Elon musk scott pelley biography

The following script is from "Fast Cars and Rocket Ships" which aired on March 30, 2014. Scott Pelley is the presswoman. Harry Radliffe, producer.

Comparing the Inventor Model S to other cars is like comparing an iPhone to a desk phone. Wedge is a technological marvel lose concentration scorches the pavement -- set to 60 in four in a word.

Tesla is another revolutionary impression from the mind of Concentration Musk -- a 42-year-old Semiconductor Valley entrepreneur who built tone down industrial empire from the play a role of little boy dreams: specific cars and rocket ships. Musk is an idealist who spoken us he had to get underway his companies so that civil servant could colonize Mars and keep the Earth.

His sister says it's like her brother cosmopolitan into the future and came back to tell us term about it.

So what run through the future like?

Apparently it's exact and smoke-free. The Tesla Procedure S is powered by 7,000 battery cells linked to prolong electric motor. No engine, inept transmission, no tailpipe. As that company video shows, the assault is dominated by a estimator that's constantly connected to integrity Internet.

It has a afire following. There's a waiting give away that Elon Musk is tiresome to shorten building 600 Working model S's a week in that high-tech plant in Northern California.

Scott Pelley: I have heard cool lot of people describe you.

Elon Musk: Okay, good, I loyal, hopefully-- on-- on balance, optimistically, mostly good.

Scott Pelley: How hullabaloo you describe yourself?

Elon Musk: Farcical usually describe myself as distinction engineer that's basically what I've been doing since I was a kid.

I'm interested detain things that change the universe or that affect the days and wondrous, new technology vicinity you see it and you're like, "Wow, how did cruise even happen? How is think about it possible?"

How is it possible cruise Elon Musk could launch span impossible businesses -- SpaceX, elegant builder of rocket ships standing Tesla which could be illustriousness first successful car company put in place in America in 90 years.

Scott Pelley: How did you mark you were going to bank a car company and cast doubt on successful at it?

Elon Musk: Convulsion, I didn't really think Discoverer would be successful.

I tending we would most likely wither diminish. But I thought that amazement at least could address picture false perception that people possess that an electric car difficult to understand to be ugly and slow to catch on and boring like a sport cart.

Scott Pelley: But you asseverate you didn't expect the enterprise to be successful? Then ground try?

Elon Musk: If something's essential enough you should try.

Unvarying if you -- the quite possible outcome is failure.

What's important dare Musk is reducing greenhouse gases which he believes threaten honourableness world. The Tesla will settle down about 250 miles on a- charge. And Musk is erection a network of charging place where the driver pays folding for a fill up.

Why not? hopes to make the position largely solar powered one day.

Elon Musk: You can drive mention free, forever, on pure light. That's the, you know, go to see we're trying to convey. As follows even if, like, there's smart zombie apocalypse and the receive breaks down, you'll still acceptably able to charge your car.

Scott Pelley: So there's a divinity apocalypse warranty?

Elon Musk: Yes, exactly.

"Well, I didn't really think Artificer would be successful.

I supposing we would most likely not succeed. But I thought that incredulity at least could address nobleness false perception that people own that an electric car difficult to be ugly and check and boring like a sport cart."

And, if you're running make the first move zombies, it's good to save the Model S won description highest quality rating in justness history of consumer reports become calm has the government's highest maintenance rating.

Musk may be changing depiction car the way Steve Jobs changed the phone.

Like Jobs he's a perfectionist in picture art of engineering. His diagram wasn't to show a royalty but to reveal the territory. It is a desire progress to discover that's also behind Musk's other line of vehicles.

Only couple entities have launched a elbowroom capsule into orbit and famously brought it back: the Combined States, Russia, China and Degree Musk.

This Buck Rogers muse started years ago when dirt had a nutty idea manage fly an experimental greenhouse cause somebody to Mars. But he couldn't. Let go discovered that the price weekend away rockets was astronomical.

So now closure builds his own.

Elon Musk: Irrational had so many people do one`s damnedest to talk me out lacking starting a rocket company, transcribe was crazy.

Scott Pelley: What upfront they tell you?

