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Tesla’s Elon Musk shares new insights on “funding secured” tweet as messages with Saudi PIF are revealed
Elon Musk recently shared some insights about his infamous 2018 “funding secured” tweet, which he posted when he announced his intentions to take Tesla private. The Tesla CEO’s recent comments came as text messages between Musk and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund Head were shared online.
The text messages between Musk and the Saudi PIF Head Yasir Al-Rumayyan were revealed as part of a 300-page motion filed late last week by Alex Spiro, the Tesla CEO’s lead attorney. The messages were part of Musk’s deposition with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which accused the CEO of securities fraud.
In August 2018, Musk announced on Twitter that he was looking to take Tesla private at $420 per share (pre-split) and that he had funding secured. A blog post published soon after explained that Musk’s reference to funding being secured came from previous talks with the Saudi PIF. Musk eventually walked away from the take-private deal, despite Tesla’s financial advisers coming up with a possible list of investors which included Silver Lake and Volkswagen AG.
A look at Musk’s texts to the Saudi PIF Head showed that the CEO was extremely adamant about the sovereign fund confirming that it had shown interest in helping Tesla become a private company. The initial messages shared by Musk’s attorney were calm enough, with the Saudi PIF head confirming that any Tesla venture in Saudi will be 100% owned by the EV maker with no strings attached.
The next messages, which seemed to follow a report which alleged that the Saudi PIF had no interest in helping Tesla go private, were more aggressive.
-->During his appearance at TED 2022, Musk noted that he has an obsession with the truth. This is something that was extremely evident in his texts with the Saudi PIF Head. Musk confronted Al-Rumayyan about the report, noting that “This is false.” The Saudi PIF Head confirmed Musk’s statement, noting that the report was “Not true” and that “Nobody talked to them (the media).” The Saudi PIF eventually issued a statement, but Musk was not happy with its content and tone.
“This is an extremely weak statement and does not reflect the conversation we had at Tesla,” Musk sternly wrote, also adding later on that the Saudi PIF was “throwing me under the bus.”
Al-Rumayyan’s attempts at placating the Tesla CEO were evident in later messages, with the PIF Head assuring Musk that he was a friend and thus must not be treated like an enemy. “The last thing I want to do is ‘throw you under the bus.’ I am your friend. So, please don’t treat me like an enemy,” the PIF Head wrote to Musk.
Despite the back and forth, however, Musk remained aggravated about the situation. Even after Al-Rumayyan shared another article, Musk noted that the piece was “weak sauce and makes me sound like a liar.” Musk then noted that “There will be no further communication unless you fix the public perception of wishy washy support and interest from the PIF.” Al-Rumayyan’s last messages to Musk shared in Spiro’s filing stated that the Saudi PIF would be working on a statement, a move that the Tesla CEO stated meant “a great deal.”
In recent Twitter posts, Musk shared some more insights on his “funding secured” tweet. According to Musk, and just as the CEO stated in his text messages from 2018, “the head of Saudi PIF committed unequivocally to take Tesla private with me, as witnessed by the Tesla CFO and several others. That is why I said funding was secured.” Musk also posted some fresh criticism of the SEC’s San Fransisco Office, which he described as “puppets” of Wall Street short seller sharks.
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Tesla Cybertruck welcomed with open arms in South Korea
The event featured interactive demos, a light show with the full Tesla lineup, and announcements including FSD Supervised’s planned rollout to Cybertruck by the end of 2025.
Tesla Korea handed over its first 30 Cybertrucks to owners on Thursday during a ceremonial event at the Cultural Reserve Base in Seoul, marking the all-electric pickup truck’s official debut outside North America.
The event featured interactive demos, a light show with the full Tesla lineup, and announcements including FSD Supervised’s planned rollout to Cybertruck by the end of 2025.
A historic delivery event
The November 27 event transformed a former oil reserve warehouse into a symbolic launchpad for electric mobility. Attended by 30 new owners, the event included hands-on activities such as hammer-strike durability tests, accessory sales, a lucky draw, and group photos. It culminated in a synchronized light show featuring the 30 Cybertrucks alongside Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y vehicles, which drew cheers from attendees.
Yvonne Chan, Tesla APAC Regional Director, joined as a special guest to celebrate the delivery milestone. Tesla Korea President Seo Young-deuk was also in attendance, and shared his optimism for the company’s momentum in the country.
“Korea is currently the third-largest market for Tesla sales worldwide, and this year, for the first time, it has achieved the No. 1 spot in imported car brand sales volume, Tesla Korea is growing at an incredibly rapid pace,” he said. “To repay this love from our customers, Tesla plans to continue investing in the Korean market and enhancing the customer experience.”
