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Elon Musk’s ‘Cyberpunk’ Tesla Pickup Truck: Go, Tesla, Go! Or Why, Elon, Why?

(Credit: Stephen Mason/YouTube)

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The Tesla Truck reveal is only a month away now, and a few more specifics about what it looks like have been revealed by Elon Musk. We already expected something cyberpunk, but now we also are to expect a military-styled armored personnel carrier as part of its inspiration. This all sounds very cool as a concept vehicle, perhaps, but will it sound cool to a large enough consumer base to be worth the time and effort to put in on the market?

Actually, another question has started to creep into my mind: What exactly is the point of the Tesla Truck?

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Whereas other Tesla vehicles were designed to directly take on ICE cars and revolutionize the EV market in their own sporty or practical way, the pickup truck market seems to be more particular about what converts a potential customer into an actual customer. That said, a cyberpunk beast is an odd choice for a company that has proven so many EV myths false and arguably inspired a lot of legislation to be aimed squarely at legacy manufacturers. If Tesla can do it, regulators seem to say, so can you. But one area EVs really need to take on to truly be a completely mainstream option is pickup trucks.

That’s where Rivian seemed to be coming in, albeit their starting prices are a bit on the high side for the mainstream truck customer. It could all be proven completely worth the expense down the line, but when Tesla fired shots with an “under $50k” potential truck price tag, it certainly seemed like there was going to be a real shakeup that put an affordable and all-electric work truck on the road soon. The more I hear about the style of the Tesla Truck, though, the more I scratch my head. Yes, Rivian did their own style thing with the piggy-nose headlights, but that was really just one feature people have started to warm up to. The point of it was also so they would be very recognizable and distinguished as their brand. An entire vehicle going against the grain is a different matter entirely.

I know Musk has his mantra of aiming to design a vehicle that he would personally want to buy, and I respect the logic behind that. However, there’s also the other angle about him that doesn’t jive with Harrison Ford being behind the wheel of this kind of Tesla in a Hollywood production: Making EVs mainstream.

Sure, the Model S and even Model X aren’t really practical purchases for more fiscally-limited consumers (i.e., most of them). There’s an argument to be made for them, though. After proving that EVs could be amazing, the improvements that went into their manufacturing has now translated into the mass market Model 3. There’s already an existing parallel in the ICE world on this as well via racing. The US gas company Sonoco exemplifies this with their motto that their gas is the “official fuel of NASCAR” despite regular car fuel being totally different from racing car fuel. The thought is that if they know how to manufacture super performance gas, their fuel will have an overall higher level of refinement technology that your car will benefit from. I have no idea if it actually does, but that’s the message.

That said, maybe the Tesla Truck is supposed to be this beast that has amazing specs which inspire customers to crave a “normal” looking truck from Tesla to eventually be produced. The next question will be whether enough buyers will go along with the cyberpunk thing and justify the expense from all the tweaks that will inevitably be necessary to develop a mass market pickup truck to follow. The Model S was very expensive, but it was still a traditionally designed sedan which appealed to a large enough consumer base to help fund Tesla’s next developments.

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The Tesla Truck is kind of an outlier on this thinking, too. It will be a somewhat inexpensive truck with an even smaller consumer base. Or, does Musk hope to change what people think of in terms of a pickup truck? I am a staunch doubter on this, period. If there’s one thing the pickup market doesn’t seem to be very open to, it’s that sort of radical change. I’ll gladly be proven wrong, but until that day comes, I can’t really entertain this possibility.

Maybe Musk isn’t going for a mass market pickup at all. Maybe he just wants to prove that he can make a truck, make it cheaper, and make it better.

Then again, the Taycan also wasn’t supposed to be a true Tesla competitor, either, yet here we are. Plaid Mode is capturing headlines and significant interest in the EV community. Would we be hearing about it so soon without the Taycan reveal? I have my doubts, but who really knows?

Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

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:

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.

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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.

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(Credit: xAI)

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.

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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.”

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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.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

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.”

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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.

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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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