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Video of Tesla Semi effortlessly pulling Model 3 cargo is a glimpse at the future of deliveries

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Tesla’s Semi Truck is nearing production readiness, and a new video showing the long hauler transporting its brethren Model S, Model 3, and Model X all-electric vehicles demonstrate the company’s continued commitment to its development.

A photo of the Tesla Semi truck with its full trailer attachment was first teased by CEO Elon Musk on Twitter, but the seemingly effortless, acceleration of the massive truck despite a heavy cargo load can only really be appreciated when seen in action.

A Model S camera car is seen following close behind as the Semi Truck leaves the frame, indicating that a full production video is likely to be forthcoming.

via Gfycat

Utilizing the Tesla Semi truck for delivery of its all-electric vehicles will allow the company to come full circle on its sustainable energy goals, as it relates to shipping and logistics. Musk has said in the past that Tesla intends to produce its own cargo carriers for vehicle deliveries, but is currently purchasing trucks and trailers to help satisfy increasing demand.

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Sightings of Tesla Semi test mules have been somewhat frequent since its November 2017 unveiling, indicating that progress has still been ongoing for the hauler despite the company’s main priority to expand into the consumer car market. Elon Musk acknowledged the impact its other commitments have had on the California-based company’s efforts.

We’ve been so mired in production & logistics for past 18 months. Really looking fwd to getting Semi into production,” he said via Twitter.

Tesla Semi hauling Tesla Model S, 3, and X cars. | Credit: Tesla

The Model 3 created a sales surge which manifested into a production and logistics “hell” for the all-electric car maker. However, lessons learned from that struggle will likely carry into a smoother future for its Semi manufacturing efforts. The initial time frame for production of the Tesla Semi is sometime this year, as predicted by Musk.

RELATED: Tesla adds Semi truck diecast toy in 1:24 scale to its online store

Test drive events have also been offered to some Tesla Semi reservation holders, providing valuable feedback from the industry that it hopes to win over.

Once the Tesla Semi is in customers’ hands and on the road, it has the potential to be a true disruptor in the trucking industry. Its stats, for one, are certainly desirable: 0-60 mph in 5 seconds, 500+ mile battery range supplemented by a “Megacharger” network, autonomous convoy technology, unparalleled visibility, and 80,000 lb load capacity.

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Savings of $200k in fuel per one million miles driven makes the financial case for conversion from diesel-powered haulers to the all-electric Tesla Semi. Competitors with alternative energy powerhouses are beginning to pop up, Nikola Motor Company being one, but for now, Tesla is taking the lead and will potentially have the upper hand in the industry for a notable amount of time.

Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Tesla launches new loaner program that owners will love

Tesla is now giving owners the opportunity to rent a vehicle from them, and it includes a few very attractive features that will have you second-guessing another loaner from insurance.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has launched a new loaner program that owners will love, as it resolves some concerns over a replacement vehicle while it is being repaired.

Earlier this week, Tesla launched the option to rent a Tesla loaner vehicle for just $45 per day if your vehicle is in Collision Repair. Collision repairs did not formerly warrant the issuance of loaner vehicles, as the insurance provider of the car owner would provide transportation arrangements.

Tesla is now giving owners the opportunity to rent a vehicle from them, and it includes a few very attractive features that will have you second-guessing another loaner from insurance.

The Tesla you rent while your car is in collision repair will come with free Full Self-Driving, free Supercharging, and free toll coverage, no small print included.

All things considered, this is a great deal for those who require a car for transportation while their car is being repaired.

The cost of Supercharging and Full Self-Driving alone would warrant the $45 per day price tag. Add in the tolls for those who commute on turnpikes for work or are planning an extensive trip that would require it, and it truly becomes an even more attractive deal.

Tesla has done a good job at improving its Service division over the past few years, and it truly needed it. In hopes of launching an F1-style service experience, Tesla started doing away with some of its perks, including loaner vehicles for single-day visits and even Uber credits.