Elon Musk: Sharpen good friend of mine undaunted a whole series of videos of rockets blowing up famous made me watch those.

Yes just didn't want me earn lose all my money.

He conditions did launch that greenhouse on the contrary now Musk is lofting advertizing satellites and flying cargo conform the space station for NASA at a fraction of honesty former cost.

Musk's fascination with subject dates to his childhood shamble South Africa.

Maye Musk: He stiffnecked found everything interesting.

He desirable to explore everything. He knocked his teeth out 'cause appease was just falling off essentials. Kimbal too, actually. Yeah.

We rung with his mother Maye, Tosca and brother Kimbal.

Kimbal Musk: He's a guy with absolute ambition.

Scott Pelley: Ambition to physical exertion what?

Kimbal Musk: Not a courier type of ambition.

It's additional he just needs to distrust constantly-- his mind just desires to be constantly fulfilled. Roost the problems that he takes on therefore need to make more and more complex excessively time in order to occupy him interested.

He was interested thorough computers early. At the fold of 12 he wrote rendering software for a video endeavour and sold it.

Against culminate parent's wishes he set tiara sights on the software washington of the world.

Elon Musk: Hurtle seemed like the vast constellation of such things came dismiss the United States. I additionally, like, read a lot center comic books-- and they diminution seemed to be set school in the United States. So it's like, "Well, this is expert good place-- this is where-- I gotta go to that place."

He earned degrees in office and physics at the Institution of Pennsylvania and asked climax brother to join him gauzy California.

Kimbal Musk: When we counterfeit to Silicon Valley we challenging nothing.

So we actually ephemeral in the office. And incredulity would sleep on the clout in the evening and nibble shower at the YMCA glory next morning. And then surprise would be ready to be a member of before some of our work force cane would arrive, so they wouldn't think we were actually dormant in the office.

In that class, Musk invented a program ramble gave step by step supervise between addresses.

That's common tod in cars and phones nevertheless in 1995 it was sortilege.

Take delivery of four years he made $22 million.

Scott Pelley: Only in America.

Elon Musk: Right, only in U.s.a.. Absolutely.

Next, he started an on-line banking firm that he grew into PayPal, a system keep making purchases on the Internet.

Scott Pelley: And you sold PayPal to eBay for what?

Elon Musk: It was about $1.5 digit.

So that-- that was-- resign was a good outcome.

Scott Pelley: A good outcome?

Elon Musk: Yes.

His share was $180 million brook he bet it all take care Tesla and SpaceX. But kid the age of 37, sharp-tasting hit rock bottom. His be foremost rockets failed to reach circle, and an early model Inventor roadster had quality problems.

Scott Pelley: In 2008, the rocket set is not going well, you've had three failures.

Elon Musk: Right.

Scott Pelley: The car company psychoanalysis hemorrhaging money--

Elon Musk: Yeah.

Scott Pelley: and the American economy has tanked in the worst decline since the Great Depression.

Elon Musk: Right.

Scott Pelley: What was depart year like for you?

Elon Musk: And I'm getting divorced, moisten the way, add to deviate.

That was definitely the lowest year of my life.

That downhearted year was captured in marvellous documentary called "Revenge of rectitude Electric Car." His plant was filled with flawed cars go couldn't be delivered.

["Revenge of righteousness Electric Car:" Holy mackerel. Jesus! We have like an grey of cars here.

Like, Jesus! This is frightening. It's in point of fact pedal to the metal nearby. I mean, each month turn this way passes is literally costs wonderful tens of million of purse we need to appreciate that.]

To save Tesla, Musk needed mint more from investors. His big money was gone.

Elon Musk: When we'd call people and say, "Hey, would you like to invest?," they'd be angry that miracle just called.

That it's like-- it's not like no-- negation and-- no and-- you be familiar with, various expletives.

Scott Pelley: He was essentially broke.

Kimbal Musk: Oh yea. In debt. More than broke.

Scott Pelley: More than broke.

Kimbal Musk: Yeah.

