WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.840 Thank you so much for being with us. You're at 2 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:04.200 Wired Science, Well, thank you for having me. I need 3 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:06.599 to first lay a little bit of a foundation here. 4 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:10.560 Two days into your physics program at Stanford University, you 5 00:00:10.679 --> 00:00:13.160 quit school to start a company called zip to a 6 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.519 media company, which you sold a few years later for 7 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.640 a paltry three hundred and seven million dollars. Then four 8 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:24.600 years later eBay buys PayPal. Is that correct? A company 9 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:28.719 that you established or helped you establish as work. And 10 00:00:28.760 --> 00:00:32.479 now you've taken those two enormous successes and you set 11 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:36.520 your ambition on space. How did you go from online 12 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:40.759 payment systems to building a spaceship? Essentially? 13 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:42.759 Well, when I. 14 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:44.719 Graduated from college, there were three areas that I thought 15 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:46.880 will be most impactful to the future of humanity. The 16 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:51.600 three were the Internet, space exploration, and then changing the 17 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:54.280 economy from a mine and burn hydrocobony based economy to 18 00:00:54.439 --> 00:00:56.280 one which is cellar electric, which I think is going 19 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:59.399 to be the primary, but not exclusive means of energy 20 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:00.000 and transportation. 21 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:02.520 Have we screwed it up so badly here on this 22 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:05.599 planet that our only hope is to build a new 23 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:07.439 civilization out there. 24 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:08.120 No, not at all. 25 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:11.079 Actually, I'm quite optimistic about the future of humanity on Earth. 26 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:13.319 You are, yeah, absolutely, So what is the benefit to 27 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:17.400 humanity then to inhabit Mars, which is really what is 28 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:19.599 an ambition of yours? Well, I think if you consider 29 00:01:19.640 --> 00:01:21.760 two paths, one where we're forever confined to Earth and 30 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:24.959 the other where we are space frank civilization out exploring 31 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:26.920 the stars, I think the latter is far more exciting 32 00:01:27.400 --> 00:01:31.439 and will result in a richer and more diverse human experience. 33 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.480 How can you do that better than NASA? 34 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:38.760 Well, well, you know, NATA is a customer of ours, 35 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:41.480 So there's a confusion in the public mind that perhaps 36 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.480 a company like SpaceX is competing with NASA, but in fact, NASA. 37 00:01:45.239 --> 00:01:46.239 Is a customer of ours. 38 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:50.560 So we're actually providing services to NASA launch services. 39 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:52.159 And when the. 40 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:55.760 Shuttle retires in twenty ten, so starting in twenty eleven, 41 00:01:56.239 --> 00:01:59.840 SpaceX's a rocket will replace the Space Shuttle in so 42 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:04.000 the space station with astronauts and Cogo transportation. 43 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:07.200 The name of your rocket ship is called the Falcon Explorer. 44 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.800 Is that it, Well, the Falcon nine, the Falcon nine, yeah, 45 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:13.400 is the rocket, and then the spaceship is Dragon Dragon. Yeah, 46 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:16.039 So the Falcon nine rocket lifts the Dragon spaceship. And 47 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:17.919 this Dragon spaceship is what goes to the space station 48 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:18.800 and then returns to Earth. 49 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:21.159 So it transports the falcon as almost cargo. 50 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:23.199 Then, so yeah, the Falcon nine is kind of like 51 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:27.919 the Semi okay or something like that, and transit the 52 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:31.599 falcon Ie booster rocket takes the Dragon spaceship to space 53 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:34.879 and drops it off. Then it goes to the space station, 54 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:38.520 but it ducks with the space station, transfers astronauts or 55 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:41.240 resupply you know, cargo, whatever whatever the case may be, 56 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:44.080 and then the Dragon spacecraft returns to Earth. 57 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:48.680 Reading some of the speeches that you have given in 58 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:52.159 your your career, and you mean like that, you're particularly 59 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:53.639 twenty three years You're twenty three years old. 60 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:55.240 I'm actually twelve, you're twelve. 61 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:58.080 I was going to say, you look terrific, But you 62 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:01.439 have said that we got law along the way with 63 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:04.400 our space program. What do you mean by that? Right? 64 00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:06.199 I think I think that was in some of my 65 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:09.479 congressional testament I gave a few speeches to Congress. Well, 66 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:11.719 what I mean by that is in nineteen sixty nine 67 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:13.719 we were able to go to the Moon, and here 68 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:16.639 we are over three decades later and we can barely 69 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:19.879 get to lower orbit. And I think by any measure, 70 00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:21.080 that is a step backwards. 