Lifestyle
Tesla Model S makes it home after dramatic transatlantic theft and rescue
When Soby of Evoto Rentals handed the key fob of one of the company’s Tesla Model S to a client that booked and paid for the electric car in advance, the businessman did not realize that it would mark the start of a long, arduous pursuit that would take the vehicle from the shipping yards of Montreal, Canada, to the shores of Italy. With its web of intrigue, near-misses, and a dramatic rescue, the story of Evoto Rentals’ stolen Model S could very well be one of the most compelling Tesla tales that has emerged to date.
A Booking Gone Wrong
It all started with a seemingly innocent booking. The client appeared to be a regular customer that merely wished to rent a Model S for a week. Everything seemed fine when the car was being booked. The deposit went through, and the entire rental fee was paid through a credit card. The customer drove off, and the electric car rental company thought that it was business as usual.
Things started to get strange. Monitoring the Model S through GPS, the businessman was a bit surprised to see the customer parking the premium electric car at a container packing company located on the outskirts of Montreal. The car stayed in the same location for 48 hours, and then the triangle representing the vehicle turned gray. With red flags all over the situation, the businessman tried emailing and calling the client, before realizing that the email address provided was a throwaway and the mobile number was from a burner phone.
The Escape
The businessman promptly reported the incident to the police, but the police explained that the circumstances were a civil matter since Evoto had rented the vehicle to the client. The police also commented that car thefts were low on their priority, so it might take a couple of months before a judge could look into the incident. Evoto Rentals would also be required to show proof that it attempted to contact the client after the rental period was over, such as physical letters sent by registered mail to the customer’s address.
The businessman opted to ring up the company’s lawyer and Tesla, both of whom advised against waiting as the vehicle could be shipped overseas. The electric car rental company hired a private investigator to scout the last known location of the vehicle, who was able to get some information about the nature of the cargo packing firm’s activities. Thanks to some help from Evoto’s lawyer, a search warrant from the police was secured, and the packing company’s site was searched.
The packing company claimed innocence, arguing that they believed the Tesla Model S was just another second-hand vehicle that was being shipped overseas. The company even provided camera footage to show the person who drove the electric car to the location. The contact information to the shipping company that was tasked to take the vehicles abroad was given as well. The shipping company was immediately called, but not long into the conversation, the businessman’s heart sank. The container that had Evoto’s Model S had just sailed towards the Middle East, and the vehicle was already in international waters.
The Rescue
With the pursuit of the Model S now extending far beyond Montreal, the EV rental company coordinated with the authorities to get INTERPOL involved. The ship was expected to have a layover in Italy, which presented an opportunity to retrieve the Tesla. This required some more paperwork to get the right authorities involved, as Evoto had to ask local police to make a request to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who in turn created a request to INTERPOL, who, in turn, notified the Italian police to seize the ship when it arrived in the country. In a stroke of luck for Evoto, INTERPOL and the Italian police worked quickly, getting everything ready within a week.
The operation was a success, and the container carrying the stolen Model S was retrieved. As it turned out, the thieves cleverly declared that the container was filled with scrap metal so as not to arouse suspicion. When authorities opened the container, they did find scrap metal inside. But also inside the container was Evoto Rentals’ Tesla Model S, caked in dust, but miraculously undamaged from its harrowing ordeal.
Coming home
After more paperwork from the electric car rental company, the Tesla Model S was finally shipped home to Canada. Not including legal fees, Evoto ended up spending about US$21,000 to get their electric car back from Italy. Fortunately, most of the costs were covered by insurance. The stolen Model S finally made it home recently, where it was welcomed by the Evoto Rentals team.
While the theft of the vehicle was an emotionally draining ordeal, the businessman was nonetheless grateful for the help that Evoto received which made it possible to retrieve the stolen electric car. The EV rental company also gave particular thanks to Tesla for the electric car maker’s help, as well as the Model S’ technologies that made it easy to trace the vehicle’s location even after it left Montreal. The businessman learned a lesson too, as Evoto Rentals now conducts background checks for its clients before handing over a vehicle. A second GPS tracking system has also been installed on the company’s fleet of Model S, Model X, and Model 3.
Teslas are among the most challenging vehicles to steal. Fank Scafidi, director of public affairs at the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which crunched data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Crime Information Center, noted that 112 out of 115 stolen Teslas have been recovered from 2011 to May of 2018. “That’s about as good as it gets. I’m wondering if the thieves’ intellect might have been overwhelmed just sitting in a Tesla, much less figuring out how to operate it for any length of time,” he said. Apart from their tech, Teslas also have a suite of security features, including those that are introduced through a software update, such as Sentry Mode.
Lifestyle
Tesla Semi futuristic sci-fi acceleration sound will never get old
Videos that capture the Semi moving at speed are most notable due to their sheer cool factor.
The Tesla Semi is not yet in mass production, but the company has accumulated over 7.9 million miles across its test fleet. With Tesla using the Semi for its operations, it is no surprise that sightings of the Class 8 all-electric truck have been abounding.
These sightings from Tesla enthusiasts vary, but those that capture the the Class 8 all-electric truck moving at speed are most notable, possibly due to their sheer cool factor.
