Here is part of the conversation on Sunday night, which shows Mr. Musk's willingness to learn but may make investors wary:
Scott Pelley: How did you figure you were going to start a car company and be successful at it?
Elon Musk: Well, I didn't really think Tesla would be successful. I thought we would most likely fail. But I thought that we at least could address the false perception that people have that an electric car had to be ugly and slow and boring like a golf cart.
Scott Pelley: But you say you didn't expect the company to be successful? Then why try?
Elon Musk: If something's important enough you should try. Even if you -- the probable outcome is failure.The Telsa Model S was the Motor Trend 2013 Car of the Year, with the magazine noting:
The 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year is one of the quickest American four-doors ever built. It drives like a sports car, eager and agile and instantly responsive. But it's also as smoothly effortless as a Rolls-Royce, can carry almost as much stuff as a Chevy Equinox, and is more efficient than a Toyota Prius. Oh, and it'll sashay up to the valet at a luxury hotel like a supermodel working a Paris catwalk. By any measure, the Tesla Model S is a truly remarkable automobile, perhaps the most accomplished all-new luxury car since the original Lexus LS 400. That's why it's our 2013 Car of the Year.Even with this success, Mr. Musk still faces problems distributing his cars in some states. For instance, New Jersey may take away Telsa's license to sell cars directly to customers and bypass dealerships. Then again, he has faced even greater challenges in the past and won.
