News
Tesla introduces ‘Annual Awards’ in latest Referral Program: VIP event access, P100D
Not one to waste any time, Tesla is back with a seventh Referral Program this time introducing an ‘Annual Award’ that will be given to Tesla owners who refer the most Model S and Model X sales by the end of the year.
Details for Tesla’s latest Referral Program were posted to the company’s site shortly after the previous incentive program reached its January 15 end of day expiration. Incidentally, January 15 is also the deadline to the Silicon Valley electric car company’s free lifetime Supercharger policy. Model S and Model X vehicles ordered after this date will be given 400 kWh of Supercharger credits, per year, after which usage will be billed under a new fee structure.
Tesla’s new referral program will be broken down into a ‘Current Phase’ – which will reward owners that refer the most sales between January 16 and March 15, 2017, prizes – and an annual award that will gift winning owners with exclusive VIP access to events, VIP concierge service, a complimentary weekend getaway at a Tesla destination charging resort, and more.
The top prize for winning the Annual Award will be given to the first person within each sales region — North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific — that refers 20 sales. The winner will be rewarded a Ludicrous Tesla Model S or Tesla Model X P100D.
Also, worth noting is Tesla’s mention of a ‘Model 3 delivery event’ under the Current Phase program. Existing owners that make 7 or more qualifying referral sales will receive an invitation to attend the Model 3 delivery event.
Full details of Tesla’s seventh referral program, good between January 16 to March 15, 2017, is outlined in its entirety below.
If you’ve enjoyed visiting our site and seeing our live behind the scenes coverage of events, please consider using our referral code for $1,000 off the purchase of your Model S and Model X. Your support helps us with content production. We’re particularly interested in bringing your the first photos of the Elon Musk-signed Red Powerwall 2.0.
Referral Program (Jan. 16 to Mar. 15, 2017)
Customers who order a new Model S or Model X using the referral link of a Tesla owner will get a $1,000 credit towards the purchase price. To show our appreciation, referring owners will be eligible for our Referral Program awards.
Current Phase
Owners can refer up to 8 friends during the current phase of the program, lasting from January 16 to March 15, 2017.
7+ Qualifying Referrals
Owners who make 7 qualifying referrals will receive an invitation for themselves and a guest to attend our Model 3 delivery event.
5+ Qualifying Referrals
Those who make 5 or more qualifying referrals will receive an exclusive red Founders Series Powerwall 2. This limited edition Powerwall is not available to the public.
3+ Qualifying Referrals
Those who make 3 qualifying referrals will receive a Founders Series Tesla Model S for Kids. This miniature driveable electric Model S includes working headlights, sound system, and charge port.
2+ Qualifying Referrals
Those who make 2 or more referrals will receive a rolling Tesla carry-on.
Ludicrous P100D Model S or Model X
Each qualified referral customers make gives them an additional entry into a drawing to win their choice of either a Ludicrous P100D Model S or Model X.
Annual Awards
Owners will now also receive exclusive benefits and awards throughout the year, based on their total number of referrals from January 16, 2017.
First to 20 Per Region – Ludicrous P100D Model S or Model X
The first person to refer 20 friends starting from January 16 in each sales region— North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific — will receive a P100D Model S or Model X. They will be invited to configure their award once all 20 friends have taken delivery of their new Tesla vehicles.
20+ Qualifying Referrals
Those who make 20 qualifying referrals will receive a weekend getaway at a destination charging resort as well as the ability to swap their car with the latest Tesla of their choice for a week.
15+ Qualifying Referrals
Those who make 15 qualifying referrals will receive exclusive priority access and benefits lasting until December 31, 2018, including:
VIP Concierge – 24/7 access via phone for assistance with all ownership matters
VIP access to Tesla events
10 overnight test drive passes for friends and family
10 passes for 4 to tour Tesla’s Fremont Factory
We know that without our customers we would not be where we are today. This is our way of thanking you for your support in building the Tesla community and accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Limits
Related order must be placed between January 16, 2017 and March 15, 2017 to qualify for current phase awards, and after January 16, 2017 to qualify for annual awards. Referrals must be delivered before awards are redeemed. Pre-owned vehicles are not eligible. Limit of 8 referrals per owner until March 15, 2017.
