ELON MUSK. BEHIND THE MIRAGE.

"Because of his remarkable capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, his figure is often compared to the Marvel comic and movie character: Tony Stark, Ironman, although, I believe, the Ironman suit is rather too small for him."

I promised earlier I will dedicate a chapter about the most active and positive influencer on the acceleration of today’s energy paradigm changing process, and here it is.

Perhaps what most amazes me about Elon Musk is his ability to build sustainable business models to support social return activities.

If the economic success of his ventures happens to be not just a passing mirage, everything he is doing for the development of the human civilization could become the most remarkable sing of confirmation that social economy and sustainable development are compatible and possible.

"If not for actions and ideas that inspire us, what is the meaning of life?"

Physicist and businessman originally from South Africa and Canada (*142), he became interested in sustainable transport and renewable energy generation when he had already launched successful and disruptive projects, such as the online payment system Paypal.

Because of his remarkable capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, his figure is often compared to the Marvel comic and movie character: Tony Stark, (*143), Ironman, (*144) although, I believe, the Ironman suit is rather too small for him. (*145)

Being Elon Musk conscious about that the current transport system is not only unsustainable, but considering the current technological development it is totally anachronistic, once again he felt the uncontrollable impulse to change things, and decided to do so.

"Perhaps what most amazes me about Elon Musk is his ability to build sustainable business models to support social return activities. "

First he designs the formula to stimulate and accelerate social change, and then he builds a business model that supports the development and implementation of the activity to ensure the achievement of the objective.

It's not about making money, just for making money, in this case selling by electric cars –which, by the way, until his arrival, it seemed impossible-.

To be clear, and as odd it may seem the goal is not becoming "filthy rich". Elon Musk had already experienced that part.

His idea is to decisively contribute to the positive change. How? First, by accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation.

Elon Musk assumes that the massive burning of fossil fuels is killing us. It is directly killing the people, by the impoverishment of air quality in cities, and indirectly all living things, because of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. (*146)

Moreover, he considers that we have already crossed the no returning point, in terms of irreparable damage. And not only for the nearly 13 million people, who worldwide die each year because of the unhealthy environment, of which, according to the World Health Organization (*147) , more than half deaths are attributable to air pollution (*148).

The goal is, nothing more and nothing less than saving the life on planet Earth.

The objective includes the possibility to alleviate suffering posed by catastrophic effects of the emissions from the massive burning of fossil fuels, to the maximum number of people possible. But doing it also in sustainable way that can assure its continuity over time..

"The goal is, nothing more and nothing less than saving the life on planet Earth."

As he has done previously in his entrepreneurial activities, he approaches the question trying to be as practical and effective as possible, but this time also applying the sustainability criteria and assuming all the Corporate Social Responsibility maxims without ambiguity.

It is necessary to drastically reduce harmful emissions and in particular CO2 emissions.

What are the options to do so, but without becoming stuck in any more delays discussing how to undertake the task while we continue burning fossil fuel at the same or even higher unsustainable rate?

Elon Musk chooses to roll up his sleeves and get to it. He decides to do it the way he considers most practical and effective, within the regulatory framework currently in place.

As we said, he decides to help accelerate the transition to sustainable transport. (*149)

If we were able to substitute road traffic with zero emissions vehicles the emissions reduction would be substantial to correct the present dramatic situation. (*150)

But as we have mentioned already, people who have invested their fortunes, in the manufacture of combustion motor vehicles, and in the oil industry, still continue to make more and more money out of these activities.

We have to show them that they can also continue to make more and more money in other activities that are not harmful for human kind and life on Earth.

Look what a privileged mind Elon Musk has, to overcome such a difficult barriers.

Elon Musk breaks the pre-established model by demonstrating that there is another better, and that even provides more benefits.

"If we were able to substitute road traffic with zero emissions vehicles the emissions reduction would be substantial to correct the present dramatic situation."

He then arises to produce the best vehicles ever built, but to be zero emissions, and with better performance at a better price than the combustion engine ones in its class.

He breaks the pre-established model and shows that there is another one, much better.

For the first time in the history of road motor vehicles the selling price of each vehicle also includes the energy needed to run it, for life!

That is, when you buy a Tesla Motors (*151) car, if you wish, what you pay includes all the energy from renewable sources, to use it for life.

We had never thought until now that when we buy a car, a van or a truck, for the little or the much we pay, all that money we spent is worth absolutely nothing, unless we keep on paying afterwards for the gas. It's not like most other articles of use and consumption. When we buy a pair of shoes, for example, we can start using them immediately, and it is not required to pay more money, every day, for them to work. The combustion engine vehicles only, and only if we make recurring payments for the purchase of fuel, will be able to accomplish their task of transporting.

"For the first time in the history of road motor vehicles the selling price of each vehicle also includes the energy needed to run it, for life! "

Elon Musk shows that it is possible to also impute to the price of the zero-emission car, the energy we need to move, and still be competitive with the combustion engine cars.

Which, moreover, makes us suspect that we've been suffering some kind of "scam" during a few decades.

