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The ‘Elon Musk Method’ explains Tesla’s runaway success in the EV sector
Over his 16-year tenure at Tesla, Elon Musk went from knowing very little about the automotive business to being the CEO of the world’s most valuable carmaker by market cap. The journey towards Tesla’s current place in the electric vehicle sector, together with the numerous small milestones that the company has achieved over the years, is partly due to Musk’s style. Without the “Elon Musk Method,” Tesla’s successes would likely have been not as notable, and most certainly not as radical.
As noted in a Reuters article, Elon Musk’s record has shown that beyond the rockstar bravado that he displays on social media platforms like Twitter at times, the Tesla CEO is a quick learner who is smart and strategic enough to forge alliances with companies that had tech that Tesla lacked. Musk would then follow this up by hiring the smartest people available in the industry, before powering through boundaries that limited companies that are more risk-averse.
Under Musk’s leadership, Tesla flourished as a vertically-integrated electric car maker. From computers to car seats and now to battery cells, Musk is intent on making Tesla more and more independent. Speaking with the news agency, a former senior executive at Tesla noted that Musk is consistently set on pursuing improvements that would make something better, faster, and cheaper. “Elon doesn’t want any part of his business to be dependent on someone else. And for better or worse – sometimes better, sometimes worse – he thinks he can do it better, faster and cheaper,” the executive said.
According to people familiar with Tesla’s strategy in its early days, Musk has always been looking to learn more about the auto industry. He accomplishes this through several means such as strategic partnerships and aggressive talent recruitment. Back then, the goal of Tesla was reportedly to create a digital version of Ford’s iron-ore-to-Model-A production system, which was developed in the late 1920s. Former Tesla supply chain executive Tom Wessner noted that during these times, “Elon thought he could improve on everything the suppliers did – everything. He wanted to make everything.”
Among these components, of course, were the battery cells that are used for Tesla’s electric cars. Musk’s subordinates have reportedly argued against the idea of developing proprietary battery cells, but the CEO has been adamant about his goal. A former Tesla veteran who spoke to Reuters added that such a reaction from Musk is well within character. “Tell him ‘No’ and then he really wants to do it,” the veteran said. This is something that has happened in the past, as Musk was reportedly looking into battery cell manufacturing since 2011, well before going into a close partnership with Panasonic in 2013.
Tesla’s relationship with Panasonic could be described as a roller coaster ride. Tesla’s demands during the Model 3 ramp appeared to have strained the capabilities of its Japanese partner, and last year, reports emerged alleging that the two companies were growing apart. Yet even with the upcoming debut of Tesla’s Roadrunner cells, Panasonic maintains that it has a strong relationship with Tesla. “There has been no change in our relationship with Tesla. Our relationship, both past and present has been sound. Panasonic is not a supplier to Tesla; we are partners. There’s no doubt our partnership will continue to innovate and contribute to the betterment of society,” a Panasonic spokesperson stated.
It appears that Tesla’s long partnership with Panasonic is part of the building blocks of the Roadrunner project. True to form, Musk likely used the knowledge he learned from the veteran Japanese firm to help create an in-house battery cell production line that could be perfectly designed for Tesla’s electric vehicles and energy products. This, in a way, echoes much of Tesla’s development alliance with Daimler in the past. Daimler was an early investor in Tesla, and during the time, Musk reportedly became very interested in sensors that could help keep cars within lane lines. As noted by a senior Daimler engineer, the Tesla Model S lacked the necessary cameras and driver-assistance sensors to match the flagship features of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class then. Musk and the Tesla team then went to work, and the result was history.
“He learned about that and took it a step further. We asked our engineers to shoot for the moon. He went straight for Mars,” the Daimler executive said.
Elon Musk
Tesla Takedown group prepares anti-Elon Musk effort on November 15
Organizers also emphasized that “Tesla Takedown is a peaceful protest movement. We oppose violence, vandalism and destruction of property.”
A coalition of activists has announced a coordinated “Tesla Takedown” Day of Action on November 15, urging participants worldwide to protest Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s newly approved 2025 performance award.
Organizers described the movement as a peaceful protest against what they view as excessive corporate power and wealth concentration in the hands of one individual.
Activists try again
Tesla Takedown organizers said their November 15 protests will coincide with the nine-month anniversary of their first weekend of action. In a public statement, the group called on supporters to “host or join an action in your community” under the banner #NoTrillionaires, framing the event as a stand against billionaire influence in politics and technology.
“Fascism is on the march in America and around the world. Institutions and elites are caving. We’re fighting back. No one is doing more to fuel the rise of fascism than Elon Musk. Now, Tesla shareholders want to supercharge his assault on democracy by making him a trillionaire. Yes, with a T. That will make him even more dangerous. The good news is, we CAN stop him. His insane trillion-dollar incentive package depends on hitting huge benchmarks. That’s where all of us come in,” the group wrote.
Organizers also emphasized that “Tesla Takedown is a peaceful protest movement. We oppose violence, vandalism and destruction of property. This protest is a lawful exercise of our First Amendment right to peaceful assembly.”
