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Trump says he ‘has to be for electric cars’ because of Musk endorsement
Presidential candidate Donald Trump spoke at a rally in Georgia over the weekend, and while he maintained plans to end U.S. President Joe Biden’s electric vehicle (EV) “mandate,” he also added that he was a supporter of the technology as a result of his endorsement from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Trump held a rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, during which he noted that he is supportive of EVs due to Musk officially endorsing him for president last month. Trump has gone back and forth on EVs over the last several weeks, and although Biden doesn’t formally have an “EV mandate,” Trump has doubled down on plans to end the mandate on his first day in office, if elected.
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President Joe Biden comes after Elon Musk following Trump endorsement
“She wants to get rid of gas-powered cars and replace them with all electric,” Trump said during the speech, referring to Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris. “They don’t go far, they cost too much, they’re all made in China; other than that they’re fantastic, and I’m for electric cars.”
“I have to be, you know, because Elon endorsed me very strongly, Elon. So I have no choice,” Trump added.
The presidential candidate also went on to say he thought EVs should be a part of the market, though he emphasized that he thinks switching to only EVs was unwise, partially due to the cost of chargers.
“I’m for a small slice as a slice. You want to have every kind of a car imaginable,” Trump said. “You want to have gas-propelled cars, you want to have hybrids, you want to have every kind of a car imaginable. They want to go all electric, and there’s no way you can ever load them up. They call it loading them, you can’t load them.”
Trump also went on to allude to the amount of money that would need to be spent to install EV chargers in the “middle West,” where he says the country is going to have to spend $9 trillion. He then said that, for just eight chargers, it cost $9 billion, adding that that was a good deal.
The speech touched on several different subjects, and the EV comments came following Trump’s claims that he would “end the $100 trillion green new scam,” lower energy prices, and re-launch several drilling projects. He also detailed plan his apparent plans to build an iron dome over the entire country to protect against World War 3, which he says is “very close to happening.”
To be sure, the so-called “mandate” Trump was talking about doesn’t exist, though he’s likely referring to emissions standards set by Biden with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), requiring U.S. light-duty auto sales to reach a 67-percent market share of overall EVs by 2032, with that ratio required to meet 46 percent for medium-duty vehicles. The target is also aiming for about 50 percent of auto sales to be electric by 2030, in line with a goal Biden had set a few years earlier.
Another program that is thought to hang in the balance if Trump is elected is the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which Trump and running mate J.D. Vance have vocally opposed in the past. Last year, Vance proposed a bill that would replace the $7,500 credit with one of the same amount for gas vehicles, additionally pointing to U.S. reliance on China for EVs and their materials.
You can watch the full rally below, with Trump’s statements about EVs taking place about 20 minutes in.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
