next-generation vehicles, a cheaper “$25,000 model” and a robotaxi, are expected to be the first to use this new system.

At the same event, Tesla announced its plan to build Gigafactory Mexico in Nuevo Leon, a state bordering Texas. Giga Mexico was expected to be the first Tesla factory to use the “unboxed process.”

A new excerpt from the Elon Musk biography confirmed that it was the plan, but it changed.

Walter Isaacson, a famous biographer, has been embedded in Musk’s life for the past few years, and he is about to release his authorized biography of the CEO.

As is often the case for such publications, he is leaking some information that will be featured in the book to the media in order to create some buzz around the release.

He has now released some information through Axios that confirms Musk wanted to build the new next-gen vehicles in Mexico first, but the plan changed in May – just a few months after the announcement.

Isaacson reported on statement Musk made to him:

“Tesla engineering will need to be on the line to make it successful, and getting everyone to move to Mexico is never going to happen.”

The biographer said that it resulted in a change of plan in May 2023. The decision was made to have both the next-generation cars and robotaxis be built in Austin first.

He said that Musk spent the summer supervising the design of the new workspaces for the new manufacturing process and that “his own workspace and that of his top engineers would be right next to the new high-speed, ultra-automated assembly line.”

Electrek’s Take

This is good news amid concerns that Gigafactory Mexico is going to fall behind its ambitious timeline.

These two new vehicles are critical to Tesla’s goal of getting to 20 million vehicles produced per year by 2030.

Any delay in bringing them to market will result in failure to achieve that goal. It is going to be easier to make that happen in an existing factory in Texas.

Furthermore, it should also help replicate the new production process in other factories, like the future Giga Mexico.

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Blink + Hubject unlock easier EV charging across North America

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Blink + Hubject unlock easier EV charging across North America

Blink Charging (Nasdaq: BLNK) has struck a deal with Hubject to make charging easier for EV drivers across North America.

The agreement will bring Blink into Hubject’s intercharge eRoaming platform as a charge point operator. That means electric mobility service providers (eMSPs) and their customers in the US, Canada, and Mexico will soon have access to Blink’s charging stations through their existing apps. In turn, Blink drivers will gain better access to stations connected through Hubject’s network.

Hubject, which already connects more than 1 million charging points and 2,750 partners worldwide, expects the integration to strengthen its North American presence by adding Blink’s wide-ranging network of chargers, from Level 2 workplace stations to DC fast charging. Blink, meanwhile, anticipates more customers will plug in, thanks to Hubject’s reach.

“Our collaboration with Blink marks an important step in expanding our North American intercharge network,” said Trishan Peruma, CEO of Hubject North America. “By integrating Blink’s network into our eRoaming platform, we aim to help reduce barriers that have historically complicated EV charging and to support the continued growth of EV adoption across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.”

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Blink Charging’s president and CEO Mike Battaglia added, “Connecting the Blink Network to Hubject’s platform will allow more drivers to benefit from interoperable charging while traveling.”

The integration will use the industry-standard OCPI protocol to keep billing and communication between networks secure and reliable. Deployment is planned in phases throughout 2025, with full integration targeted for the end of the year.

Read more: Blink just made it a lot easier to find its charging stations


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The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N gets a new Essentials trim in Korea and a lower price tag

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The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N gets a new Essentials trim in Korea and a lower price tag

Hyundai wants to make the electric sports car for everyone. Not just those who can afford it. The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim was launched in Korea on Monday, offering a lower price tag but the same thrilling drive.

Hyundai launches new IONIQ 5 N Essentials in Korea

The IONIQ 5 N is Hyundai’s first EV sports car under the IONIQ series. Initially launched in 2023, the IONIQ 5 N marked a new era for Hyundai’s high-performance N division.

Hyundai’s electric hot hatch not only looks the part with added sporty “N” branded elements scattered inside and out, but it’s also packed with fun features, advanced tech, and a host of drive modes.

Based on a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain, the IONIQ 5 N delivers up to 641 horsepower when N Grin Boost is engaged. Even without it, the electric sports car packs 601 hp.

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It also draws power from an 84 kWh battery, good for an EPA-estimated range of 221 miles. On the WLTP scale, it’s rated with an official range of 278 miles (448 km). The added power results in a lower range than other IONIQ 5 trims.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-Essentials
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 Essentials trim (Source: Hyundai)

Although it was already one of the most affordable sports cars, EV or gas-powered, Hyundai is lowering the price even further.

After launching the new Essentials model in South Korea on Monday, Hyundai said the new trim “is characterized by lowering the barrier to entry so that customers can experience the overwhelming driving performance of the IONIQ 5 N at a reasonable price through optimized specifications.”

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-Essentials
The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 Essentials trim (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai focused on core convenience features while including the same high-performance motors, battery, and N-specific elements as the base model.

A Hyundai official said, “The Essential trim of the IONIQ 5 N is a new trim that offers greater cost-effectiveness to lower the barrier to entry for high-performance electric vehicles.”

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-Essentials
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (Source: Hyundai)

The IONIQ 5 N features advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including highway driving assist and navigation-based smart cruise control. Hyundai has also added an exclusive new “Parking Assist Lite” package, offering safety and convenience features such as surround view monitoring and rear parking assistance.

The new Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Essentials trim starts at 74.9 million won ($54,000), including tax benefits. Hyundai said it will continue to make competitive products so more buyers can experience high-performance EVs.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-N
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N (Source: Hyundai)

Although the Essentials trim is not available in the US, the IONIQ 5 N is still more affordable than most sports cars. The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N starts at $66,200. But, with the $7,500 tax credit, which is set to expire on September 30, leases are currently listed as low as $549 per month.

Looking to test the IONIQ 5 out for yourself? You can use our link to find the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and high-performance N models near you today (trusted affiliate link).

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In a blow to Trump, judge clears Ørsted’s Revolution Wind to resume

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In a blow to Trump, judge clears Ørsted’s Revolution Wind to resume

A federal judge has cleared the way for Ørsted’s nearly complete 704-megawatt (MW) Revolution Wind offshore wind farm to restart construction, overturning a stop-work order imposed by the Trump administration.

Reagan-appointed senior US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction in Washington, DC, calling the government’s conduct “the height of arbitrary and capricious government conduct.” He added, “If Revolution Wind cannot meet benchmark deadlines, the entire project could collapse. There is no doubt in my mind of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs.”

Ørsted welcomed the ruling and said in a statement, “Revolution Wind will continue to seek to work collaboratively with the US Administration and other stakeholders toward a prompt resolution. Revolution Wind will resume impacted construction work as soon as possible, with safety as the top priority.”

The decision marks a significant setback for the Trump administration’s attempts to stall offshore wind development. Revolution Wind is already about 80% complete, with all turbine foundations and 45 of 65 turbines successfully installed, and expected to power 350,000 homes in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Earlier this month, the two states’ attorneys general announced they were suing the Trump administration to overturn its “baseless” decision to halt Revolution Wind. That underlying lawsuit challenging the stop-work order will continue to progress.

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Oceantic Network CEO Liz Burdock said, “Today’s decision allowing work to resume on Revolution Wind is welcome news for the hundreds of skilled workers who can now return to their jobs while the legal process continues. This Made in America energy project is putting Americans to work building reliable, affordable power to communities across New England that desperately need it.”

Read more: Connecticut, Rhode Island sue Trump to save 80% complete offshore wind farm


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