S.E. Robinson, Jr.

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

Added 2025-08-07 21:04:16 +0000 UTC

7th of August, 2025

"Maximizing the happiness of everyone collectively..." - Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

■ TESLA TSLA 0.54%↑ ($322.27, +0.74%):

- John (@teslaownersSV) is in Italy and hit up the Tesla Rome Sales & Service center. Check out John videos HERE.

- Tesla retains the top spot as the leading global producer in the battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year, holding a 15% market share in 2024, deploying 10.8 GWh, nearly double CATL's 5.8 GWh. Megapack dominated due to fast installation, high energy density, reliable performance, and securing major projects. In North America, Tesla holds the top spot with a 39% market share.

- Chris Bardett, Tesla Store Supervisor at Metrocentre in the UK, described hosting the Cybertruck as amazing. "Seeing the kids’ excited faces as they laid eyes on it for the first time—after watching countless YouTube videos—was pure joy. Parents also loved discovering how Tesla can seamlessly fit into their family’s lifestyle."

- It is being reported that Intel has secured a contract to provide specialized module-level packaging for Tesla’s Dojo 3 AI-training chips. They are to use their Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) technology to connect multiple dies. Since Samsung will manufacture the Dojo 3 and AI-6 chips on a 2 nm process, this would leverage Intel’s packaging expertise to meet the demands of Tesla’s ultra-large Dojo modules, each containing multiple 654 mm² dies. This may also mark Tesla’s shift away from TSMC’s full-process control to a dual-vendor strategy.

- Tesla Sweden has arrived at Stora Noliamässan in Umeå. Pics by Customer Engagement Coordinator Lidiya Mariam Sandström.

- The U.S. Air Force plans to purchase two Cybertrucks as targets for precision-guided munitions testing at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to support U.S. Special Operations Command. The Cybertrucks will be part of a 33-vehicle acquisition chosen due to their unique stainless steel exoskeleton and 48V electrical architecture. This makes them more durable than typical vehicles with painted steel or aluminum bodies. The Air Force cites potential future use by adversaries as the reason for targeting these trucks, which need only be towable, not functional, for the tests.

- Tesla's Director of Global Sales, Residential Energy Products, James Bickford, "The power and energy density of Powerwall 3 remains underappreciated. This install has 54kWh of energy, supports 20kWs DC of solar, provides 15.5kWs of backup, is attached to one breaker and tucked into a convenient out of the way corner for this homeowner."

- Today, Hankook Tire & Technology announced it will supply original equipment tires for Tesla’s Model Y. Tires include the following:

iON evo AS SUV: All-season tire for electric vehicles with low-noise pattern design and enhanced grip using eco-friendly materials.
Ventus S1 evo ev: Ultra-high-performance tire with aramid hybrid fiber double carcass and interlocking tooth-like groove design.

- Tesla has removed the front ventilated seat option from the Premium Upgrades Package for Model S and Model X, as updated in their online design studio. Tesla likely discontinued the option due to its unpopularity and to streamline production.

- Tesla Diner Chef Eric Greenspan announced a scaled-down menu to boost efficiency amid unprecedented demand. Items removed include market salad, chicken and waffles, club sandwich, Epic bacon, hash brown bites, biscuits and red gravy, chocolate chip cookies, veggie patty burger option, and some classic fountain drinks. Breakfast items are now limited to mornings.

FLYOVERS (flight links in sources section):

Fremont Factory: MetGod, 7th of August, '25.

■ SPACEX:

- SpaceX scrubbed today's launch of the Falcon 9 Project Kuiper KF-02 mission. SpaceX said it was "to perform additional vehicle checkouts." Not sure if there was a specific reason.

- Today, Italian Space Agency President, Teodoro Valente (@Valente_Teodoro), announced that deal has been made with SpaceX to use Starship to launch Italian payloads to Mars and build on Italy's San Marco legacy and MARSIS radar data, with experiments gathering key scientific data. By using Starship, the agency expects to cut launch costs by 70%.

Per SpaceX President & COO Gwynne Shotwell (@Gwynne_Shotwell), "Get on board! We are going to Mars! SpaceX is now offering Starship services to the red planet. We’re excited to work with the Italian Space Agency on this first-of-its-kind agreement. More to come!"

- NASA and SpaceX delayed Crew-10's return from the ISS again due to high winds at the splashdown sites off California’s coast. It is now targeted to undock at 6:05 p.m. ET on Friday, with a splashdown scheduled for 8:33 a.m. PT on Saturday.

- Raptor testing at McGregor. 13 ignitions in a row. Unsure of the engine version but the tests were the same durations as last time.

