Energy
Tesla’s latest referral program prize includes a Tesla Semi race competition
Tesla updated its acclaimed Referral Program today, revealing several new rewards and extending popular perks for new and existing customers. Among the most notable updates are an opportunity to race the Tesla Semi around the company’s test track, as well as the extension of Free Unlimited Supercharging and a possible VIP invitation to what could be the Model Y reveal event.
Unlike past Referral Programs, the updated list of perks includes a fun competition among existing Tesla owners. As noted in the description for Tesla’s latest promotion that will run between Feb 1 to April 30, 2018, the person who can get the most number of friends to sign up for Tesla’s newsletter would have the opportunity to race the Tesla Semi around the company’s test track.
According to Tesla, each weekly winner would be ranked according to their times on the course. The performance of each winner behind the wheel of the electric long-hauler would also be posted on the Tesla app’s leaderboards.
Considering the astounding performance of the Tesla Semi, this particular perk in the company’s updated Referral Program could very well prove to be its most popular yet. Powered by four Model 3-derived electric motors, the Tesla Semi is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in 5 seconds without a full load.
Such acceleration is comparable to performance cars like the 2016 Ford Mustang V6 and the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro V6 1LE. Unlike these muscle cars, however, the Tesla Semi is a Class 8 truck that’s capable of towing 80,000 lbs. The acceleration was recently seen on video, when a Tesla Semi was spotted speeding through an industrial park that’s located between Tesla’s headquarters in Palo Alto and the company’s factory in Fremont, California.
Apart from the fun Tesla Semi reward, the latest Referral Program also includes an update to the company’s Supercharging policy. Model S and Model X buyers that purchase a vehicle after using an existing owner’s referral code, before the April 30 deadline, will receive free and unlimited use of Tesla’s global Supercharging network. In addition, a $500 credit will be given to the first friend each owner refers through their referral code. The $500 credit could be applied towards service or accessories, notes Tesla.
Tesla owners who earn five qualified referrals also earn a VIP invitation to the Elon Musk-led electric car and energy firm’s next unveiling event. Considering that Tesla has already unveiled the Tesla Semi and the next-generation Roadster, there is a pretty good chance that the next event would focus on the Model Y, the highly-anticipated compact SUV that will be built on Model 3’s architecture.
Tesla’s solar customers are can also earn perks by referring solar installations, including a $400 cash or $750 credit for each installed referral, a well as a Founders Series Powerwall 2 home battery unit.
We’ve provided the complete details of Tesla’s latest Referral Program below.
Tesla Referral Program
Tesla customers can give friends exclusive benefits on Model S, Model X and solar panels with their personal referral code.
Model S and Model X: Free Unlimited Supercharging
Owners can give five friends free, unlimited Supercharging with the purchase of a new Model S or Model X. In addition to unlimited Supercharging, the first friend each owner refers between February 1 and April 30 will also receive a $500 credit toward service or accessories.
As a thank you, participating owners will be eligible to receive referral awards.
1 to 2 Qualifying Referrals:
Owners can choose either of the options below for each of their first and second referrals.
- Founders Series Tesla Model S for Kids
Share the Tesla experience with your kids, with this miniature drivable electric Model S – including working headlights, a sound system, and a charge port, just like yours.
3 Qualifying Referrals:
Owners can choose either of the options below for their third referral.
- One Week with Model S or Model X
Experience a new Model S or Model X for one week—at home or on the road. If you do not use this award, this exclusive test drive may be given to a friend.
4 Qualifying Referrals:
Founders Series Powerwall 2
Store energy for future use and provide backup power with this red, limited-production Powerwall 2 home battery. This edition is not available to the public and will become available for installation starting Fall 2017.
5 Qualifying Referrals:
- Tesla Unveiling Invitation
Experience our next official unveiling event. Owners who reach five referral orders will be invited to our next unveiling event. Your VIP invitation will be valid for you and one guest. - Early Access Token for Solar Roof
Be one of the first to get Solar Roof with this early-access token for priority scheduling of a Solar Roof installation. If you do not use this award, the token may be given to a friend.
Race an Electric Semi Truck
One winner each week will get to race a giant electric semi truck around our test track. There will be additional prizes and trophies for the best track times. Each friend who signs up for our newsletter through your referral link gets each of you an entry. Owners can track their entries and the leaderboard in the Tesla App.
Solar: 5-Year Extended Limited Warranty
Owners can give five friends a 5-year extended limited warranty on a new solar energy system installation, and will be eligible to receive referral awards.
