The US State Division’s procurement forecast for the 2025 funds contains an merchandise known as “Armored Teslas” value $400 million.
However fear not; it was accepted beneath the Biden Administration, so Elon Musk’s DOGE will undoubtedly get rid of this waste. Proper?
Elon Musk and his staff on the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) are at the moment analyzing a considerable amount of US authorities spending.
It’s unclear if he bought to the US State Division’s procurement forecast as a result of there are a couple of attention-grabbing traces that might give auditors second ideas.
Essentially the most attention-grabbing one is “Armored Tesla (Manufacturing Models)”, which is value $400 million. Surprisingly, the merchandise is listed beneath the NAICS code “311999 – All Different Miscellaneous Meals Manufacturing.”
This system has a goal for supply in This fall by the following 5 years.
There are a number of different related and unusual budgeted gadgets which might be linked to the incorrect classes:
You might have “ARMORED SEDAN” beneath “Gentle Drink Manufacturing,” “ARMORED BMW X5/X7” beneath “Bottled Water Manufacturing,” and at last, ARMORED EV (NOT SEDAN) beneath “Ice Manufacturing.”
Nonetheless, all these different armored vehicle-related gadgets are budgeted at a fraction of the $400 million for Tesla autos ($50 million, $40 million, and $40 million, respectively).
The State Division procurement forecast web site mentions that the checklist was final up to date in December – earlier than Trump entered workplace.
Electrek has contacted the State Division for a remark, and we are going to replace you if we get a solution.
Tesla has claimed that its Cybertruck is “armored” and “bulletproof”, however its armored capability is kind of restricted. It may well seemingly deflect low-velocity bullets in the event that they hit the doorways, however that’s about it.
Different firms have been planning to change the Cybertruck with larger ranges of armor, just like the partnership between Unplugged Efficiency and Archimedes Protection – pictured above.
Electrek’s Take
I’m not in opposition to armored electrical autos. Should you want armored autos, you would possibly as properly make them electrical.
Nonetheless, that is actually bizarre. Why does the State Division want $530 million value of armored autos? And why is it listed beneath a bunch of unrelated classes that don’t make sense?
Appears like a job for DOGE? Nonetheless, Elon might want to recuse himself from that one, I suppose.
