The Abstract Podcast

Elon Musk fights explained & Tesla killers

Episode #6: Elon Musk's beef and the decade of Tesla killers

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As the popularity of the "My Plans / 2020" meme can attest, 2020 hasn’t exactly panned out like any of us expected — least of all Tesla CEO Elon Musk. With a growing anti-lockdown movement afoot, Musk has positioned himself as the face of resistance against measures put in place to control the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the political turn is a new twist, his defiance won’t surprise anyone who has followed Elon Musk’s career, which has been built on challenging assumptions, for better or worse.

Is the power of the electric age fueling Musk’s combative fire? By vowing to reopen his California electric car plant against the lockdown orders of local government, Elon Musk not only reminds us of his defiant nature, but what stifling the production of Teslas could mean for the coming decade of electric cars.

In this episode of The Abstract podcast, we explore Tesla killers on the horizon and Musk becoming the face of resistance against government lockdowns.

Our first story is about Elon Musk’s antagonistic rise to power. As Covid-19 tests society’s resilience, the measures put in place to slow the spread of the virus has tested Musk’s patience. As he becomes an unapologetic force of resistance against the government, we look at the public battles that have long defined the Tesla CEO through three pivotal fights.

Our second story looks at Musk’s competitive playing field in the race to the future of driving. As we look ahead to the electric age, it’s easy to see why restarting car production is crucial for Elon Musk. From solar-charged cars to autonomous cybertrucks, the most groundbreaking electric cars are poised to turn a corner and define the 2020s.

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Right now, facts and science matter more than ever. That's part of the reason for The Abstract, this all-new podcast from the Inverse staff that focuses exclusively on science and innovation. Three new episodes are released a week, and each covers one theme via two related stories. Each features audio of original Inverse reporting, where the facts and context take center stage. It's hosted by the Tanya Bustos of WSJ Podcasts. Because we're Inverse, it's all true but slightly off-kilter. It's made for people who want to know the whole story. Nick Lucchesi, executive editor, Inverse

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