Businessweek
The Elon Eras: A Brief History, Tesla to X
No one covers the world’s richest man quite like Bloomberg Businessweek—which is why we’re launching the new weekly podcast Elon, Inc.
No businessperson—and arguably no human other than Taylor Swift—commands as much attention as Elon Musk. His domain encompasses six companies, a net worth in the hundreds of billions and an elite-level social media addiction. Musk’s ever-expanding universe is the subject of a new Bloomberg Businessweek podcast, Elon, Inc. It’s also a topic this magazine has studied closely over the years.
DREAM WEAVER, 2015
Tesla was bleeding money and SpaceX’s near-bankruptcy was still recent history, but neither of those things seemed to matter to Musk’s rapidly growing customer base, as Ashlee Vance reported. If anything, Musk’s manic intensity and risk-taking were becoming central to his myth. “The harder it gets,” a friend told Vance, “the better he gets.”
Read: Elon Musk’s Space Dream Almost Killed Tesla Illustrations by Paul Faassen; photo: Courtesy Maye Musk
Tesla was bleeding money and SpaceX’s near-bankruptcy was still recent history, but neither of those things seemed to matter to Musk’s rapidly growing customer base, as Ashlee Vance reported. If anything, Musk’s manic intensity and risk-taking were becoming central to his myth. “The harder it gets,” a friend told Vance, “the better he gets.”
Read: Elon Musk’s Space Dream Almost Killed Tesla Illustrations by Paul Faassen; photo: Courtesy Maye Musk
THE BATTLE TO OWN THE SUN, 2016
Years before Musk challenged Mark Zuckerberg to a cage match, claiming he was an expert in “no rules streetfighting,” our art directors imagined a metaphorical cage fight between Musk and Warren Buffett, whose Nevada utility was blocking the growth of Musk’s solar company. At the time, Musk’s allies included prominent liberals, including actor and climate change activist Mark Ruffalo.
Read: Who Owns the Sun? Photo Illustration by Justin Metz from Photograph by David Brandon Geeting for Bloomberg Businessweek. Buffett: Lacy O’Toole/Getty Images; Musk: Rebecca Cook/Reuters
Years before Musk challenged Mark Zuckerberg to a cage match, claiming he was an expert in “no rules streetfighting,” our art directors imagined a metaphorical cage fight between Musk and Warren Buffett, whose Nevada utility was blocking the growth of Musk’s solar company. At the time, Musk’s allies included prominent liberals, including actor and climate change activist Mark Ruffalo.
Read: Who Owns the Sun? Photo Illustration by Justin Metz from Photograph by David Brandon Geeting for Bloomberg Businessweek. Buffett: Lacy O’Toole/Getty Images; Musk: Rebecca Cook/Reuters
INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK, 2017
Having enjoyed a close relationship with the Obama administration, Musk seemed to seek some surprising common ground with Donald Trump. Shortly after the 2016 election, amid promises of major spending on infrastructure, Musk announced he was going into the tunneling business. The Boring Co. is still digging, but the Trump bromance lasted only a matter of months.
Read: Elon Musk Is Really Boring Photo Illustration by Justin Metz; Typography by Kurt Woerpel; Photos: Getty Images
Having enjoyed a close relationship with the Obama administration, Musk seemed to seek some surprising common ground with Donald Trump. Shortly after the 2016 election, amid promises of major spending on infrastructure, Musk announced he was going into the tunneling business. The Boring Co. is still digging, but the Trump bromance lasted only a matter of months.
Read: Elon Musk Is Really Boring Photo Illustration by Justin Metz; Typography by Kurt Woerpel; Photos: Getty Images
PRODUCTION HELL, 2018
After unveiling the Model 3, Musk’s first mass-market EV, Tesla took hundreds of thousands of reservations from eager customers. Then came the hard part: actually making the cars. Musk bragged about working around the clock, employees complained about factory conditions, and investors questioned Tesla’s viability. Musk summed up the vibe in an interview: “We were huge idiots and didn’t know what we were doing.”
