

News
Tesla reveals Model 3 dual-motor AWD, Performance price and specs
Tesla has released the pricing and specifications for the Model 3 in a dual-motor AWD and Performance configuration. Upgrading to a dual motor drivetrain costs an additional $5,000. The Performance variant, capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, and complete with all options except Autopilot, will be priced at $78,000.
Buyers choosing the Performance package for Model 3 will have the option to add a Black and White interior that includes the highly-anticipated white seat trim. According to Musk, the Black and White interior is being limited to Model 3 Performance for the time being, due to limited parts availability, but will broaden over time. It will be closer to the end of the year before non-performance Model 3 will be offered with the white seat option.
Also, the dual motor Tesla Model 3 Performance will be equipped with a carbon fiber spoiler and 20″ Performance wheels, a third wheel option that adds to the standard 18″ Aero Wheels and the 19″ Sport wheels.
Tesla Model 3 belonging to Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen
Considering the capabilities and features of the Model 3 dual motor performance version, the line between Tesla’s mass market compact sedan and its flagship Model S continues to blur. With a $3,500 price difference between the Model S 75D that starts at a base price of $74,500, and the dual motor Model 3 Performance version that’s priced at $78,000, Tesla’s two electric sedan offerings are very comparable. In range alone, the dual motor Model 3 boasts 310 miles of driving range per single charge – same goes for the Model 3 performance version – while the Model S 75D has a rated range of 259 miles per charge.
The Model S 75D is rated with a top speed of 140 mph and 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds, while the dual motor Model 3 tops out at the same 140 mph, but with a slightly slower 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, or .6 seconds quicker than the Long Range Model 3 in single motor configuration at 5.1 seconds.
RELATED: Tesla Model 3 clocks 0-60 mph in 4.6 sec, beating Tesla’s performance claims
A key advantage that the Model S 75D has over the two new Model 3 variants, aside from being an all-around larger car with greater passenger and cargo capacity, lies in its features such as the power liftgate and Air Suspension. The electronically adjustable Smart Air Suspension feature for Model 3 is expected to be available in 2019, as noted by Elon Musk. The lack of free Supercharging is also a considerable disadvantage for the Model 3 over its more premium sibling.
As noted by Musk in a tweet, the dual-motor AWD and Performance Model 3 would likely start production in July and begin when the Model 3 line achieves a steady rate of 5,000 vehicles per week. Otherwise, Musk stated that the additional options would end up adding complexity to the electric car’s production line.
Model 3 Dual Motor AWD Specifications
- 310 mile Range
- 4.5 sec 0-60 mph
- 140 mph Top Speed
- $54,000 (price without Autopilot)
- First deliveries in July 2018
Model 3 Performance Specifications
- 310 mile Range
- 3.5 sec 0-60 mph
- 155 mph Top Speed
- $78,000 (price without Autopilot)
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates shocking xAI detail, and hints at an upcoming monster
He also announced that xAI’s upcoming model, Grok 5, will begin training very soon.

Elon Musk has reiterated a rather shocking tidbit about xAI’s impressive scores at the ARC-AGI benchmark.
He also announced that xAI’s upcoming model, Grok 5, will begin training very soon.
xAI results on the ARC-AGI benchmark
In a recent post on social media platform X, Greg Kamradt, President of the ARC Prize Foundation, noted that Grok 4 has been used in two SOTA submissions to the ARC-AGI V1 and V2 benchmarks. The submissions, which were the best that the foundation has encountered to date, were done using xAI’s large language model, Grok 4.
As per Kamradt, when asked about why the submissions were done using Grok 4, the authors stated that “It was the best model I used in testing.” Musk was evidently proud of this accomplishment, though he also highlighted that these accomplishments were attained with just Grok 4. This suggests that once Grok 5 is in the picture, xAI’s lead in the AI sector could become notable.
Grok 5 incoming
Elon Musk has shared a number of tidbits about Grok 5 as of late. In recent comments on X, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO stated that he believes Grok 5 has the potential to actually reach artificial general intelligence (AGI). This suggests that Grok 5 would be nothing short of a monster, as it could be capable of matching or surpassing human-level intelligence across tasks such as thinking, reasoning, and other domains by a substantial margin.
Grok 5 may also be coming soon. As per Musk in another post on X, xAI will be starting the training of Grok 5 in a few weeks. Musk definitely seems to be highly optimistic about the capabilities of Grok 5, with the CEO stating late last month that the update would be coming before the end of the year and that it will be “crushingly good.”
News
SpaceX is partnering with chipmakers to enable Starlink satellite-to-cell service
President Gwynne Shotwell outlined the effort during a space industry conference in Paris.

