Did you know Elon Musk almost sold Tesla to Google? Some interesting facts about the world's richest man

Elon Musk, one of the most influential entrepreneurs of the modern era, is widely known for revolutionizing the electric vehicle industry with Tesla, advancing space exploration with SpaceX, and promoting renewable energy through SolarCity. His contributions have led to comparisons with historical visionaries such as Henry Ford and Steve Jobs. However, beyond his well-documented successes, there are many lesser-known aspects of his life and career. From overcoming childhood struggles to almost selling Tesla to Google, Musk’s journey is filled with intriguing facts. This article explores some surprising details about the billionaire’s life, career, and achievements.

1. Elon Musk was bullied as a child
Elon Musk’s early years were far from easy. Growing up in Pretoria, South Africa, he faced intense bullying at school. In multiple interviews, Musk has shared that he was often targeted and even physically assaulted by other students. He described one incident where he was thrown down a flight of stairs and beaten so badly that he had difficulty breathing.
2. Musk’s parents thought he might be deaf
Despite these hardships, Musk displayed remarkable intelligence from a young age. His fascination with technology and space led him to spend hours reading books, including encyclopedias. His parents even suspected that he might be deaf because he would often zone out, deeply lost in thought.
3. Elon Musk sold his first video game for $500 at age 12
At the age of 12, Musk created and sold his first video game called Blastar. The game, which involved destroying alien spaceships, was sold to a South African magazine for $500. The coding skills he displayed at such a young age hinted at his future as a tech entrepreneur. In 2015, a Google software engineer reprogrammed Blastar, making it playable again.
4. Musk left South Africa at 17 to avoid military service
Musk was born in South Africa but left the country at the age of 17 to avoid mandatory military service. He used his Canadian heritage (through his mother) to obtain citizenship and moved to Canada, where he enrolled at Queen’s University in Ontario. This decision set him on a path that eventually led to his studies at the University of Pennsylvania and, later, his entrepreneurial career in the United States.
5. Elon Musk ran a 10-bedroom nightclub in college to pay expense
While studying in college, Musk found creative ways to earn money. He and his roommate rented a large 10-bedroom house and turned it into a nightclub, charging people an entry fee of $5. By hosting these parties, Musk managed to cover much of his college expenses. Interestingly, he often remained sober during these events to ensure everything ran smoothly.
6. Elon Musk’s first startup, Zip2, sold for $307 million in 1999
Before Tesla and SpaceX, Musk’s first major business was a company called Zip2. Along with his brother Kimbal, he developed an online city guide service that helped newspapers provide maps and business directories. In 1999, Compaq acquired Zip2 for $307 million, giving Musk his first major financial success.
7. Musk nearly sold Tesla to Google for $11 billion in 2013
In 2013, Tesla faced severe financial difficulties, and Elon Musk nearly sold the company to Google for $11 billion. According to Ashlee Vance’s biography Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future, Musk reached out to Google co-founder Larry Page for a potential takeover. The deal was close to happening, but Tesla’s financial situation improved at the last minute, and the company rebounded, eventually becoming one of the most valuable automakers in the world.
8. Elon Musk made $180 million from PayPal’s $1.5 billion sale
Musk co-founded a financial services company called X.com, which later became PayPal. After a series of mergers, he emerged as the company’s largest shareholder. When eBay acquired PayPal for $1.5 billion in 2002, Musk received approximately $180 million from the deal, which he later invested into his future ventures, including Tesla and SpaceX.
9. Musk bought James Bond’s submarine car for $866,000
In 2013, Musk purchased the famous Lotus Esprit submarine car from the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me for $866,000. He later stated that he planned to modify it using Tesla’s electric powertrain to make it a functional submarine vehicle.
10. Elon Musk appeared in The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory
Elon Musk has made guest appearances in pop culture, including an episode of The Simpsons titled The Musk Who Fell to Earth, where he lands in Springfield and teams up with Mr. Burns. He also played a version of himself in The Big Bang Theory.
11. Elon Musk founded a school for his kids and SpaceX employee
Dissatisfied with traditional education, Musk founded Ad Astra, a school designed to provide a more hands-on and innovative learning environment for his children and the children of SpaceX employees. The school emphasizes science, mathematics, engineering, and teamwork over traditional rote learning.
12. Elon Musk works over 100 hours a week and expects the same from employees
Musk is known for his demanding work ethic, often putting in over 100 hours a week. He expects the same level of commitment from his employees, sometimes requiring them to work around the clock to meet deadlines. During the development of the Tesla Model S and SpaceX’s Dragon Capsule, engineers worked in two shifts to keep production going 24/7.
13. Elon Musk advocates 'Semantic Tree' approach to learning
Musk has often shared his philosophy on learning, emphasizing the importance of understanding fundamental principles before diving into details. He compares knowledge to a “semantic tree,” where the trunk and main branches represent core concepts, and the leaves represent finer details. According to Musk, mastering the basics first allows for a deeper and more effective understanding of any subject.