News
An inauguration day primer on leadership from Elon Musk to Donald Trump
On Inauguration Day, individuals all over the world were wondering what the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump will be like. The real estate tycoon, turned reality TV star, turned President of the United States, has met twice with serial tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and would be wise to take some lessons from his leadership model. Musk’s model of leadership has been the driving force behind innovative businesses and he has single-handedly changed how people around the world view energy and transportation.
Explain how your vision can help humankind. Elon Musk’s powerful vision, as articulated in his latest Master Plan, has always contained diverse elements that fit into a larger whole. Musk wants to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy, so that “we can imagine far into the future and life is still good.”
Mr. Trump can capture a somewhat dissatisfied electorate by laying out a vision that benefits all.
Define your terms. “Sustainability” is a word that’s now overused and applied differently, depending on purpose. For Elon Musk, “sustainable” energy is a concept that matters for everyone. He applies it to an energy economy that he argues “will run out of fossil fuels to burn and civilization will collapse.”
If Mr. Trump’s first 100 days resembles his campaign promises, his governmental reform agenda should be clear, concise, and digestible for all the electorate.
Live by what you preach. Musk has often been critiqued for his nontraditional approaches to business, including investments and borrowing. Musk said, “If I ask investors to put money in, then I feel morally I should put money in as well. I should not ask people to eat from the fruit bowl if I have not myself been willing to eat from the fruit bowl.” He is reported to have invested over $100 million of his own money into SpaceX, around $10 million into SolarCity, and $55 million into Tesla Motors, Inc. Even when his companies have experienced volatility, Musk has been resolute in his commitment and self-confident in his decisions.
Never a shrinking wallflower, Mr. Trump, nonetheless, will have to demonstrate that he can empathize with U.S. citizens of all demographics and beliefs by making sacrifices for the good of all.
Be honest and forthright. In order to make his vision of mass produced fully electric cars a reality, in 2010, Tesla was awarded a milestone-based loan, requiring matching private capital obtained via public offering, by the DOE as part of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program. Tesla repaid the full loan facility with interest in 2013, becoming the only American car company at the time to have fully repaid the government. “I would like to thank the Department of Energy and the members of Congress and their staffs that worked hard to create the ATVM program, and particularly the American taxpayer from whom these funds originate,” said Elon Musk. “I hope we did you proud.”
Mr. Trump, too, should make it a habit to take the high road whenever possible, graciously accepting challenges and thanking individuals across both sides of the U.S. political spectrum for their help.
Do it yourself. Musk’s experience is grounded in his education at the University of Pennsylvania, where, at the age of 24, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the College of Arts and Sciences, and a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business. He worked toward but did not complete a doctorate in applied physics and materials science at Stanford University. Musk has applied his training as an applied engineer into the systems level of design. He is said to work 100 hours per week, side-by-side with his engineers. He is known to test-drive changes being made to Tesla vehicles before it goes out to customers.
Mr. Trump, who is said to be more of a delegator than a decision-maker, would be well-advised to get into the details of governance, to be less of a talker and more of a doer in the model of Elon Musk.
Back up your policies with peer-reviewed data. Musk argues that the move away from fossil fuels is inevitable, and “virtually all scientists agree that dramatically increasing atmospheric and oceanic carbon levels is insane.” According to NASA, 97% of climate scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities, and most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position.
Mr. Trump should look to multi-layered, data-driven sources as the foundation for his policies in order to best serve U.S. citizens.
Seek out and listen to feedback. Musk looks to other innovators as sources of ideas and systems analysis. He retains contact with former business associates and considers their opinions and approaches against his own. Constantly engaged in self-analysis, Musk reflects on what he has accomplished, the people who have helped along the way, and how the process could be improved.
Mr. Trump would be well-served to slow down and engage in a habit of self-reflection at regular intervals; it is critical for his success as the U.S. president and for the future health of the United States.
Tesla has taken another concrete step toward owning its battery supply chain, and it’s doing so with what is perhaps the most important vehicle in its short-but-storied history.
On September 23, Tesla announced that it has officially built the first Cybercab with cathode material produced in-house at the company’s first cathode plant in the U.S., and the first in the U.S. overall.
First Cybercab made using our in-house cathode material – from the first cathode plant in the Americas pic.twitter.com/X95aVXsT9H
— Robotaxi (@robotaxi) September 23, 2026
Active cathode material is the most expensive piece of a lithium-ion battery cell, and it often accounts for more than a third of cell cost. For years, the industry sourced a majority of it from Asia, but Tesla’s decision to make it in the United States bodes well for the Cybercab project. This is the latest chapter in Tesla’s vertical integration strategy, which began in public at Battery Day in 2020.
At the Battery Day Event, Elon Musk said the company would build a North American cathode plant and overhaul the process to cut costs and waste, while also making some of the most powerful and long-lasting cells in the industry.
The Austin facility took years to appear. Tesla filed permits for “Project Cathode” in 2022 on land near Giga Texas. By mid-2022, the building frame was up and Tesla later invested hundreds of millions of dollars as part of a larger expansion of the Giga Texas plant. The company stated it was operating the first large-scale cathode production facility in North America to supplement 4680 cell production.
One month later, that material reached a finished Cybercab.
Made with nickel cathode manufactured locally at Gigafactory Texas! https://t.co/DqMm5fZV3n
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 24, 2026
The timing of this breakthrough is monumental for the Cybercab program. As Tesla officially launched the first Cybercab rides to the public earlier this month, production of the ride-hailing-geared vehicle is moving forward on the planned S-curve that CEO Elon Musk told everyone to expect.
