News
Tesla Model X saves family and pet after being struck at an intersection
“I waited 4 years for this one and would wait 4 more if that is what it took to protect my family like this” are the words that resonate in orthopaedic surgeon Jonathan Braman’s head after he and five passengers, plus their family pet, survived a horrific crash in their Tesla Model X.
According to Braman, he and his family were entering an intersection near E. Bush Lake Road in Bloomington, Minnesota when a GMC SUV ran through a red light at high speed striking the Model X near the right front quarter panel. The impact caused all airbags to deploy – some in areas Braman admits he didn’t realize existed – and provide safety around all passengers within the vehicle. Braman tells Teslarati, “I rapidly got out of the car and was lucky enough to have a group of young men who were behind me in line at the light help extract us from the car. I quickly got my family as far away from the GMC as I could. I was unsure if the gasoline in that car was stable and worried that his car would catch fire.”
Luckily everyone walked away unharmed. “We are alive. I’m pretty sure any other 7 passenger vehicle would have rolled if hit by this distracted Detroit Missile.”, says Braman.
What’s remarkable about this story is the fact that, despite being struck at high speed by a heavy and fast-moving SUV, and above the axis of rotation, the Model X didn’t roll. Braman who practices orthopaedic surgery and has been witness to some of the more extreme cases of spinal injury realizes the significance in this. Had the Model X rolled or even spun, there could have been serious neck and spinal injuries involved.
Braman’s father who was sitting inches from the point of impact was protected by the Model X’s large front crumple zone and airbags throughout, including never-before-seen leg airbags that deployed. “The other car was forced to glance off of us and came to a stop. The crumple zones worked, and my father who was sitting several inches from the point of impact was seen and discharged from the hospital. He would have been much more seriously injured if there were less safety protections. The leg airbags (and the others as well) deployed protecting him even further. The glass was not injured except by the airbag and never came out of any of the windows.”, tells us.
-
- Tesla Model X saves family after a horrific head-on crash [Photo: Jonathan Braman]
-
- Tesla Model X saves family after a horrific head-on crash [Photo: Jonathan Braman]
Despite being shook up from the incident, Braman a Roadster owner since 2010 says he waited over four years to receive his Model X P90D(L) and will wait another four if it means getting into a vehicle that will, not only protect the climate and his children’s future, but protect his family from this type of crash, and have them all walk away safely.
“I waited 4 years for this one and would wait 4 more if that is what it took to protect my family like this.”
This incident serves as a great example of why the Model X truly is the best car ever. Not because of the vehicle’s countless technological innovations: that’s a given, but because Tesla truly did put safety in mind before anything else. If you recall, CEO Elon Musk’s opening remark from the Model X unveiling event was around safety – something Braman’s story of survival can surely attest to.
News
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.
We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
🚨 Tesla Model S and Model X availability is thinning, as Tesla has officially shown that the Lunar Silver color option on both vehicles is officially sold out
To be fair, Frost Blue is still available so no need to freak out pic.twitter.com/YnwsDbsFOv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 25, 2026
Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.
With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.
This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.
During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:
“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”
Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.
News
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
Tesla’s estimated delivery window for new Cybertruck Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive (AWD) orders in the United States has shifted to September–October 2026. This suggests that the vehicle’s sub-$60,000 variant is now effectively sold out until then.
The updated timeline was highlighted in a post on X by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, who noted that the estimated delivery window had moved from June 2026 to September-October 2026, “presumably due to strong demand.”
The Dual Motor AWD currently starts at $59,990 before incentives. Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.
If demand remains steady, the combination of a later delivery window and a pending price increase suggests Tesla is seeing sustained interest in the newly-introduced Cybertruck configuration. This was highlighted by Elon Musk on X, when he noted that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD’s introductory price will only be available for a limited time.
When the Cybertruck was first unveiled in November 2019, Tesla listed the Dual Motor AWD variant at $49,990. Adjusted for inflation, that figure equates to roughly $63,000 in 2026 dollars, based on cumulative U.S. inflation since 2019.
That context makes a potential post-February price in the $64,000 to $65,000 range less surprising, especially as material, labor, and manufacturing costs have shifted significantly over the past several years.
While Tesla has not announced a specific new MSRP, the updated delivery timeline and pricing note together suggest that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD could very well be the variant that takes the all-electric full-sized pickup truck to more widespread adoption.
Elon Musk
SpaceX targets 150Mbps per user for upgraded Starlink Direct-to-Cell
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
SpaceX is targeting peak download speeds of 150Mbps per user for its next-generation Direct-to-Cell Starlink service. The update was shared by SpaceX Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs Lead Udrivolf Pica during the International Telecommunication Union’s Space Connect conference.
“We are aiming at peak speeds of 150Mbps per user,” Pica said during the conference. “So something incredible if you think about the link budgets from space to the mobile phone.”
If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
Today, SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service, offered in partnership with T-Mobile under the T-Satellite brand, provides speeds of roughly 4Mbps per user. The service is designed primarily for texts, low-resolution video calls, and select apps in locations that traditionally have no cellular service.
By comparison, Ookla data shows median 5G download speeds of approximately 309Mbps for T-Mobile and 172Mbps for AT&T in the United States, as noted in a PCMag report. While 150Mbps would still trail the fastest terrestrial 5G networks, it would place satellite-to-phone broadband much closer to conventional carrier performance, even in remote areas.
Pica indicated that the upgraded system would support “video, voice, and data services, clearly,” moving beyond emergency connectivity and basic messaging use cases.
To reach that target, SpaceX plans to upgrade its existing Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellites and add significant new capacity. The company recently acquired access to radio spectrum from EchoStar, which Pica described as key to expanding throughput.
“More spectrum means a bigger pipeline, and this means that we can expand what we can do with partners. We can expand the quality of service. And again, we can do cellular broadband basically, cellular broadband use cases, like AI or daily connectivity needs,” he stated.
SpaceX has also requested regulatory approval to deploy 15,000 additional Direct-to-Cell satellites, beyond the roughly 650 currently supporting the system. The upgraded architecture is expected to begin rolling out in late 2027.
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
