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Elon Musk confirms major Tesla Santa Monica Supercharger: 50’s-style diner, drive-in movie clips
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed earlier today that the City of Santa Monica would be the location of a new Supercharger location. The fresh Supercharger may include a 50’s Diner and clips from the 100 best movies of all-time, Musk added.
For several years, Musk has joked about the possibility of a retro Supercharger facility in Los Angeles. In early 2018, Musk teased the idea of a Supercharger that would bring back the feel of the ’50s. A drive-in, a rollerskating rink, and a diner would dominate the new location: futuristic vehicles with a retro-themed environment. The project started to move forward after documents revealed a building permit for the site. However, it never gained enough momentum, and the project never amounted to anything.
Gonna put an old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in LA
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2018
The plan never really panned out too much, unfortunately. That is until recently when documents revealed that Tesla was applying for a new V3 Supercharger facility in Santa Monica. It would be the world’s largest V3 Supercharger facility, with 62 total stalls being available for electric vehicles to recharge, along with their owners and passengers. Recently, the Supercharger project was approved but then was put on delay for a short period when the Los Angeles housing crisis took priority. However, Santa Monica City Council members decided that the location of the proposed Supercharger location was not ultimately suitable for an affordable housing facility, which brought momentum back to Tesla’s proposed Supercharger lot.
Now, Musk has all but confirmed that a “major new Supercharger station” is coming to Santa Monica. He hinted toward the throwback-themed Supercharger plans could become a reality, as he is hoping to include a “50’s Diner and 100 best movie clips playing too!”
Major new Supercharger station coming to Santa Monica soon! Hoping to have 50’s diner & 100 best movie clips playing too. Thanks Santa Monica city!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 2, 2021
The idea is just one of many astronomical ideas set forth by Elon Musk. In typical Tesla fashion, the project will be anything but straightforward. The experience of owning a Tesla is unlike that of any other car brand, and because of the company’s unorthodox approach to attracting customers, there is no denying the fact that this could ultimately come to fruition in the future.
The plan for the Santa Monica Supercharger site is available below. However, Musk and Tesla have not confirmed whether this will ultimately be the site of the new facility. With that being said, it is likely that this will be the location of the Supercharger station that Musk talked about, as it is the only currently available plan on Santa Monica’s website.
News
Tesla reportedly testing Apple CarPlay integration: report
Citing insiders reportedly familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News claimed that CarPlay is being trialed by the EV maker internally.
Tesla is reportedly testing Apple’s CarPlay software for its vehicles, marking a major shift after years of resisting the tech giant’s ecosystem.
Citing insiders reportedly familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News claimed that CarPlay is being trialed by the EV maker internally. The move could help Tesla gain more market share, as surveys have shown many buyers consider CarPlay as an essential feature when choosing a car.
Not the usual CarPlay experience
Bloomberg claimed that Tesla’s tests involve a rather unique way to integrate CarPlay. Instead of replacing the vehicle’s entire infotainment display, Tesla’s integration will reportedly feature a CarPlay window on the infotainment system. This limited approach will ensure that Tesla’s own software, such as Full Self-Driving’s visuals, remains dominant.
The feature is expected to support wireless connectivity as well, bringing Tesla in line with other luxury automakers that already offer CarPlay. While plans remain fluid and may change before public release, the publication’s sources claimed that the rollout could happen within months.
A change of heart
Tesla has been reluctant to grant Apple access to its in-car systems, partly due to Elon Musk’s past criticism of the tech giant’s App Store policies and its poaching of Tesla engineers during the failed Apple Car project. Tesla’s in-house software is also deemed by numerous owners as a superior option to CarPlay, thanks to its sleek design and rich feature set.
With Apple’s retreat from building cars and Elon Musk’s relationship with Apple for X and Grok, however, the CEO’s stance on the tech giant seems to be improving. Overall, Tesla’s potential CarPlay integration would likely be appreciated by owners, as a McKinsey & Co. survey last year found that roughly one-third of buyers considered the lack of such systems a deal-breaker.
