Tesla has removed an 18-year-old manifesto written by Elon Musk from its blog, along with all posts from Musk and other executives before 2019. The manifesto, known as the “Secret Master Plan,” outlined Musk’s vision for Tesla, focusing on the company’s role in fighting climate change by promoting electric vehicles and solar power. However, Musk’s recent interview with climate-skeptic Donald Trump has suggested a shift in his views on the oil and gas industry, a departure from his previous stance on the importance of renewable energy.
In the 2006 blog post, Musk emphasized the importance of transitioning from a hydrocarbon economy to a solar electric economy and making electric vehicles more affordable. Despite Tesla’s success and record sales, Musk has scaled back his goal for the company to sell 20 million vehicles annually by the end of the decade. Instead, he is now focusing on promoting robotaxis and autonomous vehicles as key to Tesla’s future profitability. The company’s updated vision, “Master Plan, Part Deux,” published in 2016, has also been removed from the blog.
The removal of the older Tesla blogs comes amid concerns about the company’s claims about its autonomous driving capabilities. A class-action lawsuit has accused Musk and Tesla of misleading buyers about the abilities of the company’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. California regulators have also charged Tesla with false advertising regarding these features, and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has raised concerns about drivers potentially overestimating the capabilities of the technology, leading to fatal crashes.
The 2006 manifesto was published shortly after Tesla’s first public event in which it unveiled its Roadster EV to the public. The document played a crucial role in establishing Tesla’s mission and purpose at a time when the electric vehicle market was virtually non-existent. Musk’s vision outlined in the manifesto helped Tesla gain recognition within the environmental community, secure funding before its IPO in 2010, and even be studied at Stanford University’s business school. However, the recent removal of these historical posts raises questions about the direction and messaging of the company moving forward.
Despite the disappearance of the older blog posts, the text and images can still be found on various Tesla fan sites. However, they are no longer available via the Wayback Machine internet archive. Musk and Tesla have not responded to requests for comment on the removal of the old posts and the evolving narrative surrounding the company’s vision and goals. The changing perspectives on sustainability, electric vehicles, and autonomous driving technologies present challenges for Tesla as it navigates its future path and works to maintain its position as a leader in the automotive industry.
