One of the things that he's already done that doesn't get as much fanfare is his solar roof shingles and PowerWall system. Stil expensive, yes (as was the Roadster when it forst came out), but as prices drop this will become de rigueur for home building.

Right now the payback is too long for it to be considered financially viable for most people. But if municipalities start to think a little bigger, imagine how much they can save on infrastructure cost if that new 5,000 home sub-division is built with Tesla's solar systems? They won't have to worry about adding the generation and transmission capacity necessary to power all those homes who would be all-but self-sufficient in electricity. Better, they may add to the grid during the day once they've topped off their PowerWalls and haven't yet got home from work/school.

Extrapolate that out to all new construction. Everyone can have a normal-looking roof and yet everyone's house is its own little power station. You want to get rid of coal and nuclear power? Have every home generate its own.

I saw a presentation recently from Wood Group where they showed how solar and wind technology is getting cheaper and more efficient more quickly than anticipated even 5 years ago. Same with battery technology - for which Tesla is at the forefront - particularly as regards manufacture and recycling.

He used a "toy" electric car to prove his technology, added a luxury model to prove he can build cars, added an SUV which goes mostly ignored (despite being very good) and has now produced a family car to compete with the "name" brands. This was exactly by design from long before the Roadster hit the streets. He has a plan for solar too, and it's coming along exactly as its meant to...

I will listen to his arguments again, but my instinct tells me that he is being driven by a hefty dose of narcissism.

1. Govts money.

2. Tesla’s biggest missed opportunity came from wasting the chance to learn from Toyota how to efficiently manufacture and design vehicles during their ill fated partnership. Given how much Tesla stood to gain, it was inexcusable for Musk to have called fuel cells bulls*** when a respectful disagreement would have been sufficient.

His cars aren't even that good when compared to a comparable Nissan

1. Govts money.
2. Tesla’s biggest missed opportunity came from wasting the chance to learn from Toyota how to efficiently manufacture and design vehicles during their ill fated partnership. Given how much Tesla stood to gain, it was inexcusable for Musk to have called fuel cells bulls*** when a respectful disagreement would have been sufficient.

How this narcissist ''deserves his own thread'' baffles me tbh.
His cars aren't even that good when compared to a comparable Nissan and as for being a visionary, he's waaaaaay down the pecking order.

He's a very good salesman. So is Swiss Tony.

Its not all Govt's money...it was at the start and clearly the Govt are one of his biggest customers with Space X but he is also putting a massive amount of his own money into these projects.

Still cleaner than running your own personal little power station under the bonnet.