The current CEO decided to do this in order to see through the launch of the company's newest vehicle, the Model S. Of course, the fact that the agreement set in place when Daimler took a 10 percent stake in Tesla stipulated Musk's staying within the company weighted more than his personal desires.
"I didn't really have a choice. This was a requirement of Daimler that I remain CEO of Tesla through the Model S launch and then continue to be part of Tesla in a chairman role beyond that," Musk said in an interview quoted by just-auto.com.
In case you're wondering why would Musk intend to leave, here's the answer. The CEO got in some type of a quarrel with Tesla's former CEO, Martin Eberhard. The latter has already filed a defamation lawsuit against Musk.
The disagreement between the two began when Musk accused Eberhard for cost overruns and delays on the Tesla Roadster. About the lawsuit, Musk had this to say:
"At the heart of his attack, Eberhard plays to a common archetype – that of the noble inventor whose invention is usurped by the rich and powerful businessman. He has labored hard to create this impression and there is an intuitive appeal to it, as there is with any archetype, but in this case it is false."
As a result of Daimler's investment in Tesla, Herbert Kohler, Daimler vice president E-Drive and Future Mobility will take a seat on Tesla's board of directors.
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