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Tesla eyes Santa Monica as site for its Supercharger restaurant

Kettleman City Supercharger

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A building permit for a Tesla Supercharger station with a restaurant has emerged online, providing details on what could be the first of Elon Musk’s previously-teased “old-school, drive-in, roller skates & rock”-themed facilities for the Los Angeles area.

The permit first made its appearance on the Tesla Motors Club forums, where member @WalterB shared a screenshot of the listing from the Santa Monica website. As could be seen in the building permit, the address of the Supercharger restaurant is listed at 1401 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404. The details of the project that the Elon Musk-led firm provided in the permit were very brief, with the project description only stating that the site would be a “Tesla restaurant and supercharger station.”

Also notable in Tesla’s building permit is the mention of a solar photovoltaic/thermal system, which would likely be installed on the site. This echoes some of the amenities featured in Tesla’s massive 40-stall Supercharger in Kettleman City, CA. Just like the facility mentioned in the recently-discovered permit, the Kettleman City Supercharger boasts a solar array and refreshment facilities for drivers. The new permit explicitly mentions a restaurant, however — something that the Kettleman City Supercharger does not have. 

A screenshot of the permit for Tesla’s Supercharger restaurant in Santa Monica, CA. [Screenshot from smgov.net]

Considering the amenities mentioned in the Santa Monica permit, several members of the Tesla forum community are speculating if the site would be the first of what Elon Musk referred to as Superchargers with “old-school, drive-in” restaurants, complete with an outdoor movie screen. Musk’s tweet, which was posted back in January, mentioned several details about the concept, including a Rock-themed diner and staff in roller skates.

Further discussing the concept, Musk also teased some unique tricks for the facilities, such as a “pop-up” digital menu for Tesla drivers that can be accessed as soon as they shift their vehicles on Park in the Supercharger drive-in.

Ultimately, Tesla seems to be intent on making its Superchargers into a destination for travelers and drivers living in the area. Last January, Musk reacted positively to a suggestion by one of his followers on Twitter stating that it would be great if Tesla could award digital trophies for drivers who visit Superchargers across the country. Musk loved the idea of “gamifying” the Supercharger experience, stating that digital trophies would indeed be introduced in the future. Considering the popularity of digital rewards such as Waze’s trophies, there’s a good chance that Tesla’s Supercharger trophies would be quite popular.  

The Supercharger network is one of Tesla’s aces in the electric car industry, and over the years, the California-based electric car maker and energy firm has been hard at work in improving them. Last year, Tesla opened two, 50-stall Superchargers in China, as well as two 40-stall Mega Superchargers in the United States complete with a driver’s lounge, a coffee shop, a merchandise store, pet relief area, and a kids’ play place. Plans for another 40-stall Supercharger for the Fremont factory have also emerged recently, as we noted in a previous report.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update

Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.

The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.

Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video

With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:

To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”

Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.

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xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

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(Credit: xAI)

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area. 

Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.

xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs

Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.

In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.

“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.

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Musk Foundation donation

Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students. 

The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”

“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.

The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”

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EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.

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Credit: Unplugged Performance

A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.

The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry. 

A strategic fit

Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.

That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.

“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”

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Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”

Enabling the next wave

Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.

“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.

The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.

Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.

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In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”

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