Elon Musk: "Golden handcuffs" require I stay through Model S launch
by Sebastian Blanco on Jul 2nd 2009 at 9:28AM 
For a guy who allegedly wants a lot of the credit for creating Tesla Motors, Elon Musk certainly doesn't seem to like the job of being its CEO. As part of Daimler's investment deal with Tesla, Musk needed to commit to staying on as Tesla's CEO at least until the Model S launches in 2011. Musk told Reuters:
I didn't really have a choice. This was a requirement of Daimler that I remain CEO of Tesla through the Model S launch and then continue to be part of Tesla in a chairman role beyond that. It's flattering, but at the same time it's golden handcuffs.Well, that sure makes it sound like fun, doesn't it? It's clear that Musk has always been interested in projects other than Tesla (e.g.: electric planes and SpaceX), but does he have to make running one of the hippest electric car companies around sound like a drag?
Another nugget from the article: One of the reasons the price on the Roadster was raised was to help qualify Tesla Motors for the DOE loan it later received. Musk said, "We did the minimum we needed to do to make the business work."
Gallery: Tesla Model S
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Marc-O 9:38AM (7/02/2009)
No spin, here, very objective view... No bias whatsoever. Awesome reporting !
/sarcasm
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FSM 9:47AM (7/02/2009)
huh?
By the way Mr Musk rubs me the wrong way. He seems to be one of those spoiled rich kids that never got their ass whooped to remind them that they are not GOD.
Alex 9:59AM (7/02/2009)
Ohh F-you Elon. What a pompus d-bag. He is just looking to inflate his oversized Ego. "Diamler said Tesla would fail with out my sheer brilliance here to keep things going. OOO look at me!" Attention whore. Can he even fit that head of his through standard doorways?
I can't stand him.
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Aaron 1:03PM (7/02/2009)
huh?
Erik 10:04AM (7/02/2009)
Another quote from later in the same interview:
"Of course it's a hassle having to beat off the women at every turn, but I guess that' just the burden I have to bear for being so handsome. It's tough."
Can't wait 'till this pompous prick is gone. I won't be able to fully embrace Tesla until that happens.
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Bob 1:14PM (7/02/2009)
Could it possibly have something to do with the fact he's the CEO of 2 startup companies and has 5 kids? How many hours do you think he works each week? 80-100? That's probably conservative.
The guy had close to $400 million in the bank by the time he was 31. What would you do if you had that much money? Probably retire... I would have.
This "d-bag" took most of his money and invested it in technologies that could potentially change humanity for the better. Look at are economy. The US needs more people like him.
Its easy for a 2-line quote to get misinterpreted. And easier for everyone else to throw stones without doing their homework.
Erik 1:44PM (7/02/2009)
Bob, nothing you said changes the fact that he comes off as very arrogant and unlikable in virtually all his public interviews and apperances. No amount of money, kids, work hours, or CEO jobs can make someone with a bad personality likeable. If he could just conduct himself with a little class and a little modesty, maybe not everyone would hate him.
JackB 10:34AM (7/02/2009)
"does he have to make running one of the hippest electric car companies around sound like a drag? "
It's only a drag because Captain A-Hole is running the show.
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Toy Yoda 10:37AM (7/02/2009)
His quotes make it seems like he's in it for the money; doesn't really care about the kind of business it is, just as long as it is cool.
This is consistent with all the CEOs I've talked to. (I do startup companies. So you get to know plenty of CEOs on a personal basis.) They make smart enough business decisions to carry them through to their big payout.
Warren Buffet hates these kinds of managers. He wants people to run their business like their family depends on the income for the next 100 years. With that kind of mentality, your decisions are strikingly different.
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Tomac 10:40AM (7/02/2009)
I completely agree with many of the posts here so far. Musk is certainly intelligent, opportunistic, and ambitious, but he's an egotistical prick. And he can't even seem to hide his smug arrogance for the sake of improving PR or his own image. Perhaps Tesla wouldn't exist without him, but with him I'd honestly prefer it collapse altogether. Musk's character could benefit from a string of personal failures. The sooner I see him out of the media, the better.
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why not the LS2LS7? 10:42AM (7/02/2009)
Wow, that's very forward. I guess we don't have to argue about whether Musk was just maneuvering to bag government money now.
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ripslymemc 10:53AM (7/02/2009)
what kind of name is "Elon Musk" anyway?
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:45AM (7/02/2009)
South African.
sulebon 11:58AM (7/02/2009)
A cheap cologne.
Toy Yoda 11:00AM (7/02/2009)
Good. Now let's all finally get on the Fisker band wagon, and hope his company succeeds, like I have been when I first heard about it. :)
Fisker may also be full of himself, but he strikes me as being more charismatic. Plus he has talent to back up his bull.
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BosGav 12:43PM (7/02/2009)
Have met Fisker; he's a good guy and extremely talented.
Elon Musk sure isn't doing himself any favors in the press is all I can say. Haven't met him. But the impression he seems to create doesn't make me want to.
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larry a 12:41PM (7/02/2009)
Ever since I saw Elon Musk on Letterman it was very easy to tell he's a HUGE d-bag. He sounds so spoiled because you HAVE to be CEO for this BORING car company. Ungrateful brat..
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DaveC 3:19PM (7/02/2009)
How can people here root for the failure of an innovative American company?? Here you have someone pushing the limits, doing things others couldn't or wouldn't do, and putting much of his own personal worth up in the process..truly putting his money where is mouth is..and a bunch of you would rather see him fail?? Really?!? Turn off the TV and pick up a newspaper!! This isn't a reality show where the most annoying person gets voted off the island. This is the United States dramatically losing it's footing in the world's business and innovation standing and Tesla is giving us an opportunity to show what this country can do. Get over the grade school pettiness that you're not friends with the popular kid and start pulling for every start-up in this country to be a wild global success!!! Technical innovations are about the only way we'll maintain any future respect in the global community.
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amg 5:54PM (7/02/2009)
I think we are all for the company.
We all just dislike the prick named Elon.
Scott 3:23PM (7/02/2009)
"We did the minimum we needed to do to make the business work."
Well, that worked out well for GM in the 80s and 90s, so why not?
But what I wonder is, are all those who swore they'd never buy GM and Chrysler because they took government money still in line to kiss Elon's ass?
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