When cars fly? Musk touts aerial capabilities for new Tesla Roadster

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Tesla’s next-generation Roadster has been widely discussed since Tesla first teased the upcoming car a few years ago. In the latest update about the highly anticipated electric vehicle (EV), CEO Elon Musk notes that it will have aerial capabilities, though it’s not clear yet to what extent.

After Musk teased SpaceX’s involvement in the upcoming Tesla vehicle a few months ago, some suggested that the new Roadster could be developed with aerial functionality. Most, however, chalked the comments up to the EV just having incredible acceleration speeds as aided by SpaceX equipment.

In a post on X on Saturday morning, Musk said that the new Tesla Roadster will be able to fly, though he didn’t disclose any other details as to whether it would literally be able to be airborne, for how long, or when the forthcoming EV would become available.

When Musk previously alluded to the upcoming Roadster being a collaborative project between Tesla and SpaceX, he said that the completion of the production design and the official unveil would both be expected by the end of this year. When asked during that conversation on X whether the highly-anticipated vehicle would be able to “fly a little,” Musk responded with the eyes emoji.

To be sure, Musk has become well-known for his sometimes overly-ambitious statements, with the CEO previously sharing concepts that didn’t come to fruition, and regularly sharing timelines that end up being delayed. Still, it’s hard to fathom what a collaboration with SpaceX on the next-gen Tesla Roadster would look like, and a flying car may not quite be out of the question.

Musk has teased the possibility of hovering capabilities for the next-gen Roadster since it was first teased, though it was also unclear at the time whether this was hopeful thinking or if it was something that consumers could expect to see in the future EV. With his recent statements, it seems the aerial capabilities have remained an important piece of the puzzle for Tesla’s design team, among the many other expected features.

The new Roadster is expected to be able to reach 60 mph in under a second, according to a statement from Musk. However, Musk has also said the incredible acceleration time will be the least interesting thing about the upcoming performance EV, which is obviously true if it indeed will be able to fly.

The new Roadster is also expected to be able to reach 60 mph in under a second, according to a statement from Musk. However, Musk has also said the incredible acceleration time will be the least interesting thing about the upcoming performance EV.

In an interview in April, Musk also hinted that the Roadster would likely include steer-by-wire, as included in the Cybertruck. He also suggested that the hyper-performance EV could be slated to get a modified steering yoke.

Details on Tesla’s 3 new next-generation EVs [Feature]

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The new Tesla Roadster will be able to fly: Elon Musk





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Vanguard explains voting decision on Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s pay package

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Vanguard, Tesla’s second-largest shareholder behind CEO Elon Musk, detailed its decision to ratify his $56 billion pay package in a pamphlet released on Friday by the investment advisor.

At Thursday’s Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk’s ratification request was passed after it needed to be voted on once again following a void by a Delaware Chancery Court Judge earlier this year.

Large shareholders and investment firms that held a sizable stake in the automaker took center stage as the ratification was one of the biggest issues Tesla faced in recent memory. The implications were grand, as a denial could have meant the end of Musk’s reign at Tesla, where he has built the company from a little-known disruptor to the world’s most valuable automaker in the course of less than two decades.

While several firms and investment groups said they would not support Musk’s pay package, Vanguard said on Friday that it voted for the ratification. After an evaluation process, which included meeting with executives and board members, Vanguard ultimately decided to support Musk’s ratification:

“In our 2024 analysis of the performance award, which would grant Tesla’s CEO approximately 300 million options (adjusted for stock splits since the initial grant date) given the achievement of a series of performance conditions, we noted that the company’s performance and associated shareholder returns since 2018 have significantly outperformed the market and have been positive outliers.”

It also noted the total shareholder return was in the 98th percentile of all Russell 3000 companies from 2018 to 2023. “There are few companies that have created as much absolute market value appreciation as Tesla.”

Additionally, board members and executives at Tesla were fully aware of Musk’s influence and fully supported his ratification, which they detailed to Vanguard:

“To further inform the funds’ voting decisions, we met with Tesla executives and board members. During our engagement, board members reinforced their conviction regarding the importance of retaining the CEO and highlighted that the plan’s five-year post-exercise holding requirement maintains the alignment of the CEO’s economic interests with the company’s shareholder base.”

Any concerns or reservations Vanguard had going into the meeting were essentially obliterated after the analysis and meetings with executives. The firm said that it voted for the ratification of Musk’s pay package on Thursday:

“Our analysis, consistent with our concerns in 2018, found that the current value of this grant is a substantial outlier relative to CEO compensation levels of any potential peer group. That said, the unique circumstance of evaluating the plan retroactively eliminated our concerns that significant pay could be earned without company outperformance relative to the market or peers. Given the strong alignment of executive pay with shareholder returns since 2018 and the benefits the board asserted related to the motivational value for the CEO in preserving the original deal (which was approved by a majority of shareholders in 2018), the Vanguard-advised funds voted for the ratification of the CEO’s 2018 option award at the 2024 annual meeting.”

Vanguard’s 232 million shares of Tesla that it owns equate to roughly 7 percent of the automaker. The firm manages roughly $9 trillion in total assets.

You can read Vanguard’s full report on the Tesla Shareholder Meeting here.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Vanguard vote key to Elon Musk’s Tesla pay package ratification





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Tesla celebrates Cybertruck production ramp at 2024 Stockholder Meeting 

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Tesla celebrated its success with the Cybertruck’s production ramp during the 2024 Annual Stockholder Meeting. 

Elon Musk believes the Tesla Cybertruck is the company’s best product. During the Annual Stockholder Meeting, he announced that Tesla reached a production record of 1,300 Cybertrucks per week. Tesla continues to aim higher, targeting a production increase of 2,500 Cybertruck units per week by the end of 2024. 

Musk also announced that Tesla will soon end production on Cybertruck Foundation Series units. The company will shift its focus on non-Foundation Cybertrucks in the fourth quarter. 

During Elon Musk’s latest Annual Stockholder meeting presentation, one of the clips stated: “Made the Impossible Possible with Cybertruck.” The clip provides a glimpse of Tesla’s journey with Cybertruck production. 

When Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck, it was met with mixed reactions. Some people loved it immediately, some rejected it just as swiftly, and then there were the few who didn’t know what to make of it. At the time, the Tesla Cybertruck’s design and the features it promised were never-before-seen in the pickup truck market. Tesla’s idea for a pickup truck has since influenced many electric vehicles in the market today–especially some of its more useful features. 

“I think with the Cybertruck, it really is something special. It feels sort of nice to have different opinions on the Cybertruck. But if you really want to know if something is cool, if it’s a great product, show it to a kid,” Musk said. 

The Cybertruck has certainly evoked excitement and wonder in children and adults alike. It attracts attention wherever it is around the globe.

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Tesla celebrates Cybertruck production ramp at 2024 Stockholder Meeting 





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