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Tesla’s Elon Musk cites popular Eminem rap song in latest response to SEC

Credit: Wall Street Journal/YouTube

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s legal skirmish with the US Securities and Exchange Commission continues, with the executive invoking popular rapper Eminem in a filing submitted to a Manhattan federal court on Tuesday. Musk is currently looking to throw out his 2018 agreement with the SEC, which requires him to get pre-approval for tweets that are of material importance to Tesla. 

The recent filing revealed Musk’s renewed efforts at preventing an SEC subpoena for details about whether the CEO and Tesla have been complying with their 2018 consent decree with the agency, especially when he polled his Twitter followers if he should sell TSLA stock last year. While arguing his points, Musk noted in his recent filing that requiring Tesla lawyers to screen his tweets is unconstitutional and a restraint on his free speech. Musk claimed that this violated his First Amendment rights. 

“The First Amendment requires that agencies proceed with caution when constitutional rights are at stake, not seek to pursue any and all novel theories that broaden their authority at the cost of individual freedom. Compare Eminem, ‘Without Me’ (2002) (‘The [SEC] won’t let me be or let me be me so let me see / They tried to shut me down . . .’) with Citadel Broad. Co., Mem. Op. and Order, 17 FCC Rcd 483 (2002) (rescinding penalty against radio station for playing Eminem song and noting ‘the First Amendment is a critical constitutional limitation that demands we proceed cautiously and with appropriate restraint’),” Musk’s new filing noted

For some context, Eminem’s lyrics referenced the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which fined radio stations for playing one of his popular songs, “The Real Slim Shady,” which featured themes and lyrics that the FCC considered offensive. The SEC, for its part, has declined to comment on Musk’s recent filing, though considering their ongoing legal skirmish, it would not be surprising if the agency files a response against the CEO in the near future. 

Apart from referencing the popular rapper, Musk also argued that the SEC had issued its subpoena in bad faith. The CEO also dubbed the agency’s efforts as a “fishing expedition” of sorts that is aimed at harassing him. “The Formal Order is not an open invitation for any fishing expedition the Commission may wish to pursue, and the Commission errs in assuming that a court may not look behind its veil. To that end, the SEC twice denies that ‘its subpoenas are issued under the consent decree,’ instead stating unequivocally ‘the subpoenas were issued under the authority granted by the Formal Order of Investigation,’” Musk’s filing noted. 

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Musk and the SEC’s agreement was the result of the CEO’s “funding secured” fiasco in 2018. During the time, Musk attempted to take Tesla private, and he announced on Twitter that funding had been secured for the deal. The SEC accused Musk of fraud over his alleged false and misleading statements. In the end, Musk had to step down as Tesla’s Chairman, and he and Tesla paid a $20 million fine each. Musk did, however, not admit that he misled investors with his “funding secured” announcement. 

Musk’s recent filing can be accessed below. 

gov.uscourts.nysd.501755.80.0 by Simon Alvarez on Scribd

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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Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to be heading to Europe soon

For years, Musk has said the process for gaining approval in Europe would take significantly more time than it does in the United States. Back in 2019, he predicted it would take six to twelve months to gain approval for Europe, but it has taken much longer.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to be heading to Europe soon, especially as the company has continued to expand its testing phases across the continent.

It appears that the effort is getting even bigger, as the company recently posted a job for a Vehicle Operator in Prague, Czech Republic.

This would be the third country the company is seeking a Vehicle Operator in for the European market, joining Germany and Hungary, which already have job postings in Berlin, Prüm, and Budapest, respectively.

This position specifically targets the Engineering and Information Technology departments at Tesla, and not the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence job category that relates to Robotaxi job postings.

Although there has been a posting for Robotaxi Operators in the Eastern Hemisphere, more specifically, Israel, this specific posting has to do with data collection, likely to bolster the company’s position in Europe with FSD.

The job description says:

“We are seeking a highly motivated employee to strengthen our team responsible for vehicle data collection. The Driver/Vehicle Operator position is tasked with capturing high-quality data that contributes to improving our vehicles’ performance. This role requires self-initiative, flexibility, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a dynamic environment.”

It also notes the job is for a fixed term of one year.

The position requires operation of a vehicle for data collection within a defined area, and requires the Vehicle Operator to provide feedback to improve data collection processes, analyze and report collected data, and create daily driving reports.

The posting also solidifies the company’s intention to bring its Full Self-Driving platform to Europe in the coming months, something it has worked tirelessly to achieve as it spars with local regulators.