Tesla Semi’s Roar
There is something that just stands out with the Semi, particularly on the road. While the Semi does not have the Cybertruck’s brutalist, angular design, it is still very striking because it’s such a massive machine that moves far too quietly for its size. This is, of course, one of the reasons why the vehicle also becomes extra noteworthy when it fires up its electric motors and accelerates.
Take this video from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, for example, which shows the all-electric hauler accelerating while pulling what appears to be a full load. In these situations, the Tesla Semi actually becomes audible, but unlike traditional diesel-powered truck, the Class 8 all-electric truck “roars” with its own, unique futuristic, sci-fi sound. In such situations, one could feel the Semi’s raw power, which comes from its three independent motors on its rear axles.
Tesla Semi Ramp
Tesla has been promoting the Semi quite a bit as of late, and recent reports have suggested that the company is putting in a lot of effort to prepare the vehicle for its production in Nevada. Tesla’s Careers website has gone live with over 80 Semi-related job openings recently as well, and a recent report has suggested that Tesla has ramped the Semi’s factory workers in Nevada to over 1,000 employees.
The company has even shared an update video of the Semi factory’s progress near Giga Nevada, as well as the design of the vehicle’s new logo. The Semi’s updated logo is quite interesting as it features elements from the Tesla Model 3’s first logo, which was unveiled way back in 2016.
Lifestyle
Elon Musk jokes he will join Mr Beast’s “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla” challenge
It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again.
Following the first quarter Tesla earnings call, CEO Elon Musk seems to have become a bit more relaxed—relaxed enough to joke about fighting a gorilla with 99 other people, at least.
It’s a good sign, if any, that the overworked Musk is becoming a bit more lighthearted again and not too busy picking fights with politicians on social media.
The Viral 100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge
Over the weekend, a post on social media platform X went viral. The post itself was quite simple, with user @DreamChasnMike stating that he thinks 100 men could beat one gorilla. “Everybody just gotta be dedicated to the sh*t,” the X user joked. The post exploded on the platform, garnering 284 million impressions as of writing.
The silly question also triggered a massive debate about whether 100 men would really stand a chance against a literal gorilla. Some users even lamented that the premise was a sign of male hubris. Nevertheless, the question proved to be a fun topic on X, with some more dedicated users even posting simulated videos of what the “100 Men vs 1 Gorilla Challenge” could look like.
Mr. Beast and Elon Musk Join In
The premise is quite similar to other viral videos from noted YouTube creator Mr. Beast, so it was no surprise that edited images of Mr. Beast YouTube thumbnails with “100 Men vs a Gorilla” also started spreading on the social media platform. Mr. Beast, who tends to be game to such silly ideas, actually reposted the edited image, joking “Need 100 men to test this, any volunteers?”
In true Elon Musk fashion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO noted that he would join the challenge. “Sure, what’s the worst that could happen” Musk wrote in his post on X. Musk’s reply triggered quite a few laughs on X, with some stating that the world probably still needs the CEO.
While silly, Musk’s comment and his recent, more frequent posts about his companies’ products like Starlink and Grok have been received well by his supporters. Over the past months, after all, Musk has been very political and quite confrontational on social media. With Musk soon taking a step back from the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) daily operations, however, it seems like X will soon get a more tempered and lighthearted Elon Musk once more.
Lifestyle
Possible first glimpse of Tesla “Model 2” affordable car in Fremont Factory
The models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.
During the Q1 earnings call, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy set expectations on the design of the affordable models that the company is expected to launch this 2025. As per the Tesla executive, the models that Tesla will release in the coming months will resemble the company’s current lineup.
Drone footage from the Fremont Factory earlier this month might have provided the EV community its first potential glimpse at Tesla’s affordable cars–fondly dubbed by EV fans and analysts as the “Model 2” or even “Model Q”–or at least their components and overall shape.
The Sighting
Tesla watcher and drone operator Met God in Wilderness, who has been posting aerial videos of the Fremont Factory for years now, recently shared some footage from his drone flyovers this month. While the Fremont Factory was abuzz with activity as usual, a couple of rather strange vehicles were quickly spotted by EV watchers on social media.
During the drone operator’s flyover on the 17th, for example, an unfinished vehicle could be seen parked next to what appeared to be fully-built Model S and Model Y units. What was especially interesting was the vehicle’s roof, which seemed to be slightly narrower than the Model Ys around it. Based on the video, at least, the vehicle seemed to be shaped like a crossover as well.
Footage from the 24th of April also proved quite interesting, with the drone operator capturing footage of another cryptic vehicle. Unlike the mysterious, unfinished, crossover-esque car spotted on the 17th, this particular unit seemed to have a more sloping rear, at least based on the shape of its covering.
What Lars Moravy Said
In Tesla’s Q1 2025 Update Letter, Tesla noted that “plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025.” Tesla also noted that the new vehicles will utilize aspects of its next generation and its current platforms. They will also be produced on the same manufacturing lines as its present vehicle lineup, likely the Model Y and Model 3.
During the earnings call itself, Moravy specifically stated that the new models that would come out in the next months would resemble the company’s current vehicles. They will, however, be affordable. “Models that come out in next months will be built on our lines and will resemble, in form and shape, the cars we currently make. And the key is that they’ll be affordable, and you’ll be able to buy one,” Moravy stated.
Watch the drone operator’s footage from April 17 below.
The drone operator’s footage from April 24 can be viewed below.
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