Elon Musk talks about his successor in a WSJ interview
WSJ
In an illuminating hour-long interview on the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, Elon Musk provided a rare window into his thoughts on the intricate issue of succession. He framed the complexity of this challenge in a historical context, highlighting that it is an age-old problem that has troubled not just corporations but also nations, kings, prime ministers, and presidents throughout the annals of history.
Identifying Potential Successors
Musk disclosed that he has identified potential successors he believes could ably lead after his tenure. He has brought these individuals to the board's attention, providing them with his personal recommendations. However, he clearly stated that the ultimate decision rests in the hands of the board. Musk noted, "They may choose to go a different direction, but they are aware of who my recommendation is."
An intriguing point of discussion during the interview revolved around the stewardship of the companies Musk has built. He expressed a deep sense of responsibility, remarking, "The companies that I have created and are creating collectively possess immense capability, and so the stewardship of them is incredibly important." These comments underscored the vast influence these companies wield over society and civilization.
The Challenge of Stewardship and Control
Interestingly, Musk confessed his openness to external suggestions about control of the companies, a rarity for the famously confident CEO. He conceded, "The control question is a much tougher question, and something that I'm wrestling with, and I'm frankly open to ideas." This statement signified an unusual invitation for fresh insights into managing the future stewardship of his groundbreaking enterprises.
Furthermore, Musk delved into his aspirations for his companies, with a special focus on Tesla, to contribute positively to humanity. One idea he shared was establishing an educational institution wielding most of his voting rights. Yet, he stressed that automatic inheritance of control by his children was not on the cards, especially if they lacked interest or the ability to handle the companies effectively.
Tesla's Contributions to Sustainable Energy
Transitioning to the accomplishments of Tesla, Musk painted a vivid picture of the company's significant role in fast-tracking the advent of sustainable energy. He asserted, "The original goal of Tesla was to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy, which actually I think we've done that to a significant degree." In addition, he shared his gratification that other industry leaders have recognized Tesla's pioneering role in this revolution.
On the topic of Tesla's pursuit of self-driving technology, Musk exhibited optimism about achieving substantial progress within the year. He also predicted this technological milestone would usher in a substantial positive cash flow for the company.
Musk's wide-ranging discussion offered insightful reflections on the critical issue of succession planning and the enduring influence of Tesla. His open invitation for external ideas on company stewardship, coupled with his firm commitment to ensuring Tesla's mission continuity, underscore his acknowledgment of the gravity of his leadership role and his earnest dedication to securing his companies' long-lasting beneficial impact on humanity. This interview promises to ignite further dialogue about the future trajectory of Tesla and the broader implications of succession planning in innovative companies.
Elon Musk Interviewed on the WSJ
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Tesla recently showed off Giga Small Haus, an interesting new display project hosted at Giga Berlin. The small new house is located just outside the main entrance of Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory, with a Quicksilver Model Y parked inside.
Giga Small Haus is powered only by solar and Powerwall 3 - disconnected from the local grid and from Giga Berlin itself. It serves as a live demonstration of Tesla Solar and Tesla’s Powerwall battery backup.
Giga Small Haus
The centerpiece of the display is a Model Y in Quicksilver - a beautiful pick for a beautifully lit house. However, that’s not the real focus here - it's the Powerwall and Gateway on the wall.
The Powerwall is the focus of Giga Small Haus, and there’s a display with some additional information on the wall. Part of the display also includes a screen that displays the current output of the Powerwall itself versus the consumption of Giga Small Haus, as well as the input from solar.
The interior exhibit of Giga Small Haus
Not a Tesla App
The text on the exhibit is divided into several sections. Here’s a translated and edited version of what we can see from Tesla’s images. Some additional text is obscured. If someone visits Giga Small Haus, let us know.
Powerwall
Powerwall is a home battery system that stores energy from solar panels, the electrical grid, or during off-peak hours and powers your home during the day or during a power outage.
With Powerwall, you can use self-generated solar energy during the day and night, thus avoiding high electricity costs. You can also store excess energy produced during sunny periods for use during times of low production or power outages.
Key Features
Energy Storage: Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels or the grid for later use or during power outages.
Backup Power: In the event of a power outage, Powerwall automatically switches to battery power to ensure continuous power supply.
Integration: Powerwall can be seamlessly integrated with existing solar systems and other power sources.
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls can be installed to meet higher energy storage needs.
Smart Energy Management: Powerwall works with Tesla's software to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
How Powerwall Works
Storage: During the day, when solar panels produce more energy than needed, the excess is stored in Powerwall.
Usage: At night or during times of low solar production, the stored energy is used to power the home, reducing reliance on the grid.
Backup: During a power outage, Powerwall automatically provides power to critical circuits, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.
Benefits
Cost Savings: By storing and using solar energy, you can reduce your electricity bills.
Reliability: Provides backup power during outages, ensuring your home remains powered.
Sustainability: Promotes the use of renewable energy by storing excess solar production for later use.
Overall, Giga Small Haus is an interesting real-life demo of what Powerwall and Solar can accomplish. It would be neat if Tesla built more of these displays - perhaps near major Delivery and Service Centers and at Giga Texas, Fremont, Giga Shanghai, and other facilities. Many Tesla owners have yet to learn about and experience some of Tesla’s Energy products.
Tesla has added the Acceleration Boost option to the Tesla store for owners of the 2024 Model 3 Long Range - specifically owners in Australia and China. Acceleration Boost is an upgrade that provides a significant performance boost, drastically narrowing the performance gap between the Long Range and Performance versions of the same model.
This upgrade will likely become available in Europe, Canada, and the United States in the next few days as Tesla updates its shops globally.
Acceleration Boost
This new Acceleration Boost is retailing for $3,000 AUD, or approximately $2,000 USD. That’s the same price for current owners of older Model 3 or Model Y Long Range vehicles, which all have the option to purchase Acceleration Boost through the shop.
The boost provides improved 0-100km/h (0-60mph) performance, bumping the 2024 Model 3 LR from 4.4s to 3.8s. The 2024 Performance version comes in at a blazing fast 2.9 seconds, so while it isn’t equivalent to just buying a performance variant in the first place, it is still a noticeable and significant upgrade.
Performance variants also come with a different front fascia vent for cooling, performance drive units, sport seats, adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Track Mode V3. That’s a significant number of additional features in the $10,000 USD price difference between the Long Range and Performance versions.
Should You Buy It?
If you’ve purchased a Long Range model and are itching to go just that little bit faster at every red light, this is the upgrade for you. It previously came with the cost of slightly reducing vehicle range, but the Tesla store doesn’t make a note of reduced range this time around. The 2023 Model 3 and Model Y Long Range models had an efficiency loss of about 5% due to the additional always-available acceleration and cooling.
You could drive in Chill mode to mostly negate that efficiency loss, but what’s the fun in driving in Chill when you just got Acceleration Boost? Anyhow, the shop listing for the 2024 variant doesn’t include this detail, so it's possible Tesla may have worked some more engineering magic.
Overall, if you’ve got the $3,000 AUD burning a hole in your pocket, some Tesla referral credits sitting around, or just want to go faster, it's definitely an upgrade many users find valuable.