The group’s emphasis on opposing violence and vandalism is a welcome statement considering that previous Tesla Takedown protests have resulted in arrests and chaos in the past. Earlier this year, anti-Tesla individuals vandalized, firebombed, and shot at several Tesla locations in protest of Elon Musk.
Musk’s pay package
The planned demonstrations follow Tesla shareholders’ recent approval of CEO Elon Musk’s 2025 performance award, a landmark pay plan that could make him the world’s first trillionaire if key performance and valuation goals are achieved. Over 75% of shareholders voted in favor of the award during Tesla’s 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, where Musk appeared on stage to thank investors alongside the company’s humanoid robot, Optimus.
The pay plan links Musk’s compensation to ambitious operational and stock price milestones that could see Tesla become the world’s most valuable company by a wide margin with a market cap of $8.5 trillion. Musk is also required to hit several product targets for the electric vehicle maker. These include the delivery of 20 million Tesla vehicles cumulatively, 10 million active FSD subscriptions, 1 million Tesla bots delivered, and 1 million Robotaxis in operation.
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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 top world’s best-selling EV rankings in September
The two vehicles’ feat was highlighted recently by CEO Elon Musk in a post on X.
The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 are still the best-selling electric vehicles in the world in September, a remarkable achievement given that both EVs are premium models that typically command higher prices than their competitors.
The two vehicles’ feat was highlighted recently by CEO Elon Musk in a post on X.
Still best-selling
As observed by tech watcher @XFreeze, the Model Y and Model 3 were the world’s #1 and #2 best-selling electric vehicles in the world in September 2025. Interestingly enough, the list includes both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric cars.
During the month, Tesla was able to sell 140,904 Model Y crossovers and 67,374 Model 3 sedans across the globe. This is quite impressive considering that the Model Y and Model 3 have been around for several years now, and they are still premium-priced.
Staying power
The Model Y and Model 3’s stellar staying power may be due to a variety of factors, including the vehicles’ bang-for-the-buck nature. The Model 3, for example, is quite a bit closer to the price of a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic, but its amenities are closer to those of the BMW 3 Series. The same is true for the Model Y.
Despite their relatively mainstream price, the Model 3 and Model Y offer a ton of tech features that are only available in Teslas. These include Full Self-Driving, which is steadily becoming a huge selling point in territories where it is available, and the company’s vast suite of tech-centric convenience features. The fact that the Model 3 and Model Y are among the safest vehicles in their respective classes doesn’t hurt either.
Tesla has lost its Model Y Program Manager, he announced on LinkedIn, marking the second major departure from the company today.
Emmanuel Lamacchia has been in the role for 4 years and 7 months, responsible for the rollout of the all-electric crossover in several markets.
The Model Y became the best-selling vehicle in the world for two years under Lamacchia’s watch, making this a huge loss for the company. However, it seems the decision was made under Lamacchia’s own initiative.
He confirmed his decision on LinkedIn:
“After 8 incredible years, I’m moving on from Tesla.
What a journey it’s been… from leading NPI for Model 3 and Model Y variants to becoming the Vehicle Program Manager for Model Y, the best-selling car in the world!
Leading the All-New Model Y launch was the highlight: converting all 4 factories across 3 continents in just 2 weeks. Something that had never been done before in the auto industry.
To the teams who made this possible: you should be incredibly proud. This achievement belongs to you: the engineers, designers, buyers, and associates in Fremont, Shanghai, Berlin, and Austin who turned an impossible timeline into reality.
Grateful to the leaders who trusted me with programs that stretched my capabilities and to the cross-functional partners who showed me that great solutions come from collaboration, not hierarchy.
Tesla taught me how to move fast without breaking things and how to scale from prototypes to millions of units.
Excited for what’s next. More to share soon.”
It marks the second major program loss for Tesla today, as it also bid farewell to Cybertruck and Model 3 Program Manager Siddhant Awasthi, who said he left voluntarily in “one of the hardest decisions of his life.”
Lamacchia was at Tesla for just a shade under eight years, and previously worked for Rolls-Royce for roughly the same amount of time.
After the loss of both Lamacchia and Awasthi today, Tesla has lost a handful of key executives in 2025, including:
- David Imai, Director of Design
- David Lau, VP of Software Engineering
- Mark Westfall, Head of Mechanical Engineering
- Prashant Menon, Regional Director in India
- Vineet Mehta, Head of Battery Architecture
- Omead Afshar, VP/Head of Sales and Manufacturing in North America
- Milan Kovac, Head of Optimus Team
- Jenna Ferrua, Director of HR
- Troy Jones, VP of Sales, Service, and Delivery
- Pete Bannon, VP of Hardware Engineering
- Piero Landolfi, Director of Service
Tesla Takedown group prepares anti-Elon Musk effort on November 15
Tesla Model Y and Model 3 top world’s best-selling EV rankings in September
Tesla loses Model Y program manager in second blow in single day
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