Energy
Tesla Top 5 Week in Review: Competition, Power, and Model 3 Stir the Tesla Brand
This week in the news, we examined the claim that the Dodge Demon may surpass the Tesla Model S P100D as the world’s fastest 0-60 production car. The Model S also was featured for its resale value, as a new survey indicates that the Model S has a much higher second owner value than originally thought. The Tesla board of directors composition may change, if pressure from an investor group led by the California State Teachers’ Retirement System has anything to do with it. Lithium-ion battery technology made the headlines, with Panasonic envisioning improvements that may translate into longer range and increased safety. Finally, information about the final unveiling event of the Tesla Model 3 made potential buyers happy. Here are those stories and more in this week’s edition of the Teslarati week in review.
Dodge “Demon” looks to dethrone Tesla’s title for “quickest production car” in the world
The Challenger SRT Demon will enter the automotive market with 840 horsepower and 770 pound-feet of torque, according to sources inside Fiat Chrysler automobiles. The car will reportedly be the world’s fastest 0-60 production car — in 2.3 seconds — and from 0-30 m.p.h. — 1 second. Will the Demon eclipse the Tesla Model S P100D, which Motor Trend Magazine deemed the quickest production car in the world after a 2.28 second run to 60 miles per hour? Dodge Demon testing at a sticky drag strip isn’t really comparable to the Tesla Model S P100D record that was earned on a public road, is it? Only time will tell.
Survey ranks used Tesla Model S as #1 in retained value and fastest selling among peers
Survey results released by Autolist suggest that the Model S sells an average of 5% faster than its peer group as well as fastest overall among the best selling vehicles from three companies. The Model S also soared in prices relative to listing price expectations. Some months were 5% over expectations, while the best performing Ford and GMs struggled to top 1%. Affordability for the Model S as contained within the survey results vacillated depending on region, with Maryland providing the most reasonable used Model S costs at 7.2% below the national average.
Investor group urges Tesla to seek board members independent of Elon Musk
The California State Teachers’ Retirement System has led a coalition of concerned investors in a move to pressure Tesla CEO Elon Musk to diversify the Tesla board. With the majority of Tesla board members having personal or professional ties to Musk, the suggestion is that independence or objectivity might become compromised. The managers who have expressed concern control a combined $721 billion in assets. They have also advocated for annual, rather than staggered three year director elections. “Directors should be held to a higher standard of independence given the conflicts of interest that permeate this board,” the letter to Tesla director Antonio Gracias said. “A thoroughly independent board would provide a critical check on possible dysfunctional group dynamics, such as groupthink.”
Tesla partner Panasonic says 30% energy density increase in lithium-ion batteries possible
Recent comments by Panasonic indicate that, while Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) represent revolutionary technology when applied to today’s electric vehicles, future progress must continue. LIBs at the present are near to a theoretical maximum energy density. Because drivers are demanding longer ranges and quicker charging times, more R&D is needed to improve the current state of LIB technology. “We think the existing technology can still extend the energy density of LIBs by 20% to 30%,” Panasonic’s President Kazuhiro Tsuga said. “But there is a trade-off between energy density and safety. So, if you look for even more density, you have to think about additional safety technology as well. Solid-state batteries are one [possible] answer.”
Tesla Model 3 final unveiling event will take place in July
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the Tesla Model 3 will have a third reveal in July, 2017 in anticipation of initial deliveries late this year. The July event will give potential buyers the opportunity to see the Model 3 up in real configurations; the April, 2016 first unveiling didn’t permit media photographs. With many sightings of the Model 3 in and around the Palo Alto company headquarters, the anticipation around the Model 3 is at an all-time high. One aspect of the Model 3 that has everyone buzzing is Musk’s statement that the “real steering controls and system” for the Model 3 feel “like a spaceship.” We can’t wait to see for ourselves! Eventual production plans are to incrementally increase Model 3 production in 2018 with eventual annual production of 500,00 units.
Energy
Tesla launches first Virtual Power Plant in UK – get paid to use solar
Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom.
Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom. This feature enables users of solar panels and energy storage systems to sell their excess energy back to the grid.
Tesla is utilizing Octopus Energy, a British renewable energy company that operates in multiple markets, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States, as the provider for the VPP launch in the region.
The company states that those who enroll in the program can earn up to £300 per month.
