Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen has been announced as one of the keynote speakers for an upcoming enthusiasts meetup event, set to take place in California this summer.
The X Takeover, formerly the Tesla takeover, is scheduled for July 27 and 28 in San Luis Obispo and will feature a keynote speech from von Holzhausen, networking opportunities and more, as detailed on the event’s website. The news was announced in an X post from John of Tesla Owners Silicon Valley on Monday, who says that he also plans to announce another keynote speaker for the event on Tuesday.
The meetup is taking place at The Madonna Inn, and early bird tickets purchased before April 30 start at $40 for a day pass on the Eventbrite page.
The event’s website says the event offers “the ultimate experience for enthusiasts of Tesla, EVs, SpaceX, digital connectivity, and entrepreneurial innovation.”
Part of the proceeds from the event will go toward the non-profit 17 Strong, which offers “Victory Trips” to young adults 18 to 40 who have survived life-threatening illness, as well as to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
The meetup has been rebranded for its fourth year to include more than just Tesla enthusiasts, now covering fellow Elon Musk-led companies SpaceX, X, xAI, The Boring Company and Neuralink, as well as other EV brands like Aptera, Lucid and Rivian.
The topic of von Holzhausen’s keynote speech will be “Shaping the Future of Automotive Innovation.” Along with the speech from von Holzhausen, the event will include a Cybertruck showcase, a camping expo, Tesla Pro Tips workshops and panel discussions, as just a few of its offerings.
The event is being sponsored by T-Sportline, Tesplus, Michelin and Tesla, and it will also include multiple speakers, a massive synchronized Tesla light show, a scenic ride and drive, and several other opportunities to network with Tesla, SpaceX and other innovation enthusiasts.
Last year’s event had around 2,000 attendees, and the organizers are expecting between 2,000 and 3,000 for this year’s event. Tesla Owners Club Silicon Valley encourages interested parties to register now to secure their spot, as space is limited.
In past years, the then-so-called Tesla takeover featured keynote speeches from Maye Musk, Elon’s mother, and manufacturing industry expert and Tesla fan Sandy Munro.
You can see the full post on X from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley announcing the event below.
🚨 BREAKING @theXtakeover (fmr. Tesla Takeover) 🚨
TOSV is thrilled to share a momentous update about @theXtakeover , the ultimate experience for enthusiasts of Tesla, SpaceX, and entrepreneurial innovation: Franz von Holzhausen @woodhaus2 , Chief Designer at Tesla, is confirmed… pic.twitter.com/8AX2PqQFx0
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) January 22, 2024
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send your tips to us at tips@teslarati.com.
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Tesla Model 3 and Model Y named top car buys in Norway
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability.
Norway’s annual roundup of the best car purchases featured Tesla’s two main sellers this year, with the Model 3 and Model Y securing top positions in their respective segments.
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability. The verdict comes as electric vehicle adoption remained above 95% of new vehicle sales in the country.
Tesla Model 3 strengthens its value position
Among compact EVs, the Tesla Model 3 maintained its position as the best overall buy thanks to its strong blend of performance, efficiency, and updated features. Reviewers noted that every trim offered compelling value, especially with the all-electric sedan’s improved cabin ergonomics and the return of the turn-signal stalk, which was one of the few previous complaints among drivers.
The Model 3’s mix of long-range capability, low operating costs, and responsive handling has continued to set the benchmark for compact EVs in Norway. While competitors from Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Peugeot have narrowed the gap, Tesla’s price-to-capability ratio has remained difficult to beat in this segment, Motor.no reported.
“The Model 3 clearly offers the best value for money in the compact class, no matter which version you choose. Now it also gets the turn signal lever back. This eliminates one of the few flaws in a driving environment that many believe is the best on the market,” the publication wrote.
