Elon Musk‘s enthusiasm for electric vehicles is world famous, but it may have once thwarted a college date. In a 2013 interview, the Tesla TSLA CEO revealed how his obsession with EVs made for a less-than-romantic evening during his time at university.
What Happened: During an interview with the Computer History Museum, Musk revealed that he went on a date with a woman who later became a writer for Scientific American. “We went on a date, [and] all I was talking about was electric cars,” Musk said. He admitted that it was not a “winning conversation.”
“She said the first question I asked her was, ‘Do you ever think about electric cars?'” he shared.
In another conversation that took place in the same year at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Musk retold the same anecdote, adding that it “wasn’t helpful” and that his date had replied “no, I don’t” to his question.
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Why It Matters: Musk noted that his once-niche interest has now become a “more effective” conversation starter since his college years. Currently, as Tesla CEO, Musk “leads all product design, engineering and global manufacturing of the company’s electric vehicles, battery products and solar energy products,” according to the company’s official website. Musk’s net worth has soared to $406.9 billion, according to Forbes, in part due to his earnings from Tesla.
Despite multiple setbacks and controversies, analysts predict that Musk and Tesla are “best positioned” to capitalize on the evolving trend of EV adoption among drivers.
Tesla shares rose Monday after reports emerged that the U.S. and China had agreed to temporarily lower most tariffs on each other’s products.
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