Tesla News: A Homemade Tesla Commercial Competition and Elon Musk Defends Employment Decisions

Musk Approves Homemade Tesla Commercial Competition

Elon Musk has just approved a Homemade Tesla Commercial Competition! How did it all begin? With a letter by a precocious grade school student.

A writer for InsideEVs recently contacted Tesla on behalf of his grade school daughter. The daughter wrote a letter asking Musk to consider endorsing a competition among Tesla fans. Fans would produce their own homemade commercial for Tesla and Tesla would choose a winner. The winner would get their commercial broadcasted and win a small prize. Elon liked the idea and almost immediately responded; “We’ll do it!”

If you’d like to drum up support for Tesla and have a little fun making your own commercial, here’s your chance! Tesla hasn’t posted any details yet. Please follow Tesla and Elon Musk on Twitter for more information in the near future.

Elon Musk Defends Employment Decisions

In February Gizmodo questioned Elon Musk on the basis of claims made by a Tesla Fremont factory employee, Jose Moran. Musk responded denouncing the accusations against the Fremont plant and denying an employee desire to become unionized. One of many concerns mentioned by Moran is the excessive overtime. In response Musk writes: “There is sometimes mandatory overtime if we are trying to make up for a production stoppage, but it is dropping almost every week”.

Musk also points out that Tesla’s starting pay is considerably higher than the national average for car factory workers. It is of note however, that according to forrent.com the average 2 bedroom apartment in Fremont CA costs around $2000+ a month. Apartments in the surrounding area often go for more. If as Moran asserts, Tesla employees are paid around $20 an hour to start, rent could easily take up roughly 60 percent of their monthly income. We found pay information for Tesla on payscale.com. Though certain salaries do seem low, profit sharing is mentioned and according to Elon Musk, Tesla offers an excellent benefits package.