Lifestyle
Tesla Model S Pulls 1.2 G-Force on the Most Challenging Track Yet

Even with 7 different tracks under our belt, Sonoma Raceway pushed the 48 Tesla Model S to the extreme limits.
This turned out to be the most challenging track we’ve ever raced on. Hardly anything comes close in terms of danger and complexity. Not only is the layout of the course challenging in itself, having walls everywhere added an even greater degree of difficulty. We were happy to have survived the track by not hitting any walls despite having loss control on several occasions.
The Track
Sonoma, formerly Infineon Raceway, is in Northern California, just half an hour north east of San Francisco. It’s a 2.5 mile very technical road course with 12 turns and 160 feet of elevation changes. The track has retaining walls very close to the track so any loss of control can have very serious consequences.
The Tesla Model S
Following correct race lines was of outmost importance on this track and deviating from it could mean sub-optimal times or even loss of control.
Track
- Turn 1: We experienced something alarming right in the middle of turn 1 where the track goes uphill. Our steering wheel locked-up after 1 G of lateral pressure was applied to the front wheels on-camber into the turn.
- Turn 2: More off-camber than it appears, and we ended up sliding there a couple of times. Following the correct racing line and applying acceleration on track out prevented that from happening.
- Turn 3a: Exhilarating! Takes place right over a hill so you can’t really see where you’ll end up on track out. It was fun to be able to follow our instincts and exit within inches off the edge of the track.
- Turn 6 “the carousel”: Pushed our Model S to the upper suspension limits as we pulled a 1.1 to 1.2 lateral G force through the turn without loss of control.
- Turns 8 and 8a: Extremely tricky. The turn appears like a regular S but the slight elevation and camber changes make it a challenge. On exit of 8a, we had to apply a lot of acceleration because without it the Model S will slide sideways until traction control catches it.
- Turn 10: Not technically challenging but a true test of courage since it’s very close to the wall.
Out best lap time was 2:06 in session 3, lap 1. Top speed we reached on the track was 105 mph. Power limitation degraded lap times by approx. 6 seconds per lap.
Charging and Power Consumption
The track has a single 220V/50A outlet at the end of the garage next to the Sunoco fuel station. It had a male twist-on adapter, but unfortunately all we had was a SS2-50P male adapter that we weren’t able to use with the outlet. No RV hookups onsite. We ended up running for two sessions in the morning, going to Vacaville supercharger that’s 37 miles away, and getting back with enough time to complete 2 afternoon sessions. Inn Marin hotel in Novato 10 miles away has a J1772 ChargePoint network charger that we used overnight.
Power consumption was similar to other tracks. The 48 Tesla Model S consumed approximately 4 miles of range per 1 actual mile of distance. A 7 lap session (5 timed laps, 1 warm-up, and 1 cool-down lap) consumed 80 miles of range.
Power limitation due to overheating came up on the first lap despite chilly 55 degree temperature in the morning. Power limitation remained at 160 kWh/mile for most of the day.
Travel
Travel from San Diego to Sonoma took 11 hours, including four 45-minute charging stops in San Juan Capistrano, Tejon Ranch, Harris Ranch, and Gilroy.
ALSO SEE: Interactive Tesla Supercharger Map
Contrary to last year when we were hoping to run into other Tesla owners at a Supercharger, nowadays every supercharger was full when we arrived. Even the newer Supercharger facilities were 7+ stalls were occupied. It makes us wonder what the charging experience will be like as Tesla Motors continues to scale out production of the Model S and upcoming Model X.
Vacaville Supercharger | Tejon Ranch Supercharger |
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Lifestyle
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.

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.”
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.
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!”
Elon Musk
X account with 184 followers inadvertently saves US space program amid Musk-Trump row
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

An X user with 184 followers has become the unlikely hero of the United States’ space program by effectively de-escalating a row between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on social media.
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.
A Near Fall
During Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s fallout last week, the U.S. President stated in a post on Truth Social that a good way for the United States government to save money would be to terminate subsidies and contracts from the CEO’s companies. Musk responded to Trump’s post by stating that SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.
Musk’s comment was received with shock among the space community, partly because the U.S. space program is currently reliant on SpaceX to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Without Dragon, the United States will likely have to utilize Russia’s Soyuz for the same services—at a significantly higher price.
X User to the Rescue
It was evident among X users that Musk’s comments about Dragon being decommissioned were posted while emotions were high. It was then no surprise that an X account with 184 followers, @Fab25june, commented on Musk’s post, urging the CEO to rethink his decision. “This is a shame this back and forth. You are both better than this. Cool off and take a step back for a couple days,” the X user wrote in a reply.
Much to the social media platform’s surprise, Musk responded to the user. Even more surprising, the CEO stated that SpaceX would not be decommissioning Dragon after all. “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Not Planned, But Welcomed
The X user’s comment and Musk’s response were received extremely well by social media users, many of whom noted that @Fab25june’s X comment effectively saved the U.S. space program. In a follow-up comment, the X user, who has over 9,100 followers as of writing, stated that he did not really plan on being a mediator between Musk and Trump.
“Elon Musk replied to me. Somehow, I became the accidental peace broker between two billionaires. I didn’t plan this. I was just being me. Two great minds can do wonders. Sometimes, all it takes is a breather. Grateful for every like, DM, and new follow. Life’s weird. The internet’s weirder. Let’s ride. (Manifesting peace… and maybe a Model Y.)” the X user wrote.
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger
The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail.
A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.
Charging Charger Fails
As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.
Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.
Alleged Aftermath
As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.
The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.
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