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Elon Musk apologizes for endorsing anti-semitic tweet, but takes hardline stance on advertiser boycott

Credit: Andrew Sorkin/X

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During his fiery and now controversial interview with journalist Andrew Sorkin at The New York Times’ annual DealBook Summit, Tesla CEO Elon Musk apologized for a tweet that has triggered a firestorm of antisemitism allegations online. He also took a hardline stance against advertisers who are allegedly “blackmailing” him for advertising revenue on X. 

Musk, who is no stranger to controversy, had endorsed a post on X that stated that Jewish communities have been pushing out “hatred against whites.” Musk’s response to the tweet read, “You have said the actual truth,” a comment that triggered an exodus of advertisers from X. During his interview with the NYT, Musk apologized for the post, noting that it was probably the “worst” and dumbest” that he’s posted to date

“I’m sorry for that post. It was foolish of me. Of my 30,000 posts, it might literally be the worst and dumbest post I’ve ever done. I think over time it’ll be obvious that I’m far from anti-semitic,” Musk said. He also admitted that the post essentially handed a “loaded gun” to both antisemitic people and his detractors.

The fact that Musk dubbed the post his worst to date says a lot, especially considering that he ended up being sued by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over his “funding secured” tweet in 2018, and he practically got half the globe angry after he dubbed a caver who played a part in the rescue of Thai boys who were stuck in a cave in 2018 a “pedo guy” on Twitter.

Needless to say, Musk has posted a number of regrettable posts on X over the years, so the fact that he apologized and dubbed his post about Jewish communities as his “dumbest” speaks volumes. That being said, Musk also shared some fiery words about advertisers that are allegedly “blackmailing” X. In a comment that evidently stunned Sorkin, Musk stated that advertisers who are boycotting X over his alleged antisemitism should not come back. 

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“If somebody’s gonna try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money? Go f**k yourself. Go. F**k. Yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is. Hey, Bob, if you’re in the audience,” Musk said, seemingly calling out Disney CEO Bob Iger. Disney is among the companies that have pulled their advertising on X following Musk’s controversial posts. 

While Musk’s comments have triggered yet another wave of controversy surrounding X, the social media platform’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, who has been dubbed by critics from the media as a “pain sponge” of sorts, provided some level-headed commentary on the Tesla CEO’s comments. 

“Today, Elon Musk gave a wide-ranging and candid interview at DealBook 2023. He also offered an apology, an explanation, and an explicit point of view about our position. X is enabling an information independence that’s uncomfortable for some people. We’re a platform that allows people to make their own decisions. And here’s my perspective when it comes to advertising: X is standing at a unique and amazing intersection of Free Speech and Main Street — and the X community is powerful and is here to welcome you. To our partners who believe in our meaningful work — Thank You,” Yaccarino wrote in a post on X. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla China focuses on local deliveries as Q1 enters final month

Tesla’s estimated delivery times for all variants of the Model 3 and Model Y in China were listed at just one to three weeks.

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Credit: Tesla Malaysia/X

Tesla’s delivery wait times in China have dropped to some of their shortest levels in years, an apparent hint that Giga Shanghai has largely cleared its order backlog and currently has strong production capacity.

As of February 26, estimated delivery times for all variants of the Model 3 and Model Y in China were listed at just one to three weeks, as per observations of Tesla China’s official webpages by CNEV Post

That marks a notable shift from the several-week or even two-month waits seen late last year.

The one-to-three-week delivery window suggests that Giga Shanghai is likely focusing on the local market, at least for now as the company enters the final month of the first quarter. Tesla China typically spends the first half of the quarter catering to markets that import vehicles from Giga Shanghai. 

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Historically, when Tesla’s wait times in China compress to their shortest levels, the company often follows with fresh market actions.

In past cycles, shortened delivery timelines were followed by promotional activity. After delivery windows narrowed to one to three weeks in early 2024, for example, Tesla later introduced an RMB 10,000 instant discount on Model Y final payments that year.