71 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:24.400 Is that for a lack of leadership or technology. 72 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.080 I think we made the wrong technological choices. And I 73 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:30.080 think there was also a lack of will at the 74 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:34.319 highest levels of government to take the next step and well, 75 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:35.879 at least go at least stay on the Moon and 76 00:03:35.879 --> 00:03:38.840 peraps build a base there and then go beyond the 77 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:41.199 Moon to Mars. And if you look at the news 78 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:45.479 articles in the late sixties early seventies, the expectation was 79 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:48.039 that by now in the twenty first century, we would 80 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:50.360 have a Moon base and probably even a Mars bace. 81 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:52.840 And I think if you'd asked anyone at that point 82 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:55.879 in time whether we would be unable to go to 83 00:03:55.960 --> 00:03:59.159 the Moon and have no and not have been to Mars, 84 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:00.960 think they would I think you're crazy. 85 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:04.960 Do we need a leadership in that realm? Do we 86 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:07.080 need a John F. Kennedy who sets a goal for 87 00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:09.960 us when he said one one day man will walk 88 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:10.400 on the moon. 89 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:11.560 Do we need that. 90 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:14.800 Kind of leadership for this technology to move forward in 91 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:15.479 that big step. 92 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.439 I do think it's it's very important the president set 93 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:21.279 the priority and and determine that the goal. 94 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:24.120 Uh you know that that reals nation will all aspire to. 95 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:28.600 And you know, George Bush has his pluses and minuses, 96 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:32.120 but at least one plus is that he has helped 97 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:35.120 to steer the space program in a direction that that. 98 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:36.800 More or less makes sense. You know. 99 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:38.279 The only thing I would I would sort of argue 100 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:39.680 with is that I don't think we should be going 101 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:40.160 back to the Moon. 102 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:42.240 I think we should be focused on Mars. I think 103 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:42.959 we saw the Do. 104 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:44.680 You think that's a mistake focusing on the Moon? 105 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:46.480 I do think I do think we should rather go 106 00:04:46.519 --> 00:04:48.360 I think we should rather be focused on on Mars. 107 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:50.839 You know, the Moon is kind of like it's kind 108 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:52.720 of like the Arctic, and it's just it's just a 109 00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:55.680 very barren place and very very little resources. 110 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.600 It's small, it's not it's not really a place. 111 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:02.240 That we could establish of the human civilization. 112 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:04.360 There's a there's a there's a feeling of been there, 113 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:05.360 done that too with the Moon. 114 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:07.079 Yes, we saw that movie of the Sexies, you know, 115 00:05:07.079 --> 00:05:08.319 and the room makes never as good. 116 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:09.600 Did we really go to the Moon? 117 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:10.480 Ah? 118 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:15.560 Yes, we definitely just wanted to the government is incapable 119 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:17.720 of suppressing a conspiracy of that. 120 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:18.600 Mantor of that newture. 121 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:24.360 Okay, good, This ambition to explore space absolutely entrepreneur. There's 122 00:05:24.360 --> 00:05:26.439 there's quite a bit of competition out there. There's Jeff 123 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:29.519 Bezos with Blue Origin, There's Richard Branson with his Virgin 124 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:33.600 Galactic and I'm not talking about NASA either. There's Paul Allen, 125 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:37.000 there's the European Space Agency in Boeing and Lockheed Martin, 126 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:40.720 the Chinese, the Russians. Let's just throw all of them 127 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:44.920 into this a competitive field. How is SpaceX different? How 128 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:47.319 do you think you'll sort of surpass them? 129 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:51.079 Well, you know you've You've listed a wide range of 130 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:56.360 entities there, and I think the differences are really different 131 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:57.959 depending upon which one you're referring to. 132 00:05:58.439 --> 00:06:00.399 The Well, let me ask you this question. Who is 133 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:01.079 your competition? 134 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:08.959 We have no serious competition, No, not presently. 