News
China considering EV acceleration limits to curb high-speed accidents
If approved, the regulation would be a national standard.
Recent reports have emerged stating that China is considering new national standards that would restrict how fast electric vehicles can accelerate upon each startup. The potential regulation is reportedly being considered amidst a rise in EV-related crashes.
The draft for the proposed regulation was released by the Ministry of Public Security on November 10. If approved, the regulation would be a national standard.
New regulation targets default performance limits
Under the proposal, all passenger vehicles would start in a state where acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0-60 mph) would take no less than five seconds. This rule would apply to both pure EVs and plug-in hybrids, and it is aimed at preventing unintended acceleration caused by driver inexperience or surprise torque delivery.
The public has until January 10, 2026, to submit feedback before the rule is finalized, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
Authorities have stated that the change reflects growing safety concerns amidst the arrival of more powerful electric cars. The new regulation would make it mandatory for drivers to deliberately engage performance modes, ensuring they are aware and ready for their vehicles’ increased power output before accelerating.
A rise in accidents
China’s EV sector has seen an explosion of high-powered models, some capable of 0–100 km/h acceleration in under two seconds. These speeds were once reserved for supercars, but some electric cars such as the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra offer such performance at an affordable cost.
However, authorities have observed that this performance has led to an uptick in accidents. I recent years, incidents of crashes involving lack of control in vehicles with rapid acceleration have risen, as per an explanatory note accompanying the draft.
Part of this is due to drivers seemingly being unprepared for the power of their own vehicles. For context, driving schools in China typically use cars that accelerate to 100 km/h in more than 5 seconds. This level of acceleration is also typical in combustion-powered cars.
@teslarati 🚨🚨 Tesla Full Self-Driving and Yap is the best driving experience #tesla #fsd #yapping ♬ I Run – HAVEN.
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Tesla Superchargers crowned best EV charging network in the UK for 2025
The Tesla Supercharger network was voted Best Large EV Charging Network for the second consecutive year.
Tesla has once again claimed the top spot in the UK’s most anticipated EV charging satisfaction survey. As per Zapmap’s 2025 driver satisfaction rankings, the Tesla Supercharger network was voted Best Large EV Charging Network for the second consecutive year.
The annual survey, based on thousands of EV driver responses, measures reliability, ease of use, and payment experience across the UK’s public charging landscape.
Tesla tops the survey’s “Large” category
Zapmap’s 2025 rankings, which were drawn from nearly 4,000 battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers, reflect how quickly public charging is evolving across the UK. For the survey’s “Large” network class, which includes systems with over 500 devices, Tesla once again stood out for reliability and cost efficiency.
The automaker now offers 1,115 open Supercharger devices at 97 public sites, roughly 54% of its total UK network. That’s a 40% increase in public availability compared to September 2024. A particularly appreciated aspect of the Supercharger network is its cost, which continues to be “significantly lower prices than most rapid/ultra-rapid networks, with drivers also appreciating its reliability,” Zapmap noted.
Tesla Regional Manager’s comments
Ollie Dodd, Senior Regional Manager for Northern Europe Charging at Tesla, shared his appreciation for the Supercharger network’s award.
“We’re thrilled to win Zapmap’s Best EV Charging Network for the second year in a row. Being recognized by the drivers themselves shows that our customer-centric and data-driven approach to building sites is well-received. We look forward to showcasing more customer-centric features in 2026 as we expand the network further and look towards new initiatives in roaming and payment methods,” he said.
Conducted during September and October 2025, Zapmap’s eighth annual survey found that reliability and payment flexibility remain top priorities among EV drivers, two things that the Supercharger network particularly excels in. Fortunately for UK EV owners, the Supercharger network is also aggressively growing.
@teslarati 🚨🚨 Tesla Full Self-Driving and Yap is the best driving experience #tesla #fsd #yapping ♬ I Run – HAVEN.
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