ELON CHRON: Your 24hr Musk Companies Update

13th of June, 2025

S. E. Robinson, Jr.

Jun 13, 2025

"Seemed improbable at the time..." - Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

■ TESLA TSLA 0.00%↑ ($325.31, +%):

- Photographer Art Guajardo (@artsimage) found the Robotaxi on the streets of Austin and got some great shots.

- Anthony Pamintuan (@OakleyCoco) also came across a Robotaxi at his local Austin Supercharger. "Just spotted this at a supercharger stop on my way to work. The entire lot was filled with manufacturer plated model Y’s along with this Robotaxi!"

- Last night, Tesla launched the refreshed Model S and X in the U.S. at a price increase of $5k. Here are the highlights:

PRICE:

Model S Long Range: $84,990.
Model S Plaid: $99,990.
Model X Long Range: $89,990.
Model X Plaid: $104,990.

FEATURES:

Front bumper camera with washer.
Adaptive driving beams.

Multi-color ambient LED lighting (dashboard, center console, doors, footwells, door pockets, customizable colors).

New exterior colors: Frost Blue Metallic ($2,500), Diamond Black ($1,500).
Matte black front Tesla logo (previously chrome).

Model S Wheels: 19" Magnetite, 21" Velarium.
Model X Wheels: 20" Perihelix, 22" Machina.
Reduced wind/road noise with improved Active Noise Cancellation
Smoother ride (new bushings, suspension design)
Model X: Increased third-row space and cargo capacity
On-screen welcome animation when entering vehicle

- The NHTSA is advancing its Automated Vehicle Framework to streamline the exemption process for deploying self-driving cars that lack traditional driver controls such as steering wheels or brake pedals, Cybercab. Current federal safety standards mandate human driving controls, but the new approach will significantly reduce processing times for exemption requests from years to months. NHTSA announced immediate implementation of this modified evaluation process, with enhanced instructions to be published soon.

- China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has updated draft guidelines for sending data from automobiles overseas, potentially enabling Tesla to roll out its Full Self-Driving (FSD). in the world's largest car market by providing a clear framework for transmitting data like algorithms and images overseas.

- Tesla is expanding its Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program across Japan, partnering with Fuyo General Lease and Global Engineering to install Powerwalls at no upfront cost in commercial offices and factories. They are targeting a minimum of 100 units by year-end. The initiative, building on a 2021 Miyakojima pilot, aims to stabilize Japan’s power grid by remotely managing stored energy, supported by a new government framework for battery energy trading set for 2026.

- Images of the Tesla crew and setup at the Company Car in Action 2025 event in UTAC Milbrook, UK. The team hosted test drives in the Model 3 and Y, showed off Cybertruck, a Model S and X, and spoke with fleet managers, company car drivers, and industry leaders on the future of electric mobility. Per by Tesla's Hyder Pirzada, "One of the highlights was watching the faces of attendees light up after experiencing the Model S Plaid in full force — driven by our professional track drivers! We said 0–60 in under 2 seconds — they didn’t believe us… until they screamed!"

- The monthly FSD Supervised subscription is now available in Mexico for $2,299Mex/mo. ($120 USD).

- Tesla has established Tesla Morocco, a subsidiary in Casablanca with a capital of 27.5 million dirhams ($2.75 million USD). It was registered on the 27th of May this year to manage Tesla imports, sales, maintenance, and after-sales services. This marks Tesla's first direct presence in Africa. The subsidiary is being led by Tesla Executives Rafael Arqueza Martin and Shahin Oliver Khorshidpanah. They will leverage Morocco’s existing Supercharger network in cities like Fez, Agadir, Marrakech, and Rabat to position the country as a strategic hub for Tesla’s expansion into the African.

FLYOVERS (flight links in sources section):

Giga Texas: Joe Tegtmeyer (@JoeTegtmeyer), 13th of June, '25. Another wonderful flyover by Joe. The Semi is back at the Megacharger. Cortex 2 walls are going up fast. Transformers are on the move. Subscribe to Joe and support his work.

