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Tesla enthusiast celebrates Elon Musk’s daring, rebellious streak in epic illustration

(Photo: Shawn Wylde/AAF)

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Elon Musk is arguably one of the world’s most notable visionaries today, but at his core, he is still a rebel. He rebelled against the conventions of the United States’ space program with SpaceX, and he rebelled against the fossil fuel industry with Tesla. It has never been easy for Musk, as his career is defined by one big risk after another. It is no secret that despite his estimated net worth of $20 billion, Elon Musk still lives on the edge, seemingly teetering on the edge of success or failure. 

A Rebel’s Journey

Marine veteran and entrepreneur Shawn Wylde is also a lifelong rebel. Raised in a chaotic household, Wylde eventually made his way to the military. His path was paved with controversy, as he faced expulsion from the Virginia Military Institute after leading a student revolt against the administration after they overly punished a group of students. From there, Wylde served as an officer in the US Marine Corps, where he was eventually deployed to Iraq. Wylde dealt with a traumatic brain injury and PTSD after his deployment, which resulted in a downward spiral that ended with him serving time in federal prison.

It was during his incarceration that Wylde came up with what could very well be his best business idea to date. While trying to figure out how he could raise money to pay off his lawyer,  the former marine opted to try his hand at designing a clever, hyper-patriotic (and to a point, satirical) shirt that he could sell to fellow military members. His plan worked, and it allowed him to raise more than enough cash to pay for his legal counsel. While in federal prison, the former marine continued brainstorming ideas for his business. After serving time and while on house arrest, Wylde launched his online clothing store — American AF — which features a collection of humorous and hyper-patriotic clothing that pokes fun at every corner of US politics and history.

Mad Musk

That said, Wylde’s recent project is a step away from American AF’s usual political fare. This time around, the former marine opted to focus on a person that he considers the “entrepreneur’s entrepreneur” — SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Inspired by the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max, and using his flair for pop culture-inspired humor, Wylde launched American AF’s latest flagship illustration — Mad Musk, which features a determined Elon Musk confidently riding an electric Mad Max Interceptor while fighting aliens on Mars. In a statement to Teslarati, the former marine described his inspiration for the piece in the following statement.

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“We tend to idolize the big names in tech, but I think the vast majority of founder success stories could have been written about somebody else, if timing and luck were different. That is, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, etc.,  while amazing companies, would have been created by somebody else if not by the founders that got there first. But not Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Co. No way these would exist without Elon Musk. I think that’s what sets him apart from the other startup megastars. Also the fact that he keeps starting new companies. Most successful entrepreneurs realize how lucky they were and how brutal it is, and so they transition into being investors.  It’s safe and easy. But not Elon. He goes and invests all his money into insanely risky startups. It’s mad really. That’s why we created Mad Musk,” he said.

In true American AF flair, Mad Musk is riddled with references from Elon Musk’s past ventures notable moments. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Starship could be seen in the background, and the Tesla logo stands proudly on top of a flagpole. These Elon Musk references extend all the way to the Tesla-Mad Max Interceptor itself, from the cover to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, his “worth it” tweet after his run-in with the SEC, solar panels from Tesla Energy, as well as the logos of Zip2, X.com, PayPal, and Blastar, a game that Musk created as a child. Some humorous illustrations in the vehicle also include Jeremy Clarkson (a reference to the former Top Gear host’s controversy with the original Roadster), and a 1990s Calvin Sticker that quite literally targets TSLA short-sellers. Of course, the logos of The Boring Company, Neuralink, and Ad Astra (shown in Musk’s armband) are also prominent in the illustration.

American AF’s ‘Mad Musk’ is riddled with references to Elon Musk’s ventures. (Photo: Shawn Wylde/American AF)

Elon Musk’s Determination, Another Man’s Inspiration

Ultimately, Mad Musk is Wylde’s ode to Elon Musk’s determination and grit, as well as his stubborn refusal to give up. Wylde noted that he actually wanted to work at Tesla since he finds the company’s mission inspiring. Considering that the electric car maker already has someone that’s “a lot smarter” than him, Wylde notes that he might as well help Musk from the outside by showing, in his small way, that the daring CEO pretty much embodies the American dream. Plus, Wylde tells us, “Tesla is made in the USA,” making the electric car and energy company truly American AF.

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“After reading up on Elon, I get the sense that he was a child prodigy who suffered a traumatic upbringing that–despite being tragic–somehow resulted in a guy who has nearly unlimited perseverance, passion, and goodwill to give the world. I just think he’s a really authentic, sincere person that isn’t motivated at all by money or power. He’s a creator and engineering is his art,” Wylde said.

