10 Enigmatic Facts about Elon Musk

First published 19th October 2023 Samantha Khu

Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Elon Musk is one of the most famous people on the planet. Known for being a founder of companies, an explorer of space, and head of social media, Musk has proven himself both influential and controversial. But, beyond the business decisions, how much do you really know about him? Here are some fun facts about Elon Musk to consider.

1. He almost sold Tesla.

Believe it or not, Elon Musk nearly sold his famous car company, Tesla! He reportedly reached out to Google CEO Larry Page about buying the, at the time failing, car company! It is believed that the two agreed in 2013 to a sale price of about $6 billion. However, the sale never went through, and Tesla still belongs to Elon Musk!

2. Musk dropped out of school.

Musk only stayed at Stanford University for two days before dropping out. He was meant to follow a doctorate in physics. However, he left school to start his first company, Zip2. Zip2 was a city guide software platform.

3. He sold his first company for millions of dollars.

Leaving Stanford proved to be a wise choice for Elon Musk! His first company, Zip2, was sold four years later for more than $300 million! It was just the first step on his route toward becoming the wealthiest person on the planet.

4. He bought one of James Bond’s cars.

One of Elon Musk’s most famous possessions is a car, but not a Tesla! In fact, it is a vehicle that’s been driven by 007. In 2013, he bought a Lotus Esprit for almost $1 million. It was a 1976 version that had been modified as an underwater car for Bond in the movie “The Spy Who Loved Me.”

5. Musk has 11 children with three different partners.

Elon Musk has children with three different women, including Justine Musk, Grimes, and Shivron Zilis. His youngest child at the time of writing is a son he welcomed in 2023.

6. He’s appeared multiple times on small and big screens.

Believe it or not, you will find Elon Musk on IMDb for acting! He has made cameos in blockbusters such as “Iron Man 2” and TV series such as “The Big Bang Theory,” “South Park,” and “Rick and Morty.”

7. He actually helped inspire Iron Man.

Elon Musk was even an inspiration for Iron Man! That is to say that Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. used Elon Musk and some of his mannerisms in his portrayal of the billionaire superhero. That’s got to be pretty flattering, right?

8. He is South African-born.

Elon Musk was born in South Africa. He lived there until he was 17 when his family moved to Canada, and he now does much of his business from the US.

9. He’s been the richest person in the world.

Elon Musk’s battle to become the wealthiest person on the planet took him to a net worth as high as $340 billion – and while net worths change his status as wealthiest person might change by the time you read this, he’s been at the top of the rich list for some time. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos often competes for the title.

10. He did not create Tesla.

Although Elon Musk is primarily known as the leader of the Tesla company, he’s not actually responsible for building the brand up. The firm was dreamt up by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in 2003. They then brought Elon Musk and his money into the company a year later, where he’s remained for over two decades.

FAQs about Elon Musk

Does Elon Musk own PayPal?

No – Musk held stakes in PayPal, the leading e-wallet service, but eventually sold his stake to help fund Tesla and his space exploration firm, SpaceX.

What is Elon Musk’s famous quote?

Elon Musk has made many famous quotes, many of which you've probably read on social media. His most famous quote is generally considered to be, 'When something is important enough to you, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.'