Elon Musk and Jeremy Clarkson have an ongoing feud
Elon Musk Viral Videos/YouTube
The automotive world has witnessed many rivalries throughout history, but none quite as electrifying as the ongoing feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and British television presenter Jeremy Clarkson. These two larger-than-life personalities have consistently butted heads over electric vehicles, Tesla's performance, and the future of transportation. Let's take a trip down memory lane and relive some of the most memorable moments from this epic battle of wits and opinions.
The Spark That Ignited the Feud
It all began in 2008, when Clarkson, then a host of the popular British television show Top Gear, reviewed Tesla's first production car (video below), the Roadster. In Season 12, Episode 7, Clarkson was critical of the Roadster's range and reliability, with the segment featuring the car running out of battery and breaking down. Tesla quickly claimed that the breakdown was staged for dramatic effect, a claim that BBC denied.
The Aftermath and Legal Action
Tesla didn't take Clarkson's review lightly. In 2011, the electric car manufacturer filed a lawsuit against BBC, alleging defamation and malicious falsehood. However, the British High Court dismissed the case in 2013, with the judge stating that no Top Gear viewer would have reasonably compared the Roadster's performance to that of a traditional sports car based on the episode.
The War of Words
The legal battle didn't put an end to the rivalry. Over the years, Musk and Clarkson exchanged barbs through interviews and social media. In a 2018 interview with The Independent, Clarkson called Musk "an idiot" and claimed they "almost had a fight." In response, Musk took to Twitter and called Clarkson "weird" and "rude." In 2021, Clarkson talked about Musk's kids' unique names and suggested he call them "John or Jane or whatever."
The Twitter Battle
The rivalry between Musk and Clarkson has expanded beyond the realm of electric vehicles. Recently, Clarkson shared his thoughts on Musk's new Twitter laws and claimed that the new CEO should be paying him to use the social media network. In his Sunday Times column, Clarkson expressed his outrage at the proposed new costs for blue tick verification. He argued that he brings in advertising for the platform and should not be paying for the verification. This latest episode showcases the enduring feud between these two influential figures.
The Autopilot Debate
Clarkson has also criticized Tesla's Autopilot feature, questioning its safety and reliability. He once called it "an accident waiting to happen" after a fatal accident involving a Tesla Model S operating on Autopilot in 2016. However, Musk has dismissed Clarkson's concerns as biased and uninformed, insisting that critics have an outdated view of electric vehicles and are resistant to change.
The Model X Review and Beyond
Despite his new-found popularity, Clarkson didn't shy away from critiquing Tesla. In a 2019 episode of The Grand Tour, he reviewed the Tesla Model X, acknowledging its advancements while questioning its design and practicality. Clarkson said, "The truth is, the world's most hated car company has changed the world," but he also questioned whether electric vehicles would ever fully replace internal combustion engine cars.
The Grand Tour and Clarkson's Farm
After leaving Top Gear, Clarkson and co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May launched The Grand Tour on Amazon Studios. The show continued to feature Tesla vehicles and maintain a critical stance on electric cars. However, Clarkson's image softened with the release of his show Clarkson's Farm, which showcased his love for farming and the challenges he faced in running a farm. The show garnered a new fan base and a more sympathetic public image, but he still prefers internal combustion.
Reconciliation?
In a surprising twist, Elon Musk appeared on Top Gear in 2020, discussing Tesla's progress and the future of electric vehicles with the show's presenters. Though Clarkson was not involved in the episode, the appearance marked a notable moment in the rivalry's history.
The ongoing feud between Elon Musk and Jeremy Clarkson is a fascinating chapter in the automotive world. As electric vehicles become increasingly popular, the rivalry between these two influential figures serves as a reminder of the broader debate surrounding the future of transportation. With the latest development involving Twitter, it's clear that their rivalry continues to evolve and shows no signs of slowing down. Fans of both individuals can only wait and see what the next chapter holds for this electrifying tale.
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Tesla has issued a strong denial in response to a Wall Street Journal report (Paywall) which claimed that Tesla’s Board of Directors had initiated a search for a new CEO.
In a statement posted directly on Tesla’s X account, Board Chair Robyn Denholm denied the report unequivocally. As per the statement, Tesla’s board did not reach out to recruiting firms in search of a new CEO.
Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company.
