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The legend of Tesla's Elon Musk explained in 10 tweets

November 17, 2017 17:22 IST

The comparison to Iron Man is common.

Elon Musk

Photograph: Mark Brake/Getty Images

It is things like the shock launch of the Roadster supercar yesterday that give Tesla CEO Elon Musk a cult like following across the world.

Musk was there to launch the Tesla Semi, the prototype of the company's first electric big-rig truck.

Electric trucks are Tesla's newest effort -- after electric cars, solar roofs and power storage -- to move the world away from fossil fuels. And the Tesla Semi is an impressive first.

According to the company, it can accelerate to 60 miles per hour in 5 seconds, and reach that speed in 20 seconds hauling a maximum 80,000 pound load. This means it is must faster than a traditional diesel truck!

It also has a 500-mile (800 km) range.

But then Musk opened the Tesla Semi's trailer and out came the Roadster -- or what Musk described as 'the fastest production car ever'!

The latest Tesla car is capable of going from 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 'the first such car ever to break the two second mark', according to the entrepreneur.

It will also 'climb from 0 to 100 mph in 4.2 seconds' and 'clear a quarter mile in 8.9 seconds.'

'This will the first time that any production car has broken 9 seconds in the quarter mile,' Musk said

And that's not the only new record. The Tesla Roadster has a 200 kilowatt hour battery pack, which will give it a range of 620 miles (1,000 km) on a single charge.

'The point of doing this is to give a hardcore smackdown to gasoline cars,' Musk said. 'Driving a gasoline sports car is going to feel like a steam engine with a side of quiche.'

Musk's fans on the internet, predictably, went berserk.

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

 

Elon musk tweet

Rediff Get Ahead Bureau