Tesla Motors CEO calls NYT writer “a huge douche bag”
04/26/09 Elon Musk, CEO Tesla Motors, will be a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday night, April 29. The Late Show with David Letterman airs at 11:30 pm ET/PT on CBS.
04/13/09
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| Elon Musk, CEO Tesla Motors |
In an interview with Yahoo! Tech Ticker's Sarah Lacy, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked what he thought of an earlier New York Times piece that voiced opposition to a government loan for the electric car maker. With a huge smile indicating his delight in the opportunity to speak about the issue, Mr. Musk said, "Randy Stross is a huge douche bag". After a brief pause he added, "…and an idiot." Take that, Mr. Fancy Pants reporter guy!
Elon went on to explain exactly how the writer in question cherry-picked from the facts to make his case for DOE loan denial and vigorously defended the Tesla business model. In the interesting conversation that followed the opening barrage, it was very interesting to note the certitude expressed by Elon that Tesla Motors would receive the low interest loan requested from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program. Noting that his company is a "perfect fit" for ATVM funds, he states, "The odds of us getting that money ($350 million) are 99 per cent…" and alluding to assurances given in private meetings, suggested it was coming and coming soon.