Must be at least 18 years old to be eligible for awards. No entry fee, payment or purchase required for the drawing. A random drawing will be held on or around March 31, 2017 to determine the winner. The winner will be contacted thereafter. Awards are non-transferable and not redeemable for cash. The winner is responsible for all taxes and local requirements and fees. Program and awards are conditional on and subject to local laws and regulations. Unfortunately, Ohio and Virginia residents are not eligible for awards.
The customer is not an employee, legal representative or partner of Tesla or any Affiliate of Tesla. Nothing in the Referral Program shall be deemed to create any kind of (commercial) relationship between Supplier and Tesla or any of Tesla’s Affiliates. The customer has no authority to represent or bind Tesla.
Good Faith
We introduce programs such as these in good faith and expect the same good faith in return. Please note that we may withhold awards where we believe customers are acting in bad faith or otherwise acting contrary to the intent of this program. To be clear, commercializing or otherwise selling referral codes is not appropriate, and we will not honor such codes. We cannot cover every nefarious scenario, nor will we attempt to, but we do promise to be fair and reasonable.
Elon Musk
Tesla ramps Cybercab test manufacturing ahead of mass production
Tesla still has plans for volume production, which remains between four and eight weeks away, aligning with Musk’s statements that early ramps would be deliberately measured given the Cybercab’s novel architecture and full reliance on Tesla’s vision-based Full Self-Driving technology.
Tesla is seemingly ramping Cybercab test manufacturing ahead of mass production, which is scheduled to begin next month, the company said.
At Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas, production of the Cybercab, the company’s groundbreaking purpose-built Robotaxi vehicle, is accelerating markedly. Drone footage from Joe Tegtmeyer captured striking aerial footage today, revealing what appears to be the largest public sighting of Cyebrcabs to date.
A total of 25 units were observed by Tegtmeyer across the Gigafactory Texas property, marking a clear step-up in testing and validation activities as Tesla prepares for a broader output.
Tesla Cybercab production begins: The end of car ownership as we know it?
In the footage, 14 metallic gold Cybercabs were parked in a tight formation outside the factory exit, showcasing their sleek, autonomous-only design with no steering wheels, pedals, or traditional controls. Another 9 units sat at the crash testing facility, likely undergoing structural and safety validations, while two more appeared at the west end-of-line area for final checks.
Big day for Cybercab at Giga Texas today! Actually, yesterday to kick off March, the production line went into a higher volume & today we see 25 at three main locations, and there were several others I observed driving around too!
I think this may be the largest single grouping… pic.twitter.com/HZDMNv57lJ
— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) March 3, 2026
Tegtmeyer noted additional Cybercabs driving around the complex, hinting at active movement and real-world testing beyond static parking.
This surge follows the first production Cybercab rolling off the line in mid-February 2026, several weeks ahead of the originally anticipated April start.
That milestone, celebrated by Tesla employees and confirmed by CEO Elon Musk, kicked off low-volume builds on the dedicated “unboxed” manufacturing line, a modular process designed to slash costs, reduce factory footprint, and enable faster assembly compared to conventional methods.
Industry observers interpret the jump to dozens of visible units in early March as evidence that Tesla has transitioned into higher-volume test manufacturing.
Tesla still has plans for volume production, which remains between four and eight weeks away, aligning with Musk’s statements that early ramps would be deliberately measured given the Cybercab’s novel architecture and full reliance on Tesla’s vision-based Full Self-Driving technology.
The Cybercab, envisioned as a sub-$30,000 autonomous two-seater for robotaxi fleets, represents Tesla’s bold pivot toward scalable autonomy and robotics.
