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Where is the $700 million Tesla superyacht?

Published on Jun 17, 2022 at 10:58AM (UTC+4)

by Kate Bain

Last updated on Jun 24, 2022 at 6:19PM (UTC+4)

Where is the $700 million Tesla superyacht?

Remember the $700 million Tesla superyacht?

It was first teased all the way back in 2017 and momentum has been steadily building ever since.

But it’s now 2022, so where is it?

Render shows the Tesla yacht from the front

READ MORE! Elon Musk says his slightly-terrifying ‘Tesla Bot’ will be ready as early as SEPTEMBER

The Model Y yacht will be completely electric, making it silent on the water.

It will also rely on solar and hydroelectric power.

So what else gives this yacht its $700 million price tag?

The Model Y will be 40 meters (131 foot) long with two decks, two bedrooms and a jacuzzi.

The lower deck will have tables that can turn into seats with the touch of a button.

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The top deck will have a bar and dancing area, covered by a massive roof with hundreds of LED lights that glow at night.

Inside, the yacht will have a circular bar, a lounge suite and two beds.

Render shows the bar and dance floor on the would-be Tesla yacht

But what truly sets this yacht apart is its electric engine and self-sustaining capabilities.

At the very top of the ship will be a solar panel that charges two lithium batteries.

It will also have a turbine that works to turn waves into energy.

Render shows how the Tesla yacht would look if it was built

Designer Dhruv Prasad created renders of the yacht in 2017 and touted it as Tesla’s next big thing.

But Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly had nothing to do with the project and has never publicly backed it.

While there’s no official information coming from Tesla, nor a release date, fans desperately hope the project will be backed by the company and come to life.

And surely if Musk can successfully send rockets into space and make eerily real humanoid robots, he can make Model Y happen.

Although Prasad might have to rethink the $700 million price tag, otherwise Musk might be the only person actually able to afford it.

Tags - Elon Musk , Luxury , Tesla , Yachts

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Starlink: The lowdown on Elon Musk's satellite internet system

Starlink Maritime is rewriting the rulebook when it comes to connectivity at sea – but how does it compare?

It’s not just Tom Cruise who feels the need for speed. For guests and crew alike, fast, ubiquitous internet access at sea is now seen as a must-have provision. Everyone wants to surf on the surf.

“Connectivity is no longer regarded as a luxury,” says Nick Maynard, marketing director for communications company OneWeb. “It’s now right up there with reasons why a superyacht might not go to sea, such is the expectation from principals.”

This rise in demand goes way beyond Netflix and TikTok users on board. From audiovisual systems to artificial intelligence, fast, reliable data connections have become de rigueur and in demand – and there’s a revolution afoot.

The transformative technology everyone’s talking about is Elon Musk’s Starlink Maritime. A SpaceX offshoot, Starlink currently comprises a constellation of 3,300 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites circling the planet at an altitude of 550 kilometres, give or take. In time, this is expected to increase to 12,000 satellites. It’s a radically different approach to the traditional VSAT system yacht owners will be familiar with: geostationary (GEO) networks that rely on satellites parked at some 36,000 kilometres and MEO (medium-earth orbit) satellites hovering around 20,000 kilometres.

The system is exciting to those in the connectivity business because LEO satellites can outperform GEO and MEO satellites by offering faster internet speeds. They’re also far cheaper to make and deploy, mainly due to their size. GEO satellites are physically bigger (around the size of a large van) and can only be launched one at a time, whereas Starlink’s LEO satellites weigh just 260 kilograms and 64 can be launched at once.

Why the need for so many? Simply put, fewer GEO and MEO satellites are required for coverage as they see so much more of the planet, given their distance from earth, whereas LEO satellites only see a fraction of the planet at any one time. GEO satellite coverage is planetary (barring the poles) but latency – the delay in data transmission – is high; LEO satellites can deliver much quicker speeds, but lots of them are needed to guarantee coverage. Imagine a torch shining on a globe – move it in and the beam gets tighter and brighter; move it out and it gets broader and dimmer.

Currently providing internet service to around 40 countries, Starlink is proving to be quite the disruptor. Compared to more conventional satcom systems, it also promises lower running costs and simpler installation, as there’s no requirement for a satellite dome. Instead, a flat antenna can be unobtrusively accommodated on deck. The only requirement is a clear line of sight with the sky overhead.

Starlink’s antennas can be flat because LEO satellites fly so low; the “look angle” of the receiver, therefore, is always close to vertical, so it doesn’t need a wide range of movement. The panels can also be smaller, given the strength of the signal. At the time of writing, Starlink was not yet offering global coverage, with internet provision restricted to the Mediterranean and coastal areas of the US, Europe and parts of South America and Australia. The company is expecting to achieve global coverage by around March this year.

One of the first yachts to install Starlink Maritime was the 54.9-metre Loon . Captain Paul Clarke reports the installation was easier than previous VSAT systems. “Almost six months after installing Starlink, we’re still in love with it,” he tells us. “We were able to turn off our satellite TV dishes and we now stream everything on all the TVs throughout. There’s no need to be locked into expensive, high-maintenance sat TV provider contracts, so it saves us $20,000 (£16,200) a year.”

Starlink Maritime’s pricing is also appealingly straightforward: $10,000 for two flat-panel antennas (only one is needed to provide internet, but two are supplied for redundancy in case of an output failure), and a monthly charge of $5,000 for unlimited data. Resellers, meanwhile, have recently started making the pricing even more attractive; connectivity company Anuvu is now selling single a Starlink Maritime antenna for as little as $2,500.

The upfront cost of the equipment is well below the tens of thousands you’d expect to pay for a sat dome on a superyacht, but the monthly subscription cost is similar or higher – but then again, so are the speeds.

Under optimal conditions, Starlink can offer a maximum upload speed of 40Mbps, and 350Mbps download per installation, which is considerably faster than most home broadband users experience. Of course, it won’t deliver this level of performance consistently in real-world conditions, particularly when coverage is patchy, or when you’re in port, competing for bandwidth.

Clarke notes that the system’s growing popularity does appear to be slowing things down. “We are definitely noticing congestion as more and more people make the change to Starlink,” he says. “We’ve also noticed that when in the same ports as cruise ships, we have a massive reduction in bandwidth. There is nothing official from Starlink about this, but it seems that they get priority.”

Still, Clarke remains enthusiastic. “You’ve got to understand that Starlink is still in its infancy and will continue to grow and get better over time as it launches more satellites.” He’s also a fan of the design: “Starlink dishes are flat, so no more need for the big sat domes. I think we will see some more sleek yachts coming out of the yards in the near future as a result.”

What are the alternatives to Starlink?

Of course, Starlink isn’t the only LEO game in town. Its sole competition – for now – is OneWeb, which has been steadily building up its own network of LEO satellites since 2019, with the aim of offering global coverage during 2023. Amazon, meanwhile, is about to muscle in with Project Kuiper, its proposed constellation of 3,000 LEO satellites. The company’s first prototype satellites will be launched this year.

Further providers are coming, too. If all the proposed constellations make it into space, it would increase the current number of satellites orbiting the earth 40-fold to around 200,000.

OneWeb’s Maynard says that the creation of a global constellation has been “a monumental, even Herculean” challenge for the company. “Each day our team has grappled with some big questions and decisions, for example how to efficiently manage a fleet of spacecraft from down here on earth, devising space-based connectivity service propositions that are relevant and easy to use, preventing orbital debris and cleaning up what’s already up there.”

Each OneWeb satellite is about the size of a washing machine and orbits the earth at 26,000km/h, at an altitude of 1,200 kilometres, which is described by Maynard as the “sweet spot” for delivering high-speed, low-latency connectivity globally.

A key differentiator between OneWeb and Starlink is that OneWeb’s constellation operates further away from earth, with a smaller fleet of satellites that each have a wider beam width. “We’re delivering global coverage with an agile, efficient and responsible fleet of just 648 satellites, far fewer than some other planned constellations,” says Maynard.

While OneWeb won’t be drawn on pricing (“We are an indirect business, we can’t really comment on pricing as this would be determined by our distribution partners,” says Maynard), the company says it’s more cost-effective than the traditional VSAT hardware.

Using a dual parabolic antenna (more like a traditional satellite dish), yacht owners can expect up to 125Mbps download and 25Mbps upload speeds. OneWeb’s antennas are also smaller than those picking up higher-earth-orbit satellites, so they don’t need so much space on the radar mast.

It is offering a flat-panel version called OW1 for land-based installations, teaming up with Intellian to make it, but a marine version is not yet available, although market watchers don’t expect it to be too long before one is announced. Third-party flat-panel antenna company Kymeta, meanwhile, has been around the yachting scene for some time and offers a flat-panel antenna for superyachts that can integrate with OneWeb’s constellation.

Cardiff-based Excelerate has been in the satcom business for more than 20 years and is a OneWeb partner. “I’ve often said that in a technology business, I spend half my time being totally excited and enthused and half being terrified. Things never stand still, and the pace of change seems to be getting faster,” says David Savage, the group’s executive chairman.

The complexities of LEO are staggering compared to a GEO network, he says, which is why the technology has taken so long to realise and has led to several high-profile failures. The concept of LEO connectivity was first proposed 30 years ago, but the high costs scuppered the first companies through the door, including Iridium, which was forced into bankruptcy.