In my recent interactions with Shawn Wylde, he mentioned that he really hopes that Elon Musk would like his company’s fun, quirky illustration. That said, the former marine also joked that he would settle for Musk not hating the picture, and for not suing American AF for using his likeness. Shawn also noted that if Mad Musk proves successful, his clothing company would create more dedicated Elon Musk-inspired merchandise, particularly one that features the CEO and a car that he recently reserved from Tesla — a next-generation Roadster.

Elon Musk’s refusal to give up and his raw determination is something that could not be denied. It is this characteristic that made SpaceX and Tesla what they are today. Ultimately, these characteristics have also inspired people from all over the world. Beyond Shawn Wylde and his clothing company, Elon Musk’s daring ventures have also created a dedicated community of electric car owners who promote Tesla through their self-made films, and who are willing to pay it forward when needed.

American AF’s current collection of Elon Musk merchandise could be viewed here.

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Below is a humorous video from American AF about Elon Musk being the ultimate “dream weaver.” Do note that Kimbal Musk also makes a very special announcement at the end of the video.

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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Elon Musk

The Boring Company just doubled its tunneling power in Nashville

The Boring Company’s Prufrock MB2 is commissioned and ready to mine beneath Nashville’s streets.

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The Boring Company’s second tunnel boring machine, Prufrock MB2, is officially ready to dig in Nashville. The company confirmed the news on X, posting: “Prufrock-MB2 is ready to mine in Nashville! MB2 commissioning is complete, including the brief 11 rpm rotation shown here. Will MB2 catch up to MB1, who had quite the head start? And Prufrock-MB3 ships in August!”

MB2 arrives with meaningful improvements over its predecessor. Lessons learned from the launch and operation of MB1 have already been applied to MB2 to improve efficiency and prepare the machine for launch.

Traditional tunnel boring machines operate in a stop-and-go cycle, digging roughly five feet, halt, erect precast concrete segments to line the tunnel wall, then resume. That repeated interruption is one of the main reasons conventional tunneling is slow and expensive. Prufrock is designed to install the tunnel liner simultaneously with mining, eliminating the need to stop every five feet. The machine also skips the need for excavated launch pits. Prufrock arrives on a truck, tilts down, and launches into the ground within 24 hours. And when the tunnel is complete, it emerges from the ground and drives to its next launch site on a trailer, eliminating the need for expensive cranes or pit excavation. The machine is also fully electric and runs with zero people in the tunnel during normal operations, controlled remotely from a surface operations center.

It won’t be long before we hear of another major update on The Boring Company’s Music City Loop project – a planned underground transit network beneath Nashville that would move passengers in electric vehicles through a series of tunnels at highway speeds, and bypassing surface traffic entirely. Nashville was selected in part because of its strong rock conditions that suits the Prufrock machines well, and relatively less regulatory hurdles.

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Progress has been steady on multiple fronts. All 37 permits and approvals required ahead of tunneling have been obtained, out of 45 total. Key wins include a fully executed TDOT tunnel permit authorizing 25 miles of tunnel, unanimous airport authority approval for a Nashville International Airport station, and the city’s first residential station agreement serving downtown tower residents.

With MB1 already tunneling, MB2 now commissioned, and MB3 shipping in August, Nashville is becoming something of a live proving ground for scaled tunnel boring. The broader ambition is not limited to one city. The Boring Company’s stated goal is to make underground transportation a practical alternative to surface roads across major metro areas. Nashville is one of many cities, including a successful Las Vegas tunnel system, where that idea is being put to the test at real speed.

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Tesla unfolded its first European “folding Supercharger”

Tesla’s folding Supercharger just arrived in Europe and it changes how fast charging expands.

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Tesla’s Folding Unit Supercharger has officially landed in Europe, with the company teasing a new installation in its effort for a broader rollout targeting major motorway rest stops across the European continent in Q3 2026. The arrival marks a notable shift in how Tesla is thinking about network expansion, moving from hardware performance alone to engineering the logistics chain itself.

