This claim led to him being fined by US financial regulators and told not to tweet without legal oversight – something which may or may not be happening judging by some of his recent communications.
Despite Musk stepping back from his joint chairman and chief executive role, and bolstering the board with independent directors, concerns remain in some quarters about Tesla’s governance.
Musk’s pay structure also raises eyebrows. He stands to earn a $70bn under a long-term incentive plan based on the company reaching and maintaining a valuation of $650bn.
There is also a huge online community dedicated to criticising the company, launching blistering attacks on the quality of Tesla’s financial reporting, among many other targets.
Balancing this there is also a huge “fanboy” internet following, ready to refute any of the former group’s claims. This group is also the source of much rumour circulation, which often helps push up Tesla’s share price.
The most recent story is that the company us working on a “millionmile” battery that could be incorporated into future vehicles.
Tesla is also famed for its vision. New vehicles and projects are regularly revealed, but often there seems little attention to delivery timescales and what happens to its products once they are on the road.
The company is known to have experienced quality issues which have meant new cars from the factory have had to be “reworked” at dealers before delivery to customers.