135 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:11.680 Who's chasing you? 136 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:18.560 Well, if you mean chasing and have and has a 137 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:21.240 serious chance of catching, then I think none that I'm 138 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:27.040 aware of. And by the say you guys kind of 139 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:30.879 a hack, then well, what Branson is doing, by the way, 140 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:34.639 I'm great admirer at Branson is really a much smaller 141 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:36.800 technological challenge. 142 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:38.240 So their craft. 143 00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:41.800 Would be suborbital, so it would go to about mark three. 144 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:45.399 Our craft is orbital, it goes to mark twenty five, 145 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:47.480 so twenty five times to speed of sound. But that 146 00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:50.759 doesn't describe the whole scale of difficulty because the energy 147 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:53.319 required to get those philosophies scales as the square of 148 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:56.319 the velocit. So to do what Branson is doing, you 149 00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:58.519 need to say about nine units of energy. To do 150 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:00.319 what we're doing, you need six hundred and twenty five 151 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:03.319 units of energy. The difference is monumental, and then when 152 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:05.279 you Rehanner you have to you have to burn off 153 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:08.439 all that energy, so that double's the problem. 154 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:08.800 Really. 155 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:11.879 So what Branson is known for a technological standpoint is 156 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:14.000 building something that can cross the English Channel. What we're 157 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:16.079 building is something that can circ navigate the globe. It's 158 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:20.680 a very different scale of technological difficulty. I still think 159 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:21.800 what he's doing is great, and by the way, I 160 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:25.720 bought a ticket on his effort. Yeah, yeah, I still 161 00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:28.399 think it's great, but it's not in the same league technologically. 162 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:31.000 So you're not particularly worried. 163 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:33.959 Certainly, not about no sileinly not about that. Now, the 164 00:07:33.959 --> 00:07:36.319 things that worry me are are we going to make 165 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:40.000 a mistake? The things that can really hurts face x 166 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.480 are I mean, our own foolishness, our own errors can 167 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:45.600 hurt us, but not none of the competition that I'm 168 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:45.920 aware of. 169 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:49.680 So generally you're worried about what's in front of you, 170 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:51.959 not the other guy, And in fact, you probably don't 171 00:07:51.959 --> 00:07:55.319 think about them in terms of how they criticize you 172 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:56.319 or what they think about you. 173 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:59.959 I don't think, actually, I don't think there's much criticism. 174 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:02.360 I mean Boeing and Lockied of course that they would criticize, 175 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.600 but I don't think any of the entrepreneurial guys would 176 00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:07.600 criticize what we're doing. And it certainly possibly I think, 177 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.240 you know, what Jeff Bezos is working on could ultimately, 178 00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:12.399 I mean, he does have aspirations to get to over 179 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:14.360 and beyond. It's just that what they're doing right now 180 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:17.720 is sub orbittal and at the sort of lower technology level. 181 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:21.079 What I think about at basics is really entirely what 182 00:08:21.319 --> 00:08:23.199 are we doing to ensure that our rocket is going 183 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:26.920 to be successful and that we are truly optimizing the 184 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:30.920 cost and ensuring a higher liability. I mean, that's just 185 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:33.240 a very very difficult problem. There's a reason why there's 186 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:35.720 an atomatic expression about rocket science being hard. 187 00:08:36.759 --> 00:08:37.960 It really is really hard. 188 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.000 So rocket science really is rocket science. 189 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:44.039 Yeah, it looks hard, and it's harder than it looks. 190 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:47.519 What's the big goal here, what's the long term plan? 191 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:51.559 Well, that the long term ultimate objective, the holy grail 192 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:54.679 is we would like to help make life multiplanetary. 193 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:59.159 That's really what we'd like to do, so establish societies 194 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.039 on as many any planets as possible. 195 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:01.960 Uh. 196 00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:04.480 Well, yeah, I think there's only one possibility. But yeah, 197 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:05.840 I mean even if we can just go from one 198 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:07.519 planet to two, I think that's a pretty big step. 199 00:09:07.720 --> 00:09:12.039 And you'll start with well Mars. Mars is the only Bible. 200 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:14.679 Viable planet, so multiplanetary life. 201 00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:19.000 Yeah, helped make life multiplanetary. I think that's an important thing. 