News
Tesla Semi spotted by fans ahead of Golden Gate Bridge crossing
Tesla recently shared a short video clip of the silver Semi stealthily gliding over the Golden Gate Bridge while hauling a trailer on the way to Santa Rosa, CA.
The video clip of the silver Semi, with trailer in tow, was shared on Twitter, where it caused quite a conversation among Tesla’s followers on the platform. Some remarked that the vehicle was unearthly in its silence despite seemingly traveling at near-highway speed. Others jested that the way the Semi glided over the Golden Gate Bridge almost made the vehicle look like a computer-generated image, prompting a lighthearted response from Tesla’s Twitter account assuring that the footage was indeed real.
Tesla Semi driving to Santa Rosa pic.twitter.com/5Gdk4WAJcE
— Tesla (@Tesla) June 20, 2018
In a follow-up clip featuring the electric truck heading to the Golden Gate Bridge, the logo of Xtra Lease Trailers was visible on the Semi’s cargo, suggesting that Tesla could be a client of the leasing company. Xtra Lease Trailers, a Berkshire Hathaway Company based on St. Louis, MO, is among the United States’ most prolific trailer lease providers, with a fleet of 85,000 trailers to date.
Tesla Semi driving to Santa Rosa: The Prequel pic.twitter.com/pNnF36qg3A
— Tesla (@Tesla) June 20, 2018
A Tesla fan has also shared an image of the Semi on Twitter just as it was about to enter the Golden Gate Bridge. Just like in recent sightings, such as the one near the LA Service Center — a place that holds historical significance to the company.
https://twitter.com/beau/status/1009475724191731717
While the Elon Musk-led company did not specify the purpose of the Semi’s trip to Santa Rosa on its Twitter video, Tesla’s VP of Truck Programs Jerome Guillen noted in his LinkedIn profile that the footage was taken last week, and that the trip was conducted to visit “some great local customers.”
Guillen and the team currently testing the Tesla Semi have been spotted in several areas of the United States, especially in the route between the company’s Fremont, CA factory and the Sparks, NV Gigafactory. As stated by Elon Musk earlier this year, Tesla is now using the two electric trucks as part of its fleet tasked with transporting Model 3 battery packs from Gigafactory 1 to Fremont. The two massive electric vehicles have also been spotted in the route between Tesla’s headquarters in Palo Alto, CA and the Fremont.
The Tesla Semi has been well-received by several prolific transport and trucking companies, both in the United States and abroad. During the company’s Q1 2018 earnings call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and CTO JB Straubel noted that there are roughly 2,000 reservations for the electric long-hauler to date. So far, companies that have publicly announced their orders for the vehicle include companies such as PepsiCo, FedEx, and UPS in the United States and Bee’ah from the United Arab Emirates.
Over the past few months, the Tesla Semi has also been spotted visiting the site of several key reservation holders, such as Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis, MO. The electric truck was also demoed for PepsiCo employees in Dallas, TX. The black Tesla Semi, speculated to be the short-range variant of the vehicle, was also spotted being transported at a highway near Des Moines, IA, close to the headquarters of Ruan Transportation Management Systems, another one of the Semi’s reservation holders.
Some companies with reservations for the Tesla Semi are currently working with Tesla to set up a charging network for the massive long-haulers. Dubbed as the Megachargers, the Tesla Semi charging stations will be installed at key locations that are frequently traveled by fleet operators. This would enable truck drivers to travel between facilities without having to recharge each time they load and unload cargo.
News
Tesla responds to strange Supercharging pricing error with classy move
Tesla has once again demonstrated strong customer focus by swiftly addressing and fully refunding a bizarre Supercharger pricing glitch that affected drivers in Atlantic Canada.
The issue surfaced earlier this month when the Tesla app began displaying dramatically inflated per-minute charging rates at stations in Prince Edward Island and parts of New Brunswick.
One widely shared screenshot from a Charlottetown, PEI Supercharger showed rates reaching ridiculous levels: $6.00 per minute for the 180-250 kW tier, along with $3.57/min for 100-180 kW and $2.29/min for 60-100 kW.
Correct pricing will be going live at midnight tonight. All fees since July 2nd 2026 will be waived.
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) July 13, 2026
These figures were several times higher than normal Supercharger pricing in the region.
To put the error in perspective, charging at the highest incorrect rate would have been shockingly expensive.
At 250 kW, a common charging speed at Superchargers, a vehicle pulls roughly 4.17 kWh per minute. Under the glitch, a driver spending just 10 minutes at peak power would face a $60 bill. A typical 20- to 30-minute session to add meaningful range could have cost $120 to $180 or more, before any congestion fees.
Tesla gets another layer of gamification with Free Supercharging on the line
By comparison, standard Canadian Supercharger rates usually fall between $0.25 and $0.60 per kWh, making a similar session cost roughly $15–$40. The erroneous per-minute structure, combined with the inflated numbers, turned what should be a convenient stop into a potential financial shock.
The glitch appears to have started sometime around early July, and quickly drew attention on social media as owners questioned whether Tesla had implemented steep hidden increases. Some drivers even reported seeing $0 charges in their history, indicating broader billing confusion.