“LEO satellites are travelling at 25,000km/h, so when a yacht connects to just one it can only ‘see’ it for about 10 minutes and then it’s gone, so during that process, the yacht has to be handed over to the next one and so on and so on. LEO satellites have to work with each other as well as the ground – all at 25,000km/h – and there might be thousands of them, or at least hundreds, depending on which network,” says Savage.

Does this mean the end of satellite domes?

So is the writing on the wall for traditional VSAT linking to high-orbiting satellites? According to the owner of the 38.8-metre sailing yacht Atalante , an early adopter of Starlink Maritime, LEO is a serious contender. He describes Starlink’s tech as “transformational”, adding: “When the Atlantic and Pacific coverages are complete in March 2023 it will be revolutionary.”

Atalante had one of the first Starlink Maritime systems fitted in October 2022. “We have trialled it in port and on the recent transatlantic crossing from Palma to St Martin. In Palma, we would regularly see speeds of 35 to 50Mbps and sometimes even 80 to 90Mbps. There was not a noticeable difference between Palma and on passage to the Canaries.” He says the crew lost Starlink coverage about 430 nautical miles southwest of the Canaries and picked it up again about 175 nautical miles off St Martin.

“Class rules and insurance will mean we have to maintain our FleetBroadband service for safety communication, but if the reliability of the Starlink service continues to be good, I cannot see the point of paying for two parallel services when Starlink appears to be superior.”

As to whether Starlink is the future, Savage is sceptical. “For sure, I am in the ‘how cool is this’ camp, but I am also in the ‘where’s the catch’ camp, too. The Starlink Maritime option has a lower contention rate, which means that the service is shared by fewer users than the recreational vehicle or consumer offering, but as far as I am aware, unlike the current GEO offerings, there is no way to guarantee a minimum level of service.”

Echoing the view of Loon ’s Captain Clarke, Savage adds, “The jury is out on what will happen when a large group of yachts are all trying to use Starlink in a crowded port or bay simultaneously. When it comes to guaranteed connectivity, a yacht needs as many plan Bs as possible. To rely on a single public or private network is courting disaster.”

A number of satcom equipment companies are now starting to offer solutions with as many of these plan Bs integrated as possible – taking advantage of the high speeds of LEO satellites, but with the ability to switch to higher-earth-orbit satellites if required. Whereas Starlink receivers can only see Starlink satellites, these companies have spread their bets.

Launched in January, Intellian’s latest offering, the XEO Series, automatically switches between GEO, MEO and LEO satellites – depending on which is offering the best coverage and speed. The XEO series requires the installation of a dual-band antenna, but its ability to operate across multiple frequencies means fewer domes are required.

Fort Lauderdale-based FMC GlobalSat, meanwhile, also offers a solution that packs in as much redundancy as possible, able to pick up GEO, MEO, LEO satellites across 210 countries, as well as 5G and 4G wireless networks. Emmanuel Cotrel, CEO and founder, says the best option for yacht owners is a hybrid solution.

Connection and navigation specialist KVH recently launched TracNet H90, a hybrid system that marries VSAT with 5G and Wi-Fi. Of Starlink and other LEO and MEO services in development, KVH’s Chris Watson says: “People are eager to learn about what they’ll offer. LEO services may be enough for some customers, and if they’re willing to accept the occasional outages, lack of live support and additional services and more.

“However, we’ve always believed that ‘good enough’ is never good enough when you’re on the water. That’s why we see the new LEO services as part of a genuinely robust connectivity solution for yachts. We designed our TracNet systems to offer that hybrid concept by seamlessly combining VSAT, 5G and Wi-Fi into a single antenna, while integrating and managing additional services, like Starlink, through intelligent, automatic switching for the best connections all the time.”

Savage’s company Excelerate, meanwhile, has launched a product called Hybrid Edge, which can pull in feeds from OneWeb, Starlink, 4/5G and higher-earth orbit satellites to offer the ultimate in redundancy and speed, since the device is able to combine bandwidths. It should be noted, however, that users will still need the relevant receivers on their radar masts for each connection to work.

“Starlink is grabbing the headlines now because it is the first LEO service to hit the mass market,” says Savage. “And while it isn’t the only LEO service out there, it is enjoying a period of very little competition, particularly because of the low capital outlay required by users to enjoy the service and the relatively low monthly connectivity costs compared to anything else out there.”

But competition for Starlink is growing as space gets more and more crowded with LEO constellations. Astronomers aren’t happy, but your teenager will be when they’re streaming the latest Netflix release in the middle of the Pacific.

First published in the March 2023 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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Tesla Unveils Self-Sustaining Electric Yacht

Tesla just unveiled the design for its self-sustaining, all-electric Model Y yacht, and it represents just about everything you’d expect from the extremely creative and game-changing company. After all, Tesla has already made head-turning inroads in the automotive market and in outer space, so it seems reasonable that it might venture into the marine sphere with something new as well. (See the video below.)

Elon Musk started making Tesla electric cars in 2008. This week, Tesla’s market cap is $663.85 billion, equal to that of the nine largest car companies in the world – combined. He founded SpaceX in 2002; it became the first private company to send humans into orbit last year, and it launched 143 satellites on a single mission in January – the most ever.

Tesla is not for the faint of heart. And the 131-foot Tesla yacht, called Model Y, seems to fit into the family pattern. It has a Tesla color scheme, for one thing. Then there’s the low, flowing design that sets it apart and is somewhat reminiscent of a spaceship sitting in the water.

For power, the Tesla yacht does not have to pull up to a fuel dock, or even plug into an electric circuit somewhere. The yacht is meant to be fully self-charging; it generates its own power, relying on a hydro-electric system. A turbine on the bottom of the hull charges the batteries that run the yacht. And solar panels on the top charge the batteries when the yacht is not moving.

The yacht has only two decks, with a creative aft cockpit – Tesla’s take on the current beach club trend – that can be opened wide for sunbathing, hopping into the Jacuzzi or enjoying water sports. When the weather turns, you just push a button and a massive shutter comes down to seal it off.

The lower deck is a large social area, with round tables in the center. Push a button and four chairs emerge from the table sides. Private rooms are forward on that deck; one can be a spa; others can be bedrooms. The helm also is on the lower deck.

The upper deck features a “glass room” with glass walls for 360-degree views. It has a sunken bar under foot, and tiny holes in the ceiling to look at the stars. See the video here:

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Elon Musk has reportedly added a new $78 million jet to his growing fleet of private planes. Take a look inside a Gulfstream G700, which can be designed with a luxury suite and spacious bathroom.

Elon Musk recently bought a Gulfstream G700, according to Austonia.
Musk's new jet is expected to replace his Gulfstream G650ER.
Musk currently owns four jets, including three Gulstream and one Dassault aircrafts.

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, is a big fan of private jets — and he just added a new jet to his collection.

According to a June report by the Texas-based news site Austonia, Musk has placed an order for the Gulfstream G700. The report did not state when Musk purchased the jet.

The G700, which was launched in October 2019, is expected to replace his current jet , the G650ER, per the report.

Musk regularly travels by private plane. In 2018, the billionaire flew more than 150,000 miles on his G650ER, per flight records obtained by the Washington Post.

Musk and Tesla did not reply to Insider's requests for comment.

The G700 is one of Gulfstream's newest jets. Musk is expected to receive the G700 in early 2023, according to Austonia.

But the G700's deliveries might be delayed by three to six months, as the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, continues to review the jet's software, per Flight Global.

Musk currently has four jets , three of which are made by Gulfstream. Musk also owns a Dassault 900B, the first jet he ever purchased . All of Musk's jets are registered to Falcon Landing LLC, a shell company with ties to Space X, the FAA registry shows.

Prices for the aircraft start from $78 million.

Operating the G700 can be costly too. Flying the jet for 400 hours can rack up operating expenses that cost around $3.5 million, according to Liberty Jet. Fuel and engine overhaul are the most expensive parts of operating the plane, per the aviation site.

Musk is no stranger to these expensive operating costs: His October 31 flight on the G650ER from Los Angeles to New Jersey racked up $14,829 in fuel expenses, according to Twitter account @ElonJet, which tracks Musk's flights. Musk was in the air for around four and a half hours, per the account.

Source: Insider

The G700 can seat up to 19 passengers, according to a specification sheet by Gulfstream. It's the world's largest purpose-built private jet.

The G700 is the "stretched" version of the G650, and aims to rival the Bombardier 7500 in size, per Bloomberg. It measures 109 feet and 10 inches in length, and 25 feet and five inches in height, according to Gulfstream.

The G700 has a range of 7,500 nautical miles, which means the jet can fly from Singapore to San Francisco non-stop.

The G700 has a cruising speed of Mach 0.925 — just under the speed of sound — per the same Gulfstream spec sheet above.

According to a May press release by Gulfstream, the G700 flew from Georgia to Geneva, Switzerland in 7 hours and 37 minutes at a cruising speed of Mach 0.90.

Source: Gulfstream

The G700 has the largest cabin among business jets, measuring 56 feet and 11 inches in length, which allows it to have five living areas, according to Gulfstream.

