Tesla is paying $20,000 a year to be on Elon Musk’s X, and it’s not clear why
Tesla keeps creating new paying accounts on Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) to the point that it is now likely paying around $20,000 per year to be on the social media platform.
It’s not clear what it is getting in return.
Public companies, like Tesla, have to disclose any “related transaction” that may have conflict of interest between its executives or board members and any other companies that they have interests in.
For example, Tesla often disclosed dealings with SpaceX over the shared use of Elon Musk’s plane or the latter’s purchase of Tesla parts.
Now Tesla is going to have more to disclose and possibly justify to its shareholders as it is starting to spend more money on X (formerly Twitter), which is under the ownership of its CEO, Elon Musk.
X has been having issues behind being profitable with advertising, and it has turned to subscription services.
Twitter Blue, now X Premium, is a $8 per month subscription service for X users. It “verifies” the user, gives them a blue badge, and gets them more visibility.
But X is also pushing a subscription for businesses called “Verified Organizations” with similar features:
It is quite expensive. X charges $1,000 a month for the main account and then $50 per month for every other “affiliated account.”
Tesla is paying for this service and Electrek has found 13 accounts affiliated to Tesla’s verified org account.
It means that Tesla is paying $1,650 per month – or roughly $20,000 per year – to be on X.
Where things are starting to look excessive is that Tesla appears to be launching several new accounts requiring an additional $50 per month payment for every aspect of its business since Musk took over Twitter and launched this new subscription service.
For example, Tesla launched a new “Tesla North America” account last month, a new “Tesla Europe” account in January, a new “Tesla AI” account in May, a new “Tesla Megapack” account in January, and new “Tesla Optimus” account also in January.
This strategy is unique to X as Tesla operates only a single official account on other social media platforms, like Instagram and Youtube.
The Tesla Optimus account has posted a single tweet since it was created in January:
Tesla has been paying $50 per month for this account which has been sitting useless for most of the time.
The automaker has also been paying “affiliate accounts” for executives like Franz von Holzhausen, Drew Baglino, and Tom Zhu, who all rarely use their accounts for anything other than repost Tesla’s own official posts.
Electrek’s Take
Update: Tesla fans seem to be missing the point here. They are focusing on the amount, which everyone agrees is meaningless for Tesla. It’s not the amount the problem, it is the decision-making being a slippery slope. Ironically, I explained it on X:
I think Elon Musk is trying to use Tesla as an example of how he would like companies to use X, but Tesla shareholders should ask themselves if that’s good for Tesla or if it’s just good for X.
Creating a bunch of new accounts, something Tesla doesn’t do on other more popular social media platforms seems excessive to me – especially when you consider that most of these accounts simply repost from other Tesla accounts.
That seems like a waste of $50 per month for each account. Obviously, that’s not much for a $750 billion company, but it does raise eyebrows when that waste goes straight into the pockets of X, which is owned by Elon Musk, who also happens to be the CEO of Tesla.
I think X has the potential to become something great, but you can’t force it like that. It is going to happen or it won’t, but I don’t think doing shady things like that is going to help.
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Environment
Archer Aviation is planning an air taxi network around the Miami metro area including airports
Archer Aviation has announced partnerships in the Miami metropolitan area to establish a new air taxi network to support travelers around several key areas in Southern Florida, including local airports.
As you probably alrready know at this point. Archer Aviation ($ACHR) is a California-based developer of eVTOL and eCTOL aircraft that it continues to work toward implementing into commercial air taxi rides in the future. The plans for its network of sustainable aircraft have expanded to cities like New York and Chicago, as well as other countries like Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
In California, south of its headquarters, Archer intends to take to the skies above Los Angeles with a proposed air taxi network announced in August 2024. Building upon that network, Archer shared earlier this year that it had become the exclusive air taxi provider of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
On the other southern coast of the United States, Archer is planning another exciting air taxi network that includes the option of quiet, sustainable air travel around Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and several other key landmarks.
Archer partners up to establish Miami air taxi network
Archer Aviation shared details of its new air taxi network plans for Miami in a press release early this morning. If and when it comes to friuition, the proposed air taxi network will be a result of several new partnerships established by Archer in the Miami metropolitan area.
Some of those partnerships include real estate company Related Ross, Apogee Golf Club, Hard Rock Stadium – where existing heliports will be configured for eVTOLs and/or new air taxi vertiports will be erected. Stephen Ross, CEO and Chairman of Related Ross and Owner of the Miami Dolphins:
Our partnership with Archer marks a pivotal step in expanding South Florida’s regional connectivity through cutting-edge technology. We are integrating Archer’s electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft into our flagship locations across South Florida, including the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Related Ross developments in West Palm Beach, and Apogee Club in Hobe Sound. We’re excited to embrace a forward-thinking vision that transforms how people and businesses move across the region.
