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Elon Musk claims Tesla's pickup will cost less than $50,000

Ben Geman, author of Generate

Photo: Xinhua via Getty Images

Tesla CEO Elon Musk made some news in his newly posted interview with the Tesla-focused "Ride the Lightning" podcast, when he said the company's planned pickup truck will cost less than $50,000, InsideEVs reports.

Why it matters: Pickups are hugely popular, so the ability of automakers to penetrate that market with electrics will ultimately be an important part of the wider effort to push cars with plugs into the mainstream.

  • "This seems an impossible figure given the fact that other Tesla products (aside from the Model 3) start at a price that's much higher," cautions Inside EVs' Eric Loveday in the article.

Musk also said on the podcast that the Model Y, a small SUV that's supposed to go into production next year, will likely be produced at the company's Fremont, California, plant.

  • MarketWatch writes: "Musk said that Fremont is the 'default plan' because it would be quicker than starting an assembly facility at Tesla's gigafactory in Sparks, Nev."

The big picture: The New York Times has a new piece today about investor skepticism toward the Silicon Valley electric automaker.

  • "[I]t is not just the stock that is tumbling. The price of Tesla bonds has fallen, while the cost of insuring its debt against default has surged. The moves suggest a greater wariness about Tesla's long-term fate."

Go deeper: SUVs and trucks will drive the electric vehicle revolution

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Collins helps contractor before pro-Susan PAC gets donation

Sen. Susan Collins during her reelection campaign. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images

A PAC backing Sen. Susan Collins in her high-stakes reelection campaign received $150,000 from an entity linked to the wife of a defense contractor whose firm Collins helped land a federal contract, new public records show.

Why it matters: The executive, Martin Kao of Honolulu, leaned heavily on his political connections to boost his business, federal prosecutors say in an ongoing criminal case against him. The donation linked to Kao was veiled until last week.

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Lachlan Markay
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

How cutting GOP corporate cash could backfire

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Companies pulling back on political donations, particularly to members of Congress who voted against certifying President Biden's election win, could inadvertently push Republicans to embrace their party's rightward fringe.

Why it matters: Scores of corporate PACs have paused, scaled back or entirely abandoned their political giving programs. While designed to distance those companies from events that coincided with this month's deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol, research suggests the moves could actually empower the far-right.

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Alayna Treene, author of Sneak Peek
5 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Kaine, Collins pitch Senate colleagues on censuring Trump

Sen. Tim Kaine speaks with Sen. Susan Collins. Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP via Getty Images

Sens. Tim Kaine and Susan Collins are privately pitching their colleagues on a bipartisan resolution censuring former President Trump, three sources familiar with the discussions tell Axios.

Why it matters: Senators are looking for a way to condemn Trump on the record as it becomes increasingly unlikely Democrats will obtain the 17 Republican votes needed to gain a conviction in his second impeachment.

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