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Uber’s subdivision, named Uber Freight, is now a Tesla Semi customer. The transportation, logistics, and supply chain company has taken its first step towards EV adoption for its heavy-duty commercial trucks.

Uber Freight announced the news of including Tesla Semi class-8 electric haulers into its logistics fleet on LinkedIn and Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter). However, the company did not disclose the exact number of Tesla Semi-truck units it acquired in the first phase of this transition.

A partnership between Tesla and Uber is a surprising one, as both companies are now competitors in the ride-sharing business, especially autonomous ride-hailing (robotaxis).

Uber Freight shared the following picture of multiple Tesla Semi-trucks at an unspecified location. These trucks are seen charging at a Megacharger station.

The location of the above picture of Tesla Semis charging is most probably Giga Nevada, where the automaker has made a dedicated manufacturing facility for its class-8 electric semi trucks. Uber Freight is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and there is no confirmed report of a Megacharger station in this city.

However, Tesla has planned on building 46 Tesla Semi Megacharger stations across the US by 2027. This charging infrastructure will enable companies like Uber Freight to run their logistics and supply chain operations smoothly across states.

For logistics freight operators, Uber and Tesla are offering Tesla Semi-trucks at a subsidized price. This means a lower upfront cost for companies and Uber Freight partners.

In its official announcement, Uber Freight wrote:

Uber Freight and Tesla are reshaping how fleets electrify.

The new Dedicated EV Fleet Accelerator Program with Tesla is designed to make EV adoption practical and profitable by tackling the two biggest hurdles: cost and utilization. Carriers in the program gain:

– Subsidized Tesla Semis with recognized Total Cost of Ownership savings
– Dedicated freight demand through Uber Freight
– A direct path to serve shippers seeking zero-emission transport

By addressing these challenges head-on, we’re making it possible for carriers to adopt EVs with confidence and realize benefits from day one.

With years of experience deploying electric trucks on real routes, Uber Freight is building on that foundation to advance a smarter, more efficient freight ecosystem.

Above graph: Tesla Semi cost-savings with mileage up to 800k miles. Source: Tesla Internal Data and Modeling. Credit: Uber Freight (Uber Technologies Inc.).

The interesting fact is that, besides being more reliable and compared to diesel trucks, Tesla Semi is also cost-effective both in fuel efficiency and maintenance.

The graph above shows that a Tesla Semi-truck can save you up to $300K over the course of 800,000 miles of usage. This also shows that Tesla’s electric hauler can last up to 1 million miles ideally.

Tesla Semi also reduces stress for drivers, owners, and fleet operators by eliminating regular engine maintenance.

Senior Manager of the Tesla Semi Program, Dan Priestly, wrote on LinkedIn:

Semi can drop into freight lanes with no compromises at lower operating costs. With Uber Freight matching shippers + carriers and removing revenue and utilization uncertainty, EV adoption will accelerate as operators realize the cost and maintenance benefits Semi offers.

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Featured image: Nic Cruze Patane / X (Twitter).

Note: This article was published earlier on Tesla Oracle. Author: Iqtidar Ali.

Joby Aviation, a maker of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis for commercial passenger service, has entered into a definitive agreement with Blade Air Mobility, an urban air mobility company, to acquire Blade’s passenger business.

“Blade was founded with the mission of democratising short-distance air travel by facilitating the transition from conventional rotorcraft to quiet, emissions-free electric aircraft, and I believe there is no better partner than Joby to make that mission a reality,” said Blade’s CEO Rob Wiesenthal.

Blade’s passenger unit offers air transportation of up to 100 miles (161 km) for travelers and last-mile critical cargo using helicopters and amphibious seaplanes for passenger routes in the United States, Canada, Southern Europe and India. Blade has terminals in New York City, Vancouver and several locations in Southern Europe.

In 2024, Blade reported that it flew more than 50,000 passengers from a network of 12 urban terminals, including dedicated lounge and terminal bases at John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty Airport, as well as the West Side of Manhattan, the East Side of Manhattan and Wall Street.

The CEO of Joby, JoeBen Bevirtt, termed the deal “a strategically important acquisition,” adding that, with access to the infrastructure and customer base Blade has secured, “we will be in the best possible position to launch our quiet, electric aircraft as soon as certification is secured.”

The company’s medical division, which was not included in the transaction and will remain a separate public company, has announced plans to partner with Joby on medical transportation for patients and organ transplants.

“The acquisition will allow Joby to combine its best-in-class technology with Blade’s decade of experience delivering premium customer transportation at scale, as Joby looks ahead to carrying its first passengers in Dubai next year,” the company said.

