Elon Musk Is A 'Bad Man' Running A 'Bad Company' Says British Green Energy Mogul Dale Vince, Ten Years After Tesla's 'Smash And Grab' Tactics Sparked UK EV War With Ecotricity

Ten years on from one of the most bitter legal battles in Britain's green energy sector, Dale Vince is still not mincing words. In a recent podcast appearance, the Ecotricity founder called Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk a "bad man running a bad company."

What Happened: Tesla proposed a collaboration with Ecotricity to boost EV charging infrastructure in the UK. The companies signed a non-disclosure agreement, and Ecotricity shared sensitive lease information with Tesla. However, it then turned into what Vince regards as an ambush, as he indicated in an interview with Novara Media.

One Sunday evening in 2015, Vince's colleague Simon Crowfoot received an email from Tesla. It was intended for a different Simon at Tesla, outlining a three-pronged plan to undermine Ecotricity: pressure landlords to breach contracts, launch a negative press campaign, and lobby government officials. The next morning, Ecotricity obtained a High Court injunction to block Tesla's moves. The legal battle played out over three years and ended in a settlement, with Tesla paying a major sum to Ecotricity.

Why It Matters: The case was seen as a defining "David vs Goliath" moment in the UK's EV rollout. Vince claimed Tesla misused confidential data to strong-arm its way into motorway charging sites, while pretending to negotiate in good faith. "They came to us all nice as pie," Vince said. "And when we refused, they tried to take it by force." He later described Tesla's behavior as "at least amoral," and called their tactics "like cowboys."

Court disclosures revealed internal Tesla communications, including Elon Musk reportedly saying, "It's not their Electric Highway, it's our Electric Highway"—a comment Vince said highlighted the company's aggressive posture. The episode became a cautionary tale for British companies dealing with Silicon Valley giants.

Vince has since sold the Electric Highway to GRIDSERVE, but his view of Musk hasn't softened. "I wouldn't buy his car," he said on the podcast. "There might have been a world in which I'd bought a Tesla but I think they're quite naff… I think he's a bad man running a bad company."

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