202 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:22.840 I don't think your goal is big enough. Hah, Yeah, 203 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:23.639 it's ambitious. 204 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:25.720 Well, like I said, we don't expect to do it 205 00:09:25.720 --> 00:09:27.559 single handedly, but we certainly would like to help make 206 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:28.000 it happen. 207 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:29.679 It's fair to say you've made a fortune. 208 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:31.600 Yeah, I think so if you have any reasonable standard. 209 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:34.879 Yeah, and you know, those who work in science probably 210 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:38.679 understand your trajectory. But there are those who are watching? 211 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:41.240 Who would think if I made that money, I'd sit 212 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:43.440 on a beach, I'd drink beer, and I would just 213 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:46.440 watch the sunset, kind of like a Corona beer commercial. 214 00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:48.320 Have you ever thought about that as a career option? 215 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.679 You know, I find that really pretty boring, So that 216 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:53.159 would be torture. If I had to do that every day, 217 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.519 that would really be pretty awful for me. 218 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:59.320 Is there something about startup businesses that really fuels your 219 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:00.799 desire to work? 220 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:07.639 Well, I guess I really need to be preoccupied to 221 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:11.279 something and if I'm just sort of sitting there relaxing, 222 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:12.639 I can only do that for a very short period 223 00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:14.759 of time and then it becomes unbearable. 224 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:18.080 Although startups definitely have their highs and lows. 225 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:19.879 And as a friend of mine, who is a good phrase, 226 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:22.200 you know, a startup business is like eating glass and 227 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:23.200 staring into the abyss. 228 00:10:23.559 --> 00:10:25.919 What is the criteria that you established for yourself or 229 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:26.440 a startup? 230 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:28.879 I mean, why one business over another? 231 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:30.440 Yeah? 232 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:34.279 Well, for me, it's always about does what I'm doing matter? 233 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:37.159 If we are successful, does it matter to the world? 234 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:40.519 And so there are easier ways to make money than 235 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:44.399 starting a rocket company, or say a car company, or 236 00:10:44.440 --> 00:10:46.480 even when I started an Internet company, because when I 237 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:50.279 started the first Internet company, nobody had made any money, 238 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:52.559 and it wasn't clear that anyone would make any money. 239 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:55.240 It was simply from the perspective of the Internet being 240 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:57.279 a very important thing and something that needed to be built, 241 00:10:57.320 --> 00:10:58.360 and so I wanted to. 242 00:10:58.360 --> 00:10:58.799 Help hold it. 243 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:00.960 Well, you touch upon something that's interesting is that there 244 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:05.960 is a benefiting humanity is a very integral part of 245 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:09.679 your criteria no matter what you're starting up. Yes, absolutely, 246 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:12.919 really not everybody has that as a prime interest, but. 247 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:15.799 I think that's that's probably relatively unusual, although there are 248 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:17.559 many people that I know in Silicon Valley for whom 249 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.840 that is a significant motivation. 250 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:22.919 You said in your endeavor here to explore space that 251 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:25.720 we are committed to failing in a new way, if 252 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.279 nothing else. What did you mean by that? Just just 253 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:29.039 how it sounds. 254 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:32.600 Well, I mean we're I mean we're committed to succeed. 255 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:36.679 Really, but if we do fail, I would hope that 256 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:38.519 greatly stads to the body of knowledge such that those 257 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:40.279 who follow may make few mistakes. 258 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:45.080 Now, if Mars were not enough you you are busy 259 00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:47.320 here on earth, the world is not enough. 260 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:48.120 That's for you? 261 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:53.039 Where what have you no limits? My friend? Here on earth. 262 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:57.720 You are establishing a presence, certainly with Tesla Motors. Tell 263 00:11:57.799 --> 00:11:59.320 us a little bit about that. This is your electric 264 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:01.559 car company wreck right, and this is no this is 265 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:04.320 no hybrid car you could buy on a car lot. 266 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.879 This thing goes from zero to sixty and four seconds? 267 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:09.240 Is that? Yes? Absolutely is zero sixteen under four seconds. 268 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:12.039 It's faster, a better acceleration than any port currently in 269 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:14.039 production and any Ferrari except the end Zoe. 270 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:17.039 And it's twice the energy efficiency of a Prius. 