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Tesla Model X easily tows Chevy Silverado 1500 from Supercharger in ‘De-ICE-ing’ feat
There is no denying that Tesla’s electric cars are bound to be polarizing for a long time to come. Operating independent of gasoline, the vehicles are practically a stand against the fossil fuel industry. Being sleek, powerful and quick, the cars also go against the notion that electric cars are boring and slow. Unfortunately, as Teslas become more commonplace with the ramp of the Model 3, the vehicles appear to be attracting more resistance from the anti-EV community as well.
Last month, several members of the Tesla community went online to share their experiences with a practice colloquially known as “ICE-ing,” which involves gasoline and diesel powered vehicles blocking access to a Supercharger. While some of these incidents might be the result of an honest mistake, some ICE-ing incidents are undoubtedly intentional. Noted TSLA short Mark Spiegel, for example, has proudly shown off his Porsche Boxster S blocking a Supercharger stall earlier this year. Tesla owners u/Leicina and u/BarcodeOfficial from the r/TeslaMotors subreddit uploaded photos of stations being intentionally blocked by pickup truck drivers as well. As noted by the Tesla owners, some of the truck drivers were even verbally harassing EV owners.
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- Pickup trucks ICE-ing a Tesla Supercharger. (Photo: BarcodeOfficial/Reddit)
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- Pickup trucks ICE-ing a Tesla Supercharger. (Photo: Leicina/Reddit)
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- Tesla short-seller Mark Spiegel blocking a Supercharger station. (Photo: Mark Spiegel/Twitter)
Amidst these annoying (and disturbing to a point) incidents, one thing that these pickup truck drivers could easily forget is that Tesla’s electric cars are actually loaded with a lot of power, and they have the weight to back it up. Being equipped with electric motors, Tesla’s vehicles have a lot of torque, and thanks to their massive battery packs, they are also very heavy. The Tesla Model X, for example, was at its lightest at 5,072 pounds, and that was when the company was still selling the 60D variant. Thus, in theory, a Tesla should be able to tow an offending vehicle out of a Supercharger station if needed, or as a last resort in the event of an emergency.
Such a theory was recently put to the test by Tesla Model X 90D owner Patrick Lawson. In a video posted on his Tesla Trip YouTube channel, Patrick opted to see if his all-electric SUV would be able to tow a full-sized pickup truck out of a Supercharger. Fortunately for the Model X owner, his sister recently acquired a 2014 Chevrolet 1500 Silverado, and she was more than willing to see if her 5,104-lb pickup could be towed by the electric vehicle. Patrick opted to conduct the experiment at an empty Supercharger in Loveland, CO, and to make the scenario even more challenging; he opted to engage the truck’s emergency brake, simulating a situation where a driver intentionally leaves a vehicle parked for an extended period of time.
In the video, Patrick could be seen hooking up his Model X to the Chevy Silverado 1500, then slowly driving away, pickup truck in tow. From what could be seen in the experiment, the entire ‘De-ICE-ing” process was effortless for the all-electric SUV, with Patrick noting in a conversation with Teslarati that he had to “show constraint” as he “gently pressed on the Model X’s accelerator” to ensure that both vehicles don’t get damaged. The Model X did not have to engage Slip Start before it towed the Silverado as well, and no warnings were present on the vehicle while it was pulling the full-sized pickup. Ultimately, Patrick noted that entire “De-ICE-ing” process only took around five minutes.
With the ramp of the Model 3, Tesla’s electric cars are becoming more prevalent. Unfortunately, acts like ICE-ing Superchargers would likely continue as well. And it’s not just ICE-ing either. Some Tesla owners, among them racecar driver Leilani Münter, have noted on Twitter that she had been “coal-rolled” multiple times while driving in her Tesla. In a tweet, Elon Musk described these situations as “bizarre.”
Inasmuch as ICE-ing, or coal-rolling for that matter, is an annoyance that could escalate into something more dangerous, there is very little that the anti-EV crowd can do to stop the spread of electric cars. Countries across the globe such as China, which are large markets for the auto industry, are shifting to electric vehicles, and so are regions like Europe. Thanks to cars like the Model 3, electric vehicles are becoming more and more attainable as well. Coupled with a grid that is shifting towards cleaner energy, it would only be a matter of time before the auto industry shifts completely to electric.
Watch Patrick Lawson’s video of his Tesla Model X “de-ICE-ing” a Supercharger below.
Just hours after Starship Flight 13 achieved a successful soft splashdown of its upper stage in the Indian Ocean on July 24, Elon Musk announced an ambitious next step for the company’s next launch of the rocket.
“Unless we discover problems after mission data review, SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower on [the] next flight,” the SpaceX CEO posted on X on Friday.
That “next flight” is expected to be Flight 14. The plan involves returning the Starship upper stage, commonly called the “ship,” to the Starbase launch tower in Texas and catching it mid-air using the same mechanical “chopsticks” arms that have already proven themselves with the Super Heavy booster.
Unless we discover problems after mission data review, SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower on next flight
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 25, 2026
A successful catch would mark the first time an orbital-class upper stage has been recovered this way, advancing SpaceX’s goal of full and rapid reusability for the entire vehicle.
SpaceX has already demonstrated the tower-catch technique multiple times with Super Heavy. The first successful catch came on Flight 5 in October 2024, when Booster 12 was plucked from the sky by the Mechazilla arms. Subsequent flights, including those involving Boosters 14 and 15, repeated the feat. Several of those recovered boosters were later inspected, refurbished, and flown again, proving the system’s viability for quick turnaround.