Tesla Model Y claims its crown
The Tesla Model Y emerged as Norway’s top family-car purchase this year. The latest refresh introduced improvements in ride quality, styling, and interior materials, allowing the Model Y to deliver a more premium driving experience without a substantial price increase.Â
Reviewers praised its spacious cabin, strong safety profile, and practical range, all of which reinforced its appeal for families needing an all-purpose electric crossover. The Model Y remains especially notable given its continued popularity in Norway even as Tesla faces declining sales in other global markets.
“The Model Y is back as the winner in the family class. The upgrade in the new year was even more extensive than expected. It is a slightly more elegant and significantly more comfortable Model Y that solidifies its position as Norway’s best car purchase in the most important class,” the Norwegian motoring publication noted.
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Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand.
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand. While registrations in some countries such as Sweden have fallen sharply this year, the company’s sales in other key territories have been rising.
Giga Berlin shifts to two shifts
Giga Berlin factory manager AndrĂ© Thierig told the DPA that the facility has been running two shifts since September to manage a surge in global orders. And due to the tariff dispute with the United States, vehicles that are produced at Giga Berlin are now being exported to Canada.Â
“We deliver to well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there,” Thierig said.
Despite Giga Berlin now having two shifts, the facility’s production still needs to ramp up more. This is partly due to the addition of the Tesla Model Y Performance and Standard, which are also being produced in the Grunheide-based factory. Interestingly enough, Giga Berlin still only produces the Model Y, unlike other factories like Gigafactory Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Gigafactory Shanghai, which produce more than one type of vehicle.
Norway’s momentum
Norway, facing an imminent tax increase on cars, has seen a historic spike in Tesla purchases as buyers rush to secure deliveries before the change takes effect, as noted in a CarUp report. As per recent reports, Tesla has broken Norway’s all-time annual sales record this month, beating Volkswagen’s record that has stood since 2016.
What is rather remarkable is the fact that Tesla was able to achieve so much in Norway with one hand practically tied behind its back. This is because the company’s biggest sales draw, FSD, remains unavailable in the country. Fortunately, Tesla is currently hard at work attempting to get FSD approved for Europe, a notable milestone that should spur even more vehicle sales in the region.
News
Tesla launches crazy Full Self-Driving free trial: here’s how you can get it
Tesla is launching a crazy Full Self-Driving free trial, which will enable owners who have not purchased the suite outright to try it for 30 days.
There are a handful of stipulations that will be needed in order for you to qualify for the free trial, which was announced on Thursday night.
Tesla said the trial is for v14, the company’s latest version of the Full Self-Driving suite, and will be available to new and existing Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck owners, who will have the opportunity to try the latest features, including Speed Profiles, Arrival Options, and other new upgrades.
🚨 Tesla is launching a free 30-day trial of Full Self-Driving in North America for owners.
It includes every model, but you need v14.2 or later, and you cannot have already purchased the suite outright. https://t.co/8CNmxxOkVl
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 27, 2025
You must own one of the five Tesla models, have Full Self-Driving v14.2 or later, and have an eligible vehicle in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Canada.
The company said it is a non-transferable trial, which is not redeemable for cash. Tesla is reaching out to owners via email to give them the opportunity to enable the Full Self-Driving trial.
Those who are subscribed to the monthly Full Self-Driving program are eligible, so they will essentially get a free month of the suite.
Once it is installed, the trial will begin, and the 30-day countdown will begin.
Tesla is making a major push to increase its Full Self-Driving take rate, as it revealed that about 12 percent of owners are users of the program during its recent earnings call.
Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said during the call:
“We feel that as people experience the supervised FSD at scale, demand for our vehicles, like Elon said, would increase significantly. On the FSD adoption front, we’ve continued to see decent progress. However, note that the total paid FSD customer base is still small, around 12% of our current fleet.”
Earlier today, we reported on Tesla also launching a small-scale advertising campaign on X for the Full Self-Driving suite, hoping to increase adoption.
Tesla Full Self-Driving warrants huge switch-up on essential company strategy
It appears most people are pretty content with the subscription program. It costs just $99 a month, in comparison to the $8,000 fee it is for the outright purchase.
