X-twitter Youtube Tiktok Facebook Linkedin Instagram Threads

ELON CHRON: The Daily Chronicle of Elon Musk’s Companies

By /

“Best I can do now is try to make sure that at least one AI is truth-seeking and not a super woke nanny with an iron fist that wants to turn everyone into diverse women…” – Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

■ TESLA ($435.54, -0.72%):

– Ralph’s Tesla Semi spotted on the 101 Fwy. Pic posted by Zack (@BLKMDL3). “So cool to see them on the roads.”

– Tesla received approval from the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) to test Full Self-Driving (FSD) on all state highways and expressways across Sweden. This follows a successful site assessment test (SAT) conducted jointly with Tesla on local roads in late September. The permit authorizes testing exclusively on three Tesla-owned vehicles and excludes urban environments that require separate municipal approvals. This marks Sweden’s first official public-road testing of FSD. H/T Alexander Kristensen (@LinkN01).

– Today, Tobias Lindh (@tobilindh) spotted a new Model Y Standard driving near Giga Berlin. Deliveries from the German factory are expected before end of the year.

– Per Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy (@larsmoravy), on the Model Y Standard roof glass. “All glass is NOT created equal. Remember, the Model Y Premium glass is laminated with silver IR reflective coatings to make it super comfy and reject solar load… the standard is not… plus LOTS of people wanted a closed headliner, always trying to listen (and improve road noise at same time).”

– The Tesla Model S made TIME’s Best Inventions Hall of Fame list. Its 2012 debut as an electric four-door sedan with a Jaguar-like design, a 265-mile range per charge, and touchscreen controls for GPS and suspension showed what an EV was capable of. It was included for its game-changing advancement that signified extended driving range and offered an exciting alternative to ICE cars. It spurred competitors to enhance their EVs and solidified Tesla’s leadership in the technology.

– Tesla Japan’s Sr. Recruiter Yu Sasaki announced numerous new employees joined the company this month, each bringing diverse backgrounds and ambitious goals, inspiring a renewed focus on high aspirations amid rapid growth. “Confidence in sales, desire for new challenges, leveraging experience, and craving the fast-paced environment unique to Tesla. I myself work as a Recruiter for Tesla Japan, and I feel so much pride to take on an important position during the current growth period.”

– Two new TÜV SÜD trailers have arrived at the Giga Texas End-of-Line facility. These are Combined Road Environmental Simulation Testing (mCREST) trailers for onsite Buzz, Squeak, and Rattle (BSR) testing. These mobile, climate-controlled units feature a 4-poster system with high-performance Servo Electric Actuators (SEA) to replicate real-world road conditions using real-life data files, ensuring repeatability in simulating road profiles. The testing isolates causes of unwanted audible noises in vehicles and provides recommendations for elimination at every stage of the product lifecycle. Very cool equipment! H/T Joe Tegtmeyer (@JoeTegtmeyer).

– The NHTSA announced an investigation into 2.88 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD, covering model years 2016-2025, following 58 reports of traffic safety violations. The probe focuses on the system’s ability to detect and respond to reduced visibility conditions like fog, dust, or glare.

– Tesla Program Manager, Leslie Lamon, and the Lithium Refinery Team, led their second consecutive participation in the Robstown Homecoming Parade on yesterday, October 8th! The event began at Cotton Picker Stadium, proceeding along a route through the Big Red Nation community, followed by a pep rally and the traditional “Burning of the R” bonfire to energize the Cotton Pickers’ spirit. Teammates included Klarissa Garcia, Danielle Black, Jacob Martinez, Eric Madison, Victoria Jameson, Sergio Reyescordova, and Teresa McKenzie.

– Tesla China filed with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for the Model Y+, a five-seat variant. The vehicle features a single-motor rear-wheel drive with 225 kW peak power, ternary lithium-ion batteries from LG Energy Solution, dimensions of 4,797 mm length, 1,920 mm width, 1,624 mm height, and 2,890 mm wheelbase, and an expected range of 800 km CLTC, positioning it as the longest-range model in Tesla’s SUV lineup and similar to the Model 3 long range rear-wheel drive variant.

– Today Eolian L.P. secured $463 million to expand its Padua project in Bexar County, Texas, with Tesla Megapacks, adding Padua 2 (150 MW / 600 MWh) and Padua 3 (200 MW / 800 MWh) to the existing Padua 1 (50 MW / 100 MWh). The 400 MW / 1.8 GWh complex, set for completion in early 2026, will be ERCOT’s largest standalone BESS, enhancing grid stability and transmission for San Antonio’s growing demand under 20-year CPS Energy agreements, with $175,000 annual community contributions for five years.

– Tesla officially added Grok to Canadian owners via software update 2025.38.

