Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates deemed Elon Musk‘s vision of producing the Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Semi Truck as impractical, but the saleable version of the all-electric truck just entered mass production.
Bill Gates On Tesla Semi
On Thursday, influencer Sawyer Merritt posted on the social media platform, recounting how Gates had been bearish about the Tesla Semi. “Welp, today Tesla officially started mass production of their Semi truck, and it very much works lol,” Merritt said in the post.
Notably, relations between Gates and Musk soured after it was revealed in 2022 that the philanthropist held a short position against the automaker. Musk had, in 2024, shared that Tesla would obliterate all shorts once it solves autonomy and ramps up Optimus production.
Gavin Newsom May Need Tesla Semi
On the other hand, relations between Musk and Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) have also been tense, with the Governor calling Musk one of the “great disappointments” in an interview in March. Newsom also reiterated that it was California’s favorable policies that helped Musk’s businesses grow.
Musk, on the other hand, has criticized Newsom in the past, with the Tesla CEO most recently taking a swipe at the Governor over California’s one-time billionaire wealth tax. Musk has also slammed the California High Speed Rail project from Los Angeles to San Francisco, accusing the project of being riddled with fraud.
However, with the Semi, the two could potentially need to set their differences aside, as the all-electric hauler could be the key to help California achieve its clean energy and transportation goals after President Donald Trump axed its EV mandate, Inc. reported on Thursday.
The Semi’s $290,000 price is almost half of its diesel-powered rivals, while its touted range of 500 miles also exceeds its rivals. Still, the report said that officials have cautioned against letting Tesla dominate the sector.
On the Tesla front, the Semi could provide a boost for the company as sales have dwindled in the U.S. amid shrinking EV demand and a less-than-favorable policy environment.
According to Benzinga Edge Rankings, Tesla offers poor Value, but excellent Growth and Quality. It also fails to provide a favorable price trend in the Long term.
Price Action: TSLA declined 2.37% to $381.63 at market close on Thursday, but declined 0.06% to $381.40 during the overnight trading session.
Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link.
Photo courtesy: Alexandros Michailidis on Shutterstock
Login to comment