logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2020
22m 57s

Are shares in Elon Musk’s Tesla vastly o...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

In 2018, the electric car maker, Tesla, was struggling to get the Model 3 electric vehicle off the production line. Its CEO, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, was working up to 22 hours a day on the factory floor, trying to solve a host of problems on the car he’d bet the company on. It was close to running out of money. Two years later, the company’s doing better. It says it will grow 30-40% this year.

No surprise then that Tesla’s share price has gone up. But the amount may surprise you – up eight fold in the last year, to $400 a share. Making it the most valuable car company in the world.

It’s now worth more than Toyota, Volkswagen and Honda put together. But yet it still manufactures only a fraction of the cars they make. So are shares in Elon Musk’s Tesla vastly overvalued? Sumant Bhatia finds out from our expert witnesses, who include a Tesla owner who’s a shareholder and superfan, a fund manager who thinks the shares are in a bubble, an investor with millions of dollars in Tesla and an expert in electric vehicles.

Up next
Jul 14
Are we closer to gene therapy for sickle cell disease being accessible?
Gene therapy has changed what is possible for people living with sickle cell disease. New treatments have shown that the condition can be successfully treated. But the therapy is costly and available to only a small number of patients. Millions of people around the world still re ... Show More
24m 26s
Jul 7
Is Kenya serious about ending femicide?
Last year Kenya’s President William Ruto established a task force to investigate the escalating cases of gender-based violence including femicide. The task force travelled around the country gathering information and at the beginning of this year published its recommendations, wh ... Show More
24m 25s
Jun 30
Can the New World Screwworm be stopped?
Flesh-eating parasitic flies have been found in the US state of Texas for the first time in decades. Known as the New World Screwworm, officials have now put plans in place to try and contain its spread. The fly feeds off warm-blooded animals, like cattle, dogs and horses, but if ... Show More
24m 12s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2023
A turning point for Tesla?
<p>Electric vehicle giant Tesla took the automotive industry by storm with its innovative technology, but the company’s stock price has slid significantly since last year. And its chief executive Elon Musk has some Tesla fans rethinking their support given Musk’s moves as the new ... Show More
18m 40s
May 2025
Musk Commits to Tesla CEO Role and Plans Political Pullback
Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Elon Musk said he’s committed to still leading Tesla Inc. five years from now and expects to pare back his political spending, assuaging some investors’ concerns about the future of his most valuable company. T ... Show More
42m 45s
Nov 2025
Tesla Gives Elon Musk a $1 Trillion Pay Package
Shareholders at Tesla approved the most valuable pay package ever for Elon Musk in an effort to bring his attention back to the company. The CEO will have to hit a number of milestones to get the full value of the package, including shifting Tesla’s focus to developing robotaxis ... Show More
17m 39s
Apr 2022
Tesla vs Detroit | Motor City Fights Back | 3
The battle to dominate the EV market is on. Tesla’s market value is now around $20 billion. At this rate, Tesla could wipe the floor with GM in a decade. Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Chevrolet are taking notes. No one wants to be bringing up the rear. After near-devastating pr ... Show More
35m 43s
Jan 2024
The Deal Room: BYD surpasses Tesla, so is $TSLA worth the hype?
<p>Last week it was announced that China's BYD had overtaken Tesla to become the world's leading electric vehicle (EV) seller.</p><br><p>In this episode, we take a deep dive into the business model of Tesla and examine why, despite selling fewer vehicles, it is worth some 10 time ... Show More
41m 39s
May 2025
Elon Musk Talks Tesla Sales Slump, US Politics and Putin Relationship
Elon Musk said he’s committed to leading Tesla Inc. as chief executive officer in five years’ time, easing the concerns of some investors wary about his level of commitment to the carmaker. Musk, 53, commented on his future at Tesla during a remote appearance Tuesday at the Qatar ... Show More
39m 26s
May 2023
Encore: Tesla vs Detroit | Motor City Fights Back | 3
The battle to dominate the EV market is on. Tesla’s market value is now around $20 billion. At this rate, Tesla could wipe the floor with GM in a decade. Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Chevrolet are taking notes. No one wants to be bringing up the rear. After near-devastating pr ... Show More
35m 39s