Elon Musk says Tesla will 'immediately' leave California because of forced shutdowns

Go tell Twitter about it, you dickhole.

Bye cunt!🙋‍♂️ Get out of our country and go back to South Africa or wherever it is you came from greedy cunt bitch.

"I'm going to Texas/Nevada and I'm taking my toys with me!"

Good riddance. Tell him to leave America while he's at it, with his freak baby.

since his customer base probably skews heavier toward the liberal end he isnt doing his brand any favors.

Musk reminds me of John McAfee more and more.

LOL. What a toddler.

I do not think Elon appreciates what California, our County, our Democracy has done for him, can we send him back to russia? Seize his assets, of course.

FUCKING TRAITOR!

Every time he opens his mouth, he makes me want to buy one of products even less.

[quote] since his customer base probably skews heavier toward the liberal end he isnt doing his brand any favors.

Exactly. Because people in the oil capital of America (TX) are tripping over themselves to buy Teslas.

Why is he here in our country in the first fucking place? I hate people like Elon who comes here only to cause problems.

Fuck him.

Nikola Tesla was a cunt.

I wish he would leave America. He's very problematic in my personal opinion.

This clown is the only person in the world who has more debt load than Trump. Where the hell does he think he's gonna get the money to build a new plant and headquarters. Certainly not from Tesla'ls anemic cash flows.

What a tantrum. What a fucking asshole. Typical rich elite asshole. He doesn't get his way and will uproot all those workers.

Liberals are the ones who buy Teslas. Deport him.

This is the same guy who also said he was going to save those Thai kids with his improbable mini-subway design, and he also was supposed to deliver thousands of ventilators to California hospitals.

Yeah, he just talks a lot..

I'm surprised you are not calling the 'Interim Health Officer' a 'pedo'

He is on the spectrum, right? Would make a lot of sense.

He’s turning into Howard Hughes and will soon start pissing in jars.

But why is he in America?

Pissed that he essentially bought Nicola Tesla's good name and is tarnishing it with his bullshit.

He's unhinged. He really is a problematic person. Rich elites have too much power in this country. They expect us to kowtow to them. We all pay higher taxes so they can be treated like mini-kings and queens. We can't upset them or they will do something rash. They terrorize local officials all the time. If they don't get their way, they threaten to move. So local and state people pay higher taxes in order for them to get these ridiculous tax breaks.

R22 At least he can't run for president here in the US. He's not born here so that just saved all of us from his crazy.

He'd probably be worse then Trump.

Cunt.

[quote] since his customer base probably skews heavier toward the liberal end he isnt doing his brand any favors.

Are we sure about that?

I always imagine some rich, republican, Wall Street douchebag wanting to buy a Tesla.

Liberals and Progressives go for more economical and environmentally friendly cars, no matter their income.

Someone really does need to slap that bastard, viciously and repeatedly about the head and shoulders.

As more people become poor from no work and now the middle and upper management wave of layoffs is coming up, he is going to be very lucky if his beloved Tesla company will survive. Idiot states like Nevada and Arizona will throw money at him, but it will not be enough, this hit is going to make many of us very poor and without work. So good luck selling those cars bucko. He is an insane creep as a human also.

R26 LOL!

My cousin used to work there and the working conditions were terrible

Since the US taxpayer subsidizes every Tesla purchase, shouldn't we get a say on where the Tesla factory is located?

All these billionaires just care about their own profits. They don’t give a fuck about the workers

If a business can demonstrate that its processes and procedures are safe for workers, why shouldn't they reopen?

I think he's bluffing.

I think he's bluffing.

I'm guessing his company is located in California, because more Californians buy Teslas than anyone else.

You have rich celebrities and foreigners in Los Angeles, and Tech Moguls in the Bay Area. They're the ones buying his cars.

Tesla isn't going anywhere.

He’s insane.

His whole schtick is bluffing.

The lockdown in California will be ending soon. But fuck him anyway.

He's a big bullshitter, like his beloved President.

Elon needs an intervention.

And maybe a psych eval.

Nobody's buying expensive cars for a while. He's just trying to get publicity by throwing a tantrum, just like the creature from the orange lagoon does.