The G700's cabin is split into various sections including a lavatory, galley, forward seating, entertainment suite, and dining area, in addition to the stateroom and the en-suite bathroom, the jet's virtual tour shows.

One of the most notable features of the G700 is the stateroom.

The stateroom is designed with either a single or double bed, as photos of the G700's interior show. The G700 has 20 windows, which allows ample light to stream into the jet's interior.

The G700's en-suite bathroom is one of its most luxurious features.

The bathroom has several compartments for toiletries and valuables, a full-length mirror, and a leather-seat toilet, the virtual tour shows.

It is one of few private jets large enough to accommodate a standing shower.

The G700 can also be customized for the bathroom to be designed with a shower, as previously reported by Insider's Thomas Pallini.

A baggage compartment which measures 195 cubic feat is located at the aft of the plane, per Gulfstream.

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A Peek Inside Elon Musk's $78 million Gulfstream G700 Private Jet

Elon Musk makes it a point to travel around in style with his $78 million custom-made private jet.

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The custom-built engine of the gulfstream g700, the cabin design that won the iy&aa design award, flying under the radar.

The Philanthropic Billionaire Elon Musk is back in the news after he successfully took over Twitter, but this time it's about his $78 million purchase. Business Insider reports that Billionaire Elon Musk has ordered a brand-new Gulfstream G700 private jet. According to its manufacturers, the Gulfstream G700 is the company's newest and most luxurious plane. It features better features than the Gulfstream G650 Private Jet which is owned by Oprah.

It has a maximum range of 7,500 nautical miles and a cabin length of more than 57 feet. The new private jet will cost Musk at least $78 million, and delivery is anticipated in the first half of 2023. However, this isn't the first time Musk has purchased from Gulfstream as he is the owner of two Gulfstream G550s, which are registered to Falcon Landing LLC, a Space X-related shell business.

According to recent reports, Musk even ordered custom-made stickers with Tesla and Starlink logos for his new Gulfstream G700. Here's an inside look at Elon Musk's $78 million Gulfstream G700 Private Jet.

RELATED: A Peek Inside The World's Richest Man, Elon Musk’s Biggest Moneymakers

American aircraft manufacturer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation claims that the G700 features the largest, most innovative, and most versatile cabin in the industry in addition to brand new, high-thrust Rolls-Royce engines and the highly recognized Symmetry Flight Deck. It boasts two luxurious Rolls-Royce machines , its Wi-Fi network, 20 oval windows measuring 28 inches by 21 inches, and two restrooms.

For flight management, communication, checklists, and weather forecasting, the business jet's Honeywell Symmetry Flight Deck uses a slew of integrated touchscreen controllers. The aircraft is equipped with a next-generation flight management system (NGFMS) that was made for future air traffic management (ATM).

This aims to help increase fuel efficiency, provide enhanced safety features, lessen the burden on crew members and cut down on the direct costs associated with operating a business jet. The flight deck has a primary flight display and synthetic vision with a dual head-up display. A predictive landing performance system is also set up to ensure a smooth landing further.

The Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engine is a custom design for the Gulfstream G700 airplane . It has a new ultra slim-line nacelle and a four-stage high-efficiency low-pressure turbine (LPT). The Gulfstream G700 business jet has a maximum operating Mach number of 0.925 and can cruise at Mach 0.9. This might the new Billionaire's Dream Private jet .

This plane will have a full range of 13,890 kilometers. At a cruising speed of Mach 0.90, the Gulfstream G700 reportedly made the trip from Georgia in the United States to Geneva, Switzerland, in just seven hours and 37 minutes back in May.

Gulfstream boasts its slick and innovative design, and rightly so, as the 2022 International Yacht & Aviation Award (IY&AA) in the private jet design category went to Gulfstream for the G700's luxurious interior. According to Gulfstream, the cabin of G700, serial number 6, is decorated in a soothing color scheme of warm neutrals and grays with cinnamon and charcoal accents. Additionally, a circadian lighting system has been installed in each of the five-cabin living areas to mitigate jet lag.

The Gulfstream G700 business jet has a spacious cabin in the sky that can be divided into three separate rooms: the main bedroom, a dining area that doubles as a conference room, and a crew lounge. The lowest cabin altitude in its class, the cabin was designed with a focus on lifestyle and space.

There's space for up to 19 people to ride along, and up to 10 can sleep in the cabins, with enough space inside the plane for a small conference or a meal. The private jet has a sophisticated circadian lighting system that uses white and amber LEDs. A lot more light enters the living spaces thanks to the broader windows.

There will be less of an effect on passengers to avoid jet lag thanks to the lighting scheme. The G700's cabin measures 1.91 meters in height, 2.49 meters in width, and 19.41 meters in length (not including the baggage compartment's 5.52 m3 storage space). The Jet ConneX Ka-band Wi-Fi in the cabin complements artificial intelligence (AI) and ergonomic design.

Reports state that the Gulfstream R&D team started with a blank sheet of paper and then refined the design with careful modeling and thorough comfort studies, resulting in an organic, anatomical form that improves comfort for passengers of all sizes. Craftspeople in Gulfstream's seat shop give life to the designs with individualized bolstering, trimming, and hand-stitching, making the G700 Classic Seat long-lasting, aesthetically pleasing, and exceptionally comfortable.

Despite his love for private jets, according to Business Insider , Elon Musk is currently attempting to fly under the radar after reportedly signing up for free federal programs that help them fly incognito. The FAA's Privacy ICAO Aircraft Address (PIA) initiative went live in 2019. Celebrities like Musk can register for a unique temporary aircraft registration number through the program and use it to fly under the radar.

When attempting to avoid social media flight-tracking accounts, Musk is not alone. On the LADD list are celebrities like the youngest Grammy winner Taylor Swift , Oprah Winfrey, and Louis Vuitton CEO Bernard Arnault recently admitted that he has been renting private planes to escape jet-tracking accounts.

READ NEXT: A Peek Inside The Musk Riches: The Net Worth Of Elon Musk's Family Members, Ranked

Sources: SCMP , The Sun , CNBC TV18

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Discover the Luxury Yacht Elon Musk Chartered in Mykonos Last Summer

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX , is known for his high-profile lifestyle and luxury travels. Last summer, he made headlines again when he was spotted chartering a yacht in Mykonos, Greece . The yacht was the Zeus superyacht, a stunning vessel that turned heads with its sleek design and luxurious amenities.

Elon Musk Charters Zeus Superyacht in Mykonos: A Look Inside

Zeus is a 24-meter yacht, which is equivalent to about 79 feet. Renting the vessel starts at $7,171 daily, making it a prime choice for high-end travelers like Elon Musk. The yacht is operated by Northrop & Johnson, a luxury yacht charter company that provides top-of-the-line vessels for discerning clients.

The Zeus superyacht features four luxurious cabins that accommodate up to eight guests. The interior is designed with a modern and minimalist style, creating a spacious and comfortable environment for guests to relax. The yacht also has an open-plan living area with large windows that provide stunning views of the surrounding seascape.

One of the standout features of Zeus is its outdoor deck space. The yacht has a spacious sun deck with sun loungers, a Jacuzzi, and a large dining area. The deck is perfect for hosting parties, soaking up the sun, or enjoying an al fresco meal with friends and family.

Exploring Greece’s Stunning Islands: Elon Musk’s Mykonos Yacht Adventure

During his time in Mykonos, Musk reportedly enjoyed cruising around the Greek islands, taking in the stunning scenery and visiting local hotspots. Mykonos is known for its crystal-clear waters, picturesque beaches, and vibrant nightlife, making it a popular destination for yacht charters.

Chartering a yacht in Mykonos allows travelers to explore the Greek islands in style and comfort. The area offers diverse attractions, from historic sites and charming villages to trendy beach clubs and exclusive restaurants. With a yacht charter, guests can tailor their itinerary to their interests and preferences, ensuring a personalized and unforgettable vacation experience.

From Mykonos to the Greek Isles: Aboard the Yacht Chartered by Elon Musk

In addition to Zeus, many other luxury yachts are available for charter in Mykonos and the surrounding areas. From sleek motor yachts to classic sailing vessels, there is a yacht for every taste and budget. Many yacht charters in Mykonos also offer a range of water sports activities, such as snorkeling, diving, and paddleboarding, allowing guests to explore the stunning underwater world and coastline.

Overall, Elon Musk’s choice to charter the Zeus superyacht in Mykonos highlights the appeal and luxury of yacht charters in this stunning destination. With its crystal-clear waters, picturesque beaches, and vibrant nightlife, Mykonos offers a truly unique and unforgettable vacation experience. Chartering a yacht in Mykonos allows travelers to explore the area’s many attractions in style and comfort, providing a personalized and luxurious adventure on the high seas.

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The World’s Richest Man Has A Surprisingly Modest Taste In Superyachts

The same can't be said for his taste in private jets, however...

Many rich people seem to be compensating for something when they buy f*ck off Ferraris and stonking superyachts. Elon Musk, however, was recently spotted off the coast of Greece in a relatively small charter yacht called Zeus.