But apart from this feeling, Musk does not stop there, he raises manufacturing and marketing formulas which are equally disruptive. (*152)

Before any of the traditional combustion motor vehicle manufacturers could realize there is a “new kid in town”, Elon Musk puts on the market indeed the best vehicles ever manufactured (*153) which are: 100% zero emissions.

In less than ten years, he builds the largest renewable energy supply network ever deployed in the World destined to road transport. (*154) And he leads sales in the category segments in several territories without advertising budget and without dealer shops.

It is true that at some point I have criticized that Elon Musk initially concentrated only in the manufacture of ninety thousand dollars, and onwards supercars, with exaggerated and unnecessary power and acceleration figures for city and highway people transport, instead of also addressing more rational and affordable solutions for all.

But I recognize that the way to go faster in the process of accelerating change of system passes through seducing and convincing the powerful people, the ones whose decisions affect the many.

I must share with you my experience. Arriving with a Tesla model S, (*155) the stylish 5 + 2 seat luxurious sedan, capable of accelerating like a F1 from 0 to 60mph in less than 3 seconds, you just have to open the door for any fund owner, top executive or top government official to voluntarily and willingly step in.

The captivating power of this technological innovation product is impressive.

While experiencing its spectacular acceleration and conditions of super luxury electric vehicle, the VIP lowers guard of inherited convictions about energy, and listens to me when I talk about the need for the energy paradigm change, and the benefits of non- polluting 100% electric vehicle.

Elon Musk wanted, to attract the attention of the most powerful people in the world with his products and new business models to then focus on the need and possibility of change of the energy models.

"The captivating power of this technological innovation product is impressive. "

And so he has done.

He has also altered the pace of traditional large automakers, by the way increasingly in ever fewer hands, which were used to mark their own rhythms. (*156)

Tesla Motors vehicles are the cleanest, more efficient and sustainable ones, but also the fastest, the safest, the healthiest, the most innovative, the best price / performance ratio and, many say, that also the prettiest.

Until the arrival of Tesla Motors, nobody in the world of the vehicle manufacturing had managed to arouse the interest of world citizens, without any advertising expenses, (*157) to get to invest in making their vehicles.

It happened with its first model based on the design of the Lotus Elise, the Tesla Roadster. (*158 )

It happened with the Model S. (*159)

It happened with the Model X, (*160) the Sport Utility Vehicle SUV, 7 seats (equipped with the most powerful air purification system in the market biological warfare proof), capable of leaving behind a noisy 740hp Lamborghini Aventador. (*161)

And it has happened with the model 3, reaching over 400 million dollars in pre reserves. (*162)

This is the first vehicle of Tesla Motors, considered in the category of economy subcompact, that starting at 35,000 dollars offers the autonomous driving system and a choice of over 600 km range.

At the same time, Elon Musk wanted to accelerate the shift to renewable energy generation with the creation and implementation of Solarcity (*163), the great collective decentralized generator of clean, renewable energy in the United States, based on citizen participation.

Again, a disruption of an established model. From traditional centralized large plants power generation in the hands of a few companies, to a decentralized generation produced on the roofs of millions of citizens, and accumulated in Tesla batteries.

SolarCity and Tesla Motors finally merged in 2016.(*164)

Elon Musk has mobilized all his material and intellectual resources to slow down the degradation of the ecosystem that gives us life, and accelerate the energy model shift independent from fossil fuels. The main goal, remember, to save and prolong life as we know it on Earth.

But, you see, to Elon Musk, this is not enough.

"The ultimate goal, remember, to save and prolong life as we know it on Earth. "

Also aware of what science advances to us, and that eventually and no matter what, inevitably at a given future, for us too distant future, he becomes preoccupied about life will no longer be possible on Earth because Earth will disappear consumed by the Sun during its last cycles to complete extinction. (*165)

This is apparently inevitably expected to happen around 7,600 million years from today.

Although fortunately science tells us this will happen very far from now, Elon Musk wants to help humanity to start finding other places to live before complete Earth disappearance happens.

And once again returns to encourage the creation of new models that break with the past.

He is convinced that it is necessary to accelerate space exploration and that it is stagnant, among other issues, because of the lack of standardization and the reuse of materials, which unnecessarily makes all processes too expensive.

He creates the aerospace company SpaceX (*166) and delves into the dangerous league linked to the "defense" industry.

He finds all kind of obstacles, (*167) especially when he shows that his plan for reusable rockets is feasible and that his missions become much cheaper. He starts getting more and more contracts away from traditional aerospace providers.

In 2010, eight years after its creation, SpaceX managed to become the private US Company with more space transportation contracts and more satellites put into orbit.

It has been the first to create operational rockets capable of returning to the starting point on Earth, to be re-released back into space with new merchandise. (*168)

Full of sense, among many other things, Elon Musk says that it does not seem very much of the twenty- first century that a spacecraft which bring astronauts form space should fall like a stone hanged from a parachute with no precision landing.

"Eight years after its creation, SpaceX managed to become the private US Company with more space transportation contracts and more satellites put into orbit."