Nevertheless, packs of Cybercab units have been spotted throughout the United States, in an effort to potentially activate the fleet as soon as the company gains regulatory approval in various geographic areas.
On top of that, Tesla owning the cathode step and pairing it with its own in-house lithium from the Gulf Coast refinery shortens the supply chain that once stretched thousands of miles and subjects every pack to fewer external price shocks and geopolitical risks.
Tesla is not yet independent of all of its foreign suppliers, as some precursor metals come from mines and chemical plants. But the first in-house cathode Cybercab shows the company is closing the most expensive and most concentrated gap in its battery production efforts. For a vehicle like Cybercab to operate at a high utilization within the Robotaxi network, that control over cost is so crucial.
It is arguably as important as the software that drives it.
Tesla is set to inaugurate its dedicated Semi factory in Sparks, Nevada, this evening, but drone footage has already started to show who is expected on the handover stage.
Zanegler, a drone operator who regularly documents Tesla Semi operations in Nevada, filmed a row of new-generation Semi units parked outside of the plant with customer branding applied. The liveries visible in the video include companies like PepsiCo, U.S. Foods, Einride, DHL, WattEV, and others that have committed to utilizing Tesla’s Class 8 electric truck in their fleets.
Tesla Semi Pre-Reveal Revealed!
Excited to share this segment of the drone flight one day prior to the Tesla Semi Reveal event.
They have added branding to several Tesla new generation semis.
Including:
Pepsico
US Foods
Einride
LTS
Nevoya
OK Produce
ABF Freight
DHL
WattEV… pic.twitter.com/KoFOg2FouR— Zanegler (@HinrichsZane) September 24, 2026
Several of those company names already sit within Tesla’s public ordering book, including PepsiCo, which has been the program’s primary anchor customer since the first Semi deliveries in December 2022. PepsiCo now runs dozens of Tesla Semi units in daily service, with drivers completing regional routes.
Einride placed a 500-unit order in August, which was, at the time, the largest single Semi commitment. First deployments of their Semi units are planned for this month and will eventually span across California, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia. Meanwhile, IMC Logistics announced a 50-truck California order this week.
Tesla Semi lands the biggest electric truck deal in U.S. history
Other names, like LTS, OK Produce, and HMD, have not been widely confirmed as firm buyers, but their presence on the lot is perhaps the clearest signal that Tesla intends to expand on that list this evening at the event.
Tesla first unveiled the Semi back in 2017 with a 2019 production target.
Limited pilot builds reached PepsiCo in late 2022, and high-volume production began at the new 1.7-million-square-foot plant that sits logically positioned next to Tesla’s Gigafactory Nevada. Tesla Semi program director Dan Priestley has said that Tesla expects to build “many thousands” of Semi units this year, but as with every Tesla release, there have been set expectations of an S-curve ramp.
Outside estimates still put 2026 deliveries in the 5,000-to-15,000 range, but it will ultimately depend on Tesla’s readiness to put those units out, as well as how smoothly production is moving internally.
Tesla’s Semi Rollout event is set to start tonight at the Sparks factory, and it will be livestreamed on X starting at 6 p.m. PDT / 9 p.m. ET.
The Tesla App is now giving owners a better indication of what to expect when visiting a Supercharger site, as it is now sharing Site Maps in the app itself, making the feature no longer exclusively available in the car.
Tesla owners can now preview a Supercharger’s layout and live stall status from their phone thanks to the App’s new software version, v4.61.0. Zooming into a supported Supercharger on the charging map now switches the familiar street view into a site-specific map that shows stall positions, occupied bays, out-of-service posts, and a live count of open Superchargers.
It will even show you which specific Tesla model is charging at each occupied stall.
You can now see Live Site Maps in the latest Tesla app (4.61.0.) pic.twitter.com/JIL8QzR8hu
— Zack (@BLKMDL3) September 18, 2026
This is the same view drivers first saw inside the car with the 2025 Holiday Update, which started as a pilot for Tesla in California and Texas. Those early maps showed layout, nearby amenities, and the status of each operational stall. The feature has spread to most Superchargers in the U.S., but now Tesla wants the feature available through the Smartphone App, which is now rolling out to owners.
The in-vehicle screen maps remain a richer 3D canvas and originally required AMD Ryzen infotainment hardware, which left many Intel-based Model 3 and Model Y owners without the view. The app version removes that hardware barrier, so any owner can now get a preview of their upcoming Supercharger stop on their phone.
Anyone with the updated version of the app can open a Site Map on their phone. The feature has provided some additional peace of mind to anxious travelers and those who might be looking for a place that is less congested for faster charging speeds. It is a meaningful addition to many owners, especially for trips to unfamiliar locations.
You can now pick a Supercharger location that might be more aligned with what you are looking for or need: you can pick a site based on what stalls are open, where ADA stalls sit, how you will pull in, and more, instead of circling a crowded lot after arriving. Owners of older cars now have access to the feature without having to purchase a new vehicle altogether.
Site Mpas will not reserve a stall, nor will it change how Fast Charging works. Tesla does something simpler and more useful by giving owners a dedicated preview of the Supercharger they’re about to charge, turning an unknown parking lot into a place that may seem more familiar thanks to the preview.
Interested in ordering a Tesla? Use my referral code for three free months of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) here.
Tesla Cybercab gets initial tie-in to localized, in-house cathode plant
Tesla leaks Semi customers ahead of handover event
