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Elon Musk responds to Trump’s promise to end “EV mandate” on Day One

MINISTÉRIO DAS COMUNICAÇÕES, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to former US President Donald Trump’s promise that he would be ending the current Biden administration’s “EV mandate” on Day One. Based on Musk’s reaction, it appears that Tesla welcomes a market without specific EV subsidies. 

Electric vehicles have unfortunately become a partisan talking point, and while Tesla is undoubtedly the leader in EVs in the United States, the current Biden administration has mostly ignored the company, likely due in no small part to its non-unionized workforce. Former US President Donald Trump has, unsurprisingly, adopted a generally anti-EV stance, stating during his address at the Republican National Convention that he would end the Biden administration’s “EV mandate” as soon as he takes office. 

“I will end the Electric Vehicle Mandate on Day One — thereby saving the US auto industry from complete obliteration and saving US customers thousands of dollars per car,” Trump said. 

Considering Trump’s rhetoric, it was no surprise that Tesla and electric vehicle owners took to social media to ask Musk about what he thinks of the former president’s plans. Musk seemed unfazed by Trump’s apparent intention to stop supporting electric vehicles, stating that Tesla does not need subsidies to survive. “A surprising number of people think that Tesla survives on subsidies. That is true of our competitors, but not of Tesla,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

The Tesla CEO reiterated his stance this weekend, telling a user on X who asked about the topic that “it will be fine.” While Musk’s comments may attract criticism, he may have a point. Tesla, after all, triggered a phaseout of the $7,500 US EV federal tax credit in July 2018 when the company delivered its 200,000th vehicle. By 2020, Tesla’s vehicles were sold without the $7,500 federal tax credit. Interestingly enough, 2020 was also the first year that Tesla was fully profitable, with the company generating $862 million in net profits during the year.

Current US President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August 2022, which returned federal subsidies for qualified Tesla vehicles. At the time, however, Tesla was already profitable, and the Model Y was already being delivered to customers. With this in mind, it does appear that Elon Musk’s sentiments are justifiable, as Tesla was able to thrive even without the company depending on federal tax credits. 

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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Investor's Corner

SpaceX to report first-ever earnings today: here’s what to expect

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Credit: SpaceX

Elon Musk’s space exploration company, SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX), is set to report its earnings for the second quarter today in what will be its first-ever earnings call since going public in July.

SpaceX is trading down roughly 25 percent from its IPO. These early stock signals are usually a bit tumultuous, and considering this is the first company actively launching rockets that is available on the stock exchange, investors might have a tendency to be a bit skittish.

However, there are going to be some details that investors will hear for the first time today on the earnings call. Here’s what to look for:

Wall Street Expectations

Revenue is expected to fall somewhere around $6.8 billion, and will be heavily driven by Starlink, which is SpaceX’s widely popular satellite internet platform that has been adopted by numerous airlines, cruise ships, and other maritime operations. It is also available for consumers at home or in their cars.

Earnings Per Share (EPS) expectations fall at a net loss of $0.23 per share. Wall Street sees this as a total net loss of roughly $1.9 billion.

EBITDA is expected to come in between $2 billion and $2.1 billion.

What Investors Want to Know

Tesla uses the Say platform to help work with both retail and institutional investors to answer relevant and quality questions that address concerns or questions that they might have.

However, SpaceX is doing things differently, as the company launched its own Investor Relations website where these questions are being fielded. Just like the Tesla questions, they seem to be less focused on the operational tasks and overall progress of the company, and more novelty.

Here are the top five:

  • Has the team thought about what possibilities there are with your mascot Asteroid? Whether it’s starting additional foundations for kids in its name, helping kids learn about space, etc. Kids are our future, and Asteroid would be a fun and easy way to help.
  • Baby Asteroid is already making a difference through charity around the world. Could SpaceX take it even further with programs that inspire kids to explore space?
  • SpaceX has some legendary vehicle names. Would you ever allow the public to name a Starship, even knowing there is a 99% chance it becomes Shipy McShipface?
  • When can we expect to see more footage of the Human Landing System?
  • Will Asteroid (your mascot) go to Mars?