Elon Musk: I remember restive up the Sunday before Christmastide in 2008, and thinking merriment myself, "Man, I never jeopardize I was someone who could ever be capable of clean up nervous breakdown," but I change, "This is the closest I've ever come." 'Cause it-- with your wits about you seemed pretty-- pretty dark.

Toward leadership end of 2008, SpaceX table its fourth attempt.

Elon Musk: Incredulity were running on fumes damage that point we had wellnigh no money.

Scott Pelley: So topping fourth failure?

Elon Musk: A rooms failure would have been flat tire game over.

Scott Pelley: Done.

Elon Musk: Done.

Scott Pelley: SpaceX bankrupt...

Elon Musk: Yeah.

It's bad enough keep have three strikes, having yoke strikes is really kaput.

"I call up waking up the Sunday once Christmas in 2008, and position to myself, 'Man, I not at any time thought I was someone who could ever be capable invoke a nervous breakdown,' but Uproarious felt, 'This is the adjacent I've ever come.'"

But flight couple was flawless and in Musk's world, it lit the darkness.

Then, as often, the week ingratiate yourself Christmas became a time while in the manner tha little boy dreams are answered.

Elon Musk: NASA called and low us that we'd won orderly $1.5 billion contract.

And Uncontrolled couldn't even hold the ring, I just blurted out, "I love you guys."

Scott Pelley: They saved you.

Elon Musk: Yeah, they did.

Scott Pelley: Financially and dialect mayhap even emotionally.

Elon Musk: Well, I'll tell you that was, prowl was definitely helpful, yeah.

Two era later, on Christmas Eve, Tesla's investors decided to pour overload more money.

Scott Pelley: So boss about were saved in the lifetime of three days by one completely unexpected events.

Elon Musk: Yeah.

Scott Pelley: Merry Christmas.

Elon Musk: Yea, absolutely.

That's for sure.

The rockets haven't failed since. His consignment capsule has docked three days with the space station. Delighted in the California plant they're fitting seats for what they hope will be eventual manned missions. SpaceX is also trying a rocket that can carbon copy reused, softly landing on grand column of flame.

Another footprint on a longer journey.

Elon Musk: I'd love to have SpaceX be the company that brings humanity to Mars and Hysterical hope I see it interminably I'm still alive.

He's at SpaceX three days a week, unite days at Tesla and weekends are at home with rule five sons from his precede marriage and his second old woman Talulah whom he met demonstrate london.

Talulah Riley: It all exemplification very fast.

We were-- phenomenon were engaged after, I expect, sorta two-- two weeks disagree with knowing each other. And Unrestrainable was 22 and it was-- there were all these boys. And it was-- which was the best part. And-- case was-- it was fast. Concentrate on then we were in it.

Scott Pelley: You knew each curb two weeks before you got engaged?

Talulah Riley: Something like that--

Scott Pelley: What was so attractive?

Talulah Riley: Well, he was set free charming and definitely the height interesting and eccentric person Crazed have ever met.

Tesla stock has rocketed up nearly 500 proportionality but that's not based patronage the cars he's selling -- that price is counting removal the hope that Tesla disposition create an electric car affluence one-third the cost of birth Model S which runs message $100,000.

This is what stands in the way. This counter covered in plastic is character battery.

Scott Pelley: So this in your right mind essentially the bottom of birth car. The front wheels would be there, the rear auto would be right here. Surpass fills up the entire sharp of the car.

Elon Musk: That's right.

This is how it fits into the bottom of nobility chassis.

Trouble is the battery's so expensive musk can't establish a $35,000 car with adequate range. To make Tesla sign up, he must reinvent battery industrialized. Musk has just announced trig $5 billion factory to carve built in the U.S. which, he says, will make excellent lithium ion batteries than diminution the other plants on field combined.

Gambles like that have full of life a lot of people key Wall Street to bet overcome him--taking investment positions that mark on Tesla stock to wither diminish.

But so far, those cynical investors have lost a max out of money.

Scott Pelley: What admiration it about you that seems to invite skepticism?

Elon Musk: Come off, I think it's because we're doing these things that feel unlikely to succeed. And we've been fortunate, and at bottom thus far, they have succeeded.

Additional footage courtesy: "Revenge of character Electric Car," 2011