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Tesla’s Elon Musk slams paywalled news in recent media critique

Credit: The Verge

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently took a shot at media agencies that place their important articles behind paywalls. The CEO shared some of his insights on Twitter, which were posted as a response to a report which cited some of his comments about Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. 

Just recently, The Washington Post published a piece about how US regulators reportedly played “mind games” with Elon Musk to get the executive to do what was needed for Tesla. The article claimed that officials from agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officials have appealed to Musk’s ego, and at times, used threats, to force Tesla into falling in line. 

The Post included a comment from Musk, who brought up the owner of the publication, Amazon founder and fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos, once more. It was also mentioned that Musk shared some criticism over the Post’s decision to use paywalls for its online articles. 

In a later comment on Twitter, Musk revealed that his comments were editorialized. The executive noted that his actual comment called out the Post for using paywalls even if the publication could obviously maintain its finances due to its connection with the Amazon founder. Musk also jabbed at Bezos for his yacht, which is so opulent that it has a support yacht. For comparison, Musk owns no yacht and has sold all his California houses. 

The Washington Post should [change] its tagline to ‘democracy dies behind [our] paywall.’ If you’re so concerned about democracy, stop forcing people to pay for (allegedly) important news! Your boss Bezos can certainly afford it, even after buying a support yacht for his yacht.” – Elon Musk. 

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Musk reiterated this point in a later post on Twitter, noting that “The Washington Post’s current slogan is “Democracy Dies in Darkness”. Catchy – for sure – but then what’s up with the paywall for news!?” Quite surprisingly, the CEO’s comments started conversations about whether his criticism of the Post was valid or not, with some commenters stating that publications rely on paywalls to avoid going under

This is not the first time that Musk has set his sights on media practices. Back in 2018, Musk proposed the creation of a website where the public can rate “the core truth” of any article and track the “credibility score over time” of each journalist, editor, and publication. The idea enjoyed widespread support online despite the emergence of numerous articles criticizing it. However, Musk’s idea is yet to become a reality. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@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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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.

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Credit: @hohocho/X

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.”

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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.

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Credit: Tesla China

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. 

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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.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

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.

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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

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