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The White House finally admits they need Tesla and Elon Musk’s help
Last month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk met with Senior White House officials John Podesta and Mitch Landrieu to discuss the potential of expanding the automaker’s industry-leading charging network to include non-Tesla electric vehicles. The White House finally admitted they couldn’t push sustainability forward at the rate they’d like without Tesla and Musk.
Since the Biden Administration took over the White House, they have been slow to recognize the progress that both Tesla and Musk have contributed to the EV industry. Love him or hate him, Musk is a pioneer when it comes to passenger transportation. If it was not for him and Tesla, it is more than likely that EVs would not be as popular or relevant as they are today.
The details of the White House meeting between Musk, Podesta, and Landrieu remained under wraps until The Washington Post spoke to two people with knowledge of it. The sources explained that Tesla was open to potentially working with the Biden Administration on relinquishing exclusive access to its charging network and instead expanding it to include other EV manufacturers, whether they are legacy companies or startups.
Even still, Tesla did not completely commit to the idea. As I discussed yesterday, the Tesla Supercharger Network is one of the biggest (and, in my opinion, the biggest) advantages the company has. Everyone already knows that Tesla has a wide lineup of vehicles, it now has a commercial truck with the Semi, and it also is working toward launching the Cybertruck, its first pickup.
The 43,000+ Superchargers in the world, with many of them in the United States, offer reliability, consistency, and an excellent footprint that sprawls from high-traffic highways to even rural America. Many are situated near convenience stores, hotels, and other sources of entertainment.
But while Tesla has been building out its expansive network of charging piles, increasing manufacturing capacity, and disrupting the entire automotive sector, it has not won the recognition of the Commander in Chief. Instead, Biden has focused on other companies, like General Motors, and we all know the infamous “You did it, Mary” quote. Nothing against GM, they are making strides in their own right, but it is just plain unfair not to give Tesla and Musk the recognition they so much deserve.
The White House has put billions in government funding aside to help spur the use of sustainability. EVs are one of the biggest contributors to this effort, as most people will end up in a vehicle of some kind throughout their day. However, the White House has not loved mentioning Musk or Tesla by name specifically, and Musk has noticed. So have his biggest supporters.
Tesla’s absence from White House EV event sidestepped in Pete Buttigieg interview
But the Biden White House is reaching a breaking point. With Tesla contributing so much to the EV infrastructure and its goals of establishing 500,000 new EV charging stations in the U.S. market, it is time to swallow the pride that the administration has shown and just ask Tesla if they’d consider it. It finally happened, and the ball now lies in Tesla’s court.
Numerous things have happened that point in the direction of Tesla potentially opening the Supercharger Network to competitors. First, Tesla has been testing the idea through a Pilot Program in Europe. It is open in fifteen countries, the most recent being Italy, which Tesla added in November. It also recently expanded to Australia.
Next, the White House said last year that Tesla would “begin production of new Supercharger equipment that will enable non-Tesla EV drivers in North America to use Tesla Superchargers.”
Finally, Tesla leaked details on what it calls “the Magic Dock” earlier this year in its smartphone app. This showed a potential CCS-compatible connector being added to Supercharger piles, enabling other EVs to charge.
It is a big decision because there is a slice of $7.5 billion at stake here, which Tesla could utilize for its own charging capabilities. To qualify for it, however, the company has to enable other EVs to charge at its Superchargers.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
News
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia has grown to an impressive 5,615,201 articles as of today, closing in on 79% of the English Wikipedia’s current total of 7,119,376 articles.
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago. Needless to say, it would only be a matter of time before Grokipedia exceeds English Wikipedia in sheer volume.
Grokipedia’s rapid growth
xAI’s vision for Grokipedia emphasizes neutrality, while Grok’s reasoning capabilities allow for fast drafting and fact-checking. When Elon Musk announced the initiative in late September 2025, he noted that Grokipedia would be an improvement to Wikipedia because it would be designed to avoid bias.
At the time, Musk noted that Grokipedia “is a necessary step towards the xAI goal of understanding the Universe.”