■ SPACEX:

- Yesterday evening, launch 75 of Falcon 9 Starlink 15-6 took place from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. This was the 15th flight for first stage booster B1081. It previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, PACE, Transporter-10, EarthCARE, NROL-186, Transporter-13, and seven Starlink missions. The booster landed on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. 26 Starlinks were deployed. This was the 500th successful Falcon mission and 505th launch.

Per SpaceX's Jon Edwards on launch 500 (@edwards345), "A lot of blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice were required to make it to this milestone. I have nothing but gratitude and immense love/respect for everyone who contributed along the way."

- Today, launch 76 of Falcon 9 Starlink 12-26 took place from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This was the 21st flight for first stage booster B1078. It previously launched Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER-B, USSF-124, Bluebird 1-5, and 16 Starlink missions. The booster landed on drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. 23 Starlinks were deployed, including 13 Direct to Cell.

- Per Elon on the International Space Station, "There are potentially serious concerns about the long-term safety of the Space Station. Some parts of it are simply getting too old and obviously that risk grows over time. Even though SpaceX earns billions of dollars from transporting astronauts & cargo to the ISS, I nonetheless would like to go on record recommending that it be de-orbited within 2 years."

- The amazing images from around Starbase, Texas, by Carlos, the Starbase Surfer (@cnunezimages). Subscribe to Carlos and support this beautiful work.

- The FAA has closed the Flight 8 Mishap Investigation. It resulted in 8 corrective actions after a Raptor failure during flight.

Countdown to 180 (73 - Falcon 9, 0 - Falcon Heavy, and 3 - Starship):

Launch 77! Monday, 16th of June, at 5:51 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 Starlink 15-9 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 78! Wednesday, 18th of June, at 1:38 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Starlink 10-18 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 79! Friday, 20th of June, at 2:32 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Starlink 10-23 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 80! Friday, 20th of June, at 2:19 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 Transporter 14 will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The booster will return to Vandenberg and land at Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4). This will be SpaceX's 14th dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.
Launch 81! TBD, Falcon 9 Axiom Space Mission 4 (Ax4) will launch from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This will be the maiden flight of Crew Dragon C213, the fifth and final Crew Dragon spacecraft built by SpaceX. The booster B1094 will return to site, and land at Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Crew consists of Commander Peggy Whitson (United States of America), Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India), Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański (Poland), and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

***Enjoying ELON CHRON? If so, please support the work by subscribing for just $4/month (less than .18¢/article). Thank you.***

■ THE BORING COMPANY:

- The Boring Company posted two new video's of a Prufrock Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) breaking through in Las Vegas. This should be the dig site south of the Las Vegas Convention Center's Monorail stop.

■ NEURALINK: N/A...

■ STARLINK:

- SpaceX announced they have completed the first generation Starlink Direct to Cell constellation. Per Gwynne Shotwell (@Gwynne_Shotwell), "The SpaceX team never ceases to amaze me! Incredible work. And a thank you to all of our partners around the world. This capability has already made a difference for so many who needed to connect with loved ones or emergency responders during natural disasters, and it’s critical we continue the work to ensure people can stay connected globally."

- Today, SpaceX's Starlink Facilities Manager in Bastrop, Texas, Sujay Soman, posted that the Starlink Product teams across both Hawthorne and Bastrop sites produced the 10th Million Starlink Kit. Per Sujay, "It took almost 4 years to build our first 5 million kits, and we doubled that in about 11 months. Monumental accomplishment!" The above pic posted by Sujay is the Machine Maintenance and Facilities team in Bastrop.

- The National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD) has restored connectivity in Paratebueno and Medina, Colombia, by using 10 Starlinks. This was supported by international cooperation to enhance emergency response following the June 8th earthquake. Local authorities, operational entities, and first responder teams can now coordination between each other and aid in reestablishing family connections.

- Today, One New Zealand launched a nationwide Satellite IoT service, powered by Starlink Direct-to-Cell. This enables remote monitoring across all of New Zealand, including areas without traditional cell tower coverage. As an example, APIS Solutions uses this service to provide commercial beekeepers with near real-time data on hive health, yield, and productivity, using off-the-shelf CAT-1 IoT modules that switch to satellite connectivity in remote areas. This significantly reduces costs and complexity compared to previous solutions.