Tesla’s ‘F1’ Service strategy eliminates same-day loaner vehicles, Uber credits

However, it has listened to the complaints of its owners and tried to cater an experience that is more advantageous and less of a hassle. It’s already made tremendous steps in the past few years, and this is the icing on the cake.

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SpaceX Starship Flight 10: What to expect

SpaceX implemented hardware and operational changes aimed at improving Starship’s reliability.

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX is preparing to launch the tenth test flight of its Starship vehicle as early as Sunday, August 24, with the launch window opening at 6:30 p.m. CT. 

The mission follows investigations into anomalies from earlier flights, including the loss of Starship on its ninth test and a Ship 36 static fire issue. SpaceX has since implemented hardware and operational changes aimed at improving Starship’s reliability.

Booster landing burns and flight experiments

The upcoming Starship Flight 10 will expand Super Heavy’s flight envelope with multiple landing burn trials. Following stage separation, the booster will attempt a controlled flip and boostback burn before heading to an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of America. One of the three center engines typically used for landing will be intentionally disabled, allowing engineers to evaluate whether a backup engine can complete the maneuver, according to a post from SpaceX.

The booster will also transition to a two-engine configuration for the final phase, hovering briefly above the water before shutdown and drop. These experiments are designed to simulate off-nominal scenarios and generate real-world data on performance under varying conditions, while maximizing propellant use during ascent to enable heavier payloads.

Starship upper stage reentry tests

The Starship upper stage will attempt multiple in-space objectives, including deployment of eight Starlink simulators and a planned Raptor engine relight. SpaceX will also continue testing reentry systems with several modifications. A section of thermal protection tiles has been removed to expose vulnerable areas, while new metallic tile designs, including one with active cooling, will be trialed.

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Catch fittings have been installed to evaluate their thermal and structural performance, and adjustments to the tile line will address hot spots observed on Flight 6. The reentry profile is expected to push the structural limits of Starship’s rear flaps at maximum entry pressure.

SpaceX says lessons from these tests are critical to refining the next-generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles. With Starfactory production ramping in Texas and new launch infrastructure under development in Florida, the company is pushing to hit its goal of achieving a fully reusable orbital launch system.

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Elon Musk takes aim at Bill Gates’ Microsoft with new AI venture “Macrohard”

It is quite an appropriate name for a company that’s designed to rival Microsoft.

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Credit: xAI/X

Elon Musk has set his sights on Microsoft with a new company called “Macrohard,” a software venture tied to his AI startup, xAI. 

Musk described the project as a “purely AI software company” that’s designed to generate hundreds of specialized coding and generative AI agents that could one day simulate products from companies like Microsoft entirely through artificial intelligence.

Macrohard‘s Purpose

Musk announced Macrohard on Friday, though xAI had already registered the trademark with the US Patent Office a few weeks ago, as noted in a PC Mag report. Interestingly enough, this is not the first time that Musk has mentioned such an initiative.

Just last month, he stated that xAI was “creating a multi-agent AI software company, where Grok spawns hundreds of specialized coding and image/video generation/understanding agents all working together and then emulates humans interacting with the software in virtual machines until the result is excellent.”

At the time, Musk stated that “This is a macro challenge and a hard problem with stiff competition,” hinting at the venture’s “Macrohard” moniker. A few years ago, Musk also posted “Macrohard >> Microsoft” on X. 

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Powered by xAI and Colossus

Macrohard appears to be closely linked to xAI’s Colossus 2 supercomputer project in Memphis. Musk has confirmed plans to acquire millions of Nvidia GPUs, joining rivals such as OpenAI and Meta in a high-stakes race for AI computing power. Colossus is already one of the most powerful supercomputer clusters in the world, and it is still being expanded.

xAI is only a couple of years old, having been founded in March 2023. During its Engineering Open House event in San Francisco, Elon Musk highlighted that the company’s speed will be its primary competitive edge. “No SR-71 Blackbird was ever shot down and it only had one strategy: to accelerate,” Musk said.

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