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Tesla fans deliver Elon Musk’s new couch, raise $18k for charity

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The Tesla community recently got together to crowdfund a new couch for Elon Musk, after it was revealed in a CBS This Morning segment that the sofa Musk was sleeping on in the Fremont factory was incredibly uncomfortable.

Tesla fans across the globe pitched in for the crowdfunded campaign, resulting in more than $8,000 in total money raised. As could be seen in a recently-uploaded YouTube video, the new couch has been delivered to Fremont, and the proceeds of the campaign will now be given, in its entirety, to charity.

A video featuring the delivery of Elon Musk’s new couch was uploaded by YouTuber and Teslanomics host Ben Sullins, who started the GoFundMe campaign. According to Ben, Elon’s new couch was donated by Wayfair, enabling the entire crowdsourced amount to be given to a humanitarian organization. Ben shared some photos from the sofa’s delivery, and based on the images; it seems like Elon Musk’s new couch is indeed very comfortable. Wayfair appears to have given a shoutout to Tesla, as well, as the couch the company donated was called a Model: S 164 sofabed.

Ben Sullins’ GoFundMe campaign raised almost $8,000 for Elon Musk’s new couch. Tesla Club of Sweden raised another $1,500. The proceeds from the GoFundMe drive would be given to Renewable World, a UK-based charity which conducts projects aimed at fighting poverty through renewable energy. Among Renewable World’s ongoing initiatives is in Nepal, where the organization is helping residents get back on their feet amid the aftereffects of a devastating earthquake back in 2015.

As noted by the Teslanomics host, however, Tesla decided to add a final twist to the Tesla community’s total donation. The electric car maker opted to match the proceeds from the fundraiser dollar-for-dollar, giving Renewable World a far more substantial amount.

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“Now Tesla, I thought, originally was only gonna donate the cost of the couch. But since Wayfair donated the couch, Tesla is going to be matching the entire donation — the entire thing. So all $8,000, close to $8,000 that we raised, plus the $1,500 from the Tesla Club of Sweden, we collectively are over $18,000 — money raised going to charity from a simple, little joke idea,” Ben said in his video.  

Ben’s video included a clip from Renewable World, where the organization thanked everyone who contributed to the GoFundMe campaign. According to the charity, the donation would aid their projects across the globe, including communities in Kenya, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

The Tesla community, from electric car owners to the company’s executives, have been involved in heartwarming, altruistic projects in the past. Earlier this year, members of the Tesla community got together to make the wish of Dr. Matthew Chan, a cancer-stricken Model X owner, come true. During that time, the Tesla superfan was given a special tour of the Fremont factory, including an extended meet-and-greet with Franz von Holzhausen and a test drive with a Model 3. Elon Musk took some time to converse with Dr. Chan as well, with the CEO speaking with the Tesla owner before heading to the facility.

Watch Ben Sullins’ video featuring the delivery of Elon Musk’s new couch below.

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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 brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

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(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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