Tesla’s official Charging account on X stated that correct pricing would roll out at midnight on July 13, so the fix is already in effect. More importantly, the company announced it would waive all fees for every Supercharger session since July 2. This blanket waiver covers the entire affected period without requiring users to file individual claims, with automated refunds expected soon. The decision affects stations in PEI and nearby areas in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
It’s a classy move, and rather than issuing partial credits or forcing owners to submit support tickets, Tesla simply absorbed the cost of the system error and made drivers whole. In an industry where hidden fees and bill disputes are common, Tesla’s proactive, no-questions-asked approach reinforces owner trust and highlights the company’s commitment to service excellence.
The incident, while disruptive for a short time, ultimately showcases Tesla’s ability to own mistakes and prioritize customer satisfaction. Atlantic Canada Tesla owners can now charge with confidence again, knowing the company has their back when technology glitches occur.
In an era of complex EV billing, such transparency and generosity are refreshing and set a positive example for the industry.
News
SpaceX unveils Starlink next-gen V5 kit: here’s what’s new
SpaceX’s Starlink has launched its latest residential hardware kit: the V5. Designed for reliable high-speed internet, the new terminal represents a significant leap forward in user equipment.
The next generation Starlink Kit is designed to deliver reliable, high-speed home internet. Starlink V5 has a smaller form factor and lightweight design with greater power efficiency than the Starlink V4.
With speeds up to 375+ Mbps, Starlink V5 delivers seamless connectivity… pic.twitter.com/0dorU6n0oD
— Starlink (@Starlink) July 14, 2026
The new V5 Starlink kit features a dramatically smaller and lighter form factor, measuring approximately 384 mm x 306 mm x 34 mm and weighing just 1.1 kg, which is less than half the weight of the previous V4 model, which was 2.9 kg.
This compact design makes installation easier and more versatile, whether mounted on a roof, pole, or even integrated with a pipe adapter. An integrated LED light aids setup in low-light conditions.
Power efficiency sees major gains too. The V5 draws only 35-50W, reducing energy consumption and making it ideal for off-grid or solar-powered setups. Despite its smaller size, performance remains robust. Starlink claims peak speeds of 375+ Mbps, supported by a new Wi-Fi 6 Router Mini that covers up to 2,200 square feet and connects up to 235 devices simultaneously.
The kit maintains strong signal reliability in diverse environments, from urban rooftops to remote rural areas, as demonstrated in the promo footage released by SpaceX, showing seamless operation under cloudy skies.
These improvements expand suitable applications considerably. Households can enjoy lag-free 4K streaming, smooth video conferencing, online gaming, and smart home device management without interruption. The V5’s efficiency and portability also benefit RVs, small businesses, and temporary installations in disaster-recovery zones where quick deployment is critical. Its lightweight build lowers shipping costs and simplifies user handling compared to bulkier predecessors.
Starlink’s Broader Impact on Global Internet Connectivity
Since SpaceX began launching Starlink satellites in 2019, the constellation has grown rapidly. By mid-2026, over 10,400 satellites orbit Earth, with thousands more deployed annually. This massive low-Earth-orbit network delivers broadband to approximately 160 countries and territories, reaching millions of users who previously lacked reliable internet access.
Starlink plays a vital role in bridging the digital divide. It provides essential connectivity to remote communities, maritime vessels, airlines, and regions affected by natural disasters or infrastructure gaps. By combining advanced satellite technology with iterative hardware upgrades like the V5 kit, SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of global internet access, fostering education, economic opportunity, and emergency response capabilities worldwide.
As production ramps up, the V5 promises to make high-performance internet even more accessible to users everywhere.
Investor's Corner
Lucid denies rumors of bankruptcy after over 40% stock drop
Electric vehicle maker Lucid Group has denied rumors of an imminent bankruptcy after a report from this morning sent the stock on a dramatic drop on Wall Street, seeing losses of more than 40 percent during trading hours.
Lucid’s Director of Communications, Nick Twork, responded to the report from Eletric-Vehicles.com, which stated the company’s restructuring advisor, AlixPartners, was asked to review two decisions: taking Lucid shares private or filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The report also claims AlixPartners told the Lucid board to “concentrate on Gravity production while improving its quality, and to temporarily hold back the Lucid Air, the sedan that has defined the company since its launch.”
Twork said:
$LCID The rumors are completely false. The company has sufficient liquidity to carry its operations well into next year, as recently published in its last quarterly filings, and it has not formed any special Board committee to explore the scenarios reported today. Our focus is…
— Nick Twork (@ntwork) July 14, 2026
Shares rebounded after the response to the report, halving its losses as the trading day neared 3 p.m. Eastern.
Lucid has struggled to get its sales off the ground and into more respectable numbers, but the company is in its early years, when things are hard to begin with. It is also backed by several notable investors, including the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has nearly limitless money and likely would not ditch an investment of this size so soon.
Lucid shares were down just 14 percent at the time of publication, a far cry from the 55 percent its losses topped out at during the day.