In recent years, Elon Musk has kicked Jeff Bezos off this throne as ‘world’s richest man.’ Musk’s current net worth is $234.4 billion. Jeff Bezos’ net worth, for comparison, is $143.9 billion. Elon Musk’s companies include SpaceX, Tesla, The Boring Company, Neuralink and OpenAI. He can be a bit awkward, as seen on Joe Rogan’s podcast , and some people hate his Promethean attitude , but he is a fan of dry humour, a genius and is apparently (sometimes) able to manipulate crypto and stock markets at whim (make of that what you will).

Elon Musk also owns a $70 million (AUD $101 million) private jet, but – surprisingly, when you consider the spending habits of many of his contemporaries – does not own a superyacht. To this end, on a recent vacation to Greece, Musk was spotted on a boat called Zeus, which can be charted for some $7,000 (AUD $10,109) a day.

This isn’t cheap by most people’s standards. But when you compare it to Jeff Bezos’ US$500 million, 127 metre long superyacht – which is going to be the biggest in the world – or any one of these Russian oligarchs’ outlandishly luxurious oceanic steeds , Musk’s rented 24-metre yacht starts to look positively ‘Marie Kondo.’

WATCH: Jeff Bezos’ Superyacht Powers Through Rotterdam

Musk reportedly rented Zeus from SamBoat, which is a European online boat-rental company. According to Insider , the Zeus yacht that Musk was spotted on takes 20 people and is made for full-day excursions (when DMARGE checked SamBoat’s website , we could only find a boat called Zeus which takes 11 and is 12.3m long, however).

Insider isn’t alone though. Yahoo News has also reported that the Zeus vessel Musk was spotted on is 24 metres long. So presumably there is another, bigger Zeus out there than the one we could find. In any case, Musk appeared to enjoy his day of leisure, being hosed off on the back deck and joking about it on Twitter (he wrote: “I should take my shirt off more often”).

Features and activities of Zeus include swimming off the back, chilling on the deck, sitting down for a meal (or sipping a cocktail) inside, sleeping in one of the four indoor berths and exploring the marvellous waters of the Aegean Sea with a snorkel and flippers.

C’est la vie .

Why Travelling Around Europe On A Superyacht Is More Stressful Than You Think
Jaw-Dropping French Riviera Video Shows Why Superyachts Never Open Their Sails
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Shirtless Elon Musk vacations in Mykonos on luxury yacht

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Let’s just hope he applied sunscreen with a high SPF.

A shirtless Elon Musk was seen soaking up the sun aboard a luxury yacht in Mykonos, Greece, on Sunday, per exclusive photos obtained by Page Six.

The multibillionaire was with a small group that included newlywed pals Ari Emanuel and Sarah Staudinger as they sailed the Aegean Sea on the “Zeus” — an almost $20,000-per-week motor yacht that can accommodate six guests in over three cabins and comes with a professional crew.

Musk, 51, boarded the swanky boat wearing a plain white T-shirt, black swim trunks, dark sunglasses, a black baseball cap and matching flip-flops.

The Tesla CEO soon stripped down to just his bathing suit and took a dive into the ocean. Once back on the yacht, Endeavor CEO Emanuel — long held to be the inspiration for fictional Hollywood agent Ari Gold in “Entourage” — hosed him down.

Musk was later seen enjoying a cocktail before the group headed out to explore the island.

The SpaceX founder — who recently confirmed to Page Six exclusively that he had welcomed his 10th child — did not seem the least bit bothered by Twitter’s massive lawsuit against him.

Musk first agreed to buy the social media website for $44 billion in April but pulled out of the deal earlier this month on the belief the platform may be lying about what percentage of its users are bots.

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Third time is the charm for Elon Musk's giant Starship rocket.

Geoff Brumfiel

The third test flight of Starship is set to launch Thursday March 14 at around 8AM. Brandon Bell/Getty Images hide caption

The third test flight of Starship is set to launch Thursday March 14 at around 8AM.

The first time, it tumbled out of control and exploded; the second time, an onboard fire triggered its self-destruct mechanism.

Now, SpaceX will once again attempt to fly its giant rocket, Starship.

A 110-minute launch window opened at 8 a.m. ET. SpaceX is streaming the launch on its website and on the social media platform X. Launch is expected just before 9:30. The company said the chances of launch were 70%, though high-level winds could be a problem. You can follow along below.

Watch Starship's third flight test https://t.co/1u46r769Vp — SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 5, 2024

It has promised "excitement guaranteed" at every stage of the flight.

The company has made upgrades and likely changed procedures since its previous attempts, but it remains to be seen whether this will be the launch that proves that the largest rocket ever built can really fly.

A 'successful failure': SpaceX's Starship achieves liftoff, loses contact mid-flight

"They say that the third time is a charm," says Paulo Lozano, director of the space propulsion laboratory at MIT. But, he adds, launching a rocket as large as Starship "is not a simple task."

"Nobody has done like this before at this scale," he says.

Starship is a stainless steel monster. It stands nearly 400 feet tall, and its first stage, known as "Super Heavy," is powered by 33 Raptor engines that must all work together to heave it towards orbit.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk believes this massive machine can carry humans to the moon and Mars. Its durable stainless steel construction makes it easy to reuse, at least in theory, and could dramatically reduce the cost of launching satellites and people into orbit. NASA has given billions to SpaceX to develop Starship as a lunar landing system that could deliver astronauts to the lunar surface.

SpaceX's Starship last April ended after the rocket spun out of control and eventually exploded over the Gulf of Mexico. Eric Gay/AP hide caption

SpaceX's Starship last April ended after the rocket spun out of control and eventually exploded over the Gulf of Mexico.

But before Starship can fulfill these lofty ambitions, it's got to fly. In its first test, nearly a year ago, the spacecraft made it off the ground, but it did considerable damage to the launch pad in the process, hurling concrete and debris for up to half-a-mile . Multiple engines in the first stage gave out, and as the rocket fell back to Earth, its self-destruct system also failed to properly destroy it. It tumbled out of control for several seconds before finally breaking apart.

SpaceX wants this supersized rocket to fly. But will investors send it to the Moon?

The second flight in November was more successful . The launch pad was not obliterated by the 33 engines, all of which fired as expected. The Starship also successfully separated from its booster at the predetermined altitude. But the booster failed to reignite its engines properly and exploded before it could descend back to the Gulf of Mexico. Starship's self-destruct system (beefed up after the first flight) also detonated before it could reach its desired altitude.

Scott Manley, a popular YouTuber who closely tracks Starship launches, says that the second stage likely failed because it had too much fuel and oxidizer aboard. To try and reduce mass as it flew into space, "it began dumping excess oxygen," he says. Unfortunately, the oxygen, which is highly flammable, apparently caught fire either in or around the rear of the rocket. "There was a fire in there that got turbo-charged by having oxygen just leak all over it," he says.

This time around, Manley says several additional changes have been made. Based on photos taken by rocket-watchers near the site, the fire suppression system appears to have been beefed up and the oxygen-dumping system has also been tweaked. "That will probably solve that problem," he says, but adds, "It doesn't guarantee they've solved every single problem."

Starship has also added additional tasks to the flight test. It will attempt to briefly open its payload bay doors while in orbit. And it will conduct a test to see whether it can transfer propellant from one fuel tank to another. Moving fuel around will be critical for both lunar and Martian trips, as the vehicle will need to top off its tanks for both journeys.

Lozano says that fuel transfer is particularly challenging in space.

"All of these propellants have very high vapor pressure," he says. That means if they're exposed to the vacuum of space, they will "decompress explosively." Even the act of pumping fuel is tricky in zero gravity, Lozano, says, because there's no force pressing the fuel towards the bottom of the tanks, where pumps might normally operate.

"There is no experience doing this kind of thing," he says. "It's a new technology, but I'm pretty sure that technically it's possible to do."

Finally, Starship will also attempt to relight its Raptor engines before re-entering Earth's atmosphere. Both Manley and Lozano say they will be closely watching that process.

As Starship enters the atmosphere, "you need to protect it from massive amounts of heating," Manley says. The underbelly of the ship is covered in thermal protection tiles, he says, but "they've been falling off on every single test. So it remains to be seen whether they can actually keep enough tiles on Starship for it to make it through re-entry."

"If it comes back in one piece, I think it's going to be a big success," Lozano says.

In total, the flight test will take a little over an hour, and — assuming all goes well — the spaceship will splash down in the Indian Ocean.

Correction March 14, 2024

A previous version of this story said Starship's second launch was in December of 2024. The launch took place on November 18.

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Elon Musk’s Maritime Marvel: A Closer Look at His Extravagant Yacht

If you’re an avid follower of Elon Musk, you’ve probably heard of his latest addition to his impressive collection of toys – a yacht. Yes, you heard it right. The billionaire tech entrepreneur has recently purchased a massive yacht, and it’s turning heads for all the right reasons. Dubbed as the “ultimate luxury escape on water,” the Elon Musk yacht is not your ordinary sea vessel. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at its specifications, features, photos, and price.

Elon Musk’s yacht is an impressive display of wealth and technological prowess. It merges luxury with innovation, bringing together the best of both worlds. This seafaring sanctuary is much more than a floating mansion. It’s an embodiment of Musk’s unique style and penchant for the extraordinary.

