Elon Musk’s Dad Said He Turned Down a Free Tesla From His Son
In a revelation dating back to January 2022, Errol Musk, father of tech mogul Elon Musk, disclosed that he turned down his son’s generous offer to gift him a Tesla car and have it shipped to his residence in South Africa.
The decision was based on the considerable expenses associated with shipping and import fees, which Elon had offered to cover. The total cost for the car, shipping, and fees amounted to approximately 3.5 million South African rand, equivalent to just over $180,000, according to Errol.
While the cost might have been a significant expense for most people, it represented a minute fraction, about 0.00006%, of Elon’s net worth at that time, which stood at a staggering $278 billion.
Errol cited practical concerns for his refusal of the gift. He explained that South Africa lacked a service facility, Tesla representation, and charging stations, making it impractical to own a Tesla in the region. He recalled telling his son, “Please, we don’t want to do this.”
Transporting a vehicle from the United States to South Africa typically incurred expenses ranging from $3,300 to $7,000, as per data from automotive shipping firm A1 Auto Transport. South Africa imposed a 25% tariff on automotive imports.
Although Errol was uncertain about the specific Tesla model that Elon intended to send, some of the automaker’s high-end vehicles, like the Model S Plaid, exceeded $100,000 in price.
It should be noted that Insider was unable to independently verify this exchange, as Elon Musk did not respond to a request for comment.
While Tesla has expanded its electric vehicle (EV) sales into Europe and China, South Africa has not seen the introduction of Tesla’s EV lineup. Winstone Jordaan, the managing director of GridCars, a South African EV charging station company, revealed that there were approximately 1,500 EVs and just 300 charging stations across the entire country. In contrast, the United States boasts over 1.7 million EVs in use and more than 130,000 public charging stations, according to March data from the White House.
Errol Musk, however, wasn’t left without alternative means of transportation. He mentioned owning a Rolls-Royce and a sports car. Additionally, he possesses a 1947 Ryan Navion plane, which he enjoys flying.
“I prefer to drive a Rolls-Royce,” Errol stated. “It’s much better — I mean it’s not better than a Tesla — but it’s nicer for me anyway.”
In Walter Isaacson’s recent biography of Elon Musk, it was noted that Errol once owned a gold Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible.
Although Errol never owned a Tesla, he disclosed that he had conducted numerous test drives, including taking the Tesla Roadster for a spin. He expressed his enthusiasm for the brand, saying, “If I lived in the US, I’d drive a Tesla without a doubt.”
Tesla boasts more than 20,000 Superchargers in North America, making it the region’s largest network of roadside fast chargers.
The relationship between Elon and his father Errol has seen its share of ups and downs over the years. While author Walter Isaacson wrote that Elon and his brother Kimbal had severed communication with their father, Errol denied these claims. Errol stated that he had recently been in contact with Elon Musk’s office regarding funding for an upcoming trip to Florida in November.
Errol concluded by emphasizing the nature of their relationship, stating, “I have the same relationship with my sons as my father had with me. In other words, we are men, we don’t hang out with each other. They’re my children. I’m their dad. I’m not their pal.”
