News
Tesla’s Elon Musk reveals rare details on next-gen Roadster’s SpaceX thrusters
Tesla is no stranger to wild designs and insane specs that become even crazier in production. The Cybertruck is the perfect representation of this, as the vehicle is designed quite unlike any other pickup in the market. But that’s just Tesla. The company is never one to shy away from a crazy idea, and among today’s carmakers, it is one of the few that actually follows through.
The next-generation Roadster is poised to become Tesla’s halo car, a vehicle that is the physical representation of why electric propulsion is indisputably superior to the internal combustion engine. During its unveiling, the new Roadster shocked the auto industry with its insane specs, which are headlined by its 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, its top speed of over 250 mph, and its range of 620 miles per charge. But then CEO Elon Musk stated something even crazier: these are the specs of the Roadster’s base model.
This meant that there are even more extreme versions of the next-generation Roadster. Among these is something that Musk has dubbed as the “SpaceX Package,” on account of the vehicle using the private space firm’s Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV), which are also used in the Falcon 9. The idea of using such components in a road-going vehicle is nothing short of insane, but as noted by Elon Musk in a recent preview of the Cybertruck’s appearance at Jay Leno’s Garage, he actually is very serious.
Standing by the flagship supercar and the newly-released Model Y crossover, Musk and Leno were recently featured in a promo video talking about the next-generation Roadster. Leno, for one, noted that sometimes, Musk’s ideas are so out of this world that he can’t really tell if the CEO is joking or not. Musk responded that when it comes to the Roadster’s rocket thrusters, he actually is serious. He then described exactly how the “main” thruster of the next-generation Roadster works.
“We’re gonna use ultra high pressure compressed air. It’s a cold gas thruster. The main thruster will be behind the license plate. So for acceleration, it drops the license plate, and behind the license plate is a rocket thruster. It’s like full-on James Bond,” Musk said.
With its SpaceX Package, the next-generation Roadster will likely be a very difficult vehicle to match in a straight line and on the track. Musk has already stated that the all-electric supercar will set new records in the Nurburgring, and that the Roadster’s acceleration will feel like the Space Shuttle, pulling 3 Gs when it launches.
That being said, Musk has also stated that the Roadster will only be produced in limited quantities. He expects the vehicle to see a production of about 10,000 units per year. That’s just a fraction of the volume of the company’s other vehicles, including the flagship Model S and Model X. Yet, in the world of supercars and machines that almost bend physics with their sheer insanity, 10,000 units per year may be enough to disrupt the entire supercar industry.
Elon Musk and Jay Leno talk about the 2020 Tesla Roadster from CNBC.
Elon Musk
Delaware Supreme Court reinstates Elon Musk’s 2018 Tesla CEO pay package
The unanimous decision criticized the prior total rescission as “improper and inequitable,” arguing that it left Musk uncompensated for six years of transformative leadership at Tesla.
The Delaware Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling, reinstating Elon Musk’s 2018 compensation package originally valued at $56 billion but now worth approximately $139 billion due to Tesla’s soaring stock price.
The unanimous decision criticized the prior total rescission as “improper and inequitable,” arguing that it left Musk uncompensated for six years of transformative leadership at Tesla. Musk quickly celebrated the outcome on X, stating that he felt “vindicated.” He also shared his gratitude to TSLA shareholders.
Delaware Supreme Court makes a decision
In a 49-page ruling Friday, the Delaware Supreme Court reversed Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick’s 2024 decision that voided the 2018 package over alleged board conflicts and inadequate shareholder disclosures. The high court acknowledged varying views on liability but agreed rescission was excessive, stating it “leaves Musk uncompensated for his time and efforts over a period of six years.”
The 2018 plan granted Musk options on about 304 million shares upon hitting aggressive milestones, all of which were achieved ahead of time. Shareholders overwhelmingly approved it initially in 2018 and ratified it once again in 2024 after the Delaware lower court struck it down. The case against Musk’s 2018 pay package was filed by plaintiff Richard Tornetta, who held just nine shares when the compensation plan was approved.
A hard-fought victory
As noted in a Reuters report, Tesla’s win avoids a potential $26 billion earnings hit from replacing the award at current prices. Tesla, now Texas-incorporated, had hedged with interim plans, including a November 2025 shareholder-approved package potentially worth $878 billion tied to Robotaxi and Optimus goals and other extremely aggressive operational milestones.
