#ElonMusk

Tesla has the best-selling EV in the world, but that hasn’t made the automaker immune to cost-cutting measures. A recent report describes an internal memo that asked managers to justify their teams’ employment.

The long-rumored affordable, entry-level Tesla is almost here – maybe. Four years after the automaker first said it would build a cheaper EV, it appears things are in motion. Tesla reportedly alerted suppliers that it would start building a mass-market compact crossover in the middle of 2025, which would become one of the most affordable electric models on sale if it becomes a reality.

Marijuana is legal in several states, and you can even order ketamine from a Facebook ad. What you do behind closed doors is, in most cases, your business, but what about if you’re the CEO of several companies with combined values in the hundreds of billions of dollars? That’s a question Tesla’s board members are facing, as CEO Elon Musk’s alleged drug use has been plastered across the internet and news stations everywhere.

Lost a bit in the holiday rush here at TTAC was a new Reuters story about Tesla blaming the buyers of its cars for parts failures.

Now that I've had nearly a week to digest the Tesla Cybertruck news, I've come to the conclusion that the Cybertruck will neither revolutionize the automotive market nor be such a flop that it kills Tesla.

Elon Musk has no trouble generating words, both the ones that come out of his mouth (and keyboard fingers) and the ones that breathlessly recap the first type. There was the post on X agreeing with an antisemitic statement, though Musk later apologized. More recently, the controversial CEO shared his thoughts (again) on unions, saying that he believes a Tesla employee union would be a mistake, among many other statements.

The Tesla Cybertruck is due for an official release next week, but the slow, steady drip of information isn’t stopping. According to forum users in Southern California, the automaker has two Cybertrucks on display at a mall in San Diego, and they claim to have new specs to share.

We’re just a few weeks away from the four-year anniversary of the Tesla Cybertruck reveal event. The announcement understandably made huge waves in the auto industry and everywhere else, honestly, but that excitement hasn’t survived the several-year wait for many people. Videos like this one aren’t helping the truck’s case, either, as it appears to be struggling with a relatively straightforward off-road obstacle.

Elon Musk’s Twitter – umm, X – finger has led him into quite a bit of controversy over the years, including some that ended in the courtroom. Earlier this year, Musk echoed claims that a California college student was involved in a public confrontation between two neo-Nazi groups in Oregon. That turned out not to be true, but the Tesla CEO tweeted about it anyway, and the victim at the center of the hoax is now suing.

Tesla builds cars, sells carbon credits, and operates an extensive EV charging network in the U.S., but its resume could be expanding. CEO Elon Musk hinted at building a diner and drive-in movie theater alongside a Tesla charging station in Southern California years ago, and it now appears the plan could become a reality, as Teslarati reported that the automaker got approval from local officials to proceed.

The internet is full of photos and videos of Tesla vehicles with misaligned body panels and quality control problems upon delivery. CEO Elon Musk is on guard as the automaker’s most anticipated vehicle launch in years approaches, as one of his recent emails surfaced that shows him telling engineering teams that manufacturing tolerances for the truck must be perfect.

Tesla has long avoided advertising, opting instead to use the money to improve its products, or at least that’s what CEO Elon Musk initially said. That said, he’s changed his tune, and purchasing an ad-funded social media likely played a role. Musk recently told shareholders that Tesla would “try out a little advertising and see how it goes.”

We've often worried about inappropriate surveillance via in-car cameras. Sometimes, I personally wonder if that's irrational paranoia. A new report concerning Tesla suggests it probably isn't.

Telsa's Investor Day will be starting soon after this publishes -- and I am wondering what, if anything, you're expecting in terms of news from the company.

On Tuesday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced that Tesla will be building a plant south of the border. Confirmation comes following a call with CEO Elon Musk – held on Monday – with promises that the American company would be issuing a series of commitments designed to address regional water scarcity. The alleged plant is said to be located in Monterrey, which has historically struggled to cope with drought.