271 00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:20.519 So it's you really have the moral high ground and 272 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:23.799 you get to, you know, leave the Ferrari guy in 273 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:24.600 your dest So. 274 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:27.159 Well, let me start to be let me ask the obvious. Well, 275 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:28.759 and you don't look like one of those guys who's 276 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:29.759 trying too hard in Ferrari. 277 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:32.840 Absolutely, yeah, you don't look like a jerk, you know you. 278 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:38.519 Up right banana yellow Lamborghini or or absolutely. 279 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:40.480 I mean this something I just point out about Tesla, 280 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:44.159 which is we didn't you know Tesla is the first 281 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:46.000 car is a sports car, not because we think the 282 00:12:46.039 --> 00:12:48.360 world lacks for a sports car, but because it is 283 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:50.039 the right entry point for the market. If you have 284 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.519 a new technology, the right place to enter is high 285 00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:55.200 unit cost, low unit volume. Just as you know when 286 00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:57.120 a new cell phone come out comes out, or a 287 00:12:57.159 --> 00:13:00.200 new a new laptop or or some some new thing, 288 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:03.000 it tends to be expensive at first because they're figuring 289 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:05.200 out all the issues and it takes time to optimize, 290 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.919 and then over time that that technology will become cheaper 291 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:12.080 and cheaper. And so the model two of Tesla, UH, 292 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:14.679 maybe I'm leaping ahead here, but Model two of Tesla 293 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:18.600 is a forty nine thousand dollars four door, five passenger sedan, 294 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:21.720 and that's that's going to be obviously a much broader 295 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:24.200 market segment that that that can make use of that car. 296 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:26.200 And then model three is intended to be around a 297 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:28.960 thirty thousand dollars price point, and so that's that's really 298 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:32.879 affordable by by almost everyone who's who's who can buy 299 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:34.600 a new car. So the idea is to drive to 300 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.799 mass market as rapidly as possible, but only at the 301 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:40.120 pace at which the technology matures. 302 00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:43.720 So is Henry Ford and someone you admire. 303 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:46.360 Well, I think Henry Ford made some very important contributions 304 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:49.879 to UH to business and obviously, you know, moving moving 305 00:13:49.960 --> 00:13:51.919 manufacturing line and that sort of thing. So I think 306 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:54.279 you certainly worthy of admiration. Here's a bit of an 307 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:58.919 out duct, but you know, certainly noteworthy. But the interest 308 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:01.480 in Tesla's is not from the perspective of, you know, 309 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:04.360 the world needs another car company. It's more from the 310 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:07.320 perspective of we have a very important environmental problem that 311 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:09.840 needs to be addressed, which is driven by the burning 312 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:13.120 of fossil fuels and the increasing K two concentration in 313 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:16.000 the atmosphere and global climate change, which I think is 314 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:18.360 going to be one of the most significant issues of 315 00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:20.639 the twenty first century. And the only way to really 316 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:22.799 get around that, in my view, is really with an 317 00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:25.000 electric vehicle, and then you need to pair that up 318 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:29.679 with a zero mission power generation method such as solar power. 319 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:31.559 I think is solar power is going to be a 320 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:32.240 really big deal. 321 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:34.039 Tesla is not a hybrid car. 322 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:35.960 Tesla's pure electric, pure electric. 323 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:37.639 So help connect the dots from me, why aren't we 324 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:39.360 seeing Tesla cars on the car lots? 325 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:43.759 Then, well, what's keeping the day them yet? So we're 326 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:45.360 just finishing up the development right now. 327 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:47.440 And anybody can buy this, Yes, how will you? 328 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:50.200 Actually we've almost sold out of two thousand and seven productions. 329 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.159 So if somebody doesn't want to buy next year's model, 330 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:53.159 they better act quickly. 331 00:14:53.320 --> 00:14:56.279 One of the primary complaints about hybrid vehicles is they're 332 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.200 not fast enough. You seem to overcome. 