Drugs

When will the public finally rise up against people like Elon musk and his toxic behavior. These people are out of control and have been for a very long time.

R41 "Creature from the orange lagoon" had me screaming. Thank you so much for that I needed the laugh!

I am so sick of this petulant asshole. Rich elites are insufferable during this pandemic.

Nobody is buying cars right now, so no need for him to be building them right now.

Time for a 5150 for Elon.

Between the baby naming "X Æ A-12" and now this, he's clearly on drugs and needs a straight jacket.

He should return to the land of his birth - that beacon of hope, that haven of peace and prosperity and total freedom: South Africa.

R46 I didn't even see his baby name. Hmmmm. Yep, 5150 his tired ass. He is a toxic person.

People on Twitter were calling him out the other day for tweeting open the country of something like that. And calling out the rich elites and how bad they've been during this pandemic.

These people are not going to calm down until people in the public start targeting some of these wealthy assholes and putting fear in them. That's when they'll stop. Everyday people seem to be expendable to them, while they can work from the comfort of their guard gated compound's away from anything bad.

These only care about themselves.

What about this Tweet?

Except, r49, it's more the Trumpanzees screaming to open the county. Musk is more an outlier at the moment.

Are all his kids from sex selected in vitro? I mean six boys is kind of odd (not unheard of course).

R49 I've tried to get deplorables to see we do have a common enemy and if we put our voices together just for this, we could shut these fuckers up in a second. These rich dickweeds have been terrible during this pandemic and only care about THEIR bottom line not their workers. Imagine poor Elon having to live on 20 billion dollars instead of 80?

Bye Felicia!

Let him pick up Tesla and move it to Nevada or Texas. Nevada is so broke, being a state with one industry that just happens to be in the shitter for the foreseeable future, making any tax incentives or set asides impossible. Texans laugh at a car that doesn't use oil, and the governor is so afraid of pissing off big oil that he wouldn't dare coax Tesla to come.

Frankly, California should cease any and all tax breaks, incentives and giveaways to Tesla immediately. I mean, Musk has clearly stated that he doesn't appreciate anything and everything the world's fifth-largest economy has provided him, so why bother?

Elon is just another ungrateful transplant to America. I hate when people immigrate to this country, only to turn into a nasty Republican. And help to take this country into a direction I believe most people don't want it to go in. People like him disgust me.

Come to America and help make it better no more right wing or Trumpian. Can't stand people like that, but I know they exist though.

[quote]he's clearly on drugs and needs a straight jacket.

Oh, dear.

[quote] Elon is just another ungrateful transplant to America. I hate when people immigrate to this country, only to turn into a nasty Republican. And help to take this country into a direction I believe most people don't want it to go in. People like him disgust me.

Or worse yet, Australian cunts like Rupert Murdoch who don't immigrate.

They just set up businesses in this country, designed to create chaos, and tear us apart.

He was, is and always will be an enormous pile of shit.

R55 Texas economy is in the shitter due to this and the oil collapse. They can't afford to offer tax breaks either.

Send him back!

R52, my mother was one of five girls. I guess my grandparents ran out of money and time, trying for that boy.

Although I don’t think you’re wrong, because doesn’t he have some twins from in vitro?

I'm tired of this breeder. Six kids in this day and age is proof of sadism. And that strange woman he's currently with (or is she an ex?) is yet more proof.

South Africans are all batshit crazy.

This is just more proof of that.

r9 How right you are. I didn't even know Porsche had an awesome electric car, until Musk went online and bitched about Bill Gates buying one.

Isn't the Taycan fabulous?

He's a South African dickwad educated in Canada who made his fortune in America and now wants to put American lives at risk so he can keep making money. Fuck him.

R63, he only has 5 since his first born son died of SIDS.

Is he the guy with the shitty submarine that helped no one do anything during some emergency?

You would think rich people would be the most comfortable at the moment, resting safely on accumulated wealth, but the way they scream about losing money makes me question how financially stable they actually are.

If he pisses off his liberal customer base, who will be left to buy those cars? Last time I checked we had 30 million plus filing unemployment and even if your average American could afford a new car, they can't afford a $60,000 purchase.

I'm sure the stockholders are delighted with him and his tweets/crazy behavior.