Grokipedia was launched in late October, and while xAI was careful to list it only as Version 0.1 at the time, the online encyclopedia immediately earned praise. Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger highlighted the project’s innovative approach, noting how it leverages AI to fill knowledge gaps and enable rapid updates. Netizens also observed how Grokipedia tends to present articles in a more objective manner compared to Wikipedia, which is edited by humans.
Elon Musk’s ambitious plans
With 5,615,201 total articles, Grokipedia has now grown to almost 79% of English Wikipedia’s article base. This is incredibly quick, though Grokipedia remains text-only for now. xAI, for its part, has now updated the online encyclopedia’s iteration to v0.2.
Elon Musk has shared bold ideas for Grokipedia, including sending a record of the entire knowledge base to space as part of xAI’s mission to preserve and expand human understanding. At some point, Musk stated that Grokipedia will be renamed to Encyclopedia Galactica, and it will be sent to the cosmos.
“When Grokipedia is good enough (long way to go), we will change the name to Encyclopedia Galactica. It will be an open source distillation of all knowledge, including audio, images and video. Join xAI to help build the sci-fi version of the Library of Alexandria!” Musk wrote, adding in a later post that “Copies will be etched in stone and sent to the Moon, Mars and beyond. This time, it will not be lost.”
News
Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
More than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3.
The Tesla Model 3 became the most popular used electric car in the Netherlands in 2025, cementing its dominance well beyond the country’s new-car market.
After years at the top of Dutch EV sales charts, the Model 3 now leads the country’s second-hand EV market by a wide margin, as record used-car purchases pushed electric vehicles further into the mainstream.
Model 3 takes a commanding lead
The Netherlands recorded more than 2.1 million used car sales last year, the highest level on record. Of those, roughly 4.8%, or about 102,000 vehicles, were electric. Within that growing segment, the Tesla Model 3 stood far ahead of its competitors.
In 2025 alone, 11,338 used Model 3s changed hands, giving the car an 11.1% share of the country’s entire used EV market. That means more than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3, Auto Week Netherlands reported. The scale of its lead is striking: the gap between the Model 3 and the second-place finisher, the Volkswagen ID3, is more than 6,700 vehicles.
Rivals trail as residual values shape rankings
The Volkswagen ID.3 ranked a distant second, with 4,595 used units sold and a 4.5% market share. Close behind was the Audi e-tron, which placed third with 4,236 registrations. As noted by Auto Week Netherlands, relatively low residual values likely boosted the e-tron’s appeal in the used market, despite its higher original price.
Other strong performers included the Kia Niro, the Tesla Model Y, and the Hyundai Kona, highlighting continued demand for compact and midsize electric vehicles with proven range and reliability. No other model, however, came close to matching the Model 3’s scale or market presence.
News
Tesla Model Y Standard Long Range RWD launches in Europe
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Tesla has expanded the Model Y lineup in Europe with the introduction of the Standard Long Range RWD variant, which offers an impressive 657 km of WLTP range.
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Model Y Standard Long Range RWD Details
Tesla Europe & Middle East highlighted some of the Model Y Standard Long Range RWD’s most notable specs, from its 657 km of WLTP range to its 2,118 liters of cargo volume. More importantly, Tesla also noted that the newly released variant only consumes 12.7 kWh per 100 km, making it the most efficient Model Y to date.
The Model Y Standard provides a lower entry point for consumers who wish to enter the Tesla ecosystem at the lowest possible price. While the Model 3 Standard is still more affordable, some consumers might prefer the Model Y Standard due to its larger size and crossover form factor. The fact that the Model Y Standard is equipped with Tesla’s AI4 computer also makes it ready for FSD’s eventual rollout to the region.
Top Gear’s Model Y Standard review
Top Gear‘s recent review of the Tesla Model Y Standard highlighted some of the vehicle’s most notable features, such as its impressive real-world range, stellar infotainment system, and spacious interior. As per the publication, the Model Y Standard still retains a lot of what makes Tesla’s vehicles well-rounded, even if it’s been equipped with a simplified interior.
Top Gear compared the Model Y Standard to its rivals in the same segment. “The introduction of the Standard trim brings the Model Y in line with the entry price of most of its closest competition. In fact, it’s actually cheaper than a Peugeot e-3008 and costs £5k less than an entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron. It also makes the Ford Mustang Mach-E look a little short with its higher entry price and worse range,” the publication wrote.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