With his team and, again in record time, he creates the space capsule Dragon V2, initially designed for precision landing. (*169)

Let’s compile the accumulated “medals”. Since its foundation, among other successes, SpaceX has being:

The first private owned company that with private funds has put into orbit a liquid fuel rocket. Falcon 1 Flight 4, September 28, 2008.

The first private company to launch, place in orbit and successfully recover a spacecraft. Falcon 9, Flight 2, December 9, 2010.

The first private company that has been allowed, and has successfully sent a spacecraft to the International Space Station. Falcon 9, Flight 3, May 25, 2012.

The first private company to send a satellite into geosynchronous orbit. Falcon 9, Flight 7, December 3, 2013.

The first aerospace company that has successfully achieved to independently and accurately land on Earth a space rocket, just after launched. Falcon 9, Flight 20, December 22, 2015.

The first aerospace company that has successfully landed a rocket on an offshore platform. Falcon 9, Flight 23, April 8, 2016.

The first aerospace company that has successfully launched, landed, re-launched and re-landed a rocket. Falcon 9, Flight 32, March 30, 2017.

The first aerospace company that successfully achieves the return and controlled landing of a space rocket, after having deposited its cargo into space. Falcon 9, Flight 32, March 30, 2017.

The first aerospace company able to successfully achieve the reuse of a commercial spaceflight. Falcon 9, Flight 35, June 3, 2017.

All this allows Elon Musk to bring forward the timing for the beginning of the interplanetary trips for humans. (*170)

The first mission aims the colonization of Mars as an indispensable step to get out of the solar system. (*171)

As we have seen, the figure of Elon Musk deserved a separate chapter, if only to approach his tremendous ability to alter the pre-established economic and productive models in a way that help us achieve a truly sustainable development.

However I encourage you to consult this chapter’s footnotes, links and references, and to deepen into the exploits of this character who never ceases to amaze us.

All progress proposed and made by Elon Musk and his team, spins around the need to develop better and more efficient ways to generate and to use energy, including transport, developing and rationally applying available technology in a sustainable way.

Therefore, and also, in this case, taking into consideration the criteria of mere survival, he uses his personal resources and best efforts to the necessary regulation and supervision of the present development of Artificial Intelligence, so that it is always subject to the protection and defense of human life.

Elon Musk frequently expresses in his public appearances: "If not for actions and ideas that inspire us, what is the meaning of life?"(*172)

From the book by Ricardo Fraguas Poole "Love&Sustainability" "Fossil fuels vs climate change" 2018. Chapter 17.

Links to references.

*142. 'Elon Musk,' a Biography by Ashlee Vance, Paints to Driven Portrait, The NY Times review, 2015.

*143. Elon Musk Truly Is A Modern Day Tony Stark, HuffPost 2016

*144. Who is Elon Musk? Tech billionaire, cowboy SpaceX, Tesla pioneer - and real life Iron Man, The Telegraph, 2017.

*145. Elon Musk Cameo scene, Ironman 2, Youtube, 2012.

*146. The future we are building, TED, 2017

*147. Each year 12.6 million people die because of unsafe environment, WHO, 2017

*148. 7 million premature deaths linked to air pollution Annually, WHO, 2014

*149. Model X presentation, "Tesla mission is to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport" Elon Musk, Tesla Motors, 2016.

*150. Vehicles 1.2 Billion On Roads Now World's 2 Billion By 2035: Report, Green Car Reports, 2014

*151. Tesla Motors

*152. Tesla Gigafactory, 2017

*154. World Super Tesla charging stations network, 2017 155 Tesla Model S, 2017

*156. Tesla is transforming the auto industry, Forbes, 2017 144

*157. The Brilliant Tesla Advertising Strategy, or Lack Thereof, Nicolas Zart, teslarati, 2014.

*158. The Car That all started, Aaron Brown, Business Insider, 2016

*159. Tesla Takes more than 500 Model S reservations in a week, Tesla 2010

*160. Tesla Model X Reservations Worldwide Approximately 27,000, Mark Kane, Inside EVs, 2015.

*161 Tesla Model X P100D Ludicrous sets World Record Lamborghini Aventador SV vs Drag Racing 1/4 Mile, Drag Times, Youtube, 2016.

*162. Tesla now averaging more than 1,800 a day reservations Model 3, CNN, 2017

*163. SolarCity, 2017.

*164. Tesla and SolarCity merger gets approval from shareholders, NBC, 2016.

*165. How long will life on planet Earth survive? Colin Barras, BBC, 2015

*166. SpaceX

*167. Senate Hearing on National Security Space Launch Programs With Elon Musk, On Youtube, 2014.

*168. Aerospace SpaceX Makes History with successful launch and landing of a rocket used, Loren Grush, The Verge, 2017.

*169. Dragon V2 presentation, SpaceX, 2014

*170. Mars, SpaceX, 2017.

*171. Life on Mars: Elon Musk reveals details of colonization His vision, Hanna Devlin, The Guardian, 2017

*172. Hyperoop Prize, Reuters 2017