Christ Wayne Newton has let himself go, OP.

Every manufacturer is coming out with new electric vehicles that will be better performing and less expensive, so pretty soon Tesla is going to be far less relevant than it is today.

Based on this goon’s recent antics, my son’s ultra-liberal in-laws just sold their two-year old, top-of-the-line Tesla and are going to buy a new electric Porsche Taycan when the car dealerships reopen.

California, as the world's fifth largest economy, is probably not desperate to hang on to "the last carmaker" in the state.

Musk may be attracted to Nevada or Texas because of more relaxed environmental laws, fewer taxes on big businesses, and l cheaper workforces.

Alameda County's temporary shutdown of this plant gives him the perfect opportunity to make a move out of California seem like something he was "forced" to do and not something he'd already had his mind on for some time. His public tantrum about it would also appeal to the TX and NV populace.

He is calculating.

Won't be the last big tech outfit to flee California in the coming years.

R69 it has more to do with mental instability than financial. I worked in the service industry for some time and the worst customers I dealt with were usually from when I was working in an east coast suburb that is the 2nd or 3rd wealthiest in the country. Barely tipping or throwing shitfits over minor stuff was par for the course. This was kind of a "new money " area so maybe that played a part too.

He's also put his 2 properties in CA on the market

Would that it’were so simple.

R18 No, he's just an asshole.

My husband was all in on Tesla. He was going to buy one. Tesla was going to have a $37k affordable loaded Tesla....like, any minute now. He fucking PAID to reserve a test drive. They kept cancelling it & rescheduling. “We haven’t got one available locally. They sell out so fast!”

I kept asking him “Got that $37k fully loaded electric car yet?”

After close to a year and no $37k car in sight, he finally cancelled his reservation for a test drive.

[quote]Won't be the last big tech outfit to flee California in the coming years.

I don't think California will miss Elon Musk. As for the rest of the tech companies, they go where the talent is, which right now is Silicon Valley and Seattle. Will that always be the case? Probably not but people have been predicting the demise of Silicon Valley for a long time.

He’s the next Donald Trump. Someone needs to amputate all his limbs and his tongue before it’s too late.

New Joe Rogan interview:

His girlfriend's a self admitted meth head. She's probably influencing him to get into drugs. Explains his unhinged behavior.

Bye. Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

How long before he’s removed as head of the company? He’s a huge liability.

Please Elon. Don’t just leave California but leave the country. No one will care.

His business has always operated on the edge of the cliff. All of this Coronavirus shit has put difficult pressures on most businesses and some will go bankrupt before this is over, no doubt. Elon is venting his frustrations and looking for someone to blame. It’s not in the cards for a move to Nevada or Texas. He’s just speaking out of class like he tends to do when he’s frustrated by any series of unfortunate events in his life. He’s never handled adversities well. I would put him down for a nap.

Elon Musk needs to jump into the nearest active volcano. Can you imagine their new baby’s life with those two lunatics for parents?

People like him should be sterilized.

I never realized that Elon Musk was so hated here.

I also never realized that he was so extreme, until recently with all of his fuck-ups.

The Tweets, the druggie girlfriend, the crazy baby name, and now this.

All I ever knew him from was Space-X, which I thought was a very cool project. It seemed to be going well.

What ever happened to that?

Why don't they drug test him?

Why can't people like him who have billions in the bank just sell their company and just go live their lives and have fun with their families? Why continue to make money when you've already got it?

Just go live your damn life already. It what I'd do.

^ Enormous egos are very expensive to maintain.

Isn't Tesla a welfare company? It's practically draining California. I'm sure the California legislature would be more than gladly to come up with some fine print where the state is entitle to some payback.

Tesla could move to Joplin, Missouri-tax breaks and low wages galore!

This is what its come to in 21st century America, cities/states groveling and competing against each other offering up tax breaks to developers, corporations, and sports team franchises to get a few measly jobs.

What's to say Tesla wouldn't just up and move to China or Mexico???

Notice he is threatening to move his "headquarters" not the production plant. He has only two functioning auto plants in the world, California and China. The battery plant and car component plant is outside Reno and has a significant part of it leased to Panasonic. He is trying to establish another plant in Germany. It would be suicide to import all his cars and the production plant in Alameda county (Fremont, CA) is a former Toyota/GMC plant that essentially given to him with great incentives to begin production.

