Tesla CEO Elon Musk blasts Bill Gates saying he ‘has no clue’ about electric trucks after the Microsoft Co-founder insisted they will ‘never be practical’
- Elon Musk said in a tweet that Bill Gates has ‘no clue’ about electric vehicles
- The comments come in reference to a blog post uploaded by Gates last month
- Gates said he didn’t think battery powered trucks would ever be practical
- He also commended Ford and GM for making electric pickups but not Tesla
- Tesla is also working on the Tesla Semi, which is two years behind schedule
Elon Musk has criticized fellow billionaire Bill Gates over his negative views on the viability of electric trucks and other large vehicles, insisting ‘He has no clue’.
The Tesla CEO made the admonishment in a Saturday tweet in reference to a blog post uploaded by Gates last month.
Gates laid out his thoughts on the future of mobility in the August 24 post, suggesting the world should use clean electricity to run as many vehicles as possible, though said it ‘will probably never be a practical solution’ for vehicles like 18-wheelers or passenger jets.
‘Electricity works when you need to cover short distances, but we need a different solution for heavy, long-haul vehicles,’ Gates wrote.
Elon Musk has criticized fellow billionaire Bill Gates over his critical views on the viability of electric trucks and other large vehicles, insisting ‘He has no clue’
The Microsoft Co-Founder instead leaned towards ‘cheap alternative fuels’, such as biofuels, as a possible effective solution for commercial vehicles, adding that batteries are too big and too heavy and therefore not fit for purpose.
‘The more weight you’re trying to move, the more batteries you need to power the vehicle. But the more batteries you use, the more weight you add—and the more power you need,’ Gates explained.
Gates also issued praise for several vehicle makers for producing all-electric pickup trucks, such as GM, Ford, Rivian, and Bollinger, but failed to mention Tesla, the maker of the Cybertruck pickup.
Tesla also happens to be working an electric semi truck, the Tesla Semi, which was unveiled in 2017 and was slated to be shipped to customers in 2019.
However, the vehicle is two years behind schedule, with Tesla now expecting to get the vehicle to buyers by 2021.
Gates also issued praise for several vehicle makers for producing all-electric pickup trucks, such as GM, Ford, Rivian, and Bollinger, but failed to mention Tesla, the maker of the Cybertruck pickup (above)
Musk previously tweeted negatively about Gates in February, calling conversations with him ‘underwhelming’
The fallout between Musk and Gates isn’t the first time they’ve publicly clashed. In February, Musk said in a tweet that he found conversations with Gates ‘Underwhelming’. The comment came after Gates mention in an interview he had purchased an electric Porsche Taycan and not a Tesla.
In July, Gates called out Musk for making inaccurate and potentially damaging claims about COVID-19.
‘Elon’s positioning is to maintain a high level of outrageous comments,’ Gates said to CNBC. ‘He’s not much involved in vaccines. He makes a great electric car. And his rockets work well. So he’s allowed to say these things. I hope that he doesn’t confuse areas he’s not involved in too much.’
Gates is the world’s second-richest person, while Musk is fourth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The electric-vehicle maker’s fortune has surged after Tesla shares increased by more than 400 percent this year.