Lifestyle
Top 5 Reasons Why My Child’s Next Car will be an EV

Part of my justification for purchasing a Tesla Model S was because my daily driver an Acura MDX SUV was at 190,000 miles and was soon to become the starter car for my daughter that was about to turn of driving age. As an electric vehicle (EV) convert who’s logged nearly 50,000 miles of emissions free driving, and watching my child experience the tribulations with driving a gasoline powered internal combustion engine (ICE) car, I’ve come up with my top 5 reasons why my child’s next car will be an EV.
5. ICE cars emit poisonous gases
As EV drivers we inevitably morph into these sensitive creatures revolted by the sheer visualization of exhaust fumes spewing from ICE cars, which is still more common place than not. It’s not a character trait that you consciously make an effort to adopt, but rather you’re so far removed from any exposure to emissions when driving electric, that you often lose sight of the fact that there’s even such a thing as poisonous gas spewing freely into the atmosphere. Therefore your Spidey senses are on high alert when you do come across it.
Kids on the other hand are seeing the world of cars for the first time. They pay very little attention to anything other than their mission to get from point A to point B. How to fill the car with gas, what things, whether inanimate or not, to look out for, etc. all come as an afterthought.
This week my daughter scared the heck out of me when she went out to the garage to warm up the car before heading to school. I was in the process of putting some things away in the house so I didn’t come into the garage until 5-10 minutes later, but when I finally did, I could hardly breathe. My daughter was sitting in the big SUV while the engine was running and with all the garage doors closed. I immediately opened all the doors to ventilate the space and counted my blessings. Thankfully she was fine but it sure made for a frightening experience.
When I spoke to her about it, she said, “But Dad, you have your car running in the garage all the time without the doors open.” It’s true, I do. I fiddle with with my car for blog posts or just for fun, I clean it with the music running, and generally don’t worry about emissions. She’s been watching me this entire time and figured she could do the same. Needless to say, we had a long chat about the dangers of poisonous fumes that gets emitted as a byproduct of gasoline burning engines.
4. ICE cars burn fossil fuels which can be dangerous to handle
The big SUV gets a measly 20 mpg and with my daughter’s commute to school and after school activities, she’s hitting the gas stations quite a bit.
Here in the wonderful state of Massachusetts you have to pump your own gas at most gas stations. My daughter hadn’t experienced pumping gas before and had no idea where gas goes or where the process of filling flammable liquid into the vehicle even begins. That may sound strange to some, but the fact of the matter is, she hasn’t seen me use a gas station in over 18 months, and literally had no point of reference for the procedure.
I showed her the process of squeezing a trigger on a pump that would allow the flow of gasoline into the car’s gas tank. And like any teenager these days when encountered with a 20 second lapse of inactivity, she pulled out her cell phone to see what’s going on in her digital life. That concerned me.
I know there’s little chance that a cell phone may spark an explosion, but it’s still not recommended to be using electronics while you’re surrounded by highly flammable liquids. I went on to explain that gas fumes can ignite through sparks and that electronics could be a catalyst to it. And of course, like any good Dad, I had to warn her that she could blow herself up. She reluctantly put the phone away.
As we finished filling up the gas tank and began hanging the nozzle back on the pump, a trail of gas dripped across the car and to the ground. I told her that this stuff was not only bad for the environment, bad for the car’s paint, but also that it’s carcinogenic and bad for your health. At that point I think she started to understand that ownership of an ICE car could be dangerous, even when not started.
3. ICE cars require regular maintenance
Since my daughter will be driving the car very regularly and logging a good amount of miles on it, she will need to maintain a regular service interval. The Acura has a service indicator that lights up when it’s time for service.
The “A” service light indicates that an oil change is needed while the “B” service light represents the need for an oil change plus a tire rotation. There are additional indicators to alert you of more major services such as belt changes, fluid flushes and transmission plus brake maintenance.
My daughter was not thrilled by the mention of the type of services needed, likely because it was going to be a real inconvenience to maintain it, but also because there will be costs associated with each type of service. Once again this was new to her since we never experienced such a thing in the Model S.
2. ICE cars are expensive to drive
In addition to having to pay for costly services, filling up the Acura costs $55. Since that’s about a week’s worth of after school part-time pay, I’ll be paying for gas that’s needed to get her to school, sports practice and her other commitments. However I made it clear that trips to the mall were going to be on her dime.
Although gas prices have dropped recently and electricity is still crazy expensive in my area, driving an EV is still 1/3 to 1/5 the cost of an ICE car for the same distance travelled. And that doesn’t take into account the extra service and maintenance costs associated with owning a gas car. Our trusty old Acura SUV is safe and reliable but at 20MPG it isn’t all that efficient.
1. ICE cars need to be turned on and off
After 18 months of living with the Tesla Model S, the entire family has gotten used to pulling into a parking spot and walking away while the car takes care of shutting itself down and locking up. I’m sure every Model S owner can relate.
While my daughter hasn’t been driving my Model S, she’s been watching and learning from my behaviors since day one. I never use a key, I never lock and unlock the door, and probably the most obvious difference is that I never turn off the car. For that reason, there’s been several times during her early days of driving where she would just get out of the car and forget to turn off the engine, or lock the car. Usually one of us remembers before we get too far, but it’s crazy how quickly you become accustomed to a certain way of life.
As the automotive industry continues to shift towards plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles, not to mention introduce technologies where vehicles can drive themselves, there’s still a world of education that needs to be had before people eventually transition from the old ICE-age into this new form of transportation. But for now, I’ll start with my daughter.
Lifestyle
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.

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.”
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.
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!”
Elon Musk
X account with 184 followers inadvertently saves US space program amid Musk-Trump row
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.

An X user with 184 followers has become the unlikely hero of the United States’ space program by effectively de-escalating a row between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on social media.
Needless to say, the X user has far more than 184 followers today after his level-headed feat.
A Near Fall
During Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s fallout last week, the U.S. President stated in a post on Truth Social that a good way for the United States government to save money would be to terminate subsidies and contracts from the CEO’s companies. Musk responded to Trump’s post by stating that SpaceX will start decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.
Musk’s comment was received with shock among the space community, partly because the U.S. space program is currently reliant on SpaceX to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Without Dragon, the United States will likely have to utilize Russia’s Soyuz for the same services—at a significantly higher price.
X User to the Rescue
It was evident among X users that Musk’s comments about Dragon being decommissioned were posted while emotions were high. It was then no surprise that an X account with 184 followers, @Fab25june, commented on Musk’s post, urging the CEO to rethink his decision. “This is a shame this back and forth. You are both better than this. Cool off and take a step back for a couple days,” the X user wrote in a reply.
Much to the social media platform’s surprise, Musk responded to the user. Even more surprising, the CEO stated that SpaceX would not be decommissioning Dragon after all. “Good advice. Ok, we won’t decommission Dragon,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Not Planned, But Welcomed
The X user’s comment and Musk’s response were received extremely well by social media users, many of whom noted that @Fab25june’s X comment effectively saved the U.S. space program. In a follow-up comment, the X user, who has over 9,100 followers as of writing, stated that he did not really plan on being a mediator between Musk and Trump.
“Elon Musk replied to me. Somehow, I became the accidental peace broker between two billionaires. I didn’t plan this. I was just being me. Two great minds can do wonders. Sometimes, all it takes is a breather. Grateful for every like, DM, and new follow. Life’s weird. The internet’s weirder. Let’s ride. (Manifesting peace… and maybe a Model Y.)” the X user wrote.
Lifestyle
Tesla Cybertruck takes a bump from epic failing Dodge Charger
The Cybertruck seemed unharmed by the charging Charger.

There comes a time in a driver’s life when one is faced with one’s limitations. For the driver of a Dodge Charger, this time came when he lost control and crashed into a Tesla Cybertruck–an absolute epic fail.
A video of the rather unfortunate incident was shared on the r/TeslaLounge subreddit.
Charging Charger Fails
As could be seen in the video, which was posted on the subreddit by Model Y owner u/Hammer_of_something, a group of teens in a Dodge Charger decided to do some burnouts at a Tesla Supercharger. Unfortunately, the driver of the Charger failed in his burnout or donut attempt, resulting in the mopar sedan going over a curb and bumping a charging Cybertruck.
Ironically, the Dodge Charger seemed to have been parked at a Supercharger stall before its driver decided to perform the failed stunt. This suggests that the vehicle was likely ICE-ing a charging stall before it had its epic fail moment. Amusingly enough, the subreddit member noted that the Cybertruck did not seem like it took any damage at all despite its bump. The Charger, however, seemed like it ran into some trouble after crashing into the truck.
Alleged Aftermath
As per the the r/TeslaLounge subreddit member, the Cybertruck owner came rushing out to his vehicle after the Dodge Charger crashed into it. The Model Y owner then sent over the full video of the incident, which clearly showed the Charger attempting a burnout, failing, and bumping into the Cybertruck. The Cybertruck owner likely appreciated the video, in part because it showed the driver of the Dodge Charger absolutely freaking out after the incident.
The Cybertruck is not an impregnable vehicle, but it can take bumps pretty well thanks to its thick stainless steel body. Based on this video, it appears that the Cybertruck can even take bumps from a charging Charger, all while chilling and charging at a Supercharger. As for the teens in the Dodge, they likely had to provide a long explanation to authorities after the incident, since the cops were called to the location.
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