Source: Joby Aviation

Forge Nano has announced the development of an 18650-format lithium-ion battery cell intended for testing by the US Department of Defense, comprised entirely of materials sourced within the United States. According to Forge Nano, this cylindrical cell is designed for high capacity and energy density and must meet US Department of Defense requirements for cycle life and operating temperature range.

The company says it has vetted numerous components from US suppliers for use in the 18650 cell. Production is underway at Forge Nano’s facility in Thornton, Colorado, on a manufacturing line with a capacity of 10 megawatt-hours per year. Forge Nano intends to deliver the US-sourced lithium-ion cells to the Department of Defense for evaluation in 2025.

The cell features Forge Nano’s proprietary Atomic Armor surface coatings, which it claims enhance battery durability and performance. The company has not disclosed further technical specifications or chemistry details in the announcement.

“In today’s environment of rising tariffs and global instability, producing a 100% US-sourced lithium-ion cell isn’t just a strategic advantage—it’s a national security imperative,” said Paul Lichty, CEO of Forge Nano. “For the Department of Defense, having a secure, domestic supply of advanced battery technology ensures mission readiness, supply chain resilience, and energy independence in the face of growing international uncertainty.”

Source: Forge Nano

onsemi has expanded its collaboration with Schaeffler to supply silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs from its next-generation EliteSiC product line for a new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle platform. The traction inverter, developed by Schaeffler for a global automaker, uses onsemi’s SiC technology to improve energy efficiency, reliability, and packaging flexibility.

According to onsemi, the EliteSiC MOSFETs offer the lowest on-state resistance in their class, enabling higher peak power delivery and system efficiency. The devices provide low conduction losses and strong short-circuit robustness, allowing for a compact and thermally efficient inverter design. These characteristics help extend vehicle range, reduce maintenance, and support more flexible vehicle integration.

“The traction inverter is at the heart of every electrified drivetrain, and onsemi’s EliteSiC solution plays a vital role in achieving the efficiency and performance targets that our customer demands,” said Christopher Breitsameter, Head of Business Division Controls at Schaeffler.

The partnership marks a shift from insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) to SiC in hybrid platforms, even for cost-sensitive EV architectures.

“Our industry-leading silicon carbide semiconductor technology delivers unmatched efficiency, thermal performance, and power density—key enablers for next-generation electric powertrain systems not only for battery electric vehicles, but also for plug-in hybrid platforms,” said Simon Keeton, Group President of the Power Solutions Group at onsemi.

This announcement builds on a multi-year collaboration between the two companies—formerly under Vitesco Technologies, which merged with Schaeffler in 2024—to develop high-efficiency electric mobility solutions.

Source: onsemi

Sionic Energy has announced commercial availability of its Rapid Integration Silicon Platform, a drop-in, 100% silicon-anode solution designed for lithium-ion battery manufacturers and EV OEMs. The company says the technology replaces graphite entirely and delivers energy density of 370 Wh/kg, supports ultra-fast charging under 10 minutes and provides over 1,000 charge cycles with operating temperatures from -30 °C to 45 °C.

Designed for compatibility with standard lithium-ion manufacturing lines, this silicon platform requires no pre-lithiation or cell compression. It utilizes a proprietary conductive matrix that maintains both mechanical stability and electrical performance without requiring additional structural components or process modifications. Independent laboratories and global automotive companies have already verified the platform’s performance, according to Sionic’s announcement.

Currently, pouch-format prototypes have been shipped to Tier 1 and Tier 2 battery producers and leading automotive companies for evaluation. The company confirmed cylindrical cell platform pilot production will begin in Q4 2025, followed by prismatic-format platform pilots in Q1 2026. The platform is packaged as a licensed product, which includes a flexible intellectual property package, material specification sheets and on-site technology transfer assistance, which Sionic says significantly reduces scale-up risks for cell manufacturers.

“This platform removes the barriers that have held full silicon back for years—complexity, cost and inflexibility,” said Ed Williams, CEO of Sionic Energy. “Through innovations in proprietary materials and designs, we’ve engineered the complexity out. Our Rapid Integration Silicon Platform slots into today’s equipment, removes graphite entirely and enables cell makers and product companies to license a high performance, ready-to-build reference platform, eliminating extensive R&D efforts and delivering the speed and agility needed to compete in today’s battery markets.”

Additionally, Sionic emphasized that all base silicon and other core materials for the platform are sourced from qualified suppliers within the US, ensuring domestic supply chain compliance.

Source: Sionic Energy