There is no need for a second plant in the US so unless he or some "red state" is willing to build a new plant, it is not financially feasible at this time. So he will move the headquarters which by the way is located in Palo Alto, CA which is in Santa Clara county, NOT Alameda county. I don't know the number of employees at headquarters, but I assume it is fewer than 500 people.

He is the typical bully, who likely has mental health issues and he carries clout and media frenzy because of his money, visions and successes. Remembers, his ranting and raving cost him the Board Chair for three years as a settlement with the SEC. Seems like Americans are acquiescing to bullies in business and politics.

He's throwing a tantrum coz he didn't get his way! He's a fucking billionaire, rules don't apply to him! He does what the fuck he wants!

He can still be stopped. I don't care how much money success or power your supposed to have. He can absolutely be stopped dead in his over-privileged tracks.

There's certain things no one can escape. Elon is not invincible.

Of course he's bluffing. The cost to move out of state would doom that company.

He seems to have a very childish attitude and he likes to throw temper tantrums. He's quite like Trump in that regard.

was he an only child?

I read in the papers today that a CA politician tweeted "F--- Elon Musk" but i think later deleted...

What kind of name is Elon?

If you don't like Elon's position, show your distaste by defacing or vandalizing the nearest Tesla vehicle. They're owners need deserve a Hummer like message until the brand is as dead as the genius he stole the name from.

Their new "truck" or suv or whatever the fuck it was....is soooo ugly!

Now he's suing the county where the plant is located. He ain't movin' nowhere. If he was serious about moving he wouldn't be going to all the trouble to sue.

Tesla cars are really popular among wealthy liberals.In California it is impossible to go outside in certain neighborhoods/towns without seeing a Tesla before you see a Starbucks. That is not to say that Republicans/Libertarians would never buy one (they are quite popular on those libertarian subreddits full of techie on the spectrum guys) but it is a socially acceptable status symbol for liberals because if they go for the big Rolls/Ferrari/G Wagon they will be sideeyed by other liberals for driving a car that's bad for the environment. This is a way of seeming environmentally friendly while still being able to place your car keys on the bar and show that you're 'someone' . I know 2 power gays who now drive Teslas. When I first met them in 2015 one was driving a G Wagon and the other and his partner had matching Porsche SUVs. I even saw Ms Grace Slick in a Tesla on PCH. She was at the red light beside me outside the Malibu Country Mart. lol.

[quote] What kind of name is Elon?

Afrikaner?

R101 He is not an only child. As an only child I am grateful as we don't need any more bad press!

I assumed “Elon” is Jewish. I know a male Ilan and a female Elan, both Jewish. But I don’t know.

Lorena Gonzalez is channeling the DL on this Mother's Day.

Is he important?

I simply refuse to hate on Tesla. They made an affordable, powerful, electric car. They are one of the keys to America’s energy independence and they are built here. Elon is an asshole and shelter in place is good for his workers, but damn I’m glad that company shook up the monotony for coming from Detroit and the foreign automakers. Elon is. Small price to pay transition America away from gas guzzling vehicles.

Meh, there are other electric cars

Now he's suing a county in a country (he's not from) that has allowed him to make billions of dollars, and prosper beyond belief. Because they won't allow him to reopen his factory so he can produce more cars and make more money?

This guy is an outsider to America. He immigrated here and now he's causing problems? I really hate this guy, he's problematic and ungrateful for everything America has done for him. I really cannot stand people like him.

I in general have a huge problem with people who come to America and start causing problems. It's an actual pet peeve of mine, and Elon fits the bill perfectly. Fuck him.

Whatever, Elon.

I think so too, R108.

Regarding how he grew up, it sounds like his childhood was slightly unpleasant, however he was still a spoiled rich kid:

[quote] Elon Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa,the son of Maye Musk (née Haldeman), a model and dietitian from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and Errol Musk, a South African electromechanical engineer, pilot, and sailor. He has a younger brother, Kimbal (born 1972), and a younger sister, Tosca (born 1974). His maternal grandfather, Dr. Joshua Haldeman, was an American-born Canadian. His paternal grandmother was British, and he also has Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry.

