"Elon Musk is a man who came from humble beginnings to accomplish the extraordinary," Robert Djurovic, executive director of the Automotive Executive of the Year Award program said.
"We are thrilled to present him with our Innovator Award, and see him as someone who has not only already accomplished so much in his young life, but also, as one to watch for future technology breakthroughs."
"This award is a tremendous honor, in particular because the nomination comes from my respected peers and colleagues," Musk added.
"It demonstrates not only the influence that a relatively small startup can have on the global auto industry, but also the speed with which other car companies and suppliers are joining Tesla in the electric vehicle revolution."
So far, recipients of the award included Carroll Shelby, Bill Ford Jr., Dieter Zetsche, Henry Ford II, Bob Lutz, Nobuhiko Kawamoto, Carlos Ghosn, and Lee Iacocca.
The award itself, great for both Musk and Tesla, comes at the worst possible moment, as Tesla lost three of its employees in Wednesday's plane crash in California. The three were traveling in a the Cessna 310 twin-engine plane when it struck a 100-foot electrical tower.
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