Photo: Tesla
Elon Musk is used to skepticism, and he has proven people wrong so many times that it’s no wonder he thinks of himself as some sort of god. The Tesla Semi was considered impossible to build four years ago when it was launched, and Bill Gates shared the same opinion two years ago. Musk invited him to drive the electric Class-8 truck and see whether it’s real.
Elon Musk and Bill Gates have a history of grudging each other. Tesla’s CEO often mocks Bill Gates, while Microsoft’s founder admitted to short-selling Tesla stock. For the younger generation, Bill Gates was pretty much what Musk is today and, just like him, used to make controversial statements about many things. Although he denied it, Gates is credited with saying in the 1980s that 640 KB of computer RAM should be more than enough for everybody.
Another one of Gates’ statements that aged like milk was made two years ago. In a blog post, Gates wrote, “electric vehicles will probably never be a practical solution for things like 18-wheelers, cargo ships, and passenger jets.” According to Gates, big batteries will add weight, which will need to be overcome with even bigger batteries.
To be sure, Gates was always skeptical about Tesla’s future, so why should the Semi be any different? After all, his opinion was also shared by Daimler Trucks boss Martin Daum. In 2018, shortly after the Semi’s reveal, he said that “if Tesla really delivers on this promise, we’ll obviously buy two trucks — one to take apart and one to test because if that happens, something has passed us by.”
After Gates made the above comments on his blog, Musk said Microsoft co-founder had no clue, which is supported by evidence, considering that cargo ships and passenger jets are already close to commercial launch. The Tesla Semi, as an 18-wheeler, is also ready to be delivered to its first customer, PepsiCo, during a ceremony on December 1. To make sure that Bill Gates gets the message, Elon Musk invited him to drive the Tesla Semi and convince himself that it is real.
Daimler Trucks should probably line up to place an order for the two trucks as soon as possible because deliveries would no doubt take a really long time. Sometimes, technology can advance so fast that even the smartest people can be outwitted in their wildest predictions. We’re sure that Tesla Semi is not only for real but will also prove as disruptive to the trucking industry as other Tesla vehicles proved to the automotive market.
Another one of Gates’ statements that aged like milk was made two years ago. In a blog post, Gates wrote, “electric vehicles will probably never be a practical solution for things like 18-wheelers, cargo ships, and passenger jets.” According to Gates, big batteries will add weight, which will need to be overcome with even bigger batteries.
To be sure, Gates was always skeptical about Tesla’s future, so why should the Semi be any different? After all, his opinion was also shared by Daimler Trucks boss Martin Daum. In 2018, shortly after the Semi’s reveal, he said that “if Tesla really delivers on this promise, we’ll obviously buy two trucks — one to take apart and one to test because if that happens, something has passed us by.”
After Gates made the above comments on his blog, Musk said Microsoft co-founder had no clue, which is supported by evidence, considering that cargo ships and passenger jets are already close to commercial launch. The Tesla Semi, as an 18-wheeler, is also ready to be delivered to its first customer, PepsiCo, during a ceremony on December 1. To make sure that Bill Gates gets the message, Elon Musk invited him to drive the Tesla Semi and convince himself that it is real.
Daimler Trucks should probably line up to place an order for the two trucks as soon as possible because deliveries would no doubt take a really long time. Sometimes, technology can advance so fast that even the smartest people can be outwitted in their wildest predictions. We’re sure that Tesla Semi is not only for real but will also prove as disruptive to the trucking industry as other Tesla vehicles proved to the automotive market.
He can drive it himself if he wants!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 27, 2022
Google News