1 to 4 Qualifying Referrals:
Receive $400 cash or $750 in credit per each installed referral.
Credits are valid for 12 months from the referral installation date and can be used toward new Tesla products or accessories.
5 Qualifying Referrals:
Founders Series Powerwall 2
Store energy for future use and provide backup power with this red, limited-production Powerwall 2 home battery.
Thank you for helping to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Tesla Energy has introduced the Powerwall Lease in conjunction with Tesla Electric, making the service available in Texas. This new option delivers whole-home backup power using two Powerwall units for a net monthly cost of $35 after credits, accompanied by a low fixed electricity rate.
Under the lease terms, customers pay a one-time order fee of $100. The base lease payment for the two Powerwalls is approximately $122 per month during the first year, subject to a 3 percent annual escalator thereafter. Enrollment in a qualifying Tesla Electric Backup plan or Virtual Power Plant plan provides an $87 monthly credit.
Powerwall Lease is now available with Tesla Electric in Texas
Whole-home backup for $35/month, with a low fixed electricity rate
– Two Powerwalls, $0 installation
– Storm Watch outage protection
– One app to manage it all pic.twitter.com/oTzqc6K3aF— Tesla Energy (@teslaenergy) August 13, 2026
This credit lowers the effective cost to roughly $35 per month plus applicable tax.
Installation of the standard system carries no additional charge. The package features Storm Watch for outage protection and allows complete management through a single Tesla application. The system supplies continuous whole-home backup capability.
The Powerwall system enables households to maintain electricity during severe storms that disrupt the utility grid. When outages occur, the batteries automatically provide seamless backup power to the home.
Tesla announces 100k Powerwalls are participating in Virtual Power Plants
Tesla Storm Watch monitors weather forecasts and ensures the units are fully charged ahead of anticipated severe weather events so that power remains available throughout the disruption, keeping lights, refrigeration, and other essential systems operating without interruption.
Availability is restricted to select Texas locations where retail electric choice exists. Participants must lease exactly two Powerwall units and maintain continuous enrollment with Tesla Electric. Solar panels cannot be included under this particular lease arrangement.
The monthly credit activates automatically once the system is installed, receives permission to operate, and enrollment is confirmed. To retain the credit, customers are required to stay enrolled in Tesla Electric and fulfill all program conditions.
Nonstandard installations that involve electrical upgrades or special permitting may lead to extra expenses and might impact eligibility for the credit, so be sure to check with either your installer or Tesla to ensure you will still qualify.
Elon Musk
Inside Tesla’s secretive $10 Billion “Project Crystal Sun” filing
Tesla filed for a $10.1 billion Fort Bend solar factory, but the site isn’t confirmed.
Tesla has filed paperwork in Texas for a second massive manufacturing project in the same week it locked down its chip fabrication site, this time for a $10.1 billion solar cell plant in Fort Bend County. The filing, submitted July 22 under the state’s Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation Act and first surfaced by Sawyer Merritt on X, lists an internal project name of “Project Crystal Sun” and targets a site off FM 762 and FM 1994 near Richmond, about 40 minutes outside Houston.
Tesla is planning to build a $10.1 billion vertically integrated solar cell manufacturing facility in Fort Bend County, Texas, about 40 minutes from Houston, according to a new public application filing.
Tesla is aiming to start construction this year and finish in 2028, with… pic.twitter.com/f3HIK5HGST
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) August 7, 2026
The application, prepared by Kroll Tax Services on Tesla’s behalf, spans five parcels totaling roughly 3,000 acres within the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District. Tesla wants a 10 year property tax limitation in exchange for the investment, split as $1.5 billion in real property and $8.6 billion in equipment and personal property. The company projects 9,712 permanent jobs once the plant reaches full operation, with 1,147 peak construction jobs during a build window running from this year through 2028 and commercial operations targeted for the first quarter of 2029.
Tesla is not fully committed to Fort Bend County yet. The filing states the company is weighing the site against an unnamed out of state alternative, and frames the tax abatement as what would make Texas competitive against that option. If the district and county decline the incentive, Tesla says it may build elsewhere.
Tesla Megapack Megafactory in Texas advances with major property sale
The plant would handle the full solar cell production chain in one facility, according to the filing, covering wafer and ingot manufacturing, coating, metallization and printing lines, cell testing, automated material handling and cleanroom infrastructure. That scope points to Tesla vertically integrating a part of its supply chain it currently sources largely from overseas partners, mirroring the approach behind its expanding Megapack production in Brookshire, Texas, where Tesla has already built out two buildings for its grid battery business.
