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Test driving a Model X P90D in Atlanta, GA [Source: Landon & Liam Toys & Travel via YouTube] Test driving a Model X P90D in Atlanta, GA [Source: Landon & Liam Toys & Travel via YouTube]

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Tesla top 5 week in review: Model X wins AAA award, Model 3 Supercharger apocalypse, Gigafactory, and more

Tesla Model X Test Drive [Source: Like Tesla via YouTube]

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This week on Teslarati, several stories in the news caught our readers’ attention. It was exciting when Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that they intended to add a semi truck to their product line, but no one thought that Wall Street would respond so immediately by downgrading major truck manufacturers’ stock. The Tesla Model X was named the overall best choice in the 2017 AAA Green Car Guide, with the Tesla Model S winning best large car award. The new Tesla San Antonio Service Center now has solar roof panels, images of which were captured by a drone. There was a bit of concern from current Tesla owners this week over discussions of Tesla Supercharger availability when the Model 3 arrives. And a cleaning solvent spill luckily caused minimal injuries at the Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada. Here are those stories and more from this week on Teslarati.

News of Tesla Semi leads analyst to downgrade major truck stocks

Quickly after Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla would add an electric semi truck to its catalog, a key Wall Street analyst downgraded the value of engine and truck manufacturers, Cummins and Paccar. The analyst, Alex Potter from the firm Piper Jaffray, drew his conclusions from current overvaluation but also “because we think TSLA’s impending arrival could pressure valuations.” The risk of disruption from Tesla’s electric vehicles, with their ability to supplant existing products, could defy the preeminence of diesel engines, especially if Tesla’s electric drivetrains are proven viable in the first commercial vehicle segments.

Read the entire article here.

Tesla Model X ranked #1 in 2017 AAA Green Car Guide, Model S takes #5 spot

The Automobile Association of America’s (AAA) 2017 Green Car Guide was released this week. Sixty-five cars were tested across green categories of full-battery electrics, hybrids, alternative fuel-powered cars, and even some fuel efficient internal combustion cars. Using a wide range of quantitative data collection measures to evaluate the cars, including ride quality, safety, and performance, AAA determined that Tesla’s Model X SUV was the overall best choice. Tesla’s Model S and Model X cars earned acclaim for 3/7 top spots. The Model X, with the 75-kilowatt hour battery pack, won the SUV category. The Tesla Model S, with the 60 kWh pack, won best large car.

Read the entire article here.

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Drone shot of the new Tesla San Antonio Service Center reveal solar roof panels

New drone shots revealed solar panels placed on the roof of the new service center in San Antonio, Texas. What better way is there for Tesla to promote confidence in solar than to demonstrate how it’s able to use sustainable energy to service environmentally friendly electric vehicles?

Read the entire article here.

What will happen to Tesla Supercharger availability when Model 3 arrives?

Tesla forums this week were abuzz with concern that, once the Model 3 begins delivery, there will be an exponentially greater number of owners using the Tesla Supercharger network. Will there be an issue waiting for a Supercharger? Four years ago, Tesla introduced the Supercharger Network, which has been the fastest charging solution to date for long distance travel. Tesla designed its network so that all customers could, ideally, have access to a seamless and convenient charging experience as part of long distance travel. The imminent arrival of the Tesla Model 3 by the end of 2018 will more than double annual production volumes and produce 500,000 Model 3 cars annually. Digging into the data behind the issue can reveal some startling findings behind upcoming Supercharger access with the addition of the Model 3 volume.

Read the entire article here.

Authorities respond to Tesla Gigafactory chemical spill, no serious injuries reported

Tesla’s Gigafactory battery plant in Nevada was the site of an investigation following a chemical spill on Monday. The incident occurred when an unidentified agent in a 55-gallon barrel of what the company called “standard construction cleaning solvent” overturned in an isolated area near a vehicle. According to Storey County emergency operations director Joe Curtis, one person was hospitalized. Nine others reported symptoms such as upset stomachs. The chemical spill did force the evacuation of a portion of the Gigafactory. County officials state that no threat to public health emerged as the result of the spill at the industrial park along Interstate 80 east of Reno. The Gigafactory has increased production of batteries of late as it anticipates the release of its new Model 3.

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Read the entire article here.

Carolyn Fortuna is a writer and researcher with a Ph.D. in education from the University of Rhode Island. She brings a social justice perspective to environmental issues. Please follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Google+

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Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City

SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025. 

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(Credit: Jenny Hautmann/Wikimedia Commons)

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.

Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.

As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.

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On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”

Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.

Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.

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The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans

The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.

Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.

“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”

Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.

Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.

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“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”

The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.

Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.

“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”

A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.

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As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.

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Neuralink Blindsight human trials expected to start in the UAE

Neuralink aims to restore vision with its Blindsight BCI implant. First human implant for Blindsight may happen in UAE.

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(Credit: Neuralink)

During Elon Musk’s interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, he announced that Neuralink aims to implant its Blindsight brain-to-computer interface (BCI) device in a human patient by late 2025 or early 2026.

Blindsight focuses on restoring vision. A few years ago, Musk mentioned that Neuralink’s BCI devices would restore vision for people, even those born blind.

“The first two applications we’re going to aim for in humans are restoring vision, and I think this is notable in that even if someone has never had vision ever, like they were born blind, we believe we can still restore vision. The visual part of the cortex is still there. Even if they’ve never seen before, we’re confident they could see,” Musk said during Neuralink’s Show & Tell in 2022. 

Musk said Blindsight could be implanted into a human patient in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Neuralink plans to partner with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to implant the first human patient with Blindsight.

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Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company is partnering with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to conduct the first clinical trial of the UAE-PRIME study. Like Neuralink’s PRIME study in the United States, UAE-PRIME will focus on human patients with motor and speech impairments.

Neuralink received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to conduct the PRIME and CONVOY studies in the United States. PRIME tests the capabilities of the company’s Link implant to restore or enable motor and speech in participants. Meanwhile, the CONVOY study explores Link’s ability to control assistive robotic devices. Neuralink already has an assistive robotic arm called ARA that could expand patients’ autonomy beyond smart devices.

Blindsight would probably require a separate study from PRIME and CONVOY. As such, Neuralink might need FDA approval in the United States to start human trials for Blindsight. However, Blindsight already received a “breakthrough device” designation from the US FDA.

In April 2025, Neuralink opened its patient registry to participants worldwide. The neurotechnology company has already implanted its Link BCI device into five patients. Earlier this year, Neuralink welcomed one of its first PRIME study participants as the first patient in its CONVOY study.

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