-->FSD Supervised launches in Korea
Seo announced the official introduction of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Korea, with Cybertrucks slated for inclusion by the end of 2025, which promoted applause from the event’s attendees. With even the Cybertruck expected to receive FSD this year, Tesla Korea’s fleet could very well become the country’s most advanced vehicles overnight.
Infrastructure growth remains a priority to support Tesla Korea’s expanding fleet. Tesla Korea’s Supercharger network currently includes 166 sites with 1,133 stalls, with V4 units planned for nationwide highway rest areas to boost long-distance travel. The company also operates seven stores and 15 service centers, though plans are underway to double both by 2027. A new store in Incheon’s Songdo district is scheduled to open by December 2025, enhancing accessibility for western Seoul-area customers.
Seo concluded, “Through all-encompassing investments spanning products, charging infrastructure, and service networks, Tesla Korea will deliver the most refined electric vehicle experience to Korean customers.”
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Tesla China delivery centers packed as Q4 2025 enters its final month
Fresh photos from delivery centers in the country show rows upon rows of Model Ys and Model 3s.
Tesla’s delivery centers in China are filled with vehicles as the company ramps up for its final push in Q4 2025. Fresh photos from delivery centers in the country show rows upon rows of Model Ys and Model 3s, signaling strong end-of-quarter momentum.
A delivery push for Q4 2025
A recent aerial shot from a Tesla delivery center in China captures the company’s efforts to deliver as many vehicles as possible as the year comes to a close. As could be seen in the image, which was posted by on X by Tesla enthusiast Nic Cruz Patane, the facility was filled with numerous Model Y and Model 3 units, each vehicle seemingly ready to be handed over to customers.
Echoing the scene, another post, reportedly from two weeks prior, showed a similar scene in a Shanghai location, which was packed with Model Y units. X user Roberto Nores shared the photo, noting that the image also shows multiple Model Y Ls, a six-seat extended wheelbase version of the popular all-electric crossover.
Towards a strong Q4 finish
China remains Tesla’s volume powerhouse, accounting for a good portion of the company’s global deliveries in recent quarters. That being said, reports did emerge in early November stating that the company only reached 26,006 retail sales during October, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The reasons for this remain to be seen, though a focus on exports could have been a contributing factor.
Tesla China does seem to be hinting at some momentum this November. Just recently, Tesla watchers observed that the order page for the Model Y in China shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks.
-->Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship FL launch site will witness scenes once reserved for sci-fi films
A Starship that launches from the Florida site could touch down on the same site years later.
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has released its Final Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX’s efforts to launch and land Starship and its Super Heavy booster at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s SLC-37.
According to the Impact Statement, Starship could launch up to 76 times per year on the site, with Super Heavy boosters returning within minutes of liftoff and Starship upper stages landing back on the same pad in a timeframe that was once only possible in sci-fi movies.
Booster in Minutes, Ship in (possibly) years
The EIS explicitly referenced a never-before-seen operational concept: Super Heavy boosters will launch, reach orbit, and be caught by the tower chopsticks roughly seven minutes after liftoff. Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage will complete its mission, whether a short orbital test, lunar landing, or a multi-year Mars cargo run, and return to the exact same SLC-37 pad upon mission completion.
“The Super Heavy booster landings would occur within a few minutes of launch, while the Starship landings would occur upon completion of the Starship missions, which could last hours or years,” the EIS read.
This means a Starship that departs the Florida site in, say, 2027, could touch down on the same site in 2030 or later, right beside a brand-new stack preparing for its own journey, as noted in a Talk Of Titusville report. The 214-page document treats these multi-year round trips as standard procedure, effectively turning the location into one of the world’s first true interplanetary spaceports.
-->Noise and emissions flagged but deemed manageable
While the project received a clean bill of health overall, the EIS identified two areas requiring ongoing mitigation. Sonic booms from Super Heavy booster and Starship returns will cause significant community annoyance” particularly during nighttime operations, though structural damage is not expected. Nitrogen oxide emissions during launches will also exceed federal de minimis thresholds, prompting an adaptive management plan with real-time monitoring.
Other impacts, such as traffic, wildlife (including southeastern beach mouse and Florida scrub-jay), wetlands, and historic sites, were deemed manageable under existing permits and mitigation strategies. The Air Force is expected to issue its Record of Decision within weeks, followed by FAA concurrence, setting the stage for rapid redevelopment of the former site into a dual-tower Starship complex.
SpaceX Starship Environmental Impact Statement by Simon Alvarez
Tesla Cybertruck welcomed with open arms in South Korea
Tesla China delivery centers packed as Q4 2025 enters its final month
