BMW’s first electric car, the i3 supermini, was revealed ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show debut, so it was only a matter of time until someone asked Tesla’s Elon Musk his opinion about the car.
In a phone interview with Bloomberg, Musk was asked this question and answered that he’s glad BMW is launching an electric car but that “there’s room to improve on the i3.” Musk’s blunt answer must have taken the reporter by surprise because he burst uncontrollably into laughter, with the billionaire joining him for a few good seconds.
Struggling to remain serious, Tesla’s CEO didn’t get into details, but added that it’s a good thing more manufacturers are bringing electric cars to market, as competition will generate better electric cars.
Other than that they are electric cars, the Tesla Model S and the BMW i3 don’t really have much in common and don’t compete against each other. So what was Musk trying to say? Was that an arrogant reaction or simply the reaction of a man that is afraid of competition?
You can listen to Musk’s comments about the BMW i3 in the video below and then watch as short comparison between the German EV and the Model S.
By Dan Mihalascu
VIDEO