[quote] After his parents divorced in 1980, Musk lived mostly with his father in the suburbs of Pretoria, a choice he made two years after his parents separated but which he subsequently regretted. Musk is estranged from his father, whom he has referred to as "a terrible human being." He also has a half-sister and a half-brother.

[quote] Due in part to the fact that his father owned an emerald mine in Zambia, Musk grew up with a "lavish lifestyle" which led to many of his interests later in life.

[quote] During his childhood, Musk was an avid reader. At the age of 10, he developed an interest in computing while using the Commodore VIC-20. He taught himself computer programming and, by the age of 12, sold the code of a BASIC-based video game he created called Blastar to PC and Office Technology magazine for approximately $500. His childhood reading included Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, from which he drew the lesson that "you should try to take the set of actions that are likely to prolong civilization, minimize the probability of a dark age and reduce the length of a dark age if there is one".

[quote] Musk was severely bullied throughout his childhood and was once hospitalized after a group of boys threw him down a flight of stairs.

I read that they don't even make money on the cars.

Photo of Elon, brother Kimbal, sister Tosca, and mother Maye.

Willie Brown just went off about the lockdown in a SF newspaper. I take it the pushback is broader than we may understand if Willie Brown is saying "enough".

[quote]Musk was severely bullied throughout his childhood and was once hospitalized after a group of boys threw him down a flight of stairs.

Any chance we can find those guys again?

The lockdown is for California's own good, if not then everything will end up having to shutdown again if this virus isn't stumped out enough the first time.

People don't know how to sacrifice today. And I say this as someone whose 32 years old. I get it, but it seems to many assholes older then me don't get it.

[quote] I say this as someone whose 32 years old. I get it, but it seems to many assholes older then me don't get it.

Oh, dear!

Oh, dear!

In other words "I'm a billionaire and someone is saying No to me! Waaaahhhhhhh!!!!"

he's a cunt, like all super rich cunts

Why doesn't Musk rage against Trump, since it is Trump's government that is eliminating the subsidy on electric vehicles, specifically Teslas, that makes them "affordable"? That has a far, far greater impact on sales than little Elon's bugaboo about sheltering.

R124 Which is why he needs to leave the country now. He's nothing more then an outsider who cannot behave himself.

Once again, fuck Elon.

[quote]Due in part to the fact that his father owned an emerald mine in Zambia, Musk grew up with a "lavish lifestyle" which led to many of his interests later in life.

Sounds like he developed a case of affluenza growing up. And he seems like he has Asperger’s on top of it.

[quote]Musk was severely bullied throughout his childhood and was once hospitalized after a group of boys threw him down a flight of stairs.

Sometimes, the bully is right.

Not for long now that there’s an electric Porsche available r105.

Elon is a drug addled freak who talks out of his ass, like most tech geeks. It’s kind of fun watching him implode, the idiot.

Texas would say, no thanks. Their economy is oil based. The more people buy electric cars, the less they rely on gas. And the oil companies wouldn’t want that to happen.

I think there was a girl who died in infancy from SIDS, R52. But, agree with you point that it seems suss.

[quote]This guy is an outsider to America. He immigrated here and now he's causing problems?

It's even worse than that: he won't pay the price for his ignorance; his workers will, just as have the workers in the meatpacking industry.

Now maybe, just maybe, he's got a foolproof plan for reopening that won't put anyone at risk but, if so, he should be touting that plan, showing it off to everyone, inviting people to pick holes in it, etc., rather than picking fights that make him come across as an unhinged schoolyard bully.

He could always move his factory to that shining beacon on a hill, the most modern, livable, high tech, city of the future, Johannesburg.

You know, the racist shithole swamp he crawled out of where everyone has a gun, mercenary work is considered a viable career path and everyone lives behind a gate with security. He could go spread his unique vision and outlook there.

Elon and his brother have faces that look like they would be right at home in Kentucky or West Virginia.

No kidding, they look like Hillbillies!

Crybaby

He’s part of the problem.

R133 according to the Daily mail a few years back, their father supposedly had a kid with his ex stepdaughter so I suppose they are hillbillies .

