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Recruiting for Tesla Destination Charging Locations

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Back in November of last year, I had a clear mission: Find independently owned restaurants that appear to own and operate their own private parking lots near Wilkes-Barre, PA. (eg: Not a chain and not in or around a mall.) My reason: There are no destination chargers in the area, and PA is quite underserved by Tesla Superchargers.

My result: Breaker Brewing Company

Tesla-Destination-Charging-Breaker-Brewing-Co-Logo

On that day I decided to send an unsolicited email to the contact email address listed on the Breaker Brewing Company’s website. The email concisely mentioned Tesla car charging, explained how Northeastern PA was a charging dead zone, dropped the destination charging program URL and asked someone to call me to discuss.

Pretty immediately, I spoke with an owner named Mark whose interest mostly related to the electrical requirements of the charger. I told him I would be in the area on Friday the 27th and would visit his restaurant to eat and show him the car. I also recruited another Tesla owner/enthusiast who was in town for the Thanksgiving holiday and we both brought our Teslas for a nice meal and chat.

Mark showed me the parking space he had “in mind” for the chargers and asked me if I would be willing to throw in the required breakers. It was at this point I realize that he assumed I somehow worked with the destination charging program. Slightly embarrassed, I explained that I was just an owner who saw a great opportunity and urged him to get ahold of Tesla for real and see what they were offering. I knew the perks included the equipment itself, as well as map placement on both the destination charging webpage as well as on the in-car navigation system. What I didn’t know was how much else Mark could get from them in terms of materials to install or even installation reimbursement. I had heard rumors that both were possible but wanted to make no representations of anything other than what I have learned from official Tesla sources.

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The meal was very pleasant, with a level of food quality that surprised me and a very unique setting in a former school building. It was truly an excellent lunch! (I’m working on my level of food snobbery, but being from a major city, I expect no greater than the Olive Garden when visiting Wilkes-Barre.) The conversation with a fellow owner was even more enjoyable. This owner had previously volunteered his time and his car to hold a show-and-tell type event at a local school. Regardless of what happened with the charger, I knew I’d be back here.

“consider making a phone call to a local business owner … you might just surprise yourself with what happens next”

January 15, 2016

“Hi, Our Tesla charging stations are now connected and ready to go…” Just like that, an email from Mark gave me the best news I’ve gotten thus far this year. In under two month’s time, a web search, quick email and short phone conversation turned into two Tesla High Power Wall Connectors (HPWC) right along a major interstate highway (I-81) that is not just for hotel guest use, as is often the case in the destination charging program, but rather an accessible, affordable and enjoyable restaurant and microbrewery that anyone would be glad to spend an hour visiting. (Because, you know, destination.)

Photo courtesy Mark Lehman, Breaker Brewing Company

Tesla HPWC at Breaker Brewing Company in Wilkes-Barre, PA

If you know of a geographical location that is as of yet unserved by Superchargers, or wish there was a destination charger, consider making a phone call to a local business owner. You might just surprise yourself with what happens next. My experience certainly included a lot of luck and an awesome business owner, but also a little strategy. I quickly realized that an area casino was too large a business for my phone calls to be routed to someone who could actually make a decision so I focused on a restaurant. Your experiences may vary but it certainly can’t hurt to share this program with a business owner who very likely knows not of its existence.

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Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

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(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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