AUSTIN, Texas — If it seemed like Teslas and Cybertrucks were taking over Austin, you weren’t imagining things.
Thousands of Tesla owners rolled into town for the X Takeover, a gathering organized around the Tesla Owners Club of Austin and its Silicon Valley counterpart. The event brought fans together at Tesla’s Giga Texas factory for a celebration of the brand, its technology, and the people who drive its vehicles.
“This is a gathering to show your support of Tesla, to have community, to really just get together and enjoy each other’s company,” said Matt Holm, president of the Tesla Owners Club of Austin.
The guest list included some familiar names, including Elon Musk’s mother, Maye Musk, and rapper Nicki Minaj.
But for many owners, the real stars were the vehicles themselves — and the technology powering them.
Full Self-Driving takes center stage
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology was a major topic of conversation among owners eager to see how far the company’s driver-assistance systems have come.
Holm said he uses the system daily and believes it has made a meaningful difference for his family.
“You’re really driving a robot,” Holm said. He added that he purchased a Tesla for his parents, ages 85 and 83, who had difficulty driving at night.
He said the system has helped them get back behind the wheel after dark.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system is designed to assist with driving tasks, but it still requires an attentive driver who is responsible for the vehicle.
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A long wait for the Cybertruck pays off
For Harry Concepcion, the event offered a chance to see the factory where his long-awaited Cybertruck was built.
Concepcion flew in from San Jose, California, after placing his order in 2019. He finally took delivery of the electric pickup in 2024.
“I ordered a Cybertruck in 2019, took delivery of it in 2024,” he said.
At Giga Texas, Concepcion got to see the Cybertruck production line firsthand.
He said watching the manufacturing process gave him a new appreciation for the role automation plays in building the vehicles.
“I got to see the Cybertruck production line, and just seeing just how they’re built — it’s fascinating seeing the role that automation has played in the manufacture of these vehicles,” Concepcion said.
For some owners, it’s about the car, not the CEO
Tesla’s passionate fan base comes with a complicated reality: Not everyone who likes the company’s vehicles is a fan of CEO Elon Musk.
Marla Smith, vice president of the North Texas Tesla Owners Club, said she can appreciate the cars while separating them from the public figure behind the company.
“So I’m loyal to the brand because I drive a Tesla and not an Elon Musk,” Smith said.
She explained that she bought her Tesla before Musk became as vocal in public as he is today.
“I separate the person from the car,” she said, adding that she considers Musk a genius but views the vehicle and its CEO separately.
Her perspective reflects a distinction some owners make between their enthusiasm for Tesla’s technology and their feelings about its leadership.
More than a parking lot full of Teslas
The X Takeover was a high-profile gathering at a factory that has become central to Tesla’s presence in the Austin area.
The vehicles and technology drew owners from across the country, but the event also offered something harder to measure: a sense of community among people who share an interest in electric vehicles and innovation.
For the thousands who showed up, the X Takeover was about more than Teslas and Cybertrucks. It was a chance to meet fellow owners, see how the vehicles are made, and celebrate the technology that brought them together.