

News
Tesla Semi’s temporary ‘Megacharger’ system glimpsed in Madonna Inn sighting
More than a year since unveiling the vehicle, Tesla continues to conduct real-world tests of the Semi across the United States. In its recent sighting, the Semi was spotted while it was charging at the iconic and quirky Madonna Inn, located at San Luis Obispo, CA. This time around, the sighting provided what could very well be the first glimpse at Tesla’s temporary “Megacharger” solution for the Semi test mule.
When Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla Semi, he noted that the vehicle would be supported by a network of “Megachargers,” which are capable of replenishing 400 miles of range in as little as 30 minutes of charging. Unlike the Supercharger Network, which has a power output of roughly 120 kW, speculations are high that Tesla’s Megacharger will see around ten times the power levels. During the vehicle’s unveiling, an image was taken of the long-hauler’s charging port, revealing an 8-pin configuration that’s noticeably larger than the Supercharger ports found on the Model S, X, and 3.
Tesla’s Megacharger Network is yet to be built, though some reservation holders of the long-hauler are already installing dedicated charging stations for the Semi in some of their key facilities. Considering that the Semi test mule is currently conducting real-world tests across the United States, though, Tesla has been utilizing a temporary charging solution for the vehicle using its existing Supercharger Network. That said, the electric car maker has been notably secretive about the Semi prototype’s temporary “Megacharger” system. That is, until recently.
- The Tesla Semi charging at the Madonna Inn Supercharger. [Credit: jerryswhip/Instagram]
- The Tesla Semi charging at the Madonna Inn Supercharger. [Credit: jerryswhip/Instagram]
- The Tesla Semi charging at the Madonna Inn Supercharger. [Credit: jerryswhip/Instagram]
The Tesla Semi charging at the Madonna Inn Supercharger. [Credit: jerryswhip/Instagram]
During the vehicle’s recent sighting at Madonna Inn, a part of the Semi’s charger was photographed and shared online by auto enthusiast jerryswhip on Instagram. A member of the r/TeslaMotors subreddit who was present at the Semi’s sighting, u/Jace11, further noted that the long-hauler was connected to a hub that was, in turn, linked to three Supercharger stations. This hub seems to be visible in one of the images taken of the vehicle, as a contraption with a red light could be seen in the area beside the Semi’s charging port.
Following its charging session at the Madonna Inn Supercharger, the Semi headed back into the highway towards San Francisco. Footage taken by Tesla enthusiast Steven M. Conroy showcased the Semi’s impressive speed once more, while capturing the vehicle’s unique, unearthly sound as it accelerated on the freeway. At several points in the video, the now-iconic futuristic whine of the vehicle’s four Model 3-derived electric motors was clearly audible.
- The Tesla Semi charging at the Madonna Inn Supercharger. [Credit: jerryswhip/Instagram]
- The Tesla Semi charging at the Madonna Inn Supercharger. [Credit: jerryswhip/Instagram]
The Tesla Semi sighted at the Madonna Inn Supercharger. [Credit: jerryswhip/Instagram]
Being a vehicle designed to compete in the trucking industry, the Semi has the potential to be the most disruptive offering from Tesla. The vehicle, after all, has several features that make it a viable alternative to diesel-powered semi-trailers, from its four Model 3-derived electric motors, its comparable Class 8 hauling capacity, to its superior speed. In true Tesla fashion, the company continues to develop and improve the Semi, with President of Automotive Jerome Guillen stating that the all-electric truck has been given notable improvements since it was unveiled last year. Some of the Semi’s improvements have been teased by Elon Musk earlier this year as well, with the CEO stating that the long-range variant of the vehicle would have closer to 600 miles of range per charge.
The Tesla Semi has attracted a notable amount of support from several high-profile companies, including PepsiCo, JB Hunt, UPS, and FedEx, to name a few. Even foreign companies such as ASKO in Norway and Bee’ah in the Middle East have also placed orders for the electric long-hauler. Tesla is yet to announce where the Semi would be manufactured, though the company is expected to start producing the vehicle sometime in 2019.
Watch the Tesla Semi leave the Madonna Inn Supercharger and accelerate on the highway in the video below.
News
Tesla launches new loaner program that owners will love
Tesla is now giving owners the opportunity to rent a vehicle from them, and it includes a few very attractive features that will have you second-guessing another loaner from insurance.

