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Tesla workers enjoy free concert by award-winning musician as thanks for hard work

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Tesla’s Fremont factory recently hosted a special event where 12-time Grammy Award-winning musician, Jack White, held a free concert to show his appreciation for the company and its workers. The event, which appeared to have been a blast, provided Tesla’s employees with some much-needed downtime as the company’s aggressive push towards profitability this third quarter continues.

It is no secret that Tesla’s workers work hard; likely harder than employees at other automakers. Tesla is not a conventional car company, particularly since Elon Musk’s business sense was honed in Silicon Valley, which features an environment where extended hours and sleepless nights are the norm. Silicon Valley is known for its “work hard, play hard” culture, and Tesla is no different.

Jeremy Hollman, a former SpaceX test engineer, noted in a statement to WIRED, that once, Elon Musk had the factory floor set up like a full-blown carnival for a party. Musk also rented out an entire soccer stadium in 2016 for what the company billed as a simple “Tesla Party.” The event was nothing but understated, as it included free food, drinks, foosball, and live aerial acrobatics. Addressing Tesla’s employees then, Musk stated that the party was an act of gratitude for the employees’ hard work.

Jack White noted in several posts on Twitter that the thought of performing a free concert for Tesla’s workers has been in his mind for a few years now. White also stated that he is a huge supporter of “everything Tesla has been doing since day one.” The musician posted a short video featuring the highlights of his visit to the Fremont factory, including a test drive on the Model 3 Performance with Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen. Images uploaded on Tesla’s official Twitter account also show that White was given a tour of the factory. Social media posts from employees and Tesla executives about the event were shared late Friday as well, with Elon Musk and Franz von Holzhausen personally thanking White on Twitter for the free concert.

Jack White is a decorated singer and songwriter who has been active since 1987. Best known as the lead singer and guitarist of The White Stripes, White had enjoyed critical and commercial success for his work in the industry. He currently has 12 Grammy Awards, and three of his albums hit the No. 1 spot in Billboard charts. Back in 2010, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked White as No. 70 in its list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” beating out popular names such as Kurt Cobain (No. 73) and Bruce Springsteen (No. 93). Rolling Stone editor David Fricke ranked White as No. 17 on his list in 2011.

https://twitter.com/thirdmanrecords/status/1030604842115493902

White is also known for his philanthropy work. Back in 2009, he donated nearly $170,000 for the renovation of the baseball diamond in southwest Detroit’s Clark Park. In 2013, the Detroit Masonic Temple found itself on the verge of a foreclosure after it was revealed that it owed $142,000 in back taxes — an amount that White paid in full. The National Recording Preservation Foundation also received an inaugural gift of $200,000 from White for the restoration and preservation of deteriorating sound recordings. White also joined Nashville’s Gender Equality Council in 2016.

Watch excerpts of Jack White’s visit and free concert to Tesla’s Fremont factory in the video below.

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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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Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

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(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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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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