S.E. Robinson, Jr.

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

Added 2025-08-08 20:41:52 +0000 UTC

8th of August, 2025

"There will be no code writing in the future..." - Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

■ TESLA TSLA 2.65%↑ ($329.68, +2.30%):

- Tesla ended Project Dojo yesterday to focus on AI5 and AI6 chips optimized for inference. According to Elon, this pivot means Tesla now relies on external partners like Nvidia, AMD, and Samsung for training hardware. Per Elon, "It doesn’t make sense for Tesla to divide its resources and scale two quite different AI chip designs. The Tesla AI5, AI6 and subsequent chips will be excellent for inference and at least pretty good for training. All effort is focused on that. In a supercomputer cluster, it would make sense to put many AI5/AI6 chips on a board, whether for inference or training, simply to reduce network cabling complexity & cost by a few orders of magnitude. One could call that Dojo 3, I suppose. Most training in the future will be inference for the sole purpose of training (aka synthetic data generation)."

- The Tesla China 6 seater Model Y L has been listed under model code TSL6500BEVBA0 in China’s MIIT filing. It features a 751 km range with an 82.0-kWh LG Energy Solution lithium-ion battery (465 kg, 176 Wh/kg). It has dual motors (142 kW front, 198 kW rear) and a curb weight of 2,088 kg. It is set to launch in China later this year.

- Calibrant Energy activated three front-of-the-meter Megapack2XL sites in Westchester County, New York, delivering 13.4 MW / 55.7 MWh to the Con Edison grid. These sites are located in the towns of Hawthorne, Yorktown, and Ossining, with respective capacities of 4.9 MW, 4.2 MW, and 4.3 MW. These systems stabilize the grid during peak summer demand, generate Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER) credits, and provide bill savings for large energy users like CoreSite and a major hospital. Using a novel commercial approach, Calibrant enables these customers to benefit financially from distributed energy without hosting infrastructure on-site.

- Shane Bannister, Tesla Energy Head of Business Development & Project Sales for the APAC Region, will be part of the SA Ecosystem Mixer on August 22nd, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Stone & Chalk Adelaide. He will reflect on past achievements and explore future energy possibilities in South Australia. Topics will include negative prices, AI-driven demand, innovative grid solutions, and the pursuit of net zero emissions. Register HERE.

- NGEN Group launched a 9.4 MW / 18.8 MWh Megapack 2XL site in Poland to provide grid balancing services and enhance network stability. The project is expected to save 1,800 tons of CO2 annually. It will support Poland’s renewable energy expansion by managing intermittency from wind and solar sources. NGEN plans further projects across Europe, targeting 1.6 GWh in total capacity in countries like Germany, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, and Austria.

- Elon stated that next months FSD software update will be "a major step-change improvement for rare conditions." He also noted that, "the Austin Robotaxi FSD build is ~6 months more advanced than what is available in cars in America and there are some additional breakthroughs in Tesla AI that will make the car feel eerily human."

- Dennis (@ogre_codes) provided a detailed review of Tesla's early access Rock Sliders and Body Armor for the Cybertruck, based on two months of testing across diverse off-road terrains in the Pacific Northwest. Video in the sources section.

Shortly after, Tesla officially released the Terrestrial Armor Package (Rock Sliders and Body Armor) for Foundation Series only at $3,500. Non-Foundation Series will be available this September.

- According to Tesla's Raj Jegannathan (@r_jegaa), Some Tesla service locations have started to share local and regional leader contact information via the service in-take process in the mobile app messages. Customers can reach out via phone when they disagree with initial diagnostic/warranty/changes and estimates. "Once we build guardrails from abuse, will expand to all service locations. In parallel, “no escalation is the best outcome for all”, so working to simplify internal software integrations across systems to get the most accurate results/information for the customer from get go. Incremental Improvements are getting rolled out daily/weekly."

- The Saitama Cocoon Store, Saitama Shintoshin Station. The Tesla body frames is exclusive to this store. Pics by Tsubasa Ito, Tesla Japan Recruiter.

- In the U.S., Tesla increased the lease price of the Model Y Long Range RWD to $399/mo., up from $349/mo.

- Tesla has been granted a rideshare license in Texas, allowing Robotaxi LLC to operate the service under new state regulations for autonomous vehicles. The company is listed as a transportation network company licensee with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. This license is mandated by a new law effective September 1st, which regulates autonomous vehicle rideshare operations identically to those using human drivers.