The timing lines up closely with Tesla and SpaceX’s other big Texas commitment this month. SpaceX confirmed its Terafab chip factory would land in Grimes County days before this filing surfaced, with construction on that $16.8 billion project starting almost immediately after local officials met with residents. Terafab is meant to produce the AI chips running Tesla’s Optimus robots and Full Self-Driving software, while a solar cell plant would feed a different part of the business, the panels and storage systems Tesla sells to homeowners, businesses and utilities, and increasingly needs to power its own data centers.
Musk has talked about building domestic solar manufacturing capacity before, tying it to the amount of power Tesla’s AI ambitions will require.
TESLARATI Premium Membership
$19.99 USD
Tesla just trademarked ‘MEGAPOD’ with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), its latest move in what seems to be a hint that the company is incredibly focused on its AI efforts and storage needs as compute increases.
The application carries serial number 99893717 and lists the applicant as Tesla, Inc., located at 1 Tesla Road, Austin, Texas 78725.
The filing remains in ‘live pending’ status, and it is a new application waiting for assignment to an examining attorney. It has not yet been published or registered.
Tesla just trademarked MEGAPOD
Summary:
“Modular data center hardware systems for artificial intelligence computing, comprised of computer servers, computer hardware for artificial intelligence processing, computer networking hardware, electrical power distribution units, and… pic.twitter.com/3l85DsKadl— Robin (@xdNiBoR) June 19, 2026
According to the official goods and services description in the application, Tesla describes ‘MEGAPOD’ as:
“Modular data center hardware systems for artificial intelligence computing, comprised of computer servers, computer hardware for artificial intelligence processing, computer networking hardware, electrical power distribution units, and cooling systems, sold as a unit; self-contained modular computing hardware systems for artificial intelligence workloads; integrated computer hardware platforms for artificial intelligence computing, namely, enclosures containing computer hardware, power distribution hardware, and cooling hardware, sold as a unit; downloadable software for monitoring, managing, optimizing, and regulating modular artificial intelligence computing hardware systems.”
This description specifies complete, self-contained modular units that integrate servers and specialized AI processing hardware with networking components, power distribution, and cooling systems. It also includes associated downloadable software for oversight and optimization of these systems. The language emphasizes hardware sold “as a unit” and enclosures that combine the necessary elements for AI computing workloads.
Tesla has an established history of developing and commercializing modular hardware systems. Its Megapack product line, for example, consists of utility-scale battery energy storage systems designed as containerized units for grid applications. The MEGAPOD filing follows a similar pattern of protecting a name for modular, integrated hardware platforms, this time focused on artificial intelligence computing infrastructure.
This could be an early move, especially as Tesla did not have trademark rights to the word ‘Cybercab,’ the name of its self-driving, ride-hailing-focused vehicle.
Trademark applications of this type allow companies to secure priority rights to a name for defined categories of goods and services. The USPTO examines applications for compliance with legal requirements, including distinctiveness and absence of conflicts with prior marks. If the application proceeds successfully through examination, publication, and any opposition period, it could result in a federal trademark registration providing nationwide protection. This is what Tesla’s obvious intention is with ‘MEGAPOD.’
Public reports and analysis suggest MEGAPOD could represent modular, container-style AI computing pods designed for easy deployment. These would bundle servers, AI accelerators, power systems, and cooling into self-contained units suitable for distributed AI workloads. This approach aligns with Tesla’s announced AI compute strategy.
In March 2026, Elon Musk outlined plans for “Digital Optimus” (also referred to as Macrohard), a joint Tesla-xAI project for AI agents capable of handling complex digital tasks. The plans include running these agents on Tesla’s AI4 hardware in parked vehicles as well as dedicated compute units installed at Supercharger stations, which collectively offer substantial unused electrical capacity.
What is Digital Optimus? The new Tesla and xAI project explained
A modular hardware platform like the one described in the ‘MEGAPOD’ filing would support scalable, rapid deployment of such distributed compute resources. It could complement Tesla’s other AI infrastructure efforts, including the Dojo supercomputer used for training models and the development of AI systems for autonomous driving and robotics, by enabling edge or regional AI inference without reliance on traditional centralized data centers.
SpaceX achieves incredible milestone with Starlink program
Tesla is opening Cybercab rides to a select few