[quote] Not for long now that there’s an electric Porsche available

They’re over $100 grand.

BMW is soon coming out with this sweet i4 model for about $50k.

R137 Yes but a lot of rich people ditched their $100K plus car for a Tesla as it was such a status symbol for a while. A wave of G Wagons became a wave of Teslas. That’s the market. They will have zero issue with the cost of the Porsche.

I hate the nostrils on that BMW.

I agree, the grill on that ride ruins the whole look.

When I lived in LA my drive to work took me through Beverly Hills, past the Four Seasons and then into Subset and last the Beverly Hills Hotel. I always enjoyed the car porn. Everyday I saw Rolls-Ferrari-Maybach-Masserati etc. And those ugggly G Wagons were everywhere. I even have a folder of pictures on my phone that I took of those cars at red lights and then shared with my brother who loves cars even more but never sees any cool ones back home. Anyway, ff, I’m back there 2 years ago and welp much less car porn. Tesla, Tesla, Tesla everywhere. Thankfully those G-Wagons were gone. Last year I saw fewer Teslas and more SUV variations of luxury cars. I saw several Rolls SUVs, Porsche SUVs. I had always just assumed Teslas were a rich person thing and a sort of “limousine liberal” thing. Maybe the US now has cheaper models? Might explain why they’ve fallen out of favor with the rich. I’m back in the U.K. now and I think I they start at like £80,000. I saw one in London once but they’re as rare as hens teeth. I met a guy pre-Corona who was planning a trip to Florida and all he wanted to do was find a way to rent a Tesla. Insurance was his issue I think. That surprised me because the Stang and to a lesser extent the Dodge Challenger are the two dream cars of most British men going over to Florida. I’d they have a bunch of kids then it’s the biggest bus of an SUV they can find Lol

I don't care if he's a jerk, he's accomplishing things that need to happen to benefit humanity that almost no one else seems capable of doing.

[quote]Sometimes, the bully is right.

Not in this instance.

[quote]Willie Brown just went off about the lockdown in a SF newspaper. I take it the pushback is broader than we may understand if Willie Brown is saying "enough".

Willie Brown delights in being contrarian and regularly says provocative shit just to prove how 'above' Democratic politics he is, thus drawing attention to himself, which is the main goal every time he opens his mouth. His weekly ramblings in the Chronicle are about as meaningful as Larry King's used to be in USA Today.

I read an article written by Justine Musk about her relationship with Musk over ten years ago maybe in Vanity Fair or New Yorker. I searched and can't find it. I'm pretty sure Musk had it scrubed.

What I recall:

They met in college where she said he was far, far different from the egomaniacal industrialist he became. She described him as being thoughtful and supportive of her career as writer.

It all changed when the PayPal money started rolling in. He hid finances and Musk and the board strong-armed her to signing a contract that basically excluded her from any financial benefit. IIRC, they lied about the contents of the contract. She found out later during the divorce that PayPal money was off limits to her.

He kind of marginalized her as a spouse and she became the trophy wife appendage. One thing that stuck out is that he kept having her lighten her hair until she was blonde.

The other thing that stuck out was about her IVF pregnancies. She had twins and triplets via two pregnancies. She claimed that Musk only wanted males and the female fetuses were selectively terminated.

Yeah. I can see how Musk got this scrubbed.

R29 - Yes, the plant has a significantly higher injury rate than the rest of the industry. (I posted a link in another recent Musk thread. Too lazy to search again). Which makes complete sense since production is always behind schedule.

His customer base is LIBERTARIAN, not liberal. Huge difference.

[quote] he's accomplishing things that need to happen to benefit humanity that almost no one else seems capable of doing.

Such as... ?

"His customer base is LIBERTARIAN,"

How can that be true? Musk and Tesla have taken billions of tax payer dollars to get up and running, and continues to take taxpayer dollars because every one of his vehicles purchased is eligible for a tax credit. That is NOT a libertarian business model.

True, R149, but that poster is right. Most of the Silicon Valley types and their acolytes are libertarians, not actually liberals. That there's hypocrisy in their business models is something they don't worry their pretty little heads about.

