Lifestyle
My journey to the Model 3 event: Not paying attention to airlines

I was unable to select seats for the return flight to Philadelphia from LAX when booking, but brushed it off. The adrenaline was still in full force after learning about being selected for the Model 3 unveiling event, and I was in a rush to secure the most affordable flights left. On the way there, my husband and I will be in the middle seats of two consecutive rows. At least we’re not too far back on the plane, as time will be limited between arrival and the start of the event. I hear folks in LA are always late, but that’s not how I roll. My plan is to step onto the Tesla property no later than 6:59pm.
Wednesday evening, I was pondering what to wear to the event. As I started mentally packing, I realized that for being in LA fewer than 48 hours, I’d need very little clothes. Shoes are the problem. One decent pair for the event and one comfortable pair for everything else would be needed. There’s no good way for a woman to get around packing a second pair of shoes. That is, unless she’s willing to wear heels through an airport. No thanks. Even just one carry-on plus our little under seat “trolley tote” will be plenty large for both of us to pack a second pair, despite the fact that a second pair of men’s shoes usually takes up at least 1/4 of the available space in the carry-on.
Thursday morning, I took to Google to see how I could go about selecting seats for our return flights. Spirit Airlines is who that flight is with. I navigated to their website not yet knowing what they were all about. Then it happened: I learned that Spirit is a no frills airline with zero unnecessary services: no drinks, snacks or free carry-on bags. They allow you to take on one personal item each. This personal item can be no larger than 16” x 14” x 12”. Carry-on bags cost $40 each! A checked bag a little less at $35. That assumes you purchase that option before you check in to the flight. Prices rise from there.
As soon as I got home I ran for the tape measure. My beloved trolley tote fits a generous amount of clothing. Whew, it just barely meets the size restrictions. That handles one of our free personal items. The other will need a bag with easy access to the bag o’ liquids, iPad, chapstick, earbuds and the like. Usually, a small tote bag works for this purpose, but now my husband and I are challenging ourselves to make our entire luggage needs fit within the confines of each having one small personal item, so a simple tote bag won’t do.
I went through our collection and found nothing else that worked. Anything that met the size limit was too small to reasonably add clothing to and did not take advantage of the generous 12″ thickness.
Apparently, I’m the last to know about Spirit Airlines. 2 minutes on Amazon.com told me there were plenty of luggage pieces marketed as fitting within their restrictions. Buying new luggage defeats the purpose of trying to save on bag fees. Adding a low quality piece to our collection is pointless as well. The next best option was a very low cost bag – $16 for a simple nylon tote – that took the best advantage of all three dimensions.
But marriage, in a nutshell, is explained by what happened next. I told my husband about the $16 bag during halftime of the Duke game. He said hang on and went to the garage. Our garage is well organized, as is the rest of our home, so I had no idea what he was getting at. It turns out, he recently brought home his fourth company logo bag since he started working there under a year ago: a small duffle. It was in the garage presumably because he was hiding it from me. That bag hadn’t yet made it into the house since being brought home because dear husband knew I’d complain that we didn’t need more “stuff.” Like most Americans, we have too much already. An entire closet is dedicated to luggage, and none of the duffle type bags in there have ever been used. But in this moment, tape measure in hand, I was pretty happy to see that duffle.
I guess I won’t be walking through the airport in heels after all. Besides, Spirit’s self processed “cozy” seats will likely hand me more than enough discomfort for one day.
See recent posts from Electric Jen.
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Lifestyle
Tesla Semi futuristic sci-fi acceleration sound will never get old
Videos that capture the Semi moving at speed are most notable due to their sheer cool factor.

The Tesla Semi is not yet in mass production, but the company has accumulated over 7.9 million miles across its test fleet. With Tesla using the Semi for its operations, it is no surprise that sightings of the Class 8 all-electric truck have been abounding.
These sightings from Tesla enthusiasts vary, but those that capture the the Class 8 all-electric truck moving at speed are most notable, possibly due to their sheer cool factor.
Tesla Semi’s Roar
There is something that just stands out with the Semi, particularly on the road. While the Semi does not have the Cybertruck’s brutalist, angular design, it is still very striking because it’s such a massive machine that moves far too quietly for its size. This is, of course, one of the reasons why the vehicle also becomes extra noteworthy when it fires up its electric motors and accelerates.
Take this video from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, for example, which shows the all-electric hauler accelerating while pulling what appears to be a full load. In these situations, the Tesla Semi actually becomes audible, but unlike traditional diesel-powered truck, the Class 8 all-electric truck “roars” with its own, unique futuristic, sci-fi sound. In such situations, one could feel the Semi’s raw power, which comes from its three independent motors on its rear axles.
Tesla Semi Ramp
Tesla has been promoting the Semi quite a bit as of late, and recent reports have suggested that the company is putting in a lot of effort to prepare the vehicle for its production in Nevada. Tesla’s Careers website has gone live with over 80 Semi-related job openings recently as well, and a recent report has suggested that Tesla has ramped the Semi’s factory workers in Nevada to over 1,000 employees.
The company has even shared an update video of the Semi factory’s progress near Giga Nevada, as well as the design of the vehicle’s new logo. The Semi’s updated logo is quite interesting as it features elements from the Tesla Model 3’s first logo, which was unveiled way back in 2016.
Lifestyle
Elon Musk jokes he will join Mr Beast’s “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla” challenge
It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again.

