(I will give him props for rolling out the super charger stations, though. And no screwing up with some proprietary schlock like other dealers would have tried to do.)
I very much feel like this is a Jobs v. Wozniak moment, too. It's clear there was was some unsung hero who could realize Musk's crazy dreams and even reel him in when he got too crazy. But for Musk, he simply had the funds and willingness to take the risk. I'm guessing that "Woz" left or is simply heads down at SpaceX/Tesla given recent decisions, though.
He started SpaceX because he wanted human missions to mars, he's as "progressive" as every American was in the 70s.
> popularize electric cars when every manufacturer had given up on them
Eh... "The company was incorporated as Tesla Motors, Inc. on July 1, 2003, by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning."