Have a knack for getting wrapped up in libel lawsuits? You best avoid crossing Elon Musk — as the Tesla CEO has regularly proven, he won’t be keeping quiet if you call foul on his company’s electric car range predictions, especially if your forum of choice happens to be the New York Times, or BBC’s Top Gear. That latter program was the target of a UK libel suit, following the airing of an episode which referenced a Tesla Roadster running out of power after driving just 55 miles — a far cry from the projected 200-mile range. The company claimed that Top Gear “faked” the scene in question, ultimately resulting in $171,000 of lost sales. Of course, that’s chump change for billionaire Musk, but no matter — a lawsuit ensued. Now, some five years after the failed test in question, a UK appeals court dismissed the suit, ruling that the segment was not misleading. Hit up the pair of source links for a bit more detail from London.
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Bloomberg, The Guardian