Specifications:

The Elon Musk yacht, also known as the “Dragon,” is a sleek and sophisticated vessel that spans a whopping 367 feet in length, making it one of the largest yachts in the world. It was built by Italian shipyard Benetti, and designed by the award-winning team at H2 Yacht Design. The yacht boasts a modern and futuristic look, with clean lines and a distinctive metallic gray finish.

The Dragon is powered by a hybrid propulsion system, featuring diesel-electric engines and battery packs. This setup allows for a maximum speed of 17.5 knots and a cruising range of 6,500 nautical miles. The yacht can accommodate up to 14 guests in seven luxurious cabins, and it’s operated by a crew of 25.

The Elon Musk yacht is packed with impressive features that cater to its guests’ every need. On the main deck, you’ll find a spacious salon, a formal dining area, and a cinema room. The upper deck houses a panoramic lounge, a bar, and an outdoor dining area. On the bridge deck, you’ll find the master suite, which features a private balcony, a study, and a lounge area. The yacht also has a helipad and a garage that can store a submarine or a car.

Aboard the yacht, one is treated to an array of amenities designed to offer unrivalled comfort. From the plush, spacious cabins to the state-of-the-art kitchen, every element radiates Musk’s commitment to creating an unparalleled maritime experience. It is the amalgamation of high-end luxury and advanced technology that makes this vessel a marvel.

One of the most notable features of the Dragon is its “floating island.” This feature consists of a large pool, surrounded by a circular deck that can be raised or lowered to adjust the water level. The deck can also be transformed into a dance floor or a stage, making it the perfect spot for a party or a concert.

Staying true to his ethos of sustainability, Musk’s yacht incorporates various energy-efficient solutions. The yacht boasts solar panels and an advanced propulsion system, reinforcing Musk’s commitment to renewable energy. His yacht not only stands as a symbol of wealth and luxury but also of sustainability and environmental consciousness.

he sleek design of Musk’s yacht is a nod to his futuristic vision. Its streamlined structure and modern aesthetics not only exude elegance but also improve its performance at sea. The elegance is not just confined to the exterior. Inside, the yacht is a haven of refined taste, with every detail carefully considered and executed to perfection.

The Elon Musk yacht reportedly cost around $200 million to build. However, the actual price may be much higher, considering the customization and additional features that Musk might have added.

Elon Musk’s yacht is more than a luxurious possession. It’s a nautical representation of his vision – the perfect blend of comfort, technology, sustainability, and style. From its sustainable features to its breathtaking design, it serves as a testament to Musk’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

In the end, the yacht stands as an embodiment of Musk’s forward-thinking approach. It isn’t merely a vessel that sails the seas; it’s a testament to the tech mogul’s inventive spirit and his relentless pursuit of excellence.

Explore the fascinating world of Elon Musk with the best-selling book, “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.” Delve into the extraordinary life and vision of this visionary entrepreneur as you sail through the pages of this captivating biography . It’s a must-read for anyone intrigued by Musk’s achievements. And the best part? You can also enjoy the free audio version of the book.

Elon Musk: The Quest

For a fantastic future.

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Daniel Anderson

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How much money does Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship program cost?

S paceX revolutionized sending rockets into space with its reusable booster modules. Its Falcon 9 platform is now the cheapest per kilo of payload.

However, if the company started by Elon Musk is successful at getting its Starship rocket system functional and operational it would drastically slash the cost of travelling into orbit and beyond. On Saturday, SpaceX will be making another go of it with a second test launch from its Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.

Begun in 2012, Musk has estimated that the Starship program will cost between $5 billion and $10 billion to develop. In 2023 SpaceX planned to pump some $2 billion into rocket system in an effort to finally get Starship into orbit for the first time.

The first attempt in April 2023 ended in a “Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly” over the Gulf of Mexico roughly four minutes after liftoff . Technical problems forced the launch team to activate the flight termination system resulting in a massive fireball. In November 2023 a second attempt was made and more information was gathered after a successful liftoff although the the vehicle caught fire and was lost at the end of the second stage

However, the first Starship flight managed to achieve several milestones and the company learned valuable lessons even in failure on the first and second attempt. While Musk wasn’t completely confident that the Starship would get into orbit in 2024 putting the odds at 80 percent, he puts them at 100 percent in the first half of 2024 and was successful on March 14, 2024 on the third attempt.

Starship program will radically reduce price of space travel

The cost of putting material and people into space is considerably cheaper today than at the start of the space race. However, it is still prohibitively expensive for a wider expansion of developing industries in space or sending anyone other than the wealthiest individuals and astronauts into orbit.

The SpaceX Starship could radically change that though if the program is successful and can be scaled up. The company’s Falcon 9 rockets cost around $62 million to carry a payload of around 25,000 kilograms (55,000 lbs.).

That is about a sixth of the potential maximum 150 metric ton payload of Starship. Musk estimates that it would cost as little as $10 million per launch within a few years. Currently each launch costs about $100 million, but that is still 40 percent less per kilogram than the Falcon 9 given the higher volume available on board the Starship rocket system.

SpaceX has pumped vast sums of money into developing the Starship rocket system. Once operational though it will drastically cut the cost of space travel.

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Nelson Peltz, wearing tortoiseshell glasses, smiles behind his raised hand, blurred, in the foreground.

What Must Nelson Peltz Do to Get Some Respect?

The longtime corporate agitator feels misunderstood. Maybe his fight with Disney could change that.

Nelson Peltz, 81, has been battling the Walt Disney Company over its corporate strategy. Credit... Ahmed Gaber for The New York Times

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By James B. Stewart and Lauren Hirsch

March 16, 2024

At age 81, with over four decades of dealmaking and corporate cage-rattling under his belt, Nelson Peltz would seem to have pretty much everything.

He’s a billionaire. Until the hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin came to Palm Beach, Fla., Mr. Peltz had the largest property tax bill in town, with an oceanfront estate estimated to be worth $334 million. His 130-acre property in Bedford, N.Y., known as High Winds, has its own helipad, indoor ice rink and waterfall. He has use of his company’s jet. (But so far, he owns no yacht — he rents one instead.)

He also has an undeniably full life apart from his business: He has two children from his first marriage. He also has eight children (including two sets of twins) with his wife since 1981, the former model Claudia Heffner. His eldest child from that marriage, Matt, is a partner and co-chief investment officer at Mr. Peltz’s Trian Partners.

His photogenic younger children have thrust him into the tabloids and onto the Hollywood red carpet. Nicola, an actress (“Bates Motel,” “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Welcome to Chippendales”), married Brooklyn Beckham, son of David and Victoria Beckham, in a splashy wedding at the Peltz Palm Beach estate in 2022. Will is also an actor (“Unfriended,” “Euphoria,” “Manifest”). Brad played hockey for Yale and was drafted by the Ottawa Senators.

Mr. Peltz, Elon Musk, Nicola Peltz Beckham and Will Peltz standing in front of a gray backdrop for the movie “Lola.”

And yet Mr. Peltz yearns for something that continues to elude him: the respect from the corporate elite, which he craves and feels he deserves. Could admittance to the inner sanctum of one of the best-known and most respected companies in the world — the Walt Disney Company — deliver that?

On and off for almost a year and a half, Trian Partners has waged an intense corporate fight by controlling a $3.5 billion stake in Disney and pushing for two board seats and influence over the company’s strategy. Mr. Peltz’s ammunition is a barrage of criticism of Disney’s management and board: The stock has plunged; costs have spiraled out of control; a string of big-budget film flops has raised questions about the company’s creative engine — problems that Mr. Peltz says he can reverse with his operational skills and strategic insight. While he concedes he has no experience in entertainment, his opinions, he says, are informed by his children and their high-powered friends, including Elon Musk, who has been critical of Disney.

The proxy battle has pitted him against Disney’s chief executive, Robert A. Iger, one of the media industry’s most powerful executives and someone Mr. Peltz once considered a good friend. Mr. Iger and Disney’s board have pushed back hard, even enlisting the support of the Disney family , including Abigail Disney, who has long complained about Mr. Iger’s lofty compensation. The increasingly bitter contest is hurtling toward a climax on April 3, when Disney will hold its annual shareholder meeting and proxy votes will be counted.

That this fight is over far more than a couple of board seats, or even a multibillion-dollar stake in the company, was abundantly clear in a series of interviews with The New York Times at Trian’s offices on Park Avenue and in Palm Beach, and over the phone.

During the interviews, Mr. Peltz — who has had numerous similar run-ins with corporate giants such as Procter & Gamble, Heinz and Unilever — repeatedly lamented his reputation as a provocateur and “activist” investor, a thorn in the side of chief executives and their boards.

He hates being mentioned in the same company as a rogues’ gallery of activists, buyout operators and corporate raiders, as he often is. He thinks he should be compared to someone he admires and tries to emulate: Warren E. Buffett.

“Does Nelson feel misunderstood? He probably does,” said Arthur Winkleblack, who was chief financial officer at Heinz when Mr. Peltz waged a successful proxy contest there in 2006 and joined the board. “Not all activists are the same. There are activists who are not nice people. There are activists who are.”

Whatever label is attached to him, there’s little chance that Mr. Peltz will be embraced by the august members of the Business Roundtable, the Washington-based lobbying group of elite chief executives, given his long track record of public criticism of boards and chief executives, and his efforts, when rebuffed, to elbow his way into America’s boardrooms.

Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase and a former chairman of the roundtable, recently came out against Mr. Peltz in the Disney proxy fight, citing the disruption that activist investors can bring to a board. JPMorgan is advising the company in its proxy defense. Disney has paid JPMorgan over $160 million in fees since 2014 as a client, according to LSEG, a financial data provider.

One measure of Mr. Peltz’s continuing notoriety is the reluctance of many people who have worked with him to speak on the record — even people he counts as friends and admirers, some of whom he recommended The Times interview for this article. That’s especially true in the midst of the Disney fight; several people said they didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire between Mr. Peltz and Mr. Iger, let alone Mr. Dimon. Both chief executives cast long shadows in the entertainment and business worlds.

“He’s like the uninvited guest who crashes a dinner party,” said Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. “No matter how charming, he’s not going to be welcome.”

Ski Bum Turned Billionaire

Mr. Peltz can be funny and self-deprecating: He recently told The Times that he was the only person he knew who had gained weight while taking Ozempic, which seems to be popular in his Palm Beach neighborhood (The tanned, fit-looking Mr. Peltz shows no obvious need to lose weight.)

Mr. Peltz, who was born and grew up in Brooklyn, traces his social skills to his student years at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was president of his hard-partying Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. “Classes screwed up my day,” he said.

He left Wharton before graduating to pursue a passion for skiing, but en route to a job as an instructor at Oregon’s Mount Hood, he was pressed by his father into a two-week stint at the family’s small Bronx-based frozen food distribution company. He was soon brimming with ideas for building the business, investing in the stock market and staying. (He also shaved off his beard at his father’s request. He sports a neatly trimmed beard again today.)

In the decades that followed, Mr. Peltz’s career mirrored the history of modern dealmaking. His successful effort to buy out the notorious corporate raider Victor Posner from National Can in 1985 was the first all-junk-bond tender offer, using the low-rated, high-yielding bonds once shunned by conservative investors. It was also the start of Mr. Peltz’s relationship with the junk bond pioneer Michael Milken. (Mr. Peltz balked at Mr. Milken’s initial invitation, for a 5 a.m. meeting in Beverly Hills; Mr. Milken grudgingly moved the appointment to 6.)

Mr. Peltz forged a close friendship with another controversial raider, Saul Steinberg, who introduced him to Mr. Milken and whose own hostile run at Disney ended with a much-criticized greenmail payment in 1984. (Greenmail is a payment to a corporate raider in return for dropping a hostile takeover bid.)

After the National Can deal, Mr. Peltz’s Triangle Industries swallowed the rival American Can’s packaging division in 1986. He then sold Triangle to France’s Pechiney for $4.2 billion in 1988, including debt. The deal was widely acknowledged as one of the most successful leveraged buyouts, or deals largely funded by debt, and it established a model subsequently embraced by a generation of financiers.

Suddenly wealthy beyond his wildest dreams, and only 46, Mr. Peltz considered an early retirement. But he was quickly bored by golf. He went on to a series of other leveraged acquisitions, buying Snapple from Quaker for $300 million in 1997 and then selling it and some other brands three years later for $1.45 billion. (Mr. Peltz’s success at Snapple is the subject of a Harvard Business School case study .)

“He would often suggest new flavors — and he would push us to come up with different forms and different bottles,” said Ken Gilbert, who was Snapple’s chief marketing officer at the time. “We were spinning out new products every month — it was crazy. And he loved it.”

Mr. Peltz helped found Trian in 2005 to pursue businesses that “weren’t well run but were too big for us to buy,” he said. He and Peter May, his longtime partner, his friend and a former public accountant, courted outside investors and embraced a lucrative compensation model, taking both a management fee and a percentage of the fund’s gains, a model that soon swept the world of alternative investing and that has minted numerous billionaires.

A Builder, Not a Breaker?

For all Mr. Peltz’s business and financial success, not to mention longevity, his early associations with people like Mr. Posner (who pleaded no contest to tax evasion and fraud in 1988) and Mr. Milken (who pleaded guilty to multiple felonies in 1990 and was pardoned by President Donald J. Trump in 2020) no doubt tainted his reputation, fairly or not.

Even before then, he was turned down by the co-op board when he tried to buy an apartment at 740 Park Avenue in Manhattan, and not because he couldn’t pay in cash. The building, on the Upper East Side, is a residential haven for the corporate elite: His friend, Mr. Steinberg, lived there. And Blackstone’s Stephen A. Schwarzman subsequently bought Mr. Steinberg’s apartment, once home to John D. Rockefeller Jr. (The board later approved a purchase by Mr. May, Mr. Peltz’s partner and the president of the New York Philharmonic.)

On more than one occasion Mr. Peltz, who is Jewish, has encountered what he considered at least a whiff of antisemitism. He recalled that his arrival in London in the 1980s was greeted with a tabloid profile headlined “The Wild and Rocking World of Nelson Peltz.” The first sentence, he said, called him a “Jewish boy from Brooklyn,” and the British business establishment closed ranks against him.

Mr. Peltz, long a fierce critic of antisemitism, said he stepped down from his role as chairman of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in December because after 40 years in the position, it was time for a change. But The Wall Street Journal reported that he left after the center called for a boycott of Ben & Jerry’s. The center had deemed posts by the company’s chairman to be pro-Palestinian after the Hamas attack on Israel. Mr. Peltz is a board member of Unilever, the owner of Ben & Jerry’s.

His fellow billionaire Henry Kravis, the buyout pioneer, is one of the few Jewish members of Palm Beach’s old-money Everglades Club, but not Mr. Peltz. Mr. Peltz said he had “refused to set foot” in the club until it had a Jewish member and, now that it does, has had lunch there several times. (Mr. Peltz belongs to the Palm Beach Country Club, which has long accommodated members excluded from more restrictive Palm Beach clubs.)

Mr. Peltz’s reputation as a corporate troublemaker also cost him his longtime relationship with his Manhattan law firm, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. In 2019, the firm cut ties with him even though he had been one of its biggest clients for decades. Paul Weiss handled his estate planning and other matters; a Paul Weiss partner left the firm to become his general counsel. But after Paul Weiss expanded its elite corporate practice in recent years, the firm told him that it could no longer represent activist investors, including him.

Mr. Peltz countered that he wasn’t an activist, he was a “constructivist” — someone who worked with management, not against it. He had never mounted a hostile takeover, he said, or even fired a chief executive. Paul Weiss was unpersuaded. “They dropped me like that,” Mr. Peltz said. “I was probably their oldest living client.”

Vitriol for Disney

Mr. Peltz’s argument that he’s not an activist has also fallen on deaf ears at Disney.

Before the proxy fight, Mr. Peltz had breakfast with Mr. Iger at the Beverly Hills Hotel on occasion when Mr. Peltz was in Los Angeles, and Mr. Iger visited Mr. Peltz in New York. Disney’s pension fund also invested in Trian.

When Elliott Management, led by the activist investor Paul Singer, took a stake in AT&T in 2019 and agitated for change, Mr. Iger asked Mr. Peltz to address the Disney board. Topics on the agenda, according to records reviewed by The Times: “What made AT&T vulnerable?” and “Who will be the winners and losers” as big technology companies move into entertainment and media content production?

But early last year, after Mr. Peltz bought roughly $1 billion in Disney shares and threatened a proxy contest for a board seat if Disney rebuffed his proposals, Disney attacked Mr. Peltz, saying he did “not understand Disney’s businesses and lacks the skills and experience to assist the board in delivering shareholder value in a rapidly shifting media ecosystem.”

Even though Mr. Iger and the Disney board had seemed eager to tap Mr. Peltz’s expertise in 2019, Mr. Iger only grudgingly gave him 45 minutes on Jan. 10 last year to present his plans. Mr. Peltz’s reception was frosty — only Mr. Iger asked a perfunctory question.

Little more than a month after Mr. Peltz started his campaign, Disney pledged $5.5 billion in cost reductions (later raised to $7.5 billion) and said it would resume paying a dividend. Mr. Peltz said the changes aligned with Trian’s goals, and he backed off the proxy fight.

By December, he was back. Frustrated by the ensuing slide in Disney stock— from over $110 a share in February 2023 to below $80 in October— and what he deemed Disney’s failure to follow through with its pledges, Mr. Peltz and Trian renewed their campaign.

This time, Mr. Peltz increased the pressure by allying with two Disney veterans with intimate knowledge of the company: Ike Perlmutter and Jay Rasulo.

Mr. Rasulo, a former Disney chief financial officer and theme parks head, was considered a potential successor to Mr. Iger until he was passed over for the chief operating job in 2016. Mr. Rasulo and Mr. Peltz are Trian’s nominees for the Disney board.

Mr. Perlmutter is the sometimes irascible former chairman of Marvel Entertainment, which Disney bought in 2009 for $4 billion in cash and stock, making him one of Disney’s largest shareholders. He remained chairman of Marvel Entertainment after the deal, but Mr. Iger sidelined him in 2015 by revamping Disney management. Mr. Perlmutter was unceremoniously laid off last year and has since been a vocal critic of Mr. Iger.

