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Tesla Cybertruck: Elon Musk pays year-end tribute to Blade Runner artist that inspired it all

Credit: sydmead.com

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Syd Mead is recognized as the brain behind the design concepts of Blade Runner, the film that inspired the unique and futuristic look of the Tesla Cybertruck. Without his mind and creativity as a designer, we would never have seen the Cybertruck become a reality.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk used Mead’s ideas for vehicles in the 1982 film Blade Runner as inspiration for his company’s newest release of the Cybertruck. Following the news of Mead’s passing yesterday, Musk tweeted, “Rest in peace Syd Mead. Your art will endure.” This tweet from Musk was met with responses from followers who shared their appreciation for Mead’s futuristic-themed artwork, especially considering it was a direct inspiration for the pickup that Tesla will begin producing in late 2021.

Mead and Musk, two minds that have led their respective industries, had tremendous amounts of respect for one another. When Tesla finally unveiled the truck in late November, Mead stated the truck was “stylistically breathtaking” and said he was flattered by Tesla’s use of his design for their newest product. This was obviously a compliment to Musk who shared Mead’s comments on the Cybertruck on his Twitter with a series of heart emojis by his name.

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Mead was born in 1933 and notes his father’s pulp magazines like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon as being the inspiration for his inspiration in science-fiction. He graduated high school in Colorado and after a three-year stint with the U.S. Army and a degree from Art Center School in Los Angeles, Mead accepted a position with Ford Motor Company in its Advanced Styling Studio.

After a lengthy career in the corporate world providing illustrations and designs for an extensive array of companies, he began working with movie studios on films like Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Bladerunner, Tron, and even worked with Star Wars director George Lucas to develop the All Terrain Armored Transport or AT-AT. Mead lost his three-year battle to a type of blood cancer known as lymphoma. Elon Musk was sure to give his condolences to the man who ultimately was the inspiration behind the design of the Cybertruck.

When the Cybertruck design was speculated about by electric vehicle enthusiasts, Tesla’s Elon Musk stated the truck was even more “Blade Runner-Esque” than designs and renders suggested. The truck’s futuristic shape and design were meant to be different than anything that was available to consumers today, and it is. “It doesn’t look like anything else,” Musk said at the vehicle’s unveiling event at the SpaceX Rocket Facility in Los Angeles.

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Mead’s passing is unfortunate, but as fans of Tesla’s work, we should all be grateful that the man who designed some of the inspirations for the truck had the opportunity to see it before he left Earth. His work with science fiction films is impressive and his passion for his work has evidently led to other’s feeling inspired by it. “I’ve called science fiction ‘reality ahead of schedule,’” Mead said in a 2011 interview with the New York Times.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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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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