For years, Musk has said the process for gaining approval in Europe would take significantly more time than it does in the United States. Back in 2019, he predicted it would take six to twelve months to gain approval for Europe, but it has taken much longer.

This year, Musk went on to say that the process of getting FSD to move forward has been “very frustrating,” and said it “hurts the safety of the people of Europe.”

Elon Musk clarifies the holdup with Tesla Full Self-Driving launch in Europe

The latest update Musk gave us was in July, when he said that Tesla was awaiting regulatory approval.

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Tesla celebrates 75k Superchargers, less than 5 months since 70k-stall milestone

Tesla’s 75,000th stall is hosted at the South Hobart Smart Store on Cascade Road, South Hobart, Tasmania.

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Credit: Tesla Charging/X

Tesla has crossed another major charging milestone by officially installing its 75,000th Supercharger stall worldwide. The electric vehicle maker chose South Hobart, Tasmania, as the commemorative location of its 75,000th Supercharger. 

Tesla’s 75,000th Supercharger

Tesla’s 75,000th stall is hosted at the South Hobart Smart Store on Cascade Road, South Hobart, TAS 7004, as noted in a techAU report. The location features four next-generation V4 Superchargers, which are built with longer cables that should make it easy even for non-Teslas to use the rapid charger. The site also includes simplified payment options, aligning with Tesla’s push to make V4 stations more accessible to a broader set of drivers.

For Tasmanian EV owners, the installation fills an important regional gap, improving long-distance coverage around Hobart and strengthening the area’s appeal for mainland travelers traveling by electric vehicle. Similar to other commemorative Superchargers, the 70,000th stall is quite special as it is finished in Glacier Blue paint. Tesla’s 50,000th stall, which is in California, is painted a stunning red, and the 60,000th stall, which is in Japan, features unique origami-inspired graphics.

https://twitter.com/TeslaCharging/status/1991019320584122471?s=20

Accelerating Supercharger milestones

The Tesla Supercharger’s pace of expansion shows no signs of slowing. Tesla celebrated its 70,000th stall at a 12-stall site in Burleson, Texas late June 2025. Just eight months earlier, Tesla announced that it had celebrated the buildout of its 60,000th Supercharger, which was built in Enshu Morimachi, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Tesla’s Supercharger Network also recently received accolades in the United Kingdom, with the 2025 Zapmap survey naming the rapid charging system as the Best Large EV Charging Network for the second year in a row. Survey respondents praised the Supercharger Network for its ease of use, price, and reliability, which is best-in-class. The fact that the network has also been opened for non-Teslas is just icing on the cake. 

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Luminar-Volvo breakdown deepens as lidar maker warns of potential bankruptcy

The automaker stated that Luminar failed to meet contractual obligations.

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(Credit: Volvo)

Luminar’s largest customer, Volvo, has canceled a key five-year contract as the lidar supplier warned investors that it might be forced to file for bankruptcy. The automaker stated that Luminar failed to meet contractual obligations, escalating a dispute already unfolding as Luminar defaults on loans, undergoes layoffs, and works to sell portions of the business.

Volvo pulls back on Luminar

In a statement to TechCrunch, Volvo stated that Luminar’s failure to deliver its contractual obligations was a key driver of the cancellation of the contract. “Volvo Cars has made this decision to limit the company’s supply chain risk exposure and it is a direct result of Luminar’s failure to meet its contractual obligations to Volvo Cars,” Volvo noted in a statement.

The rift marked a notable turn for the two companies, whose relationship dates back several years. Volvo invested in Luminar early and helped push its sensors into production programs, while Luminar’s technology bolstered the credibility of Volvo’s safety-focused autonomous driving plans. Volvo’s partnership also supported Luminar’s 2020 SPAC listing, which briefly made founder Austin Russell one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the industry.

Damaged Volvo relations

The damaged Volvo partnership comes during a critical period for Luminar. The company has defaulted on several loans and warned investors that bankruptcy remains a possibility if restructuring discussions fall through. To conserve cash, Luminar has cut 25% of its workforce and is exploring strategic alternatives, including partial or full asset sales. 

One potential buyer is founder Austin Russell, who resigned as CEO in May amid a board-initiated ethics inquiry. The company is also the subject of an ongoing SEC investigation.

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Luminar, for its part, also noted in a filing that it had “made a claim against Volvo for significant damages” and “suspended further commitments of Iris” for the carmaker. “The Company is in discussions with Volvo concerning the dispute; however, there can be no assurance that the dispute will be resolved favorably or at all,” the lidar maker stated.

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