This is absolutely false (and this was communicated to the media before the report was published).
The statement reaffirmed the board’s position on Tesla’s current leadership and that the board is highly confident in Elon’s ability to continue executing Tesla’s plans and future growth.
This confidence behind Elon follows his recent statements made during the Q1 2025 Earnings Call that he would be stepping back from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the coming days and significantly reducing time spent there. Instead, he would be returning to focus on Tesla’s operations and the upcoming deployment of Robotaxi.
Shortly after the denial was posted, Elon Musk also commented on the report, specifically tagging the Wall Street Journal and criticizing their handling of the report.
It is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the @WSJ would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors! https://t.co/9xdypLGg3c
We’re glad to see Tesla and Elon set the matter straight, but there could have been a better way to spread this message and maybe even prevent the report from WSJ from going out.
We recently published an opinion piece on why Tesla needs its PR team back, and this specific incident is a good example. Relying solely on platforms like X for critical corporate communications - and in this case, late at night (1 AM EST), with limited reach outside the existing follower base seems like an ineffective way of communicating important company information.
We’d love to see Tesla really put some thought into managing its image, as it seems that several recent reports from major financial news organizations have apparently been wrong.
Either way, the board’s stance is clear - there is no active search underway, and Elon has the full backing and support of the board to lead Tesla toward the future.
Tesla’s Megapack is rapidly becoming a key component in energy storage and grid modernization efforts worldwide. Though often associated with powering AI infrastructure or industrial operations, Megapack’s true strength lies in its ability to stabilize electrical grids during blackouts and brownouts.
In a recent behind-the-scenes reveal, Tesla showcased the impressive scale of Megapack production at its Mega Lathrop facility, along with real-world examples of how these systems are already transforming energy resilience across the globe.
Mega-Scale Megapack
Tesla is operating the largest utility-scale battery manufacturing facility in North America at Mega Lathrop, which has the capacity to produce 10,000 Megapacks annually. Thanks to a highly automated assembly process that uses over 30 welding robots to assemble the core Megapack structure. This is the largest manufacturing fixture Tesla uses— likely to only be matched by future developments at Mega Shanghai.
Tesla uses a highly automated powder coating process, utilizing over 90 robotic paint atomizers to apply more than 140 pounds of powder coat to each Megapack. This process delivers Tesla’s signature white reflective finish, engineered for long-term durability and corrosion resistance that lasts up to 20 years, even in harsh coastal or high-heat environments.
All of Megapack’s power electronics are designed and built in-house. Each Megapack uses 24 battery modules, electrical busing, and thermal management systems to ensure grid reliability and help to maximize energy density. The architecture pairs each inverter with a battery module to maximize energy availability and overall uptime. Plus, before each Megapack ships its way across the world, Tesla performs rigorous on-site quality control to ensure that the installation process is as seamless as possible.
Watch Tesla’s video of the manufacturing process below:
Megapack’s Real-World Impact: Hawaii
The core purpose of Megapack is to make power grids more stable and resilient while also reducing reliance on dirty peak power plants like coal. They achieve this by balancing energy supply and demand in real-time, smoothing out fluctuations from variable renewable sources like solar and wind, which helps to prevent grid shortages.
Hawaii actually provides the most real and down-to-earth example of Megapack’s impact. In mid-2024, the Kapolei Energy Storage facility in Hawaii came online. Hawaii utilized 258 Megapacks with a combined capacity of 565 MWh, successfully replacing the state’s last coal-fired power plant. This single facility can power approximately 20% of Oahu’s peak electricity needs by itself for approximately 4 hours.
The project is more than just removing coal plants, though. It serves as an example of Megapack’s grid integration and grid forming technology. The Kapolei Energy Storage facility can manage grid fluctuations caused by weather changes impacting renewable energy, improving stability and preventing blackouts. Thanks to their rapid inverter response times of under a millisecond, Megapacks participate in complex grid balancing activities, including fast frequency and voltage support, which helps to maintain grid balance throughout the day. Beyond that, Kapolei also allows Hawaii to black-start the grid in case of a major power outage that takes out a large section of the grid.
This functionality would be especially useful in Spain, where black-starting the grid took over eight hours recently and is still disrupting the day-to-day life of people there.
You can check out Megapack’s real-world impact in this video from Tesla below:
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