Zuck Offers DOGE Olive Branch; Musk Eyes OpenAI Bid

Newly released court documents from Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI reveal a surprising thaw in the once-frosty relationship between Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. On February 3, 2025, Zuckerberg texted Musk offering Meta’s assistance in moderating content related to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), stating his teams were on alert to remove doxxing or threats against the DOGE team TechCrunch. The exchange occurred around the time Zuckerberg appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast to criticize "emasculated" corporate culture TechCrunch.

Musk responded to the offer with a heart emoji before pivoting to a massive business proposition: asking if Zuckerberg was open to bidding on OpenAI alongside Musk and other investors TechCrunch. While Zuckerberg suggested a follow-up phone call, previous filings indicate he never officially joined the bid TechCrunch. This collaboration attempt highlights Musk's aggressive strategy to reclaim influence over the AI firm he co-founded, even as he navigates a $134 billion legal battle against the entity TechCrunch.

The Used EV Residual Value Crisis

Automotive finance companies are bracing for a multi-billion dollar hit as a wave of off-lease electric vehicles returns to a market that cannot support their original valuations. Used EVs are currently selling for thousands of dollars less than lenders anticipated when the leases were written Automotive News. This "residual value cliff" is largely driven by aggressive new-car price cuts and rapid technological advancement, which renders older battery tech less desirable Automotive News.

The impact is expected to be widespread among captive finance arms, which must now liquidate these assets at significant losses. While leasing has helped bolster EV adoption by lowering monthly payments, the strategy has created a glut of depreciating hardware Automotive News. Analysts suggest that battery prices must drop by as much as 70% in the next five years to help stabilize the market and bring EVs to price parity with internal combustion vehicles CleanTechnica.

IIHS Crowns 2026 Safety Kings

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released its 2026 rankings, with 12 electric vehicles earning the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ designation USA Today. The winners include the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Kia EV9, and several Audi e-tron models USA Today. Notably, the Ford Mustang Mach-E earned a Top Safety Pick award but failed to secure the "+" status USA Today.

These ratings arrive as gas prices rose to a national average of $3.99 per gallon as of March 27, further fueling consumer interest in high-safety EVs USA Today. The IIHS is tightening its criteria this year, demanding better protection for back-seat passengers and more robust pedestrian crash avoidance systems USA Today.

Market Watch

Tesla (TSLA) closed Friday, March 27, at $361.83, down 2.76% for the session. Markets are closed today, Sunday, March 29. The broader market saw volatility as investors weighed news of a potential $1.75 trillion SpaceX IPO SFGate. Elsewhere in the sector, PennyMac Financial Services (PFSI) is under investigation by the Rosen Law Firm following a 33.3% stock drop on January 30, 2026, after the company reported a 70% decline in pretax income GlobeNewswire. In the energy space, Morgan Stanley raised its price target for Chevron (CVX) to $212.00, citing strong upside potential Defense World.