- Piotr Czochra, Tesla Advisor, facilitated test drives for the Model 3 and Y at the prestigious Pride of Poland Arabian horse auction in Janów Podlaski. In collaboration with the Arche Castle hotel, Tesla showcased the vehicles at both the auction site and in front of the palace, allowing clients to experience the cars during the event.

- Matrix Renewables plans to develop two standalone 100 MW Megapack 2XL sites in Benasque and Sasué, Huesca, northern Spain, with a combined capacity of 400 MWh. Each plant will store 200 MWh using 52 Megapacks per site, totaling 104 containers. The projects, backed by a €135 million investment, are in the public consultation phase, with environmental impact assessments underway. Construction is expected to start by mid-2026, with operations targeted for 2028.

- Great thread by Joe Tegtmeyer (@JoeTegtmeyer) and the possible impacts at Giga Texas by ending Project DOJO. He also showed his subscribers new permits that have been published. I suggested lease both Cortex 1 & 2 to xAI. Click HERE!

■ SPACEX:

- Flight 10 is now targeting the 22nd of August. According to a new LNM (Local Notice to Mariners) it will be between 6:30 - 8:34 p.m. CT.

- SpaceX has pushed today's launch of the Falcon 9 Project Kuiper KF-02 mission due to weather. They are now targeting Saturday, August 9th, though weather is currently 35% favorable for liftoff.

- Latest view of the Pad 2 OLM by RGV Aerial.

- At Starbase, the BG42 CFA drill has moved from the Giga Bay construction site to the ASU site.

Super Heavy Booster 12 was moved into Mega Bay 1 where we all said our farewells, but it appears to have been moved to the back right stand. It is very possible that it will receive engines and maybe go on display. Fingers crossed.

- Yesterday, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, and Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov met with Stephanie Bednarek, SpaceX Vice President of Commercial Launch and Crew Sales, to discuss collaboration prospects. They focused on Azerbaijan’s economic potential, strategic development, and a favorable investment climate in high technologies and innovation.

- Harry Stranger (@Harry__Stranger) posted a new satellite shots showing the construction progress at the launch pads around the Cape. Above are SpaceX's LC-39A, SLC-37, and SLC-40. Check out Harry's thread HERE.

- Crew Dragon Endeavor docked to the ISS after delivering Crew-11. Pic by Astronaut Nichole “Vapor” Ayers (@Astro_Ayers).

- SpaceX is constructing a water pipeline from Brownsville to Starbase and replacing truck-hauled water deliveries capped at 60,000 gallons per day. The pipeline is funded by SpaceX under a non-standard agreement with the Brownsville Public Utilities Board and will support the company’s growing operations and employee housing. Non-SpaceX-affiliated residents can access the private water system only by signing an “unconditional and perpetual agreement” to evacuate during launches, tests, or other operations, with no guaranteed water quality or volume and no legal recourse against SpaceX. The city of Starbase currently lacks authority to provide public utilities, making access discretionary, hence the signing the waiver.

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! Saturday, 9th of August, at 9:18 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 105! Sunday, 17th 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 22nd.

■ THE BORING COMPANY:

- Aerial view of State owned and TBC leased Parking Lot 16. The Boring Tunnel Machine, most likely Prufrock 6, will start the Music City Loop here, in the fenced off arear.

■ NEURALINK: N/A...

■ STARLINK:

- SpaceX has started installing Starlink for Saudi Airlines. The above pics were posted by Rossen Dimitrov, Chief Guest Experience Officer for Saudi Airlines and Advisor to the Director General of Saudi Airlines, Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. "It’s great to be among friends from Starlink and SpaceX, learning more about the exciting future they are bringing to aviation—and to the world—as they seamlessly connect our planet like never before. More to come..." This is most likely the initial install for training.

- SHERP North America has transformed off-grid filmmaking by giving crews access to the most remote locations and staying connected via Starlink. Equipped with solar power and batteries, this rig operates as a self-sustaining mobile production hub built for the toughest terrain.

- The Bangladesh government introduced plans to install Starlink in 100 schools across the Chittagong Hill Tracts within six months to enhance e-learning. Supradip Chakma, Adviser on CHT Affairs, stated that this initiative will enable students in remote areas to access online classes from urban teachers, ensuring educational equity. The project aims to equip students with technological skills for higher education and careers, marking a significant step toward digital education in the region. The project is expect to be complete by February 2026.

- A beaver lodge near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, along the Ingraham Trail past the Dettah turn-off, features a replica Starlink dish installed by local Chad Anthony. Anthony created the dish as a humorous addition to the lodge. The fake dish mimics the real Starlink dishes increasingly common in the region.

