Often controversial and always ambitious Tesla founder Elon Musk is at it again, this time putting his money where his mouth is and betting big money on the future of his Model S sedan.
Legend has it that Musk made a $1 million bet with Pulitzer prize-winning automotive journalist Dan Neil – according to Green Car Reports – that Tesla would deliver on its promises regarding the pricing, features and availability of the automaker’s second car – the Model S.
As onlookers of the automotive industry have witnessed, just about anything and everything promised by the handful of young electric car start-ups ends up being delayed, changed or taken back entirely, and understandably that doubt has now been cast on Tesla’s promise to deliver second model before the close of 2012. As Neil puts it, Musk promised, “an audacious timeline that makes many in the car industry roll their eyes,” in an article with the Los Angeles Times.
The journalist wrote that Musk’s timeline will never be realized, prompting the strong-headed CEO to contact Neil via e-mail and take issue with the harsh criticisms.
Neil’s call out prompted Musk to shoot the journalist an e-mail pledging $1 million to charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) if the following criteria were not met:
1.) Tesla would have to begin serial production and, subsequently, delivery of the Model S sedan to real, paying customers before the close of 2012.
2.) The Model S would have to retain its promised and unique seven-seat capacity (thanks to a pair of rear-facing jump-style seats), and receive at least a four-star NHTSA crash test rating.
3.) The car must feature quickly interchangeable battery packs that can be swapped at roadside stations.
4.) The pricing needs to stay as promised, ranging from $57,400 for the base model to $87,400 for the range-topper, rather than follow the pattern of continually creeping prices for similar models.
Should Tesla fall short of meeting all those requirements, Musk will be writing a check for $1 million to the charity, but if Tesla delivers in full, Neil will write a check for a much more journalist-friendly $1,000 to the same organization, a reasonable compromise given the difference in net worth between the two.
Green Car Reports says that they attempted to get a comment from Tesla or Musk but were unable to get a response at the time of publication, but Neil responded.
“I like, respect and admire Musk,” Neil said. “I want desperately to lose this bet.”
References
1.’Betting Tesla’s…’ view
