The inventor of the Cyberbackpack is extending an Elon Musk-esque offer to Tesla employees, offering a discount at a familiar value to any company worker who wishes to buy a backpack based on the Tesla Cybertruck design.
The Cyberbackpack was invented by Riz, a Tesla owner and early adopter of electric vehicles. Riz was inspired to build a backpack for the ultimate Cybertruck fan, featuring USB-C charging ports, expanding storage capacity, and a carbon-fiber compartment for maximum protection of your goods. Just as the Tesla Cybertruck sports a war-ready design, the Cyberbackpack also provides complete protection for books, laptops, and other tech items.
Riz and CyberBrands are now offering any Tesla employee interested in snagging the Cyberbackpack, which usually retails at $249, a…you guessed it…69 percent discount. All you have to do is fill out the Typeform on the product website.
Riz said the idea came from Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s recent decision to buy Twitter, as employees will have more money to spend on Tesla products to support the company if they want the backpack.
“We are doing what we can to help Elon buy Twitter. More money in Tesla employees’ pockets means more money for them to spend on Tesla products,” Riz said.
The Cyberbackpack is a product that has a rich story. After Riz proposed the idea of working on the backpack with Tesla, he became alarmed when the automaker filed a trademark claim for the product’s name.
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“My goal is to work with Tesla in some fashion to distribute the product. That’s why I reached out initially. However, if that does not happen, then I would like to continue marketing and selling on my site,” Riz told us in an interview back in April. He actually started developing the product after the Sandy Hook tragedy as a way to protect children at school.
The debacle with Tesla, which was really done to protect the likeness of the Cybertruck as most people would associate it with Tesla, a patent attorney explained to us, Riz decided to build a new company: CyberBrands. This has resulted in several new products based on the Cyberbackpack, including a power bank and a sling bag (which are unfortunately not a part of the Tesla employee promo).
My favorite Cyberbackpack uses
I personally use a Cyberbackpack daily, as I use it for a gym backpack every day. Additionally, it came in handy with a USB power bank over the Summer on the beaches of Assateague Island. After the Bluetooth Bose Speaker or my iPhone was low on a charge, the Cyberbackpack’s awesome versatility as a portable charger comes in handy. Of course, there are days my headphones aren’t charged for the gym, and the Cyberbackpack takes care of that as well.
It’s a great backpack and has a lot of space and storage. I packed an entire weekend of clothing, plus my MacBook, iPad, and chargers in the bag, and still had room leftover. For the price after the 69 percent discount that Riz is offering to Tesla employees, it’s really a bargain.
Just got my Cyberbackpack in the mail! @Riz has a great product here and I cannot wait to put it to use this summer!! pic.twitter.com/CimqDA758B
— Joey Klender (@KlenderJoey) May 31, 2022
Non-Tesla employees, you can buy the Cyberbackpack here.
Disclosure and Promotional Rules: 1. The discount amount will be 69% off the listed price. 2. The discount cannot be combined with other discounts. 3. The discount only applies to backpacks with power banks. 4. The discount can only be used one (1) time and by the email address provided. 5. Discount code will expire in 24 hours, after which you will have to request a new code.
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.
Elon Musk
GM CEO Mary Barra says she told Biden to give Tesla and Musk EV credit
“He was crediting me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit goes to Elon and Tesla…You know me, Andrew. I don’t want to take credit for things.”
General Motors CEO Mary Barra said in a new interview on Wednesday that she told President Joe Biden to credit Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for the widespread electric vehicle transition.
She said she told Biden this after the former President credited her and GM for leading EV efforts in the United States.
During an interview at the New York Times Dealbook Summit with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Barra said she told Biden that crediting her was essentially a mistake, and that Musk and Tesla should have been explicitly mentioned (via Business Insider):
“He was crediting me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit goes to Elon and Tesla…You know me, Andrew. I don’t want to take credit for things.”
GM CEO Mary Barra said to Andrew Sorkin at the New York Times Dealbook Summit that she pulled President Biden aside and said Tesla CEO @elonmusk deserved the credit for EVs:
“He was crediting me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit goes to Elon and Tesla,’” Barra… pic.twitter.com/OHBTG1QfbJ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 3, 2025
Back in 2021, President Biden visited GM’s “Factory Zero” plant in Detroit, which was the centerpiece of the company’s massive transition to EVs. The former President went on to discuss the EV industry, and claimed that GM and Barra were the true leaders who caused the change:
“In the auto industry, Detroit is leading the world in electric vehicles. You know how critical it is? Mary, I remember talking to you way back in January about the need for America to lead in electric vehicles. I can remember your dramatic announcement that by 2035, GM would be 100% electric. You changed the whole story, Mary. You did, Mary. You electrified the entire automotive industry. I’m serious. You led, and it matters.”