■ X:

- X has enabled moderation on +18 content with the latest updates for iOS and Android. This includes Grok, though their are ways around that. Soon age verification will be activated using a valid ID. Most of this is due to EU and UK restrictions. The above image was provided by P4mui (@P4mui).

- X Japan CEO Ayumu Matsuyama (@ayumu_matsuyama) will give an emergency keynote at the SNS Web Expo on August 19-20, 2025, in Hamamatsucho, Ayumu will focus on using X's real-time data for business growth, show an increase of 78% engagement and 30% ROI boost with AI.

■ xAI:

- Per Elon, "Grok 5 will be out before the end of this year and it will be crushingly good."

- DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) posted about a Grok Imagine Art Contest and Elon thinks it is a good idea. He also said they will be putting the most liked images on X in the Grok Imagine default feed. Pretty cool!

- In the ARC-AGI-2 benchmark, which tests general reasoning skills, xAI's Grok 4 (Thinking) scored 16%, outperforming OpenAI's new GPT-5 at 9.9%, with costs of $2-$4 per task for Grok 4 compared to $0.73 for GPT-5. On the less demanding ARC-AGI-1, Grok 4 achieved 68%, slightly ahead of GPT-5 at 65.7%, with costs of $1 and $0.51 per task, respectively. The benchmarks prioritize reasoning over memorization, ranking models by accuracy and cost efficiency.

Per Elon, "Bottom line though: Grok 4 Heavy was smarter 2 weeks ago than GPT5 is now and G4H is already a lot better... Let that sink in."

- xAI obtained 14 Meta employees so far this year. This includes:

Xinlei Chen(specializing in multimodal AI)
Ching-Yao Chuang (multimodal AI research)
Sheng Sen (scaled Meta’s Llama AI models)
Alan Rice (former data center manager, now at Colossus in Memphis)

Per Elon, "Many strong Meta engineers have and are joining xAI and without the need for insane initial comp (still great, but not unsustainably high. Also, xAI has vastly more market cap growth potential than Meta. And we are hyper merit-based: do something great and your comp can shift substantially higher."

- The latest view of the former Duke Energy plant at 2875 Stanton Road in Southaven, xAI's home for their coming Nat Gas Plant.

- Robert Keele (@keelelaw_io), xAI’s first head of legal, resigned after just over a year, citing the need to spend more time with his two young children and differences in views with Elon. "The job was a dream, the team, incredible. Working with Elon on this tech, at this time, was the adventure of a lifetime. Although there's daylight between our worldviews, his vision, commitment, and smarts blew me away on the daily. But I couldn't keep riding two horses at once-the family and the job. Time to pick one." Lily Lim (@LiLiDuc22), a former NASA engineer and privacy/IP specialist, will replace him.

- Elon posted that users have created over 44 million images with Grok Imagine. 22 million were created yesterday alone.

■ DOGE:

Estimated Savings: $199 Billion

Amount Saved Per Taxpayer: $1,236.02

■ ELON NEWS:

- Per Elon, "There will be no code writing in the future... What I mean is that there won’t be code at all. Neural nets will generate the pixels, acoustics and actuator command. Any input bitstream to any output bitstream."

- "Overpopulation is the most nihilistic lie ever told..."

■ THANK YOU!

Thanks for reading, everyone!

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

If you are looking for some cool Musk Company Merch, you can also support the content by checking out the new shop! serobinsonjr.shop

REFERRALS:

Tesla: 3 free months of FSD or $400 Off Solar Panel Installation. ts.la/stephen746292
Starlink: Free Month for either Residential or Roam service! https://www.starlink.com/residential?referral=RC-3527509-65487-76
T-Mobile (Starlink Direct-to-Cell): $50 credit 45 days after you activate. Direct-to-Cell has dropped from $20 to $10 per month! https://share.t-mobile.com/stephenr-3419
SOFI (ARK Venture Fund): $25 worth of stock. SOFI is the only outlet the public can invest in Cathie Wood's ARK Venture Fund ($ARKVX). This ARK fund includes SpaceX, xAI, Tesla, X, and a ton of other major AI, Tech, and Bio companies. Of note, investing in the fund requires an initial $500. https://www.sofi.com/invite/invest?gcp=ecf25d1c-7bc9-4ee0-a407-a51849297288&isAliasGcp=false
Robinhood: Get a Free stock. https://join.robinhood.com/stepher-fcc938