When Will Musk Move On From Tesla? And Who Will Replace Him?

I have a theory: Elon Musk will hand Tesla Inc TSLA over to a successor when Tesla can no longer generate much fanfare. At least, not as much as they currently do. This point in time will come once legacy car manufactures are firmly entrenched in the EV space. It is likely General Motors Company GM, Stellantis NV STLA, and the dominant Asian brands will outcompete Tesla on price, range, and looks. Consequently, Tesla will be relegated to a periphery player. If legacy car brands convert their production to EV as fast as they say they will, I expect Musk will move on to his next project before 2030.

Will Tesla have to pivot?

To stay in the game, Tesla will have to double down on its status as a luxury vehicle. I think this would be the right move for Tesla in the long run. Imagine this; Tesla becomes an electric equivalent of Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren.

A new breed of Automobile CEO

Last week, Ferrari NV RACE announced Benedetto Vigna as its new CEO. The appointment of Vigna surprised the market as his background is in computer engineering rather than the automotive or luxury goods sector.

The appointment strongly indicates a new priority for vehicle manufacturers. Moving forward, the success of their respective businesses will be heavily dependent on their electronic and computing technology.

Who will replace Musk as the head of Tesla?

Tesla’s CFO (Master of Coin), Zachary Kirkhorn, easily fulfills the criteria to lead the Company. After all, Kirkhorn holds degrees in both economics and engineering. Tesla’s Senior VP, Andrew Baglino, an electrical engineer, is an equally appropriate choice to head the Company.

However, Elon probably won’t play by the industry rules. Instead, Elon may hand the reins over to his little brother, Kimbal Musk, a Tesla board member and a self-described chef, restauranteur, and philanthropist. I am not hinting that Kimbal’s Directorship is undeserved. Rather, I am noting the unconventional choice in the same manner that his ascension to CEO would be unconventional.

While Kimbal Musk does not profess a penchant for electrical or computer engineering, he is very successful in his own right within the technology space. In addition to his culinary pursuits, Kimbal has co-founded and directed many of Elon’s technology companies, including Zip2, SpaceX and X.com.