

Lifestyle
Food delivery service turns to Tesla Model 3 in bid to replace Prius fleet and go emissions-free
Online food delivery service Bite Squad is looking to replace its fleet of Toyota Prius delivery cars with the Tesla Model 3 within the next few years. The food delivery startup plans to test the mass market compact sedan later this year, and if the Model 3 meets the company’s expectations, Bite Squad will be fully transitioning its fleet of hybrid delivery cars to the all-electric compact sedan.
Bite Squad’s Model 3 announcement was posted on the company’s blog earlier this month, with CEO Kian Salehi stating that Tesla’s newest vehicle can play a vital role in the company’s aim of having a fully emissions-free fleet. Currently, Bite Squad, which operates on 30 markets across the United States, utilizes a fleet of Toyota Priuses for its food deliveries. While the hybrids provide great fuel economy, however, the Bite Squad CEO stated that the all-electric Model 3 could provide an even cleaner, greener option.
“Our existing hybrid cars significantly cut emissions, but an all-electric fleet would be completely emissions-free. This is where we want to be.
“When we launched in 2012, the goal was to reduce the environmental impact of our fleet by using as many hybrid vehicles as we could. The goal is the same today, but the technology has changed. We now have an opportunity to further reduce our impact with an affordable battery-powered car.”
Bite Squad’s Toyota Prius fleet currently comprises roughly 10% of the company’s delivery vehicles. The rest of the cars deployed for the service are owned by Bite Squad’s drivers, who use their personal vehicles to deliver food to customers.
In a statement to the Star Tribune, Craig Key, Bite Squad’s VP for marketing, noted that the Model 3 could give the company great benefits and savings in the long run. While the mass market electric compact sedan is more expensive than a Toyota Prius, its all-electric drivetrain completely negates fuel expenses and reduces maintenance costs.
Key further noted that the food delivery startup is looking forward to the rollout of the Model 3’s full self-driving capabilities. While the VP did state that a driverless food delivery service is not in the company’s plans for the near future, the autonomous features of the Model 3 would likely reduce the number of accidents that its vehicles will be involved in on the road.
“We think it could be a big game-changer for us both in terms of cost and liability and safety,” the Bite Squad VP said.
For now, however, Key stated that just like all other Model 3 reservation holders, the company is just waiting for Tesla to deliver its electric cars. Bite Squad placed reservations for the electric car last year, and while their vehicles’ delivery dates were initially set to late 2018, the subsequent delays in the production ramp-up of the Model 3 would likely push the delivery dates of the company’s new cars well into 2019.
As we noted in a previous article, Tesla has adjusted its expectations for the ramp-up of Model 3 deliveries during the California-based electric car firm’s Q4 2017 delivery report, with CEO Elon Musk moving the 5,000 a week production goal to the end of the second quarter. The 5,000-unit-per-week goal was initially set for the end of 2017.
Lifestyle
Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update
Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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:
Turn your Tesla into a rave cave with the new Light Sync feature 🎶
Rolling out now in software update 2025.26+ pic.twitter.com/IIsQxZ9jDP
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 29, 2025
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.
Elon Musk
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.

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.
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.”
Lifestyle
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.

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.”
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.
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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