Traditional reusable rockets, such as SpaceX’s own Falcon 9 or Blue Origin’s New Shepard, land on legs either on land or droneships. Rocket Lab has recovered its small Electron first stages by helicopter, but those are far lighter vehicles.
SpaceX Starship just nailed something it’s never done before
The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC), completed a catch of its booster on July 10. They are the only entity besides SpaceX to attempt and complete the feat.
Flight 13 provided encouraging data. The ship executed a controlled reentry, flipped, and soft-landed intact in the ocean after deploying Starlink satellites, offering the first clear post-splashdown views of an undamaged heat shield. The Super Heavy booster, meanwhile, experienced a harder splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
Musk has previously stressed that ship catches would only follow multiple successful soft ocean landings to minimize risk of debris over land.
If Flight 14 succeeds, SpaceX would take a major stride toward routine, rapid reuse of both stages—critical for lowering launch costs and supporting ambitious plans for lunar and Mars missions. For now, teams are reviewing the Flight 13 data. Should everything check out, the next Starship flight could deliver one of the most spectacular recoveries in aerospace history.
In a move echoing its earlier commitment to open innovation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced recently that the company plans to make the design and software of its Model S and Model X fully open source.
This follows the same approach Tesla took with its original Roadster, releasing all available design, engineering, and diagnostic materials in November 2023 so that “whatever we have, you now have.”
Just as Tesla made the original Roadster design & software open source, we plan to do the same with Model S & X
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2026
The Model S, introduced in 2012, was Tesla’s first mass-produced vehicle and a groundbreaking luxury electric sedan. It offered impressive range, rapid acceleration, and over-the-air software updates that redefined expectations for electric cars.
The Model X, launched in 2015, built on that foundation as a high-performance electric SUV notable for its distinctive falcon-wing doors, spacious interior, and advanced safety features. Both models served as flagships that helped establish Tesla as a leader in the EV industry and popularized long-range battery-electric vehicles.
Production of the Model S and Model X was wound down earlier in 2026, with manufacturing ending in the second quarter. Tesla redirected the Fremont factory space previously used for these vehicles toward higher-priority projects, including Optimus humanoid robots and the Cybercab autonomous vehicle.
By the time of Musk’s open-source announcement, custom orders had closed and only remaining inventory was available.
Open-sourcing the designs and software offers several clear advantages. Owners of these aging but still capable vehicles gain better access to technical documentation, diagnostic tools, and software resources, making independent repairs and modifications easier and more affordable.
Independent repair shops and third-party specialists can support the large existing fleet without relying solely on Tesla’s service network. Enthusiasts and engineers can study real-world implementations of Tesla’s battery, powertrain, and software systems, potentially accelerating broader industry progress in electric mobility.
The step aligns with Tesla’s 2014 patent pledge and its overall mission to advance sustainable transport by sharing hard-won knowledge rather than locking it behind proprietary walls.
By releasing these materials now that the models have left production, Tesla ensures continued support for its early adopters while freeing internal resources for future technologies. The open-source release of the original Roadster already enabled simulations, community projects, and deeper technical understanding.
Extending that practice to the Model S and Model X should deliver similar benefits on a larger scale, helping keep these influential vehicles relevant and repairable for years to come
Tesla flexed one incredible Robotaxi metric during the Q2 Earnings Call that skeptics have to hate to hear. The company’s platform has already driven more than 380,000 miles of unsupervised ride-hailing across several states with no notable incidents.
During the company’s Q2 Earnings Call on Wednesday, Vice President of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said:
“First of all, I’d like to state that the Robotaxi program has been operating extremely well. Especially in terms of safety, the program has had an impeccable safety record. We have driven more than 380,000 miles of unsupervised Robotaxi, now across six cities in two different states. We have had zero notable incidents. Any reports have been of other actors impacting us when we were stationary. I like to emphasize how safe the operation has been so far. Zero notable incidents over 380,000 miles.”
Elluswamy’s claim over Robotaxi miles is a significant milestone for Tesla in the grand scheme, especially considering this is a sizeable number of miles without any incident.
0 notable incidents across over 380,000 miles traveled by Robotaxi
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 22, 2026
Tesla’s self-driving approach is much different than that of other companies. Tesla has maintained that vision is the only thing needed to have a solid and effective self-driving suite. Many self-driving companies utilize things like LiDAR, sensors, and other elements to improve performance, but Elluswamy sent a jab at those who believe it’s needed.
“Historically, the so-called experts have always claimed that you need LiDARs, radars, HD maps, and the entire kitchen sink to drive safely. Here we show that such is not true. You can have safe, comfortable, and affordable autonomy with just cameras. This record should be a huge validation of Tesla’s entire AI approach.”
The feat of accumulating this many miles without any driver behind the wheel is impressive. The thing is, Tesla is also doing this across several different locations, with varying traffic rules, pedestrian levels, weather patterns, and other important factors.
While Tesla is not ready to roll out an unsupervised platform completely, it is a slow but steady indication that the company is well on its way to figuring things out.
The company’s attitude toward expansion is slow, safe, and controlled, and despite this huge milestone, it will still be some time until we see Tesla truly unleash unsupervised rides more aggressively.
SpaceX wants to catch Starship for launch 14, Elon Musk says
Tesla to open source Model S and Model X designs and software