Tesla has launched a new loaner program that owners will love, as it resolves some concerns over a replacement vehicle while it is being repaired.
Earlier this week, Tesla launched the option to rent a Tesla loaner vehicle for just $45 per day if your vehicle is in Collision Repair. Collision repairs did not formerly warrant the issuance of loaner vehicles, as the insurance provider of the car owner would provide transportation arrangements.
Tesla is now giving owners the opportunity to rent a vehicle from them, and it includes a few very attractive features that will have you second-guessing another loaner from insurance.
The Tesla you rent while your car is in collision repair will come with free Full Self-Driving, free Supercharging, and free toll coverage, no small print included.
🚨 Tesla is offering loaner vehicle for $45/day if your car is in collision repair for body work.
It includes Free Full Self-Driving, Free Supercharging, and Free Tolls https://t.co/cMYxIb1MLF pic.twitter.com/n0Of4OTLvt
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) August 18, 2025
All things considered, this is a great deal for those who require a car for transportation while their car is being repaired.
The cost of Supercharging and Full Self-Driving alone would warrant the $45 per day price tag. Add in the tolls for those who commute on turnpikes for work or are planning an extensive trip that would require it, and it truly becomes an even more attractive deal.
Tesla has done a good job at improving its Service division over the past few years, and it truly needed it. In hopes of launching an F1-style service experience, Tesla started doing away with some of its perks, including loaner vehicles for single-day visits and even Uber credits.
Tesla’s ‘F1’ Service strategy eliminates same-day loaner vehicles, Uber credits
However, it has listened to the complaints of its owners and tried to cater an experience that is more advantageous and less of a hassle. It’s already made tremendous steps in the past few years, and this is the icing on the cake.
Elon Musk
SpaceX Starship Flight 10: What to expect
SpaceX implemented hardware and operational changes aimed at improving Starship’s reliability.

SpaceX is preparing to launch the tenth test flight of its Starship vehicle as early as Sunday, August 24, with the launch window opening at 6:30 p.m. CT.
The mission follows investigations into anomalies from earlier flights, including the loss of Starship on its ninth test and a Ship 36 static fire issue. SpaceX has since implemented hardware and operational changes aimed at improving Starship’s reliability.
Booster landing burns and flight experiments
The upcoming Starship Flight 10 will expand Super Heavy’s flight envelope with multiple landing burn trials. Following stage separation, the booster will attempt a controlled flip and boostback burn before heading to an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of America. One of the three center engines typically used for landing will be intentionally disabled, allowing engineers to evaluate whether a backup engine can complete the maneuver, according to a post from SpaceX.
The booster will also transition to a two-engine configuration for the final phase, hovering briefly above the water before shutdown and drop. These experiments are designed to simulate off-nominal scenarios and generate real-world data on performance under varying conditions, while maximizing propellant use during ascent to enable heavier payloads.
Starship upper stage reentry tests
The Starship upper stage will attempt multiple in-space objectives, including deployment of eight Starlink simulators and a planned Raptor engine relight. SpaceX will also continue testing reentry systems with several modifications. A section of thermal protection tiles has been removed to expose vulnerable areas, while new metallic tile designs, including one with active cooling, will be trialed.
Catch fittings have been installed to evaluate their thermal and structural performance, and adjustments to the tile line will address hot spots observed on Flight 6. The reentry profile is expected to push the structural limits of Starship’s rear flaps at maximum entry pressure.
SpaceX says lessons from these tests are critical to refining the next-generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles. With Starfactory production ramping in Texas and new launch infrastructure under development in Florida, the company is pushing to hit its goal of achieving a fully reusable orbital launch system.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk takes aim at Bill Gates’ Microsoft with new AI venture “Macrohard”
It is quite an appropriate name for a company that’s designed to rival Microsoft.

Elon Musk has set his sights on Microsoft with a new company called “Macrohard,” a software venture tied to his AI startup, xAI.
Musk described the project as a “purely AI software company” that’s designed to generate hundreds of specialized coding and generative AI agents that could one day simulate products from companies like Microsoft entirely through artificial intelligence.
Macrohard‘s Purpose
Musk announced Macrohard on Friday, though xAI had already registered the trademark with the US Patent Office a few weeks ago, as noted in a PC Mag report. Interestingly enough, this is not the first time that Musk has mentioned such an initiative.
Just last month, he stated that xAI was “creating a multi-agent AI software company, where Grok spawns hundreds of specialized coding and image/video generation/understanding agents all working together and then emulates humans interacting with the software in virtual machines until the result is excellent.”
At the time, Musk stated that “This is a macro challenge and a hard problem with stiff competition,” hinting at the venture’s “Macrohard” moniker. A few years ago, Musk also posted “Macrohard >> Microsoft” on X.
Powered by xAI and Colossus
Macrohard appears to be closely linked to xAI’s Colossus 2 supercomputer project in Memphis. Musk has confirmed plans to acquire millions of Nvidia GPUs, joining rivals such as OpenAI and Meta in a high-stakes race for AI computing power. Colossus is already one of the most powerful supercomputer clusters in the world, and it is still being expanded.
xAI is only a couple of years old, having been founded in March 2023. During its Engineering Open House event in San Francisco, Elon Musk highlighted that the company’s speed will be its primary competitive edge. “No SR-71 Blackbird was ever shot down and it only had one strategy: to accelerate,” Musk said.
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