

Lifestyle
ChargePoint and Uber partner to bring flying electric cars to the sky
While Uber continues its quest to dominate our streets with its peer-to-peer on-demand ride sharing network, the Silicon Valley tech company is looking beyond ground transportation and into the skies. Uber announced at its first ever Elevate conference in Dallas today that the company has partnered with the world’s largest charging network ChargePoint to create rapid-charging stations for Uber’s planned network of on-demand flying electric cars that will be capable of vertical take-off and landings.
ChargePoint is going to design, develop, and manufacture chargers with the goal for them to be utilized at Uber Elevate Vertiports by 2020, according to a press release issued by the company.
“As Uber works to bring vertical take-off and landing vehicles to the world, we are seeking out the most innovative, forward leaning companies to create the necessary pieces to scale this product. Rapid recharging is essential to this vision. ChargePoint has proven their unmatched ability to build and support electric vehicle charging networks and now, together, we’re going to make VTOLs a reality.”
Nikhil Goel, Uber’s Head of Product for Advanced Programs
Uber’s Elevate network of flying electric cars will consist of vertical take-off and landing vehicles, or VTOL. The network of VTOL vehicles is expected to launch in 2020 and will use ChargePoint VTOL charging technology to rapidly recharge the vehicles at their home stations. Uber is calling these stations for the VTOL vehicles, “vertiports” and views their partnership with ChargePoint as a crucial step in bringing this vision to fruition on a massive scale.
In a white paper Uber released in October the company states, “On-demand aviation, has the potential to radically improve urban mobility, giving people back time lost in their daily commutes. Uber is close to the commute pain that citizens in cities around the world feel. We view helping to solve this problem as core to our mission and our commitment to our rider base.”
Will it really happen? Why does this matter?
We’ve heard about flying cars for decades, why is Uber able to complete this vision now? Technology has finally reached a point to support the evolution of electric VTOL aircraft, and allow them to make short trips. The company expects VTOL distances to max out at 140 miles (225 km) and needs the trips to be 40% faster than alternative modes of transport. Uber is targeting shorter distance trips to help alleviate congestion in large cities and shorten commutes. Since Uber imagines a future with significantly less cars on the road, the company expects to use the top level of existing parking structures to house the vertiport stations.
ChargePoint has raised nearly $255M since inception in 2007 and hosts over 34,500 chargers globally to provide over 23M charges to electric vehicles. Most recently the company raised $82M in March, with the lead investor being Daimler. By venturing into the charging space for VTOL, ChargePoint continues to assert itself as the global leader of independent charging stations. ChargePoint’s President and CEO, Pasquale Romano states, “We continue to build upon that foundation by not only innovating the EV space, but by creating solutions for the electrified mobility models of tomorrow regardless of whether they roll, float, or fly.”
“Each vertiport will have multiple high voltage rapid chargers, as well as sufficient lower voltage chargers for each vehicle vertiport parking slot to recharge at a slower rate.”
Based on Uber Elevate’s white paper that the company released in October, they expect a nice mix of slow chargers and rapid chargers to help remove the intense degradation that rapid chargers may have on batteries. Uber is choosing not to pursue battery swap operations, referencing Tesla’s failed battery swap program as a key reason, stating, “while swapping optimizes the vehicle performance, it causes a significant logistics burden.”
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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