Following the first quarter Tesla earnings call, CEO Elon Musk seems to have become a bit more relaxed—relaxed enough to joke about fighting a gorilla with 99 other people, at least.
It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again and not too busy picking fights with politicians on social media.
The Viral 100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge
Over the weekend, a post on social media platform X went viral. The post itself was quite simple, with user @DreamChasnMike stating that he thinks 100 men could beat one gorilla. “Everybody just gotta be dedicated to the sh*t,” the X user joked. The post exploded on the platform, garnering 284 million impressions as of writing.
The silly question also triggered a massive debate about whether 100 men would really stand a chance against a literal gorilla. Some users even lamented that the premise was a sign of male hubris. Nevertheless, the question proved to be a fun topic on X, with some more dedicated users even posting simulated videos of what the “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge” could look like.
Mr. Beast and Elon Musk Join In
The premise is quite similar to other viral videos from noted YouTube creator Mr. Beast, so it was no surprise that edited images of Mr. Beast YouTube thumbnails with “100 Men vs a Gorilla” also started spreading on the social media platform. Mr. Beast, who tends to be game to such silly ideas, actually reposted the edited image, joking “Need 100 men to test this, any volunteers?”
In true Elon Musk fashion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO noted that he would join the challenge. “Sure, what’s the worst that could happen” Musk wrote in his post on X. Musk’s reply triggered quite a few laughs on X, with some stating that the world probably still needs the CEO.
While silly, Musk’s comment and his recent, more frequent posts about his companies’ products like Starlink and Grok have been received well by his supporters. Over the past months, after all, Musk has been very political and quite confrontational on social media. With Musk soon taking a step back from the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) daily operations, however, it seems like X will soon get a more tempered and lighthearted Elon Musk once more.
Lifestyle
Possible first glimpse of Tesla “Model 2” affordable car in Fremont Factory
The models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.

During the Q1 earnings call, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy set expectations on the design of the affordable models that the company is expected to launch this 2025. As per the Tesla executive, the models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.
Drone footage from the Fremont Factory earlier this month might have provided the EV community its first potential glimpse at Tesla’s affordable cars–fondly dubbed by EV fans and analysts as the “Model 2” or even “Model Q”–or at least their components and overall shape.
The Sighting
Tesla watcher and drone operator Met God in Wilderness, who has been posting aerial videos of the Fremont Factory for years now, recently shared some footage from his drone flyovers this month. While the Fremont Factory was abuzz with activity as usual, a couple of rather strange vehicles were quickly spotted by EV watchers on social media.
During the drone operator’s flyover on the 17th, for example, an unfinished vehicle could be seen parked next to what appeared to be fully-built Model S and Model Y units. What was especially interesting was the vehicle’s roof, which seemed to be slightly narrower than the Model Ys around it. Based on the video, at least, the vehicle seemed to be shaped like a crossover as well.
Footage from the 24th of April also proved quite interesting, with the drone operator capturing footage of another cryptic vehicle. Unlike the mysterious, unfinished, crossover-esque car spotted on the 17th, this particular unit seemed to have a more sloping rear, at least based on the shape of its covering.
What Lars Moravy Said
In Tesla’s Q1 2025 Update Letter, Tesla noted that “plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025.” Tesla also noted that the new vehicles will utilize aspects of its next generation and its current platforms. They will also be produced on the same manufacturing lines as its present vehicle lineup, likely the Model Y and Model 3.
During the earnings call itself, Moravy specifically stated that the new models that would come out in the next months would resemble the company’s current vehicles. They will, however, be affordable. “Models that come out in next months will be built on our lines and will resemble, in form and shape, the cars we currently make. And the key is that they’ll be affordable, and you’ll be able to buy one,” Moravy stated.
Watch the drone operator’s footage from April 17 below.
The drone operator’s footage from April 24 can be viewed below.
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