333 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:01.200 You won't have any trouble with this. In fact, really 334 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:06.679 there's something uniquely better about electric vehicles, which is that 335 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:08.960 the talk response is immediate. So if you want to 336 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:12.720 pass someone, I mean you just the response to the 337 00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:15.559 car is very immediate. It's just it's more fun to 338 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:18.000 drive an electric car than it is to drive a 339 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:18.679 gasoline car. 340 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.039 You know, I was going to say that Tesla the car, 341 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:23.440 the name of the car company is no coincidence, is it. 342 00:15:23.480 --> 00:15:25.080 We'll explain a little bit about that, right. 343 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:28.399 The company is named after Nicola Tesla, who was an inventor. 344 00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:31.919 He was originally from the sort of the area of 345 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:34.759 Yugoslavia and Europe, but he moved to America when he 346 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:38.840 was young and was an inventor of the ac induction motor. 347 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:42.039 Invented a lot of the principles of magnetism. So he 348 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:44.879 was a great man, a great, great inventor, and so 349 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:46.799 the company is named in honor of him. 350 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.240 So these cars, the Tesla Roadster the first the first 351 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:53.879 issue of the Tesla Roster available in two thousand and seven. Yes, 352 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.879 in the spring the summer. How do you get on 353 00:15:55.960 --> 00:15:56.519 the waiting list? 354 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:57.879 Well, you buy the car. 355 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:00.720 You basically put down a deposit, and we've actually can 356 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:03.039 you do that through the web. Yeah, we'll have by 357 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:05.200 the way customer centers all around the country. So we'll 358 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:08.080 have one in La, one of the various Cargo Miami, 359 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:12.159 New York, and eventually nationwide customer centers where somebody does 360 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:14.759 want to see the current person take a test drive 361 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:16.879 or see the car being worked on. I mean, we 362 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:18.759 have this idea for the way that the car is 363 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:22.080 a service, that it should be a really really pleasant experience. 364 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.039 So we have you know, some some some somewhere between 365 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:26.120 like a Starbucks and Apple store. So you go in 366 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:28.000 and you see the car being car's being worked on 367 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:30.360 behind a glass partition that would be your car you're 368 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:33.240 watching or somebody else's can. But it's really clean, it's 369 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:36.240 really clean, present bright. It'll be sort of a you know, 370 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:39.080 coffee bar available, you know, just to we really want 371 00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:41.360 to have a very pleasant experience that that you don't 372 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:42.879 typically get if you go into a dealership. 373 00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:44.919 Have you heard from Toyota, Have you heard from General 374 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:48.279 Motors and Ford saying use the company for sale? 375 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:52.080 Nobody's actually made a formal offer. But the interesting you know, 376 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.480 I think one of the one of the biggest values 377 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:57.639 that Tesla can Can can provide is serving as an 378 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:00.000 example to the rest of the auto industry because right now, 379 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:02.759 the order interest, you know, the big car companies believe 380 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:05.799 that a bible electric vehicle is not possible and be 381 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:07.480 if even if it was, people would buy it. So 382 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:09.319 we need to show that that need of those are true, 383 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:11.839 that the technology works, that people want to buy it, 384 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:15.240 and that will be the most effective way of really 385 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:17.640 driving change in the in the order industries by serving 386 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:19.640 as an example in that matter. And if we were 387 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:21.759 to sell the company to one of one of the 388 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:23.839 big car compans, I think it would really slow things down. 389 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:25.839 Mm hmm, you think so. Absolutely. 390 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:29.519 You're very busy enterprising the part of your company that 391 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:33.000 will explore space. You're very busy with this car company. 392 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.759 Where do you find time to be CEO of two 393 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:37.440 companies that size well. 394 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:40.400 I should correct you that I'm CEO of SpaceX and 395 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:42.440 I'm chairmingan c of SpaceX and that is really my 396 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:42.880 day job. 397 00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:44.599 So I spend eighty percent of my time on SpaceX. 398 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:47.640 Okay, I am the chairman and the principal owner of 399 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.160 Tesla Motors, but I do not run it on a 400 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:50.839 daily basis. 401 00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:52.920