To spur local demand, Tesla recently extended its seven-year ultra-low-interest and five-year interest-free financing offers through March 31. This marks the second extension of the policy this year.

So far, posts from the Tesla community suggest that interest in the company’s vehicles among consumers in China is still strong. Videos of busy delivery centers across China have been shared on social media.

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China’s competitive EV landscape has evolved as of late. With regulators discouraging aggressive price wars, automakers are increasingly leaning on financing incentives instead of direct price cuts. Major players including BYD, NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto have introduced similar loan extensions and promotional financing packages.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s The Boring Company closes Tunnel Vision Challenge

The Tunnel Vision Challenge invited individuals, companies, and governments to propose a tunnel project up to one mile long.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has officially closed submissions for its Tunnel Vision Challenge, confirming that a total of 487 entries were received before the deadline.

In a post on X, the company wrote, “Tunnel Vision Challenge is closed! 487 entries received – TBC team is excited to go through them all!” The company added that “We will select the top ~15 in the next week, and reach out with follow-up questions,” and that an “overall winner will be announced on March 23.”

The Tunnel Vision Challenge invited individuals, companies, and governments to propose a tunnel project up to one mile long with a 12-foot inner diameter. The winning entry will have its tunnel constructed free of charge.

Submissions could range from Loop passenger tunnels to freight, pedestrian, utility, or water tunnels. The only requirement was that the project clearly demonstrate how tunneling would meaningfully improve transportation or infrastructure between two points.

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Just days before the deadline, the company provided an interim update noting that 407 entries had already been received. “Update on the Tunnel Vision Challenge – 1 mile of free tunnel! With 3 days left to submit, 407 entries have been received. Great to see enthusiasm for tunnels!” The Boring Company wrote at the time on X. By the close of submissions, the total had grown closer to 500 entries, hinting at strong interest in underground transportation solutions.

Entries are being evaluated on usefulness, stakeholder engagement, and technical, economic, and regulatory feasibility. Applicants were required to quantify projected benefits, such as time saved per rider or cost savings per shipment, and provide maps showing proposed alignments and other details. Submissions that included geotechnical or subsurface data are expected to receive additional consideration.

The Boring Company will fund the tunnel’s construction itself, though related infrastructure costs may be discussed with the winning team. The company also retains discretion to modify or cancel the challenge.

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Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price

Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has confirmed the date when its newest Cybertruck trim level will increase in price, after CEO Elon Musk noted that the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the all-electric pickup would only be priced at its near-bargain level for ten days.

Last week, Tesla launched the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck. Priced at $59,990, the Cybertruck featured many excellent features and has seemingly brought some demand to the pickup, which has been underwhelming in terms of sales figures over the past couple of years.

Tesla launches new Cybertruck trim with more features than ever for a low price

When Tesla launched it, many fans and current owners mulled the possibility of ordering it. However,  Musk came out and said just hours after launching the pickup that Tesla would only keep it at the $59,990 price level for ten days.

What it would be priced at subsequently was totally dependent on how much demand Tesla felt for the new trim level, which is labeled as a “Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive” configuration.

Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this:

Many fans and owners have criticized Tesla’s decision to unveil a trim this way, and then price it at something, only to change that price a few days later based on how well it sells.

It seems the most ideal increase in price would be somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000, but it truly depends on how many orders Tesla sees for this new trim level. The next step up in configuration is the Premium All-Wheel-Drive, which is priced at $79,990.

The difference between the Dual Motor AWD Cybertruck and the Premium AWD configuration comes down to towing, interior quality, and general features. The base package is only capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds, while the Premium can handle 11,000 pounds. Additionally, the seats in the Premium build are Vegan Leather, while the base trim gets the textile seats.

It also has only 7 speakers compared to the 15 that the Premium trim has. Additionally, the base model does not have an adjustable ride height, although it does have a coil spring with an adaptive damping suspension package.

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