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Elon Musk: US’ Starlink deal could have cost substantially less
The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has reiterated the potential of using Starlink in areas that have been ravaged by natural disasters. In a recent comment on social media platform X, Elon Musk noted that the United States’ Starlink deal, which was later revoked by the FCC, could have cost significantly less if the government did not insist on “so many crazy requirements that add no value.”
As noted in a FOX News report, the FCC launched an initiative four years ago that awarded grants to companies that could provide high-speed internet access to the United States’ underserved areas. SpaceX won an $885.5 million grant from the initiative, which was intended to connect over 640,000 homes and businesses—at a cost of about 1,300 per kit—in 35 states across the country. The grant, however, was rescinded in 2022. The FCC reaffirmed its decision in December 2023.
Starlink’s capability to provide internet connectivity in areas affected by disasters was highighted recently as FEMA and private individuals and organizations deployed Starlink kits to areas that were hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Amidst the ongoing recovery efforts, some users in X noted that the five most impacted states by Hurricane Helene would have over 92,800 Starlink kits at their disposal had the FCC not revoked its award for the satellite internet system. What’s more, each Starlink kit in the five most affected states would have cost just over $1,000 per kit.
True— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
In a response on X, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk noted that the price of each Starlink kit for the United States’ underserved areas could actually have been lower. As per Musk, the price of every Starlink kit under the rescinded FCC award got higher because the government insisted on requirements that didn’t really add anything of value. “By the way, the price could be much less if the government didn’t insist on so many crazy requirements that add no value,” Musk wrote in his response on X.
By the way, the price could be much less if the government didn’t insist on so many crazy requirements that add no value— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Since rescinding Starlink’s $885 million award, the United States government would now be spending over $42 billion to provide fiber high-speed internet to underserved areas. As noted by FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, “Now you’ve got cases where the government is spending in the ballpark of, and in some cases in excess of, $100,000 per location to build out fiber high-speed internet to these locations.”
-->Absolutely— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Interestingly enough, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel also hinted at a conference earlier this year that Starlink has growth far too prolific, and that the satellite internet system needs some competition. As per the FCC Chairwoman, Starlink has “almost two-thirds of the satellites that are in space right now and has a very high portion of internet traffic.” She also noted that “Our economy doesn’t benefit from monopolies. So we’ve got to invite many more space actors in many more companies that can develop constellations and innovations in space.”
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Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official
“Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk just made a key detail about Optimus official. In a post on X, the CEO clarified some key wording about Optimus, which should help the media and the public become more familiar with the humanoid robot.
Elon Musk makes Optimus’ plural term official
Elon Musk posted a number of Optimus-related posts on X this weekend. On Saturday, he stated that Optimus would be the Von Neumann probe, a machine that could eventually be capable of replicating itself. This capability, it seems, would be the key to Tesla achieving Elon Musk’s ambitious Optimus production targets.
Amidst the conversations about Optimus on X, a user of the social media platform asked the CEO what the plural term for the humanoid robot will be. As per Musk, Tesla will be setting the plural term for Optimus since the company also decided on the robot’s singular term. “Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote in his reply on X.
This makes it official. For media outlets such as Teslarati, numerous Optimus bots are now called Optimi. It rolls off the tongue pretty well, too.
Optimi will be a common sight worldwide
While Musk’s comment may seem pretty mundane to some, it is actually very important. Optimus is intended to be Tesla’s highest volume product, with the CEO estimating that the humanoid robot could eventually see annual production rates in the hundreds of millions, perhaps even more. Since Optimi will be a very common sight worldwide, it is good that people can now get used to terms describing the humanoid robot.
-->During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-Optimi-per-year production line at the Fremont Factory. Giga Texas would get an even bigger Optimus production line, which should be capable of producing tens of millions of Optimi per year.
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Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
New shuttle route
As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.
“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.
Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.
-->Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting
Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.
The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.
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Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
The Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y once again led the field in a new real-world energy-consumption test conducted by China’s Autohome, outperforming numerous rival electric vehicles in controlled conditions.
The results, which placed both Teslas in the top two spots, prompted Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun to acknowledge Tesla’s efficiency advantage while noting that his company’s vehicles will continue refining its own models to close the gap.
Tesla secures top efficiency results
Autohome’s evaluation placed all vehicles under identical conditions, such as a full 375-kg load, cabin temperature fixed at 24°C on automatic climate control, and a steady cruising speed of 120 km/h. In this environment, the Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km, as noted in a Sina News report.
These figures positioned Tesla’s vehicles firmly at the top of the ranking and highlighted their continued leadership in long-range efficiency. The test also highlighted how drivetrain optimization, software management, and aerodynamic profiles remain key differentiators in high-speed, cold-weather scenarios where many electric cars struggle to maintain low consumption.
Xiaomi’s Lei Jun pledges to continue learning from Tesla
Following the results, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun noted that the Xiaomi SU7 actually performed well overall but naturally consumed more energy due to its larger C-segment footprint and higher specification. He reiterated that factors such as size and weight contributed to the difference in real-world consumption compared to Tesla. Still, the executive noted that Xiaomi will continue to learn from the veteran EV maker.
“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
-->Lei Jun has repeatedly described Tesla as the global benchmark for EV efficiency, previously stating that Xiaomi may require three to five years to match its leadership. He has also been very supportive of FSD, even testing the system in the United States.
Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