Mr. Trump introduced Mr. Peltz to Mr. Perlmutter in 2016 at Mar-a-Lago, where Mr. Perlmutter usually commands a prime dining room table next to Mr. Trump’s. Mr. Perlmutter has been a prominent financial backer of Mr. Trump’s presidential campaigns. Mr. Peltz, too, was a Trump supporter and raised $10 million for him at his Palm Beach estate in February 2020. But the two stopped speaking after Mr. Peltz went on CNBC and denounced Mr. Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and incite violence on Jan. 6, 2021, as a “disgrace.” His antipathy has only grown since, and Mr. Peltz said he would not raise more money for Mr. Trump.

Still, the falling-out hasn’t dented Mr. Peltz’s friendship with Mr. Perlmutter.

Mr. Perlmutter has entrusted Mr. Peltz to vote his Disney shares, inflaming tensions with the entertainment company. In its defense against the Trian campaign, Disney accused Mr. Perlmutter of bearing Mr. Iger “personal animosity” and blaming him for being fired.

Disney has also suggested that Mr. Peltz is motivated by a grudge against Mr. Iger, a claim that Mr. Peltz has vehemently denied. The company recently told investors that the men were never close friends, and that Disney ended its investment in Trian in 2021, angering Mr. Peltz, because the fund had underperformed the S&P 500 on an annualized basis over eight years. A spokesman for Mr. Peltz and Trian said they didn’t comment on client matters.

Lacking the information that he’d be privy to as a board member, Mr. Peltz doesn’t purport to have a novel solution to the streaming losses that have bedeviled Disney and other media companies trying to make the difficult transition to the direct-to-consumer digital era. He has been frank about his lack of direct experience in entertainment — something Disney has highlighted. But he said experience wasn’t everything. “They just put out five movies in a row that were big losers,” he said.

In Disney, he sees a company with great assets. But he also believes it’s a business crying out for greater operational accountability, more efficiency and better board governance. He considers Disney to be not that different from consumer-facing companies that he has helped turn around, like Heinz and Procter & Gamble.

Mr. Peltz also has better visibility into Disney’s operations than most of his past targets thanks to his alliance with Mr. Rasulo. Many were surprised that Mr. Rasulo would go up against Mr. Iger, his former mentor, in such public combat.

But Mr. Rasulo said in an interview that Mr. Iger’s abrupt departure in 2020 and the choice of the little-known Bob Chapek to replace him left him (and many others) mystified. So did Mr. Chapek’s sudden ouster and Mr. Iger’s return in 2022. Streaming losses soared, and Disney stock plunged.

“I was always a Disney guy,” said Mr. Rasulo, who spent three decades at the company, and the decline was painful to witness. “Something obviously went radically wrong.”

Mr. Rasulo didn’t know Mr. Peltz when they met for breakfast in Los Angeles a year and a half ago, but he said he had liked what he heard. He conducted his own interviews with people who had dealt with Mr. Peltz, and his research bore out what Mr. Peltz had emphasized — that he was a long-term investor looking to fix the company, not break it up.

Mr. Rasulo said he had no ambition to take Mr. Iger’s place as chief executive. He said he believed he could be an objective “voice of clarity” on the board as well as someone with intimate familiarity with the company’s operations and legacy. (Disney has countered that Mr. Rasulo left eight years ago and is out of touch with a radically changed media landscape.)

Mr. Peltz, too, said he looked forward to working closely with Mr. Iger if he gained a board seat. But that hasn’t stopped him from publicly criticizing Mr. Iger’s leadership. Waging his campaign on CNBC, in other media and in a recent whirlwind of visits to major shareholders, Mr. Peltz has argued that Disney grossly overpaid for 21st Century Fox assets in 2019, a $71 billion deal that saddled the company with enormous debt; that Mr. Iger and the board have repeatedly bungled succession planning; and that Mr. Iger has overseen an alarming decline in quality and financial results at the company’s core Disney animation, Pixar and Marvel entertainment units.

“The fact is, the emperor has no clothes,” Mr. Peltz said.

There have been no invitations from Disney to address the board this time.

In a statement for this article, a Disney spokesman said Mr. Peltz “has failed to demonstrate that he comprehends Disney’s strategic position in the modern media business, or to offer any compelling ideas, and we believe his presence in the boardroom would be disruptive and destructive.”

History as a Guide

A recurring issue in the Disney proxy fight will be Mr. Peltz’s investment record, which remains a closely guarded secret. Various academic studies have found that activist investors, on average, don’t generate superior returns over time.

Trian maintains that federal rules prohibit it from publicizing its results. But the firm said that from the time Mr. Peltz joined a company’s board — 11 in all — through the end of 2023, Trian’s investments in those 11 companies generated a 17 percent annualized rate of return. The S&P 500 has returned an annualized 9.5 percent since 2005, when Trian was founded.

Trian said it used that measure — from the date Mr. Peltz joined a board to the present — because the fund took a long-term approach and often continued to own shares after Mr. Peltz or one of his Trian partners left a board. If returns were measured until the date they stepped down, the returns would be slightly higher, it said.

Annualized returns in those companies range from 47 percent (Legg Mason, acquired by Franklin Templeton in 2020, a year after Mr. Peltz joined the board) to 3 percent (Unilever, which was Trian’s most recent investment before Disney and whose board Mr. Peltz joined in 2022).

Trian argues that these returns are what’s relevant to shareholders of the target companies, including Disney. Trian’s own investors haven’t reaped annualized gains that large, in part because the fund isn’t always fully invested and holds cash and shares in other companies.

One investor said Trian gained 12 percent in 2023 (well below the S&P 500’s 24 percent rise) and lost 10.6 percent in 2022 (when the S&P dropped over 18 percent). Disney said Trian’s annualized returns for its pension fund trailed the S&P 500 by 500 basis points, or 5 percent, over eight years. (Trian said that it offered multiple investment and fee options, and that individual investor results therefore varied.)

Still, many investors have been satisfied: Trian’s assets have gone from less than $1 billion when it was founded in 2005 to over $10 billion. Mr. Peltz attributes his investment success to his operational skills and long-term perspective.

“We’re not activists,” he insisted. “We’re not private equity. We’re not looking to just leverage up a business and sell. We’re looking to build a business over the long term. That’s what’s fun.”

Mr. Peltz noted that the average holding period for a Trian position was six years— long by activist standards, though about the same as private equity funds. Some holdings, like Wendy’s, have been much longer.

The Times interviewed a dozen former executives at companies targeted by Mr. Peltz, and all said he had bolstered results, even those who said they had no particular fondness for him and declined to be quoted.

Mr. Winkleblack, who orchestrated Heinz’s defense in the proxy contest, thought it possible, even likely, that he’d be fired once Mr. Peltz gained a board seat. On the contrary, he stayed in his role after he met Mr. Peltz one on one.

“We fought a good fight,” Mr. Peltz told him. “Now let’s go make money for shareholders.” That, in essence, is Mr. Peltz’s philosophy, Mr. Winkleblack said.

After an extensive listening tour, Mr. Peltz backed Heinz’s chief executive, William Johnson, and his turnaround plan. Mr. Peltz subsequently proposed Mr. Johnson, whom he now calls a “great friend,” for the PepsiCo board, and Mr. Winkleblack now serves as a Trian representative on Wendy’s board.

Mr. Peltz’s battle against DuPont was in some ways the beginning of modern-day activism: evolving into a full-blown fight in which an influential proxy firm, ISS, sided with Mr. Peltz while index funds, decisively, sided with the company’s management.

Though Mr. Peltz lost the proxy fight in 2015, DuPont’s chief executive, Ellen Kullman, stepped down not long after. Her successor, Edward D. Breen, developed a warm relationship with Mr. Peltz and embraced much of his strategy.

Mr. Peltz said Trian intended to remain a major Disney shareholder and keep up the pressure even if it lost the proxy battle, and pointed to DuPont as a precedent.

Procter & Gamble put up a spirited defense to Mr. Peltz’s proxy campaign but, after a narrow loss, reluctantly welcomed Mr. Peltz into the boardroom in 2017. Two years later, Mr. Peltz and the company’s chief executive, David Taylor, were heaping praise on each other.

“We’d rather be rich than right, and David has that same attitude,” Mr. Peltz said at a conference sponsored by CNBC and Institutional Investor. “That’s why we’re getting along so well.”

Several executives who have faced Mr. Peltz’s attention said they saw a common theme: He accelerated existing recovery plans, and then reaped credit for the success. Chief executives who get along with him have to swallow their egos — something that might prove difficult for someone as prominent as Mr. Iger, especially given all the recent vitriol.

Many also said that the care and feeding of Mr. Peltz was time-consuming. After Mr. Peltz joined the board of the snack food maker Mondelez International, then-chief executive Irene Rosenfeld created a new executive position to handle some administrative duties while she dealt with Mr. Peltz and other activist shareholders. Still, Mondelez shares rose an annualized 11 percent while Mr. Peltz was on the board, Trian said.

No one The Times interviewed could recall Mr. Peltz’s arriving on a board with bold ideas that no one else at the company had ever thought of.

“He’ll offer thoughts. He’ll have a thesis,” as one former chief executive said. “But the reality is no one can come from the outside and really know a well-managed company. They’re not going to walk in and tell them something they’ve never thought of.”