And I mean it! *stomps feet*

He's ordered workers back. The Daily Mail has pictures and video of workers arriving to work before dawn this morning.

Tesla is asking factory employees to go back to work despite a shelter-in-place order, and some workers are afraid that if they don't go they'll lose their job

Despite a shelter-in-place order, Tesla has kept some operations in its Fremont, California plant going, according to documents viewed by Business Insider. The company is also reaching out to employees by text and phone call and asking them to return to work this week, workers told Business Insider. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called shelter-in-place orders "fascist" and unconstitutional. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Are you a current or former Tesla employee? Do you have an opinion about what it's like to work there? Contact these reporters at mmatousek@businessinsider.com or llopez@businessinsider.com. You can also reach out to Mark on Signal at 646-768-4712 or email his encrypted address at mmatousek@protonmail.com. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tesla has continued some operations at its Fremont, California, plant and is asking employees to come back to work despite a county shelter-in-place order, according to three Tesla employees and internal communications and company documents.

Two of the employees said Tesla communicated to them about returning to work by phone call or text message. One was told to direct any questions to an internal helpline just for Covid-19 related questions. That same employee was told that if they did not return to work they would not receive benefits, and would be unable to apply for unemployment.

The second employee was told that if they did not show up their furlough status could change.

Workers Business Insider spoke with said they were nervous that they were at risk of losing their jobs if they didn't comply with the company's orders and report to work.

I hope that those who were ordered to go back and contract COVID-19 sue this fucking Libertarian RedPill asshole out of business.

He is not stronger than the state of CA. If he wants to play this game he will lose.

I also have to wonder how long Tesla's directors and the shareholders will put up with him. I'm not saying that this will do it or that he's in danger of losing his post but, at some point, his instability is likely to cause him to be more of a liability than they want to handle.

Exactly, R155. I'm surprised he hasn't been ousted yet.

Brands that will not recover from this: Tesla, Virgin, Tyson, Smithfield, Facebook

[quote]He is not stronger than the state of CA. If he wants to play this game he will lose.

Yup. He's pitting himself against the fifth largest economy in the world - and Tesla isn't THAT important to it. He's a nut.

Unmedicated mania, which he tries to manage wirh alcohol and drugs.

I prefer the term 'shut' over 'shuttered.'

Not everyone has shutters.

R159 I don't think it's full-blown mania but I do think perhaps he does have bipolar disorder. I think he's more bipolar II than bipolar I. Bipolar II meaning he never reaches the "high" of full-blown mania of Bipolar I but has behavior consistent with hypomanic episodes. Musk is still able to function in his personal life and as head of his company. He's not having the level of mania which affects his own or others' safety. There is a big difference between manic and hypomanic episode. For a comparison, manic episode is more like Britney pre-diagnosis and conservatorship, that's classic full-blown mania and I've seen it with my patients up close.

Musk also appears to have indications of cannabis use disorder and god knows what other drugs or alcohol issues we don't know of, and I think that would be the most fitting explanation. Though I agree with you, bipolar disorders very likely as well. Substance abuse and bipolar disorder are very common, many self-medicate and end up with substance use disorders. He is an intelligent person who thinks outside the box, you don't get to be where he is without those traits. But some of his statements in public show disregard for his company, very self-serving without restraints or consideration of consequences. Also he likes to engage in multiple projects before hopping onto the next, that's one of his quirks that is in line with bipolar II. With hypomanic episodes, you still get some of the euphoric "high" but able to function in personal and professional life.

I agree with R159. He is bright and has made a major contribution to society. However, he is crying out for help from a mental health issue along with a likely substance problem. I hope he seeks help or has an intervention.

Teslas biggest market is CA they give a $2500 tax break for the purchase of each vehicle. The federal tax break for Teslas is being phased out since the company has sold over 200,000 cars. Losing the $7500 tax break plus if CA gets pissed off they could remove the state tax break making the cars more expensive.

With gas currently $2/gallon, Elon and Tesla really shouldn't be hoping for any huge increases in sales anytime in the near future.

I'm so glad I didn't buy a Tesla.

And gas is $1.49/gal here.

