Elon Musk: "Golden handcuffs" require I stay through Model S launch

[Haltech]

Filed under: Convertibles, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Government/Legal, Green



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]Elon Musk: "Golden handcuffs" require I stay through Model S launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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