SpaceX will report its earnings today, August 4, at 4:30 P.M. EDT.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving insurance program with heavy discount expands

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Lemonade has expanded its innovative Autonomous Car insurance program to Tennessee, giving Tesla owners in the state a substantial discount on Full Self-Driving (FSD) miles. Announced on August 3, the product offers 50 percent off every mile driven with FSD activated, positioning the digital insurer as a leader in pricing insurance around autonomous technology.

The program, marketed as Lemonade Autonomous Car insurance, uses a direct connection via Tesla’s Fleet API (with customer permission) to automatically distinguish FSD-engaged miles from manual driving. Policyholders pay a low base rate when the vehicle is stationary and a few cents per mile when moving, with the 50 percent reduction applied specifically to FSD miles.

Coverage includes standard protections such as liability, collision, comprehensive, roadside assistance, and Tesla-specific benefits like access to certified repair shops and emergency crash services. Eligible vehicles require Hardware 4, as well as recent firmware.

Lemonade first unveiled the product on January 21 of this year, describing it as a first-of-its-kind offering designed for self-driving cars, starting with Tesla FSD. It began rolling out in Arizona on January 26, followed by Oregon about a month later. Subsequent expansions brought it to Indiana in early June 2026 and Colorado later that month.

Tennessee marks the fifth state.

Tesla Full Self-Driving gets outrageous insurance offer with insanely cheap rates

The discount rests on Lemonade’s strong belief in the safety of Tesla’s FSD system. The company cites Tesla’s data showing that FSD-driven miles are twice as safe as those driven manually, or associated with roughly a 50 percent crash reduction.

Lemonade Co-founder and President Shai Wininger has emphasized this distinction: “Traditional insurers treat a Tesla like any other car, and AI like any other driver. But a car that sees 360 degrees, never gets drowsy, and reacts in milliseconds can’t be compared to a human.”

He added that “Teslas driven with FSD are involved in far fewer accidents” and committed that as FSD software improves and becomes safer, Lemonade’s prices will drop further.

Tesla Full Self-Driving gets an offer to be insured for ‘almost free’

This approach leverages Lemonade’s existing pay-per-mile technology and AI-driven risk models, which analyze nuanced vehicle data including software version and sensor performance. The company expects the model to reward higher FSD usage with greater savings while supporting mixed households that include both Tesla and non-Tesla vehicles under one policy. Bundling with home, renters, or pet insurance can yield additional discounts.

As autonomous driving technology advances, Lemonade’s state-by-state expansion of usage-based pricing that directly reflects real-world safety data represents a notable shift in how insurers evaluate risk.

Tesla owners in the five available states – Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, Colorado, and now Tennessee – can obtain quotes quickly through the Lemonade app or website, potentially lowering the overall cost of ownership for vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems. Further states are expected as regulatory approvals progress.

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Cybertruck

Tesla quietly made the Cybertruck even stronger

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has continued to flex the strength, rigidity, and robustness of its all-electric pickup, the Cybertruck. In fact, since 2019, Cybertruck’s ability to avoid dents, dings, and even gunfire has been one of the main selling points Tesla has used to attract buyers who are looking for a vehicle that can handle the most intense challenges.

But that does not mean Tesla is not still actively trying to make it even better.

In a new hardware update, Tesla has decided to change the material of the Cybertruck’s underbody panels from aluminum to carbon fiber, a move that aims to not only increase pricing efficiency but also improve strength.

RELATED:

Tesla Cybertruck is officially the safest pickup, IIHS says

Cybertruck Lead Engineer Wes Morrill confirmed the change was made to the Cybertruck recently after it was spotted by Coleton Guerin of Out of Spec. This particular trim level was a Cyberbeast, but it is being applied to all trims to keep supply chain efficiency high and have less variance across trim levels.

Morrill said that Tesla tested different materials for the underbody panel protection, and carbon fiber performed better than aluminum, which is what the company was using since its first deliveries in 2023.

Additionally, there are some efficiency improvements because Tesla can better form the areas around the bolts to keep underbody airflow cleaner than previously.

Carbon fiber is traditionally lighter and more durable than aluminum, which is why it is such a popular material among luxury automakers, and EV makers will utilize some of the materials around battery packs to save weight.

This is the first instance of Tesla utilizing carbon fiber on the Cybertruck’s exterior to help with overall performance and strength. As previously mentioned, Tesla used aluminum to protect the underside of the body, but it is pretty typical for the company to continue making engineering changes that will improve the car in the future.

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