Well, I was going to buy a Tesla at the end of this year, the 80,000 not the shitty starter one. But, I live in California always supported electric vehicles but if this is how this a-hole is going to act with regard to my sate he can kiss my order good buy. I'ts like a slap in the face, he got millions of tax dollars to open his plant here now he's throwing all that away? Bitch tantrum because someone told him what to do?

Brand loyalty permanently LOST.

R102

When a Tesla is touched, all the cameras start recording (unless they’re defective, like most Tesla vehicles) so you will be identified and charged with vandalism.

Don’t encourage more stupidity.

FWIW, I agree with Elon- the shutdowns will be deadlier than the disease.

Darfur Orphan should, uh, weigh in on the advantages of widespread poverty.

[quote]FWIW, I agree with Elon- the shutdowns will be deadlier than the disease.

Then you're a fucking moron.

[quote]Darfur Orphan should, uh, weigh in on the advantages of widespread poverty.

Darfur Orphan's never owned a fucking vehicle you idiot. Our "poverty" is his rich life.

people are dumping him and going with german cars. He has lost his mind slamming the door on his own ass.

German cars? I doubt that, the 1980's are over, Mercedes-Benz are déclassé, Porsche owners are pretentious. Volkswagen got busted in 2017 for making cars that could fool the smog emissions computes. VW pleaded guilty to the emissions scandal and to pay US$4.3 billion in penalties.

Musk has said that he "might be bipolar."

Well, as I predicted in my posting, he played the bully playbook perfectly. He never planned to leave California, but wanted to open his plant. So he makes a bully statement, gets a group of right wingers to praise his efforts so that when he defines authority, he has support. He receives praise from people like Jim Cramer on CNBC, opens his plant and of course files a law suit. Alameda county officials save face by saying he can start opening within guidelines on Monday. HE WON...the BULLY won!

No surprise. We are still on lockdown but today there was a traffic jam in our county on the freeway, the first since the lockdown.

I would love nothing more than for this ugly cunt to go bankrupt!

Trump Tweeted his support for Elon for taking it to the Dems.

He clearly has an undiagnosed severe mental illness and possible drug addiction. He needs to be removed from his company and head to rehab and get on medication, and then “spend some time with his family” permanently.

Seems like he didn't leave California. And now his new plant in Texas is on hold. Mmmm

He’s moved pretty quickly from potentially interesting and inspirational through eccentric to tiresome and spoilt. ‘Potentially’ because I remember thinking when a good friend was singing the Tesla’s praises and told me about Musk ( I have no interest in cars apart from hot rods built by their owners ) that he sounded too good to be true.

He could make a car that ran on air, if you treat workers like serfs you deserve no respect.

Musk should eat shit and just go away.

Looks like a FTM tranny.

R180 Eat shit and die!

His eyes truly look like two pissholes in the snow.

[quote] Seems like he didn't leave California. And now his new plant in Texas is on hold

HA HA HA, little whining, whimpering bitch, he is. I'm gonna stamp my feet and hold my breath and make childish threats until I get what I want. And if I don't get what I want I'll just shut my mouth and pretend I never said it.

Tesla ranks last on influential JD Power quality survey

Tesla cars suffered 250 problems per 100 vehicles, well above industry average of 166

Tesla is absurdly overvalued. The stock is ridiculous, recently over $1000 per share. Compare that to Ford who makes cars that people actually buy and drive all over the world at $6.

Ford is crap though. Only Deporlables seem to want to buy them.

R182 Fuck you, cultie.

R185 Bankrupt the little bitch and get rid of him.

Ranked much higher tHan Tesla R187, which are described as the world’s most expensive software. The car itself is crap.

Good riddance.

Oh Puhlease. You all sound like a bunch of house Fraus who are jealous you neighbor just bought a Porsche while you are stuck in your soccer mom minivan.

Tesla is the hottest thing out there right now for the masses. Unless you are talking Super Cars which are a whole different animal.

I hate Musk..used to admire him. I would never buy a Tesla and I can afford one.

My minivan is still a helluva lot better than the third hand, 1986 Yugo you travel around in, R192.

I prefer my 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit.

Tesla owners seem to be some kind of a cult. They're brainwashed and seem hellbent on getting everyone else to become followers.

How hideous would this fucking dweeb be without his hair transplant?

He's a fat too.