U.S. state of Nevada approved Tesla, Uber and Waymo to operate commercial robotaxis in Clark County. Nevada transport authorities unanimously passed the three permits. That could allow up to 8,000 robotaxis to be deployed in Clark County, home to Las Vegas, over the next 12 months.

Tesla received the largest permit, for up to 5,000 vehicles. Waymo can operate 1,000 autonomous vehicles over the next year, and Uber can also operate 1,000 robotaxis.

• Tesla, Uber and Waymo approved to run thousands of robotaxis in Nevada

Waymo is speeding up internalisation of technology by designing the in-vehicle computing system that is a core of autonomous driving technology. It is also expanding its robotaxi service in the United States, increasing both hardware competitiveness and the scale of its real-world service. Its in-house chip delivers computing performance in the 1,000 TOPS class, while it continues a strategy of cooperation with Nvidia and AMD.

• Waymo makes its own 1,000 trillion-operations autonomous driving chip, still cooperates with Nvidia and AMD • Waymo opens up fully in Ohio, available for anyone to hail in 3 U.S. cities

Tesla is pushing ahead simultaneously with development and product launches in next-generation technology from autonomous driving to robots and sports cars. With it forecasting major performance improvements in FSD v15, attention is also growing over replacing existing vehicles’ HW3 with HW4 and over the background to delays in launching the next-generation Roadster.

• Tesla forecasts a 'major leap' in FSD v15, aims to sell Optimus in the second half of 2027 • Tesla said HW3-to-HW4 self-replacement is difficult, but a hands-on test found it 'simpler than expected' • Why is the Tesla Roadster launch delayed? Because of SpaceX hovering technology integration

An owner who has driven a Tesla Model 3 for 5 years said it would choose rear-wheel drive rather than long-range all-wheel drive if picking again, drawing attention. Junichi Yamazaki (야마자키 준이치), a contributor to a foreign media outlet, laid out selection criteria based on real-world experience for people considering buying a Tesla and for users who have recently taken delivery of a vehicle.

• Advice from a Tesla owner who kept it for 5 years: Choose the latest RWD over long range

Tesla also made official the European launch of its electric truck Semi. Tesla will disclose specifications and a launch plan for the European version of the Semi at IAA Transportation in Hanover, Germany next month.

The basic specifications for vehicles to be deployed in Europe are expected to be in the same direction as the model currently being produced in Nevada. Tesla presented two trims when it unveiled final specifications in February. Standard range is 325 miles, about 523 km, and long range is 500 miles, about 800 km. Both models have an 800 kW-class three-motor drivetrain and 1,072 horsepower output. Charging supports a megacharger of up to 1.2 MW class.

Swedish electric and autonomous truck company Einride will also introduce 500 Tesla Semis to expand its North American freight transport business. It is the largest deal among Tesla Semi contracts disclosed so far.

• Tesla makes official Europe expansion for electric truck Semi, to disclose specifications and launch plan at IAA in September • Einride to buy 500 Tesla Semis for deployment to Amazon and others in biggest-ever deal

Competition in the domestic mobility market is intensifying not only over vehicle product competitiveness but also over AI and data that support autonomous driving. Genesis is moving to target the premium electric vehicle market through its ultra-large SUV GV90. Kakao Mobility and Socar are seeking to strengthen future mobility competitiveness by advancing autonomous driving models and commercialising data products, respectively.

• Genesis GV90 unveiled, from coach doors to a refrigerator • Kakao Mobility advances autonomous driving end-to-end model, strengthens collection of Gangnam edge cases • Socar commercialises customised autonomous driving data products by region and vehicle type

The global push by Chinese electric vehicles is expanding beyond sales into competition in core technology. As Chinese companies rapidly increase export volumes in overseas markets and pressure U.S. and Japanese automakers, Geely is accelerating efforts to secure next-generation EV technology by moving to verify a 500 Wh/kg-class solid-state battery in a real vehicle.

• U.S. and Japanese automakers on alert as China steps up EV export offensive • China’s Geely verifies a 500 Wh/kg solid-state battery in a real vehicle, pilot application in 2027

Understanding battery management and charging methods is becoming more important to drive an electric vehicle for a long time and save on maintenance costs. As harsh driving environments can accelerate battery degradation, drivers need to be careful about driving habits. It is also necessary to look at ways to reduce additional electricity charges and charging losses when charging an EV at home.

• To make an EV battery last longer, avoid 'this' as harsh driving makes degradation 2.5 times worse • Additional electricity charges apply for home EV charging; how to cut losses

British folding electric bicycle company FLIT introduced a new model weighing 13.3 kg. It reduced weight versus existing products while keeping a folding structure and riding convenience. It is moving to target the market by putting forward a lower price than rival Brompton.

• Ultra-light 13.3 kg folding e-bike 'M2i' appears, half the price of Brompton and lighter