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Tesla’s Elon Musk explains why the oil and gas sector should not be “demonized”

(Credit: Justin Wegner)

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Elon Musk may be waging a battle of sorts against the fossil fuel sector with Tesla, with its electric vehicles and energy products being designed to render their polluting counterparts obsolete. But inasmuch as Tesla’s mission is to push the world away from fossil fuels, the CEO has recently revealed that he is not actually in favor of demonizing the oil and gas industry.

In the push for a sustainable future, the world has primarily taken sides. Ardent fossil fuel supporters have been known to push an anti-sustainability agenda. Elon Musk is familiar with this, considering that Tesla is a common target of anti-EV initiatives, some of whom argue that its cars are actually dirtier than their diesel-powered counterparts. On the flip side, the oil and gas industry has also been reviled to a point, especially considering the effects of fossil fuels on the planet. 

Musk, for his part, noted in his conversation with noted podcast host Joe Rogan that the oil and gas sector could not just be stopped instantaneously, even if the EV sector and renewables are already on an aggressive rise. The Tesla CEO explained that the real story is not a battle against an evil entity. The real story is how fast the world could shift to sustainable solutions. 

“I’m not in favor of demonizing the oil and gas industry. Because like we can’t stop instantaneously and not have oil and gas. You know, like, we’ll likely die of starvation basically. We’re going to need to burn fossil fuels for a long time—the question is just at what rate do we move to a sustainable energy future. So, I think we should probably move there faster than slower,” Musk said. 

Elaborating further, Musk explained that demonizing the oil and gas sector would be unfair to those who have spent their lives building a career in the industry. The Tesla CEO noted that many of those who have worked for the industry have likely made a career trying to do useful things. Thus, having them vilified today would be unfair, especially considering that the oil and gas sectors were not regarded as immoral in the past. 

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“The current approach is basically to demonize oil and gas, and I’m like, ‘Okay, well, obviously you know, there are people who spent their whole career in oil and gas, and they started out their career when it wasn’t seen as a bad thing to do.’ So then, (they’re) like, ‘Hey man, I just spent my whole career working hard to do useful things, and now you’re telling me I’m the devil.’ I mean, that’s gonna make them pretty upset, you know,” Musk explained.  

Overall, Musk remarked that instead of demonizing oil and gas, it would be better to stop lobbying against a carbon tax. This was something that Musk emphasized in a meeting with the Biden administration, though the government has reportedly stated that such a change would be difficult politically. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us for news tips. Just send a message to tips@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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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Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report

Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.

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Credit: Starlink/X

Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.

SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.

Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress

Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.

Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.

Starlink Direct to Cell

Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.

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This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.

starlinkProgressReport_2025 by Simon Alvarez

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Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit

To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo. 

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Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.

To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo. 

6 million drive units

The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote. 

The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.

Giga Nevada’s essential role

Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.

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Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.

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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025

The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide. 

To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.

Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025

The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream. 

Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.

This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.

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Resilience after Supercharger team changes

2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”

Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.

Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible. 

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