Per SpaceX's Sr Director of Satellite Engineering, Ben Longmier (@longmier), "Starlink Direct to Cell will connect a lot of sensors, cars, and machines around the world. Just send an SMS or use an LTE data modem. Even the bees love it. Congrats One New Zealand and Andrew on this first commercial use of data over DTC."

- A Blue Wireless Leo site in Singapore just upgraded to 5 Starlinks. Pic by Jon Andrei, Service Delivery Manager at Blue Wireless.

- This past Wednesday, SpaceX filed a new application with the FCC to access the 1.6GHz and 2.4GHz spectrum bands, currently used by Globalstar for iPhone satellite messaging. The FCC rejected a similar request in 2024 due to the bands being unavailable for new mobile satellite players. SpaceX argues that these underused bands can be shared without interference to enhance its cellular Starlink service. Globalstar is planning a next-generation constellation and is urging the FCC to consider interference risks.

■ X:

- X CEO Linda Yaccarino (@lindayaX) was with the X UK Team yesterday for the X Client Council. xAI co-founder Toby Pohlen (@TobyPhln) was also part of the event. Per Linda, "Grateful for the team, grateful for the work, and the grateful for the packed house eager for what’s next at 𝕏. The future has arrived with X and xAI!"

Per Samsung's Chief Marketing Office, Benjamin Braun (@benjaminbraun) while speaking with X's Global Head of Marketing, Angela Zepeda (@angelamzepeda), "To create noise is really important as you launch a product. The way to create noise is to make sure you're trending on X."

X UK's Sophie Trinder (@SophieTrinder) spotlighted how X moves at the speed of culture, giving marketers a front row seat to real-time reactions, rising trends, and creativity powered by video and AI.

Per X UK's Gregory Owens (@GregJeffOwens), "Yesterday we were joined by over 120 of the industries leading minds, brands, media agencies and content partners to open the next chapter of X UK. It’s a chapter powered by xAI which is turbo charging the platform for our 21M users in the UK and deepening our advertiser proposition. ...we’re introducing a more human way to understand your audience through AI."

- X's Head of Global Content Partnerships, Amy Elkins (@Elkins), will speak about X Sports and X Business at Cannes Lions, Influential Beach, this Monday the 16th.

■ xAI:

- xAI's Technical Staff Member, Xiao Sun (@xiaosun86), and xAI's SGLang Project Lead, Lianmin Zheng (@lm_zheng), presented at the AMD Advancing AI 2025 event. Xiao spoke on the partnership between the xAi and AMD. Lianmin spoke about efficient LLM inference with SGLang.

- Grok 3.5 is being tested on the web with Voice Mode.

- Approximately 24 venture capital firms and investors are purchasing around $250 million in xAI shares, per internal documents reviewed by The New York Times. Under a tender offer valuing xAI at $113 billion, investors like TPG, ARK Invest, and Sequoia Capital can buy shares from current and former xAI employees. This deal is distinct from separate discussions where investors considered injecting up to $20 billion into xAI at a potential $120 billion valuation.

■ DOGE:

Estimated Savings: $180 Billion

Amount Saved Per Taxpayer: $1,118.01

- DOGE announced that over the last 3 days, agencies have terminated 90 contracts with a ceiling value of $1.5 billion and savings of $200 million. This included:

$911k NASA DEI climate contract for “integrating earth observations toward advancing equitable resilience to geo-hazards in a changing climate”.
$4.6M HHS DEI contract for “essentials in equity” via “innovative modeling and policy analysis interactive tools”.

■ ELON NEWS: N/A...

■ WAYS TO SUPPORT:

If you enjoy the ELON CHRON, know that you can get it every Monday thru Friday by subscribing for only $4/month. That's less than .18¢/update! When you subscribe you also get first access to any weekend articles and become instantly eligible for the random subscriber giveaway.

For June, I am giving away the new official SpaceX Starship Flight 6 Banana Plushy ($30)! Like always, one random subscriber's name will be drawn at the end of the month. Subscribe here

Check out my linktree for my other socials and ways to support: https://linktr.ee/serobinsonjr

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