In Multiverse #420 we discovered an Elon that far surpassed our own intrepid entrepreneur. Our own Arturo had the opportunity to reach Elon in 420 and you can find out how he did it.
Arturo: Elon, it's absolutely wild that Tesla, under your command, has rocketed to the pinnacle of auto manufacturing, unloading over 11 million vehicles last year. What is the critical pivot point to this wild success story?
Elon 420: It boiled down to choosing to make a work vehicle. I saw the future and it hit me like a truck, a compact truck. Our future would not be determined by the 1% that drive luxury vehicles but by the underserved common man worldwide.
Arturo: Tell us more about this visit to your homeland.
Elon 420: This was around the summer of 2014, and I was in a creative funk. I was inspired to visit my boyhood stomping ground in Pretoria. I crossed paths with one of my childhood friends, Baer Malone, at the Blue Room. After a catch-up reunion over some incredible corned beef, we walked out to his vehicle, which turned out to be my dad's actual trusty old Toyota Helma.
In the lingering sunlight, I instantly recognized my dad's old ride. She was older, the edges of her frame touched by the rough patina of passing years but still majestic in her raw, utilitarian purpose. Memories flooded my mind — open roads, endless afternoons, and the reckless abandon of a truck bed full of friends and pets.
That truck was the inspiration I needed. We had to create that experience for everyone, and yes, it absolutely needed a manual transmission — you can't drive a gearbox and text at the same time!
Arturo: What financial considerations supported the compact truck as your first mass-market vehicle?
Elon 420: Compact trucks are inexpensive to manufacture and we face fewer regulatory hurdles. They're lightweight, vital for EVs. The profit goldmine is in upfitting and fleet management. And the small truck segment in the U.S. was ripe for the taking.
Arturo: Why not aim for the F150 market?
Elon 420: An all-electric full-size truck? People buy larger trucks to haul heavy things. EVs are two decades away from batteries that will support hauling beyond a 50-mile radius. Pursuing that path would have left our customers incredibly disappointed.
At this moment Arturo lost his link to Elon 420, but Arturo was able to draw an image of the multiverse Cybertruck.