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Tesla Model S with cryptic ‘deep crimson’ paint spotted at SpaceX headquarters

Tesla Model S with new paint color. (Photo via Ryan McCaffrey of the Ride the Lightning Podcast)

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In recent interactions on Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk mentioned that he is particularly excited about a new paint option called “deep crimson,” which would be offered on vehicles that are produced in Gigafactory Berlin. A recent photo taken of a Model S at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, may have just revealed what the mysterious shade could look like. 

Tesla owner Ryan McCaffrey, who also hosts the Ride the Lightning Podcast, was recently given a rather interesting set of photos by one of his listeners. The images were quite unique since they feature a Model S painted in a shade that’s currently unavailable in Tesla’s current configurator. The paint itself is close to red, and it’s very reminiscent of the “crimson” shade used by other automakers. 

https://twitter.com/DMC_Ryan/status/1287966900442419202?s=20

What’s even more interesting is that the Model S was parked at a reserved spot in the SpaceX headquarters. In a conversation with Teslarati, the Ride the Lightning host remarked that his listener is quite sure that the vehicle is actually painted and not just wrapped. There is also strong speculation that the Model S is currently being used by none other than CEO Elon Musk himself.  

Elon Musk has stated that Gigafactory Berlin will have a next generation paint shop that would allow the company to offer new, unique shades to customers. Musk was quite optimistic about Giga Berlin’s paint shop, stating that vehicles from the plant will have “more layers of stunning colors that subtly change with curvature.” Additionally, Musk further stated that such upgrades will be rolled out to vehicles manufactured in Fremont and Gigafactory Shanghai as well. 

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Tesla Model S with new paint color. (Photo via Ryan McCaffrey of the Ride the Lightning Podcast)

Tesla may only offer a handful of paint options today, but there was a time when the company was quite generous with its cars’ paint choices. The original Tesla Roadster, for example, had a whopping 13 different colors, and they included cool, playful ones like Racing Green, Brilliant Yellow, Very Orange, Twilight Blue, and Electric Blue. These colors help the original Roadsters stand out today, even when they are beside their newer, more futuristic siblings. 

The Model S started off with some unique colors as well, such as Signature Red, Green Metallic, and Brown Metallic. Overall, it is quite exciting to see Tesla expanding its paint options at this point. The company, after all, is already sailing on calmer waters with four profitable quarters. Its mass market vehicles, the Model 3 and the Model Y, are also gaining ground. With new paint options, Tesla could add more dimensions to its vehicle lineup, making them even more attractive to mainstream consumers. 

A crimson paint job on a Ford Mustang. The shade of red in this vehicle and in the Model S at the SpaceX headquarters is quite similar. (Credit: paintref.com)

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.

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Credit: ANCAP

The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.

The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring. 

This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.

The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.  

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.

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“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.

“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.

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Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade

Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.

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Credit: Tesla Charging/X

Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.

Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.

Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error. 

More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report. 

Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.

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Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.

Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.

“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted. 

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Elon Musk’s X goes down as users report major outage Friday morning

Error messages and stalled loading screens quickly spread across the service, while outage trackers recorded a sharp spike in user reports.

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Credit: Linda Yaccarino/X

Elon Musk’s X experienced an outage Friday morning, leaving large numbers of users unable to access the social media platform.

Error messages and stalled loading screens quickly spread across the service, while outage trackers recorded a sharp spike in user reports.

Downdetector reports

Users attempting to open X were met with messages such as “Something went wrong. Try reloading,” often followed by an endless spinning icon that prevented access, according to a report from Variety. Downdetector data showed that reports of problems surged rapidly throughout the morning.

As of 10:52 a.m. ET, more than 100,000 users had reported issues with X. The data indicated that 56% of complaints were tied to the mobile app, while 33% were related to the website and roughly 10% cited server connection problems. The disruption appeared to begin around 10:10 a.m. ET, briefly eased around 10:35 a.m., and then returned minutes later.

Credit: Downdetector

Previous disruptions

Friday’s outage was not an isolated incident. X has experienced multiple high-profile service interruptions over the past two years. In November, tens of thousands of users reported widespread errors, including “Internal server error / Error code 500” messages. Cloudflare-related error messages were also reported.

In March 2025, the platform endured several brief outages spanning roughly 45 minutes, with more than 21,000 reports in the U.S. and 10,800 in the U.K., according to Downdetector. Earlier disruptions included an outage in August 2024 and impairments to key platform features in July 2023.

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