Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors

Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors is Edward Niedermeyer's non-fiction book about Tesla, Inc., published in 2019. The book traces Tesla's inception along with episodes and controversies from the first fifteen years of the company under the leadership of Elon Musk. In it, Niedermeyer uses original research, anonymous insider accounts, and industry analysis to explore "Tesla's attempt to merge Silicon Valley arrogance with automotive industry standards".[1] The Wall Street Journal noted that the book's sources have "refused to be quoted out of fear of Mr. Musk".[2] The book devotes a significant portion of its contents to a cultural account of the ongoing "confrontation" between Tesla's fans and its skeptics.[3]

Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors
AuthorEd Niedermeyer
LanguageEnglish
SubjectNon-fiction
PublisherBenBella Books
Publication date
2019
Pages220pp
ISBN978-1948836326

Reception

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A LA Times reviewer noted, "Niedermeyer... possesses a deep understanding of how the auto industry works (and often doesn't). He's in a good position to assess the foibles of Musk as Tesla struggles to prove that it can earn sustainable profits after 16 years of surviving on cash raised from lenders and investors, with no return on invested capital to show for it."[4]

The Wall Street Journal's review voiced some skepticism over the lack of named sources supplying criticisms of the company: "Perhaps this information is solid. But people who aren't identified can't complain about being misquoted." The review goes on to say, "The book hits its stride when the author details Mr. Musk's attempts to revolutionize the way cars are built."[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Review: In 'Ludicrous,' Elon Musk is a hoaxer for the 21st century". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b Easterbrook, Gregg (2 August 2019). "'Ludicrous' Review: A Revolutionary Old Product". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Ludicrous Is The Tesla Book To Beat". Jalopnik. 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Review: Tesla's unvarnished story in electric detail". Los Angeles Times. 2 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
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