Tesla fans and enthusiasts on X praised the imagery, with many expressing excitement over the visible progress toward deployment. While challenges remain, including software maturity, regulatory hurdles, and supply chain scaling, the increased factory activity underscores Tesla’s momentum in turning the Cybercab vision into reality.
As Giga Texas continues expanding and refining the manufacturing process of the Cybercab, the coming months will prove to be a pivotal time in determining how quickly this revolutionary vehicle reaches roads in the U.S. and internationally.
Elon Musk
SpaceX to launch Starlink V2 satellites on Starship starting 2027
The update was shared by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Starlink Vice President Mike Nicolls.
SpaceX is looking to start launching its next-generation Starlink V2 satellites in mid-2027 using Starship.
The update was shared by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Starlink Vice President Mike Nicolls during remarks at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.
“With Starship, we’ll be able to deploy the constellation very quickly,” Nicolls stated. “Our goal is to deploy a constellation capable of providing global and contiguous coverage within six months, and that’s roughly 1,200 satellites.”
Nicolls added that once Starship is operational, it will be capable of launching approximately 50 of the larger, more powerful Starlink satellites at a time, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.
The initial deployment of roughly 1,200 next-generation satellites is intended to establish global and contiguous coverage. After that phase, SpaceX plans to continue expanding the system to reach “truly global coverage, including the polar regions,” Nicolls said.
Currently, all Starlink satellites are launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The next-generation fleet will rely on Starship, which remains in development following a series of test flights in 2025. SpaceX is targeting its next Starship test flight, featuring an upgraded version of the rocket, as soon as this month.
Starlink is currently the largest satellite network in orbit, with nearly 10,000 satellites deployed. Bloomberg Intelligence estimates the business could generate approximately $9 billion in revenue for SpaceX in 2026.
Nicolls also confirmed that SpaceX is rebranding its direct-to-cell service as Starlink Mobile.
The service currently operates with 650 satellites capable of connecting directly to smartphones and has approximately 10 million monthly active users. SpaceX expects that figure to exceed 25 million monthly active users by the end of 2026.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s xAI and X to pay off $17.5B debt in full: report
The update was shared initially in a report from Bloomberg News, which cited people reportedly familiar with the matter.
Elon Musk’s social platform X and artificial intelligence startup xAI are reportedly preparing to repay approximately $17.5 billion in outstanding debt in full.
The update was shared initially in a report from Bloomberg News, which cited people reportedly familiar with the matter.
Morgan Stanley, which arranged the debt financing for both companies, has reportedly informed existing lenders that X and xAI plan to pay back the full amount of the $17.5 billion debt. Bloomberg’s sources did not disclose where the capital for the repayment would be coming from.
X, formerly known as Twitter, assumed roughly $12.5 billion in debt during Musk’s acquisition of the company. xAI separately borrowed about $5 billion through bonds and loans last June. The two firms merged last year under xAI Holdings.
Bloomberg noted that portions of the debt are relatively recent and may carry early repayment penalties. xAI’s $3 billion in high-yield bonds are expected to be redeemed at 117 cents on the dollar, reflecting a premium since the debt was expected to stay outstanding for at least two years.
X has been servicing tens of millions of dollars in monthly debt payments, while xAI has reportedly been burning approximately $1 billion in cash per month as it invests heavily in data centers, chips, and AI talent. That being said, xAI also concluded a funding round in January, where it raised $20 billion of new equity.
The repayment plans come as Musk consolidates several of his businesses. SpaceX recently acquired xAI, making it a subsidiary as the company explores plans for space-based data centers. The combined entity has been valued at approximately $1.25 trillion.
Bloomberg previously reported that SpaceX is targeting a confidential IPO filing as soon as this month, potentially positioning the private space firm for a public listing later this year. Representatives for Morgan Stanley declined to comment, and X and xAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.