Tesla has operated several VPP programs worldwide, most notably in California, Texas, Connecticut, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. This is not the first time Tesla has operated a VPP outside the United States, as there are programs in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
This is its first in the UK:
Our first VPP in the UK
You can get paid to share your energy – store excess energy in your Powerwall & sell it back to the grid
You’re making £££ and the community is powered by clean energy
Win-win pic.twitter.com/evhMtJpgy1
— Tesla UK (@tesla_uk) July 17, 2025
Tesla is not the only company that is working with Octopus Energy in the UK for the VPP, as it joins SolarEdge, GivEnergy, and Enphase as other companies that utilize the Octopus platform for their project operations.
It has been six years since Tesla launched its first VPP, as it started its first in Australia back in 2019. In 2024, Tesla paid out over $10 million to those participating in the program.
Participating in the VPP program that Tesla offers not only provides enrolled individuals with the opportunity to earn money, but it also contributes to grid stabilization by supporting local energy grids.
Energy
Tesla Lathrop Megafactory celebrates massive Megapack battery milestone
The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments.
The Tesla Lathrop Megafactory recently achieved a new milestone. As per the official Tesla Megapack account on X, the Lathrop Megafactory has produced its 15,000th Megapack 2 XL battery.
15,000 Megapack Batteries
Tesla celebrated the milestone with a photo of the Lathrop Megafactory team posing with a freshly produced Megapack battery. To commemorate the event, the team held balloons that spelled out “15,000” as they posed for the photo.
The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments. Designed for grid-scale applications, each Megapack offers 3.9 MWh of energy and 1.9 MW of power. The battery is extremely scalable, making it perfect for massive energy storage projects.
More Megafactories
The Lathrop Megafactory is Tesla’s first dedicated facility for its flagship battery storage system. It currently stands as the largest utility-scale battery factory in North America. The facility is capable of producing 10,000 Megapack batteries every year, equal to 40 GWh of clean energy storage.
Thanks to the success of the Megapack, Tesla has expanded its energy business by building and launching the Shanghai Megafactory, which is also expected to produce 40 GWh of energy storage per year. The ramp of the Shanghai Megafactory is quite impressive, with Tesla noting in its Q1 2025 Update Letter that the Shanghai Megafactory managed to produce over 100 Megapack batteries in the first quarter alone.
Tesla Energy’s Potential
During the first quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that the Megapack is extremely valuable to the energy industry.
“The Megapack enables utility companies to output far more total energy than would otherwise be the case… This is a massive unlock on total energy output of any given grid over the course of a year. And utility companies are beginning to realize this and are buying in our Megapacks at scale,” Musk said.
Energy
Tesla Megapacks powers the xAI Colossus supercomputer
Tesla Megapacks step in to stabilize xAI’s Colossus supercomputer, replacing natural gas turbines. Musk’s ventures keep intertwining.
Tesla Megapack batteries will power the xAI Colossus supercomputer in Memphis to ensure power stability. The collaboration between Tesla and xAI highlights the synergy among Elon Musk’s ventures.
The artificial intelligence startup has integrated Tesla Megapacks to manage outages and demand surges, bolstering the facility’s reliability. The Greater Memphis Chamber announced that Colossus, recently connected to a new 150-megawatt electric substation, is completing its first construction phase. This transition addresses criticism from environmental justice groups over the initial use of natural gas turbines.
“The temporary natural gas turbines that were being used to power the Phase I GPUs prior to grid connection are now being demobilized and will be removed from the site over the next two months.
“About half of the operating turbines will remain operating to power Phase II GPUs of xAI until a second substation (#22) already in construction is completed and connected to the electric grid, which is planned for the Fall of 2025, at which time the remaining turbines will be relegated to a backup power role,” the Chamber stated.
xAI’s rapid development of Colossus reflects its ambition to advance AI capabilities, but the project has faced scrutiny for environmental impacts. The shift to Megapacks and grid power aims to mitigate these concerns while ensuring operational continuity.
The Megapack deployment underscores the collaboration among Musk’s companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. Tesla appears to be the common link between all of Musk’s companies. For example, The Boring Company built a tunnel in Giga, Texas. In addition, Musk has hinted at a potential collaboration between the Tesla Optimus Bot and Neuralink. And from January 2024 to February 2025, xAI invested $230 million in Megapacks, per a Tesla filing.
Tesla Energy reported a 156% year-over-year increase in Q1 2025, deploying 10.4 GWh of storage products, including Megapacks and Powerwalls. Tesla’s plans for a new Megapack factory in Waller County, Texas, which is expected to create 1,500 jobs in the area, further signal its commitment to scaling energy solutions.
As xAI leverages Tesla’s Megapacks to power Colossus, the integration showcases Musk’s interconnected business ecosystem. The supercomputer’s enhanced stability positions xAI to drive AI innovation, while Tesla’s energy solutions gain prominence, setting the stage for broader technological and economic impacts.
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