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Tesla community comes together to fulfill terminally ill Cybertruck fan’s wish

Credit: u/arfarfarf/Reddit

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The Tesla Cybertruck is already in production, but customer deliveries of the all-electric pickup truck are still just beginning. This means that for some who ordered the vehicle years ago, it would still take some time before they can take delivery of their Cybertruck. For one Cybertruck reservation holder, this is simply time that he does not seem to have. 

In a story posted on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit earlier this month, Wisconsin-based 71-year-old Tesla enthusiast u/arfarfarf stated that he reserved his Cybertruck three years ago. However, he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and given 3-12 months to live. He has canceled his Cybertruck reservation due to his diagnosis, but he would like to experience the vehicle at least. 

Members of the Tesla subreddit responded positively to the EV enthusiast’s request, with some members and even a moderator stating that they could pass along the story to someone who works at the electric vehicle maker. An update to the story has now been posted, and it seems like things worked out for the best. 

Need a favor from Tesla or Cybertruck owner.
byu/arfarfarf inTeslaLounge

As per the former Cybertruck reservation holder, Tesla Staff Manufacturing Engineer Steven Dang answered the electric vehicle community’s call by driving from Minneapolis to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in a Cybertruck for a ride and drive. The Wisconsin-based EV fan noted that he could not drive on the street because of pain medication, but he did go to a big parking lot where he “got to experience just how cool the Cybertruck is.” 

Images shared by the Tesla fan revealed that the event was a very positive experience for everyone involved. In several follow-up posts on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit, the former Cybertruck reservation holder shared some insights about his experience. 

“I couldn’t drive on the street cuz of pain meds, but we went to a big parking lot and got to experience how cool the CT is. I also have to say how great Steven Dang was! Such a cool guy. He has worked on so many projects in 10 years with Tesla. He knows Tom Zhu! I tried to get secret info, but Steven was very informative yet vague,” the Wisconsin-based Tesla fan wrote. 

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Sorry for the delay, but I got my ride in a Cybertruck, (with pics)
byu/arfarfarf inTeslaLounge

This is not the first time that Tesla has extended some special efforts for its most ardent fans. Back in 2017, the Tesla community, led by veteran owners, came together to help give a terminally ill man and Model 3 reservation holder an experience with the all-electric sedan, which was one of the last items on his bucket list. The community’s efforts were forwarded to Tesla, which proceeded to bump the man up the Model 3’s reservation line

Posts on social media indicated that the man took delivery of his Model 3 early, and a huge group of Tesla staff showed up to make his delivery day as special as possible. The delivery was quite a big deal at the time, as the man became one of the first publicly-known non-employee recipients of the Model 3 sedan. 

And in 2018, similar efforts by the EV community helped a Tesla superfan who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer get a meet-and-greet with Tesla Design Chief Franz von Holzhausen. The superfan, who drove a Model X 90D, wanted to meet one of the men “behind the man,” who worked in the background to push Tesla into the success it became. 

The Model X owner was given a personal tour of the Fremont Factory, and he spent about an hour chatting with von Holzhausen. Following a test drive in a Model 3 with the Chief Designer, Tesla CEO Elon Musk dropped by for a surprise visit, accommodating the superfan for a few minutes before disappearing into the Fremont Factory, which was in the middle of “production hell” at the time.

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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Lifestyle

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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Elon Musk

X account with 184 followers inadvertently saves US space program amid Musk-Trump row

Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

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Joel Kowsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An X user with 184 followers has become the unlikely hero of the United States’ space program by effectively de-escalating a row between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on social media.

Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

A Near Fall

During Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s fallout last week, the U.S. President stated in a post on Truth Social that a good way for the United States government to save money would be to terminate subsidies and contracts from the CEO’s companies. Musk responded to Trump’s post by stating that SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately. 

Musk’s comment was received with shock among the space community, partly because the U.S. space program is currently reliant on SpaceX to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Without Dragon, the United States will likely have to utilize Russia’s Soyuz for the same services—at a significantly higher price.

X User to the Rescue

It was evident among X users that Musk’s comments about Dragon being decommissioned were posted while emotions were high. It was then no surprise that an X account with 184 followers, @Fab25june, commented on Musk’s post, urging the CEO to rethink his decision. “This is a shame this back and forth. You are both better than this. Cool off and take a step back for a couple days,” the X user wrote in a reply.

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Much to the social media platform’s surprise, Musk responded to the user. Even more surprising, the CEO stated that SpaceX would not be decommissioning Dragon after all. “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

Not Planned, But Welcomed

The X user’s comment and Musk’s response were received extremely well by social media users, many of whom noted that @Fab25june’s X comment effectively saved the U.S. space program. In a follow-up comment, the X user, who has over 9,100 followers as of writing, stated that he did not really plan on being a mediator between Musk and Trump. 

“Elon Musk replied to me. Somehow, I became the accidental peace broker between two billionaires. I didn’t plan this. I was just being me. Two great minds can do wonders. Sometimes, all it takes is a breather. Grateful for every like, DM, and new follow. Life’s weird. The internet’s weirder. Let’s ride. (Manifesting peace… and maybe a Model Y.)” the X user wrote.

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Lifestyle

Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger

The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

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Credit: Hammer_of_something/Reddit

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail. 

A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.

Charging Charger Fails

As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.

Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.

Alleged Aftermath

As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.

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The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.

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