SpaceX is working with microchip manufacturers to integrate satellite-connectivity hardware into smartphones, advancing its plan for direct-to-device services through Starlink.
The move follows the company’s $17 billion acquisition of wireless spectrum from EchoStar Corp., a deal that positions SpaceX to operate more independently of traditional telecom carriers.
President Gwynne Shotwell outlined the effort during a space industry conference in Paris this week, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.
Starlink direct-to-device
Starlink currently serves millions of customers in over 100 countries, primarily through ground-based dishes. The company, however, is now expanding into satellite-to-cell service, which should enable unmodified phones to connect directly with orbiting satellites. While SpaceX has a partnership with T-Mobile US, the EchoStar spectrum purchase gives it more control to negotiate with global carriers on its own terms.
“We’re working with chip manufacturers to get the proper chips in phones,” the SpaceX President stated. “We will now be initiating discussions with telcos in a different way now. Now it’s our spectrum, but we want to work with them, almost providing capacity and wholesaling capacity to their customers.”
The company plans to launch satellites capable of supporting its direct-to-device business within two years, with early mobile phone testing expected by late 2026.
Starship program continues test flights
Shotwell also addressed SpaceX’s Starship program, which recently completed its 10th test flight in August. She said the mission met all objectives, providing a critical morale boost to teams after a challenging development year.
“My Starship team needed that win,” Shotwell noted. “Development programs always are kind of a 24/7 operation, and I was really pleased for them.”
SpaceX is planning to fly one more iteration of the current Starship prototype, known as V2, before transitioning to the next-generation V3 vehicle. That version, expected to debut late this year or early 2026, is designed to be more capable and support eventual crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.
“The V3, which we want to fly hopefully late this year, but maybe early next year, is really the vehicle that could take humans to the moon and Mars,” Shotwell stated.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk says xAI has a chance to reach AGI with Grok 5
The comment came after Grok 4 posted strong results on the ARC-AGI benchmark.

Elon Musk suggested this week that his artificial intelligence startup xAI has the potential to reach artificial general intelligence (AGI) with the next version of its large language model, Grok 5.
The comment came after Grok 4 posted strong results on the ARC-AGI benchmark, which tests reasoning and problem-solving ability.
Musk sees Grok 5 as AGI candidate
In a post on X, user @amXFreeze shared the latest results of the ARC-AGI leaderboard, which showed Grok 4 outpacing rival systems such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT in problem-solving and open program synthesis tasks.
Musk reacted to the performance by stating that “I now think xAI has a chance of reaching AGI with Grok 5. Never thought that before.”
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) refers to an AI system that is capable of matching or surpassing human-level intelligence across tasks such as thinking, reasoning, and other domains by a notable margin, as noted in a report from Benzinga. AI companies today are actively pursuing AGI.
xAI’s speed
While xAI was only established in March 2023, the startup has grown aggressively. Since its founding, it has rapidly risen in the AI segment and its Grok large language model has become a mainstream option for everyday users, especially on social media platform X. The company is still growing aggressively, and it is currently expanding its Colossus supercomputer cluster in Memphis.
During xAI’s Engineering Open House event in San Francisco in its early days, Elon Musk highlighted that speed would be the company’s primary competitive edge. To highlight this, Musk stated that “No SR-71 Blackbird was ever shot down and it only had one strategy: to accelerate.” So far, xAI is definitely playing this role very well.
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