People were baffled by the President’s decision to highlight GM and Barra, and not Tesla and Musk, who truly started the transition to EVs. GM, Ford, and many other companies only followed in the footsteps of Tesla after it started to take market share from them.
Elon Musk and Tesla try to save legacy automakers from Déjà vu
Musk would eventually go on to talk about Biden’s words later on:
“They have so much power over the White House that they can exclude Tesla from an EV Summit. And, in case the first thing, in case that wasn’t enough, then you have President Biden with Mary Barra at a subsequent event, congratulating Mary for having led the EV revolution.”
In Q4 2021, which was shortly after Biden’s comments, Tesla delivered 300,000 EVs. GM delivered just 26.
News
Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease.
Tesla Full Self-Driving is getting its first taste of Winter weather for late 2025, as snow is starting to fall all across the United States.
The suite has been vastly improved after Tesla released v14 to many owners with capable hardware, and driving performance, along with overall behavior, has really been something to admire. This is by far the best version of FSD Tesla has ever released, and although there are a handful of regressions with each subsequent release, they are usually cleared up within a week or two.
Tesla is releasing a modified version of FSD v14 for Hardware 3 owners: here’s when
However, adverse weather conditions are something that Tesla will have to confront, as heavy rain, snow, and other interesting situations are bound to occur. In order for the vehicles to be fully autonomous, they will have to go through these scenarios safely and accurately.
One big issue I’ve had, especially in heavy rain, is that the camera vision might be obstructed, which will display messages that certain features’ performance might be degraded.
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease:
FSD 14.1.4 snow storm Ontario Canada pic.twitter.com/jwK1dLYT0w
— Everything AI (@mrteslaspace) November 17, 2025
I found the steepest, unplowed hill in my area and tested the following:
• FSD 14.2.1 on summer tires
• FSD 14.2.1 on winter tires
• Manual drivingBut I think the most impressive part was how FSD went DOWN the hill. FSD in the snow is sublime $TSLA pic.twitter.com/YMcN7Br3PU
— Dillon Loomis (@DillonLoomis) December 2, 2025
Well.. I couldn’t let the boys have all the fun!
Threw the GoPro up and decided to FSD v14.2.1 in the snow. Roads were not compacted like the other day, a little slippery, but overall doable at lower speeds. Enjoy the video and holiday music 🎶
Liked:
Took turns super slow… pic.twitter.com/rIAIeh3Zu3— 🦋Diana🦋 (@99_Colorado) December 3, 2025
Moving into the winter months, it will be very interesting to see how FSD handles even more concerning conditions, especially with black ice, freezing rain and snow mix, and other things that happen during colder conditions.
We are excited to test it ourselves, but I am waiting for heavy snowfall to make it to Pennsylvania so I can truly push it to the limit.
News
Tesla hosts Rome Mayor for first Italian FSD Supervised road demo
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets.
Tesla definitely seems to be actively engaging European officials on FSD’s capabilities, with the company hosting Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Mobility Assessor Eugenio Patanè for a hands-on road demonstration.
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets. This comes amid Tesla’s push for FSD’s EU regulatory approvals in the coming year.
Rome officials experience FSD Supervised
Tesla conducted the demo using a Model 3 equipped with Full Self-Driving (Supervised), tackling typical Roman traffic including complex intersections, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings and mixed users like cars, bikes and scooters.
The system showcased AI-based assisted driving, prioritizing safety while maintaining flow. FSD also handled overtakes and lane decisions, though with constant driver supervision.
Investor Andrea Stroppa detailed the event on X, noting the system’s potential to reduce severe collision risks by up to seven times compared to traditional driving, based on Tesla’s data from billions of global fleet miles. The session highlighted FSD’s role as an assistance tool in its Supervised form, not a replacement, with the driver fully responsible at all times.
Path to European rollout
Tesla has logged over 1 million kilometers of testing across 17 European countries, including Italy, to refine FSD for local conditions. The fact that Rome officials personally tested FSD Supervised bodes well for the program’s approval, as it suggests that key individuals are closely watching Tesla’s efforts and innovations.
Assessor Patanè also highlighted the administration’s interest in technologies that boost road safety and urban travel quality, viewing them as aids for both private and public transport while respecting rules.
Replies on X urged involving Italy’s Transport Ministry to speed approvals, with one user noting, “Great idea to involve the mayor! It would be necessary to involve components of the Ministry of Transport and the government as soon as possible: it’s they who can accelerate the approval of FSD in Italy.”
GM CEO Mary Barra says she told Biden to give Tesla and Musk EV credit
Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
