Tesla and SpaceX’s LA fire relief efforts: Cybertrucks, free Starlink and more

Amidst the multiple fires that have forced an estimated 150,000 people to evacuate, caused fatalities and burned down a significant amount of property, Elon Musk, Tesla and others have shared a few of the relief efforts the company has undertaken.

Musk noted that the companies are utilizing the Cybertruck and Starlink to aid both authorities and evacuees, while others have shared their experiences using the company’s products to keep the lights on, evacuate and more.

Here are a few of the relief efforts Tesla and Musk have put in place, as well as experiences from some of the company’s customers.

Some Tesla Cybertruck deliveries paused to prioritize relief efforts, Starlink offers free service

On Sunday, Musk said on X that some Cybertruck orders would be delayed due to the company using them for relief efforts, in addition to a few other measures the company has announced in the past few days in efforts to help those affected by the fires. The CEO wrote the following message in the afternoon:

Apologies to those expecting Cybertruck deliveries in California over the next few days.

We need to use those trucks as mobile base stations to provide power to Starlink Internet terminals in areas of LA without connectivity.

A new truck will be delivered end of week.

In a follow-up post, Musk added:

We are going to position Cybertrucks with Starlinks and free WiFi in a grid pattern in the areas that most need it in the greater LA/Malibu area

After the posts, multiple users reached out to Teslarati requesting some of these support Cybertrucks in Pasadena. We asked Musk if it would be possible for victims to request help in certain areas, in addition to those he mentioned previously, though he hasn’t yet responded to whether this area will be covered at the time of writing.

Hey @elonmusk, we’ve gotten a few folks in Pasadena who are in need as well.

Is there a way you or @Tesla could set up a way for victims to request help in certain areas of LA? https://t.co/2WkaChSfmW

— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 12, 2025

In an email that was sent to Starlink customers last week that was seen by Teslarati, SpaceX announced that it was temporarily providing one month of free Starlink service to customers, writing that it was being proactively added to accounts without requiring anything from the consumer. Musk followed up and echoed the sentiment on Wednesday.

“SpaceX will provide free Starlink terminals to affected areas in LA tomorrow morning,” he he wrote.

Tesla donates Cybertrucks to be used as battery banks in Altadena

Along with deploying Cybertrucks equipped with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet over the weekend and SpaceX making the service free, Tesla also donated some of the electric trucks to be used to power buildings for authorities involved in fighting the fire, as was highlighted on Saturday. In a post on Instagram, the Altadena Mountain Rescue account shared photos of a few Cybertrucks in a parking lot, saying that they were being used as battery banks amid outages.

The account writes:

A donation of Cyber Trucks from Tesla Motors to be utilized as battery banks at the station until power is restored to the station.

This will greatly help the team to power radios, computers and lights as we work into the dark.

Credit: Altadena Mountain Rescue | Instagram

Tesla also outlined the Altadena Cybertrucks and a wide range of other things it’s doing in a post on X on Sunday, including mobile Megapack charging stations and Powerwalls for Starlink:

Summary of efforts Tesla has done to support employees & communities impacted by the LA fires

Impacted employees (home lost or destroyed by fires) We’re covering housing accommodations & supporting employees with transportation & meals.

Superchargers
All our Supercharger sites are back online, except Pasadena Supercharger, which was in the middle of the fire.

Megapack Chargers (MPCs)
2 units deployed Friday 1/10 to relieve congestion in Thousand Oaks for evacuation & families losing power due to Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).

1 unit deployed Saturday 1/11 in Altadena at the Sheriff’s Station for first responder support, providing power & Starlink connectivity. It’s located within their closed perimeter with utility power currently down.

2 mobile switchgear units with step down transformers that enable an MPC to support powering up 208V buildings (vs only 480V) & more utility than charging up EVs.

2 units in San Bernadino

We’re also working on deploying units in the Palisades directly

Mobile Powerwall Units (MPUs)
Deployed with support from 3rd party non-profits in Altadena & Topenga Canyon with Starlink & power for devices & fridges.

Cybertrucks (all with Starlinks installed)
3 Cybertrucks are now located at Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in Altadena (+ bed filled with water & snacks) 2 in Pasadena 3 in Zuma Beach & Malibu

Mobile Superchargers powered by Megapacks deployed at Thousand Oaks, CA – West Hillcrest Drive Supercharger.

• Up to 16 stalls at 250kW
• Free Wi-Fi for anyone through Starlink
• Charging available for all EVs
• We’re monitoring where else they’re safe to deploy and helpful.

Credit: Tesla | X

MegapackCharger deployed at Altadena Sheriff’s Station for power & connectivity

Credit: Tesla | X

MPUs in Topenga Canyon + team installing them

Credit: Tesla | X

Credit: Tesla | X

Cybertrucks at Altadena Sheriff’s Station

Credit: Tesla | X

READ MORE ON TESLA CYBERTRUCK CLIMATE DISASTER RELIEF: Tesla Cybertruck owners share insights after Hurricane Helene encounter

Tesla forgives Autopilot and FSD Supervised strikes in California for those evacuating

On Thursday, Tesla’s North America account on X also posted about one of the company’s relief initiatives, officially announcing that it would forgive all Autopilot and Supervised Full-Self Driving (FSD) strikes in the state of California to help aid those evacuating.

“To support people evacuating from the fires in the LA area, all Autopilot & FSD Supervised strikes are being forgiven in the state of California,” Tesla wrote in the post.

One Tesla owner shares Cybertruck Powershare experience

Along with Tesla’s fire relief efforts, one Cybertruck owner has shared an experience using the electric vehicle (EV) to keep a household powered during outages using Powershare—not unlike how it was used by the Altadena Mountain Rescue team.

In the post on the Cybertruck Owner’s Club forum on Wednesday, the user located in Orange County described using the Cybertruck’s Powershare to keep his household with electricity, saying that he had used about 25 miles of range from the EV about six hours into using it. As can be seen in the user’s screenshot of the Tesla app, the vehicle shows 202 miles of range remaining, saying that it still has over a day’s worth of energy.

Credit: MilliM | Cybertruck Owner’s Club

What are your thoughts? Were you or someone you know affected by the fires and used one or more of Tesla’s products to help with evacuation or power outages? Let me know at [email protected], find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at [email protected].

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