Tesla silently removes key climate manifesto written by Elon Musk
What's the story
Tesla, the electric vehicle (EV) giant founded in 2003, has silently removed CEO Elon Musk's climate manifesto from its official website. The manifesto, titled "The Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan (just between you and me)," was first published nearly two decades ago. It outlined Musk's vision for a future with zero-emission road transport and his strategy to transition from a hydrocarbon economy toward a solar-electric one.
Master plan
Musk's original vision for Tesla
In the now-removed manifesto, Musk had stated, "The overarching purpose of Tesla Motors (and the reason I am funding the company) is to help expedite the move from a mine and burn, hydrocarbon economy toward a solar-electric economy." He further outlined his goals as building a sports car and using its profits to create more affordable cars while also offering zero-emission electric power generation options.
Plan deux
Tesla's expansion and self-driving technology
Alongside the original manifesto, a second document known as "Master Plan Part Deux" has also been removed from Tesla's website. This plan outlined Tesla's ambition to expand into all major car segments, develop self-driving technology that would be 10 times safer than manual driving, and enable cars to generate income for their owners when not in use. Despite these ambitious plans, Tesla has faced legal challenges due to fatal accidents allegedly involving its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) systems.
Market dynamics
Tesla's market position and future goals
Despite successfully launching mass-market models like the Model 3 and Model Y, Tesla's EV market share is dwindling as competitors catch up. The company is now focusing on building the world's most powerful "AI supercomputer clusters," which will serve as the backbone for robotaxis and humanoid robots. Tesla hasn't issued an official statement explaining the missing content. This silence has fueled speculation and criticism, particularly from those who feel Tesla is distancing itself from its initial environmental goals.