Read: How Tesla's Model 3 Became Elon Musk's Version of Hell Photographer: Balazs Gardi for Bloomberg Businessweek (car); Source: SpaceX (rocket)
After unveiling the Model 3, Musk’s first mass-market EV, Tesla took hundreds of thousands of reservations from eager customers. Then came the hard part: actually making the cars. Musk bragged about working around the clock, employees complained about factory conditions, and investors questioned Tesla’s viability. Musk summed up the vibe in an interview: “We were huge idiots and didn’t know what we were doing.”
Read: How Tesla's Model 3 Became Elon Musk's Version of Hell Photographer: Balazs Gardi for Bloomberg Businessweek (car); Source: SpaceX (rocket)
PRODUCTION HEAVEN, early 2020
Short sellers bet heavily against Tesla as Musk sought to expand production. He took the other side of the bet and won big. Today the company’s Model Y, the SUV that followed the Model 3, is among the bestselling cars in the world.
Read: The Tesla Skeptics Who Bet Against Elon Musk
Short sellers bet heavily against Tesla as Musk sought to expand production. He took the other side of the bet and won big. Today the company’s Model Y, the SUV that followed the Model 3, is among the bestselling cars in the world.
Read: The Tesla Skeptics Who Bet Against Elon Musk
THE HEEL TURN, mid-2020
How did the American left’s favorite capitalist turn into a Covid-denying anti-vaxxer? Blame stay-at-home orders, which threatened to slow down Tesla and seemed to trigger Musk’s contrarian tendencies.
Read: Elon Musk Is the Hero America Deserves Illustration: Arno for Bloomberg Businessweek
How did the American left’s favorite capitalist turn into a Covid-denying anti-vaxxer? Blame stay-at-home orders, which threatened to slow down Tesla and seemed to trigger Musk’s contrarian tendencies.
Read: Elon Musk Is the Hero America Deserves Illustration: Arno for Bloomberg Businessweek
“I LOVE CHINA,” 2021
Musk has always been a savant when it comes to extracting subsidies from world leaders, a talent that served him especially well in China during the world’s strictest Covid-19 lockdowns. Tesla reopened more quickly than its rivals, secured hundreds of millions in loans from state-backed banks and was able to sell in the country without teaming up with a locally owned car company. Win-win.
Read: Elon Musk Loves China, and China Loves Him Back—for Now Photo Illustration: Justin Metz; Photos: Bloomberg; Shutterstock
Musk has always been a savant when it comes to extracting subsidies from world leaders, a talent that served him especially well in China during the world’s strictest Covid-19 lockdowns. Tesla reopened more quickly than its rivals, secured hundreds of millions in loans from state-backed banks and was able to sell in the country without teaming up with a locally owned car company. Win-win.
Read: Elon Musk Loves China, and China Loves Him Back—for Now Photo Illustration: Justin Metz; Photos: Bloomberg; Shutterstock
THE EDGELORD PIVOT, 2022
Was Musk serious when he offered $54.20 a share to buy Twitter? The answer turned out to be yes and no. Yes, the offer/weed joke was real. No, there was no real plan to make the acquisition pay off.
Read: Twitter Faces Only Bad Outcomes If the $44 Billion Musk Deal Closes
Was Musk serious when he offered $54.20 a share to buy Twitter? The answer turned out to be yes and no. Yes, the offer/weed joke was real. No, there was no real plan to make the acquisition pay off.
Read: Twitter Faces Only Bad Outcomes If the $44 Billion Musk Deal Closes
ELON, INC., 2023
Musk’s achievements and antics make for great copy, but they’re increasingly shaping the world. What better way than a weekly podcast to capture this conversation? Subscribe wherever you listen! Illustration by Tim McDonagh
Musk’s achievements and antics make for great copy, but they’re increasingly shaping the world. What better way than a weekly podcast to capture this conversation? Subscribe wherever you listen! Illustration by Tim McDonagh