While Tesla did not reveal the exact location for the new folding Supercharger in Europe, the photo shared on X heavily suggests that this maybe somewhere in Norway. Historically, whenever Tesla rolls out an entirely new infrastructure architecture in Europe, whether it was the original Supercharger stalls years ago or these brand-new modular V4 “Folding Units”, Norway is almost always the designated launch pad because of its unmatched EV adoption rate and supportive infrastructure

The Folding Unit, introduced in March 2026, is a factory pre-assembled V4 charging station built on an industrial hinge system mounted to a heavy-duty concrete base. The entire assembly arrives on site ready to unfold and connect. Tesla confirmed the units feature telescopic light poles specifically designed for easy transportation and fast on-site deployment, a detail that signals how carefully the logistics chain has been engineered alongside the hardware itself. The design allows 33% more stalls per delivery truck, cuts installation time roughly in half, and reduces overall deployment costs by more than 20% compared to traditional installations.

Tesla’s newest “Folding V4 Superchargers” are key to its most aggressive expansion yet

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Tesla also noted telescopic light poles which provide benefits over traditional Supercharger installations that require fixed-height poles that are awkward to ship, slow to position on site, and often require separate crews and equipment to erect before charging hardware can even be staged. By engineering poles that compress for transit and extend on arrival, Tesla has removed one of the quieter bottlenecks in the physical deployment process. Every hour saved on a light pole installation is an hour redirected toward getting stalls energized. At scale, across dozens of new sites per quarter, those hours add up to a meaningful acceleration in how quickly a location goes from approved permit to serving its first customer.

Each Folding Unit pairs a single V4 power cabinet with eight charging posts. The V4 cabinet delivers up to 500 kW per stall for passenger vehicles and up to 1.2 MW for the Tesla Semi, supporting twice the stalls per cabinet at three times the power density of its predecessor. Longer cables make every new station immediately usable by non-Tesla vehicles, a priority as Tesla continues opening its network to Ford, GM, Rivian, Hyundai, Stellantis, and others.

As Teslarati reported when the Folding Unit was first unveiled, Tesla’s Gigafactory New York produced its final V3 Supercharger cabinet in March 2026 after more than seven years and 15,000 units, completing a full pivot to V4 production. The European arrival of the folding design is the next chapter in that transition.

Faster and cheaper deployment means Tesla can justify building in markets and corridors that were previously too expensive to serve, filling the coverage gaps that have slowed EV adoption outside major urban centers.

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SpaceXAI just launched into your kitchen with their new app

SpaceXAI just powered its first consumer app and it predicts what you want to buy.

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SpaceXAI just made its first move into consumer AI, and it involves your grocery cart. On June 3, 2026, Gopuff and SpaceXAI announced the launch of Go, a Grok-powered shopping assistant built directly into the Gopuff app that predicts what you need before you even start searching for it.

Gopuff is an instant delivery platform that operates more than 400 micro-fulfillment centers across the U.S., delivering everyday essentials, snacks, drinks, and household items in as little as 15 minutes. It is not a restaurant delivery app or a marketplace. It owns its inventory, controls its warehouses, and handles its own logistics, which means it has built one of the most detailed consumer behavior datasets in retail over its 13-year history.

Go combines SpaceXAI’s advanced reasoning, voice, and image generation models with Gopuff’s dataset of hundreds of millions of orders and real-time cultural signals from X to prepare a suggested cart the moment a customer opens the app. It learns each shopper’s habits and automatically builds a personalized cart based on time of day, location, order history, and real-time indicators. Returning customers can check out with a single tap.


Rather than searching for specific items, users can describe a situation like a game-day party or the desire for a healthy breakfast and Go will assemble a cart automatically. It can also predict when shoppers are running low on items like coffee or paper towels and have them packed and delivered in under 15 minutes. Grok voice integration lets users talk to the app in plain conversational language and check out completely hands-free.

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Gopuff co-founder and co-CEO Yakir Gola said: “Today, we believe the greatest friction left in commerce is not delivery or instantaneous access to the essentials customers need. It’s the moment before: the thinking, the deciding, the remembering. We’re combining Gopuff’s demand intelligence with xAI’s frontier reasoning to create an everyday shopping experience that feels like a true extension of you.”

Why SpaceX just made a $60 billion bet on AI coding ahead of historic IPO

The timing carries context beyond the product launch. SpaceXAI was formed after SpaceX completed an all-stock merger with Elon Musk’s xAI earlier this year, folding one of the most advanced AI labs in the world into the same corporate structure as the company preparing what could be the largest IPO in history. SpaceXAI is dipping into consumer-focused AI just as it prepares for its public debut, and while Musk has openly discussed building an everything app, this launch uses Grok to power another company’s product rather than launching a standalone consumer platform. Every consumer-facing deployment of Grok ahead of the IPO roadshow adds tangible evidence that SpaceXAI is not just an infrastructure play but a direct competitor in the AI application layer where OpenAI and Google are already fighting for dominance.

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