The saga surrounding Elon Musk’s 2018 pay package ultimately damaged Delaware’s corporate appeal, prompting a number of high-profile firms, such as Dropbox, Roblox, Trade Desk, and Coinbase, to follow Tesla’s exodus out of the state. What added more fuel to the issue was the fact that Tornetta’s legal team, following the lower court’s 2024 decision, demanded a fee request of more than $5.1 billion worth of TSLA stock, which was equal to an hourly rate of over $200,000.
Delaware Supreme Court Elon Musk 2018 Pay Package by Simon Alvarez
News
Tesla Cybercab tests are going on overdrive with production-ready units
Tesla is ramping its real-world tests of the Cybercab, with multiple sightings of the vehicle being reported across social media this week.
Tesla is ramping its real-world tests of the Cybercab, with multiple sightings of the autonomous two-seater being reported across social media this week. Based on videos of the vehicle that have been shared online, it appears that Cybercab tests are underway across multiple states.
Recent Cybercab sightings
Reports of Cybercab tests have ramped this week, with a vehicle that looked like a production-ready prototype being spotted at Apple’s Visitor Center in California. The vehicle in this sighting was interesting as it was equipped with a steering wheel. The vehicle also featured some changes to the design of its brake lights.
The Cybercab was also filmed testing at the Fremont factory’s test track, which also seemed to involve a vehicle that looked production-ready. This also seemed to be the case for a Cybercab that was spotted in Austin, Texas, which happened to be undergoing real-world tests. Overall, these sightings suggest that Cybercab testing is fully underway, and the vehicle is really moving towards production.
Production design all but finalized?
Recently, a near-production-ready Cybercab was showcased at Tesla’s Santana Row showroom in San Jose. The vehicle was equipped with frameless windows, dual windshield wipers, powered butterfly door struts, an extended front splitter, an updated lightbar, new wheel covers, and a license plate bracket. Interior updates include redesigned dash/door panels, refined seats with center cupholders, updated carpet, and what appeared to be improved legroom.
There seems to be a pretty good chance that the Cybercab’s design has been all but finalized, at least considering Elon Musk’s comments at the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting. During the event, Musk confirmed that the vehicle will enter production around April 2026, and its production targets will be quite ambitious.
News
Tesla gets a win in Sweden as union withdraws potentially “illegal” blockade
As per recent reports, the Vision union’s planned anti-Tesla action might have been illegal.
Swedish union Vision has withdrawn its sympathy blockade against Tesla’s planned service center and showroom in Kalmar. As per recent reports, the Vision union’s planned anti-Tesla action might have been illegal.
Vision’s decision to pull the blockade
Vision announced the blockade in early December, stating that it was targeting the administrative handling of Tesla’s facility permits in Kalmar municipality. The sympathy measure was expected to start Monday, but was formally withdrawn via documents sent to the Mediation Institute and Kalmar Municipality last week.
As noted in a Daggers Arbete report, plans for the strike were ultimately pulled after employer group SKR highlighted potential illegality under the Public Employment Act. Vision stressed its continued backing for the Swedish labor model, though Deputy negotiation manager Oskar Pettersson explained that the Vision union and IF Metall made the decision to cancel the planned strike together.
“We will not continue to challenge the regulations,” Petterson said. “The objection was of a technical nature. We made the assessment together with IF Metall that we were not in a position to challenge the legal assessment of whether we could take this particular action against Tesla. Therefore, we chose to revoke the notice itself.”
The SKR’s warning
Petterson also stated that SKR’s technical objection to the Vision union’s planned anti-Tesla strike framed the protest as an unauthorized act. “It was a legal assessment of the situation. Both for us and for IF Metall, it is important to be clear that we stand for the Swedish model. But we should not continue to challenge the regulations and risk getting judgments that lead nowhere in the application of the regulations,” he said.
Vision ultimately canceled its planned blockade against Tesla on December 9. With Vision’s withdrawal, few obstacles remain for Tesla’s long-planned Kalmar site. A foreign electrical firm completed work this fall, and Tesla’s Careers page currently lists a full-time service manager position based there, signaling an imminent opening.
Delaware Supreme Court reinstates Elon Musk’s 2018 Tesla CEO pay package
Tesla Cybercab tests are going on overdrive with production-ready units
