[parineum]

The Roadster was released in 2008. Barely any money was spent on lobbying until after the Model S was already released (2012), the Powerwall announced (2015) and the Model X was released (2015). That's also post-IPO (2010).

Tesla was already a successful, innovative electric car company before it started lobbying like a regular car company.

All of the risk that paid off (what makes a businessman a good businessman) was done in the early days when he invested 6.5 million that he turned into billions.

[danaris]

Yeah, and Musk only became the CEO in 2008.

He didn't create the company, and he didn't create the Roadster.

[parineum]

He invested 6.5m of the 7.5m that was raised in funding. Without that investment, Tesla probably dies on the vine. He didn't "create" the Roadster but he did believe in the electric car and backed it up with a significant investment that allowed the people who were hired to create it to stay employed.

He deserves credit for believing in the David and turning it into Goliath (of EVs), even if government subsidies helped.

I support the government subsidizing clean energy, electric cars and cheaper access to space and I think it's hypocritical to turn around and shit on the companies that take advantage of those subsidies and do exactly the thing that they are meant to encourage.