According to Archer, the new air taxi network will connect passengers to populated areas around Miami Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, offering 10 to 20 minute flights. Plans also include easier travel to major airports around Southern Florida, including Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL), and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), plus several general aviation airports. Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez, also spoke:
Miami has never been afraid to bet on the future. We’re a city that attracts visionaries, embraces breakthrough technology, and turns bold ideas into real impact. For years, I’ve worked with Archer as they’ve advanced a vision for an air-taxi network that will elevate Miami’s position as a global capital for innovation and mobility. What they’re building isn’t just transformational transportation, it embodies the Miami mindset: we lead, we innovate, and we redefine what’s possible.
Archer did not share a timeline on when this air taxi network may be operational around Miami, but we’d wager it’s still at least a couple of years away given the need for additional eVTOl development and FAA certifications in order to begin commercial operations in the US.
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Germany’s largest offshore wind farm hit a big milestone: The first turbine at EnBW’s He Dreiht project has produced its first kilowatt-hour of electricity and sent it into the grid.
More turbines are expected to come online over the coming weeks. European energy provider EnBW has already installed 27 of the wind farm’s 64 turbines, all of which are scheduled to be commissioned by summer 2026.
Peter Heydecker, EnBW board member for Sustainable Generation Infrastructure, described the November 25 milestone as a “significant moment for EnBW.” With 960 megawatts (MW) of total capacity, He Dreiht is now Germany’s largest offshore wind farm.
Vestas supplied the 15 MW turbines, marking their world debut. Nils de Baar, president of Vestas Northern and Central Europe, said the giant turbine’s technology sets a new standard for offshore wind. “Its efficiency and performance enable a significant increase in energy yield per turbine.”
Just one rotation of the 15 MW turbine’s rotor can power the equivalent of four households for a day. The hub stands 142 meters (466 feet) tall, and the rotor’s 236-meter (774-foot) diameter sweeps a 43,742-square-meter (10.8-acre) area — roughly the size of six football fields. To put the scale into perspective, EnBW’s first offshore project, Baltic 1 in 2010, used 2.3 MW turbines.
EnBW wrapped up the wind farm’s internal cabling in August. Those lines connect all the turbines and feed into a converter platform operated by transmission system operator TenneT. That’s where the power is collected, converted from AC to DC, and sent to shore through two high-voltage DC cables.
Once complete, He Dreiht will generate enough electricity to power about 1.1 million households. The project is being built without state funding and sits roughly 85 kilometers (53 miles) northwest of Borkum and 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Heligoland. EnBW’s offshore office in Hamburg is coordinating the build.
A partner group made up of Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns 49.9% of the project. Total investment comes in at around €2.4 billion.
Read more: China’s surge pushes global wind toward fastest growth ever
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Environment
BYD tried crushing its $180K luxury SUV with a 2-ton tree and it barely left a mark [Video]
![BYD tried crushing its $180K luxury SUV with a 2-ton tree and it barely left a mark [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/07/BYD-ultra-luxury-EV-Europe.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The Yangwang U8L is among the most expensive Chinese vehicles, starting at about $180,000. To prove it’s built for just about anything, BYD dropped a 2-ton tree on it, three times, and the ultra-luxury pretty much brushed it off.
BYD drops a tree on its ultra-luxury SUV during testing
BYD launched the Yangwang U8L in September, a long-wheelbase version of the U8 off-road SUV. The U8 was first introduced in September 2023 as the first vehicle from BYD’s ultra-luxury sub-brand, Yangwang.
Yangwang is a new energy vehicle (NEV) brand that sells high-end plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and 100% battery electric (BEV) vehicles as BYD expands into new segments.
The U8L is Yangwang’s fourth vehicle, following the U8, U9, and U7. It’s available in China with a quad-motor extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) system, delivering a CLTC range of 200 km (124 miles) on battery power alone.
A 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine serves as a generator, delivering a combined CLTC range of 1,160 km (720 miles).
Measuring 5,400 mm in length, 2,049 mm in width, and 1,921 mm in height, the Yangwang U8L is even bigger than the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Range Rover Long Wheelbase.
BYD’s ultra-luxury SUV is priced from 1.28 million yuan ($180,000), making it one of the most expensive models from a Chinese brand.
It may look pretty, but the Yangwang U8L is built for far more than just good looks. Like the U8, the long-wheelbase version is equipped with advanced features such as emergency float mode, which allows it to float on water for up to 30 minutes, tank turns, crab walking, and more.
To prove its durability, BYD engineers put the luxury SUV through the paces, dropping a massive 2-ton tree on it, not once, but three times.
During the final drop, the company said the maximum impact energy reached 50.4 kJ, or about 37,200 lb-ft. After three consecutive drops, the Yangwang U8L barely even got a scratch. The body structure remained intact, the door still opened, the columns didn’t bend, and the vehicle could even drive like normal.
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