Still Rocking the Boat

Which is why, when all is said and done, Mr. Peltz may never escape the unsavory reputation that still dogs him, at least in some quarters, and why it’s unlikely he’ll ever be mentioned in the same breath as Mr. Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway acquires companies only in friendly deals.

Mr. Peltz seems oblivious that even when he is invited onto a board, it’s often under duress: better to have him on the inside, with a director’s duty to shareholders, than on the outside waging a proxy war.

Mr. Peltz “may be a very smart investor and a very savvy operator, but he rocks the boat,” Mr. Elson of the University of Delaware said. “People who rock the boat are naturally going to cross swords with the establishment.” (Mr. Elson’s family is also a pillar of Palm Beach high society; his father, Edward, was U.S. ambassador to Denmark in the 1990s, and his mother, Susie, was chair of Palm Beach’s Society of the Four Arts.)

“No one likes to be told you’re doing something wrong. That’s just human nature,” Mr. Elson continued. “When that happens, you’re viewed as a dissident, an irritant. Irritants aren’t loved.”

Loved or not, Mr. Peltz has Mr. Elson’s admiration, he said, even if he doesn’t always agree with Mr. Peltz’s approach. “Irritants,” he said, “are important to the proper functioning of a capitalist society.”

James B. Stewart has been a reporter and business columnist for The Times since 2011, focusing on the human drama of the business world and the struggle for corporate power. More about James B. Stewart

Lauren Hirsch joined The Times from CNBC in 2020, covering deals and the biggest stories on Wall Street. More about Lauren Hirsch

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Rear Wheels Breaking Off. “Floppy Wet Noodle” Windshield Wipers. Easily Humiliated by a Subaru. This Is the Cybertruck.

A list of the most disturbing, hilarious, and catastrophic cybertruck disasters..

Here’s a serious question: Since Tesla’s Cybertruck was officially rolled out to the public on Nov. 30, has it seen a single week without a series of either hilarious or nigh-catastrophic disasters?

It has been four years since Elon Musk botched the exhibition of his company’s first electric pickup truck, by touting “unbreakable,” “bulletproof,” “Armor Glass” windows that broke easily after contact with a metal ball. (The windows being easy to break might have been a good thing, however: As the Wall Street Journal reported recently, the shipping executive Angela Chao died in a tragic accident after she backed her Tesla Model X into a pond and firefighters, police, and paramedics were unable to break the Tesla’s windows and rescue her.)

Having now recovered from myriad parts-sourcing and manufacturing issues, the Cybertruck has seen its belated introduction to prime time greeted with much hype—and worry. It’s not just the overwhelming size and weight of the thing, or its documented struggles in scaling off-road hills , or its sharp, stainless steel edges, all of which could prove fatal in the event of a collision with pedestrians, bikers, or other drivers. Really, it’s … basically everything about this boxy monstrosity. During the November rollout at Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory, tech reporters and other observers made note of the truck’s complicated doors, its floppy and lengthy windshield wipers (which … don’t cover the entire windshield, are rather expensive to replace , and apparently “ flop around like a wet noodle ”), its windows’ rebranding as “rock-proof” instead of “bulletproof,” and its incredibly faulty anti-crash features. Not long after the event, even more concerning elements came to the public’s attention, in the least ideal way possible: publicly, and dangerously.

Let’s lay out a little timeline here:

• Just a few days after the rollout, a transportation-focused TikTokker posted a popular video showing off the Cybertruck’s alarming “ visibility fails ,” including the driver’s obstructed front and rear views, and the lack of easy functionality for gear shifts and land-change indicators.

• A few days after that , Instagram user Matt Chambers shared videos from an off-road trail in Bear Valley, California, where a Cybertruck slid far from the track and had to get towed by a Ford pickup driven by his friends. It turns out, per an update to the caption, that this truck had “traction control issues due to software problems, not aired down, no pickup points, poor choice of tires and no recovery points!” Thanks to the popularity of the videos, Chambers is now selling a limited-edition “CyberStuck” sticker, in case you’re interested.

• A late-December head-on collision in Palo Alto between a Cybertruck and a teen-driven 2009 Toyota Corolla all but destroyed the latter’s front end, although, thankfully, no passengers in either vehicle were seriously hurt.

• By early January, it became apparent the Cybertruck was not up to the job of navigating an extremely snowy winter, thanks to faulty tires unable to find traction in fluttery conditions. Social media posts from drivers showed their trucks stranded on the side of the road, blanketed by snow.

• Later that month, after Cybertruck owners complained that their vehicles’ mileage capacities per charge were far lower than advertised , another off-road-driving YouTuber detailed his struggles with operating the truck’s locking software and the Cybertruck’s difficulty navigating the inclines in a Texas dirt-road park. Humiliatingly, his friends managed to tackle the park just fine in their Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota 4Runner.

• In early February, a immediately viral, now-deleted video from user @blakestonks showed us the worst of both worlds: a Cybertruck driver going hands-free on the highway while wearing an Apple Vision Pro headset and clearly occupied with some sort of virtual game. Other outlets reshared the clip:

• Also in early February, at the desert-racing King of the Hammers tournament, a Cybertruck’s rear wheels popped off after its driver put it through what Futurism called “ some gnarly donuts .” The Cybertruck wasn’t the only vehicle there to undergo technical difficulties—but, because it’s an all-wheel drive, it was the only vehicle whose rear wheels broke off. Not great for a supposedly invincible juggernaut. (Oh, and did we mention that the Cybertruck’s tires are already weaker than most, thanks to tightly applied wheel covers that rub up against the rubber?)

• This has already earned quite a bit of attention at this point, but it’s worth reiterating that not only did Musk’s insistence on a stainless-steel exterior for the Cybertruck lead to yearslong manufacturing delays but has now fueled customer dissatisfaction with the discoloration and “orange rust” stains that affect the truck’s look whenever it gets wet. As Wired explains, “The Cybertruck does not ship with a clear coat,” but you can purchase a $5,000 Tesla-produced wrap if you’d like to keep your shiny truck from looking all corroded. So much for stainless!

• To kick off March, tweeter Matthew Chiarello shared this harrowing story in a now-deleted post : “Love @tesla and my @cybertruck but ‘catastrophe failure’ with steering and brakes while on a road trip with wife and toddler. … Pretty pretty pretty not good. Oh and service center not open today. @elonmusk.” Pretty much explains itself.

• Another early-March post from a Cybertruck owner that earned some attention: “I’ve had my truck for two days, got in this morning, everything was on. Went to press the brake to put it in reverse and everything went black. Power door button wouldn’t even let me out, had to use manual release to get out. I can not get back in either. My battery is at 40%, so no it’s not dead.” Ah, well, nevertheless.

• Last Tuesday, a local news channel in Monterey County filmed a Cybertruck that “ got stuck while illegally driving on Marina State Beach .” The drivers could only push it away from the beach after the local fire department arrived to deflate the tires. Naturally, many online observers had fun with this image, recalling memories of the big ol’ boat that got stuck in the Suez Canal almost exactly three years ago.

• Only a few hours after sharing an Instagram video in which he flexed his new Cybertruck, the up-and-coming rap star 2Rare admitted that he’d crashed it into a sign outside the Beverly Hills Hotel, an incident that gained even Elon Musk’s attention. 2Rare’s reaction to seeing his whip literally go up in flames ? “Iknoo i F#^ked that money upp yall iknoo.”

• On Friday, the popular YouTube reviewer JerryRigEverything decided to test the Cybertruck’s “bulletproof” claim by firing a .223-caliber AR-15 at its steel walls, which indeed gave way to the powerful rifle’s bullets.

• Oh, and by the way, if you wanna attach a “Basecamp” tent to the back of your Cybertruck, it’ll cost you $3,000 , and the tent will be nowhere near as sturdy or as adaptable to your truck’s needs as advertised.

• Over the weekend, a Texas-based electric vehicle enthusiast tweeted a video of his Cybertruck’s screen flashing red with a “critical steering issue” warning, forcing him to pull over in a parking lot. What ended up fixing this? “Walking away from the vehicle and coming back resolved the issue,” he wrote.

• Also over the weekend, Tesla fan and TikTokker Jeremy Judkins posted a video of what will happen should you find yourself locked inside the Cybertruck’s trunk, or Cybertrunk : There is no glow-in-the-dark emergency release—normally a standard feature for passenger vehicles—and the space contains internal sound pretty effectively. Another issue Tesla just might wanna fix.

Well! That should suffice in bringing you up to speed on the fragile state of the Cybertruck, dear reader. Little wonder that fans of Golden State Warriors star Gary Payton II are begging him not to get one for himself—even as resale prices for the truck reach record lows, thanks to disaffected owners flooding the auction market with their discolored, damaged, unsafe, complicated, and possibly wheel-less vehicles. (But if you try to list your Cybertruck for resale, Tesla might retaliate against your account and cancel your other reservations with the company, according to Electrek.) For Elon Musk, who’s betting a lot on Cybertruck success for the sake of Tesla’s business, that may end up being the worst crash of all: the hit to his market share. Who knows? Maybe it’ll take another four years to helm a safer version.

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