FLYOVERS (flight links in sources section):3

  • Giga Nevada: Zanegler (@HinrichsZane), 9th of October, ‘25. “Pressing On! A massive amount of semi assembly line equipment surrounds the completed factory.”

■ SPACEX:

– Cameron County has issued their official road closure for Flight 11 on Monday, 13th October from 12:00 to 8 p.m. Backups are scheduled for the 14th and 15th during the same time periods. Pic by Jessica (@sparkyinfinity).

– The first Giga Bay tower crane section was spotted at the Starbase. H/T H/T Starbase Tracking (@TrackingTheSB).

– SpaceX’s Mark Federschmidt (@BoosterTribe) ride to work at Starbase. I call Shotgun!

– Flight 11 camera buoys have left port and are ready for deployment. Pic by The Space Engineer (@mcrs987).

Starbase City Commission Meeting (Located at The Hub, 39046 LBJ Blvd, Unit 2, Brownsville, TX 78521):

  • City Commission Regular Meeting, October 15, 2025 7:00 PM

  • City Commission Regular Meeting, November 19, 2025 7:00 PM

  • City Commission Regular Meeting, December 17, 2025 7:00 PM

Countdown to 180 (127 – Falcon 9, 0 – Falcon Heavy, and 4 – Starship):

  • Launch 132! Thursday, 9th of October, 9:34 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 Project Kuiper (KF-03) will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. This is the third of three launches contract for Amazon’s Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation.

  • Launch 133! Sunday, 12th of October, at 4:11 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Starlink 10-52 will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

  • Launch 134! Monday, 13th of October, at 6:15 p.m. CT, Starship Test Flight 11 will launch from Orbital Launch Pad 1 at Starbase, Texas. Vehicles are Starship 38 and Super Heavy Booster 15-2. This will second flight for Super Heavy Booster 15-2 and it will make a planned splashdown in the Gulf of America. Starship 38 will splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Live X link here.

    .

  • Launch 135! Tuesday, 14th of October, at 4:11 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 SDA Tranche 1 Transport Layer C will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The booster will land on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.

  • Launch 136! Wednesday, 15th of October, at 12:21 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 Starlink 10-17 will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

  • Launch 137! Friday, 17th of October, at 11:09 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 Starlink 11-19 will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The booster will land on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.

  • Launch 138! Monday, 20th of October, at 4:00 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 Starlink 11-5 will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The booster will land on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.

  • Launch ??? Wednesday, 22nd of October, at ??? ET, Falcon 9 SpainSat NG II will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. This is the second of two new-generation satellites built by Airbus to provide secure communications to the Spanish government, its allies, and various international organizations.

50% OFF ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

■ THE BORING COMPANY:

– The Greater Nashville Private Capital Association hosted a Decisionmaker Dinner featuring East Bank investor Sam Lingo and TBC’s VP of Business Development, Jim Fitzgerald (@FJ_Fitzgerald). It was sponsored by Oracle and investors discussed shaping Nashville’s future in private capital, private equity, venture capital, and innovation.

■ NEURALINK:

– Nick Wray (@Telepath_8), NP No.8, shared 30-second clip from his live stream where he used Neuralink’s Convoy to control the robotic arm and execute a trick shot on a pegboard puzzle board. Nick is off camera, about 4 feet away, he uses his brain to pick up a piece from the table, maneuvers it precisely over the board, drops it into a target square, producing a satisfying audible click on landing.

– Co-founder DJ Seo (@djseo) posted the The Telepathy user interface by the Neuralink’s amazing Rooz (@roozm). Rooz had previously posted this video back in September of 2024. It is a work of art.

– Audrey Crews (@NeuraNova9), NP No.9, made a new post describing her experience using the Telepathy as a transformative “superpower,” likening it to telepathy from her favorite DC and Marvel comics. Previously limited by her injury and outdated tech knowledge from 2005, she now uses the BCI to control a TV remote app, switching channels independently to avoid feeling like a burden. The BCI also enables her to create art, improving her depression and anxiety, while she continues to learn new tech skills daily, finding the experience surreal and magical. Read her post HERE.

■ STARLINK:

– David Wertz Check Pilot and Director Network Architecture and Engineering XenTegra. “When your Falcon 2000LX becomes a corner office with wings! Parked on the ramp waiting on a clearance so I fired up the Starlink Mini. Coffee in hand, previewing the route while streaming faster than most FBO Wi-Fi could dream of…loving it! Who knew ground delays could feel this productive?“

– SpaceX plans a R2.5 billion investment in South Africa, including equipping National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) vessels with Starlink to address communication breakdowns in remote 3,000 km coastal areas. Starlink will enable real-time voice, data, and imagery transmission to the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, enhancing coordination, navigation, medical decisions, crew tracking, and safety. NSRI CEO Mike Vonk called it a milestone for rescue readiness, stating, “When our volunteers are operating far offshore in difficult conditions, every second of communication matters.” NSRI is partnering with SpaceX, government, and locals for sustainable integration.