Starbase City Commission Meeting:

Regular Meeting: 20th of August, at 7:00 p.m. CT. Located at 39046 LBJ Blvd, Unit 2, Brownsville, TX 78521

Countdown to 180 (96 - Falcon 9, 0 - Falcon Heavy, and 3 - Starship):

Launch 100! Thursday, 7th of August, at 10:01 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Project Kuiper KF-02 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 three SpaceX launches for Amazon's Kuiper low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation. 24 satellites will be on board.
Launch 101! Saturday, 9th of August, at 7:05 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 Starlink 17-4 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 102! Sunday, 10th of August, at 8:16 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Starlink 10-20 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 103! Wednesday, 13th of August, at 8:41 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Starlink 10-11 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 104! Wednesday, 13th of August, at 8:44 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 Starlink 17-5 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 ??! Flight 10 NET August.

■ THE BORING COMPANY:

- This map depicts the 9.5 course that The Boring Company's Music City Loop would take between downtown and Nashville International Airport. A presentation was given today by TBC VP of corporate Operations David Buss for the Nashville Convention Center Authority.

In Buss's presentation, the Music City Loop begins at a state-owned downtown parking lot, travels under Rosa Parks Boulevard south past the convention center, turns down Lafayette Street, and continues primarily under Murfreesboro Pike to the airport.

The Boring Company's "porpoising" digging technology operates underground in a minimally invasive manner without disrupting surface roads or businesses. The project is fully funded by the Boring Company, which generates revenue from passenger fares using Tesla taxis for airport trips.

The Las Vegas loop system has recorded no major safety incidents and includes a fire detection and suppression system. For expansion, the company plans community conversations to identify additional useful tunnel locations, having assessed ridership and found value in the system, while soliciting opinions to enhance its utility.

■ NEURALINK:

- Patient No.1, Noland Arbaugh (@ModdedQuad), marked 18 months with his BCI on July 28th and gave us update on how things are going. The implant's speed, stability, and responsiveness have improved, reducing calibration time significantly. He uses the implant over 10 hours daily for writing, reading, gaming, and building a keynote speaking career. He enrolled in community college to study neuroscience and plans to transfer to a university in 2026. Noland envisions the implant controlling devices like robotic limbs and potentially aiding mood regulation or memory restoration. Check out his update HERE.

■ STARLINK:

- Starlink is now available in Israel.

- Unity5, led by CEO Mark Wilson, provided DSRT Ashburton, a volunteer mountain rescue team in England, with two StarLink Mini units (one for their base and one for a rescue vehicle) and five SIM cards to enhance connectivity for their operations. This initiative, aimed at improving digital tools and communication in rural areas, was supported by Unity5’s intention to continue the partnership, addressing previous connectivity issues due to poor network reception in challenging terrains.

- The Authority of Telecommunications under Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications stated they have not received a license application from SpaceX for Starlink as of August 5th. Deputy General Director Nguyen Phong Nha stated that Starlink has government approval for testing in Vietnam, and the authority is coordinating with ministries to prepare for license approval once SpaceX submits an application.

- Crispin Hutton, Founder at Thin Reel, utilized a Starlink unit for a film shoot in remote Hampshire locations, enabling a live stream setup from a RED cinema camera. With no local signal or Wi-Fi, Starlink provided a reliable 50mbps upload speed, ensuring smooth streaming without dropouts for the Europe-based client and agency team. The setup took 15 minutes and performed flawlessly, earning a permanent place in Thin Reel's equipment list.

■ X:

- This was a really insightful presentation on how X is moving forward with Grok recommended Advertising to enhance ad targeting and automation. Ads will be required to meet minimum aesthetic standards to avoid being an “eyesore.” They plan to integrate ads into Grok as well. Advertisers can pay to have their products appear in Grok’s suggestions when users ask about specific problems and provide targeted solutions.

- Noémi Khachian (@NoemiKhachian) and the X Team ready for the Grok Ad presentation.

- X achieved a legal victory in its lawsuit against California law AB 2655. It would have required platforms to remove or label election-related speech deemed false or misleading by the state, potentially censoring satire and parody. A federal district court judge in Sacramento ruled to permanently block enforcement, citing violation and preemption by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

■ xAI:

- Grok Imagine video generation is now available on both Android and iOS. Plus, Elon announced Grok Imagine is free to all U.S. users for the next few days.

- Elon Musk announced that xAI will open source Grok 2 next week.

■ DOGE:

Estimated Savings: $199 Billion

Amount Saved Per Taxpayer: $1,236.02

■ ELON NEWS:

- Per Elon, "Understand the Universe, by simulating the Universe..."

■ THANK YOU!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

For August, I am giving away Optimus, the Tesla Bot Action Figure ($45), to one of you guys.

If you are looking for some cool Musk Company Merch, you can also support the content by checking out the new shop! If you order anything let me know what you think, good or bad. serobinsonjr.shop

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