– Roy Vaes, Founder and Art Director of VAES Visuals, typically works from a studio but embraces Starlink when traveling with family. This “unbound” approach allows his globally distributed team to stay connected and maintain creative output without being confined by traditional office settings, embodying freedom in location, flexibility in work methods, and dedication to quality visuals.

– Telecentro Empresas, in partnership with the Gobierno de Catamarca, continue to provide Starlink to over 300 rural schools in Catamarca, Argentina. Stable, fast connectivity for students and teachers. This initiative supports innovation and digital inclusion, offering tools for learning, development, and growth, transforming education in the province.

– Neil Padmore, Director at Frampol Africa (Zimbabwe’s leading technology service provider), announced that Frampol Africa flew their Starlink installation team to Kariba to deploy kits for the Kariba International Tiger Fish Tournament (KITFT), enabling gigabit speeds for the event for the first time in its 63-year history. This tournament benefits local communities through economic boosts from visitor influxes supporting lodges, artisans, and businesses; donations like work suits and uniforms to NAUZ Charara staff; and sustainable 100% catch-and-release practices that preserve tiger fish populations for long-term recreational fishing and tourism. The event is scheduled for October 22nd – 24th on Lake Kariba.

■ 𝕏:

– X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier (@nikitabier), announced a new iOS update that replaces the outdated Twitter media picker with Apple’s native iOS photo picker. The upgrade enables AI-powered search directly within the iOS Photos app for selecting media to post, eliminating the need for X to request full camera roll access and enhancing user privacy. This change allows seamless, permission-free media selection while maintaining functionality for posting.

– In September, X launched 5 new X Originals: INSIDE THE NFL, RUSHMORE, STOCKTON STREET, BURNLEY KEEPING THE FAITH, THE AXIOS SHOW. X Originals Lead Mitchell Lawrence Smith (@MLS_X_) wants your feedback. “What’s your favorite? What can we do better? Here for all feedback.” Reply HERE.

– Anis Menal (@anismenal), hosted a morning meeting in Milan with advertisers and partners to discuss “Sports on X”, amid rising excitement for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Presenters included Cris Nulli (@crisnulli), X Market Lead for Italy, and Stefania Baldi (@stefaniabaldi), X Sr. Strategic Partnerships Leader EMEA.

– According to Nima Owji (@nima_owji), you will be able to lock your X Money Cards to ensure no one can use it. If you have it locked and someone tries to make a transactions, it will be declined automatically.

■ xAI:

– Per xAI Android Lead, Lara Lu (@larrabearr), “Grok Android users, I truly appreciate all the feedback yall share with me. It’s super valuable in helping me quickly improve the product for you and for all the users. You guys are the best partners! Please keep sharing your feedback.” Follow Lara Feedback welcomed.

– xAI is working to add Streaks and Rewards when using Companions on iOS. Streaks are shown in Top Right corner 🔥. H/T Tech Dev Notes (@techdevnotes).

■ ELON NEWS:

– Elon’s companies own over 500 properties spanning 6,000 acres across Texas, with facilities from Austin to Brownsville.

– Elon’s Grok Off Meta Druid.

Thanks for reading! As always, if you have any questions, feedback, or would like point out an error in the reporting, please do so in the comments.

■ WAYS TO SUPPORT THE CHRONICLE:

Checkout my website and shop for exclusive ELON CHRON merch to support the mission of delivering bold, unfiltered news and insights about Elon Musk’s ventures! Every purchase, from stylish apparel to unique accessories, directly funds the efforts to keep you informed with the greatest companies on the planet. Show your support for innovation and truth by grabbing your favorite items today—join the ELON CHRON community and wear your passion proudly! serobinsonjr.com

For October, and exclusively for X subscribers, I am giving away The Boring Company “Beat the Snail” Hat ($40)! I picked it up at the Boring Bodega in Bastrop, Texas. Like always, one random subscriber’s name will be drawn at the end of the month. Join the likes of Elon himself and SUBSCRIBE ON X HERE!

For the remainder of the Holiday Season, you can get the ELON CHRON Substack subscription at 50% off for an entire year! That’s right, 50% off for 12 months! This discount ends New Years Eve at 11:59 pm.

50% OFF ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

And lastly, if you are interested in getting a Tesla or Starlink, switching to T-Mobile for T-Satellite, or investing in the ARK Venture Fund, checkout my referral page. REFERRALS HERE!

Have a great day!

■ SOURCES:

Tesla:

Starlink:

𝕏:

Elon News:

Scroll to Top