Street, VIDEO, why Tesla will never make motorcycles: the accident that has haunted Elon Musk since he was 17

The rumor mill was churning, and so was the hype. An AI-generated video imagined Elon Musk at the handlebars of a futuristic Tesla motorcycle, straight out of Tron, gliding through an auto show as a natural extension of the manufacturer's electric vehicle lineup. The clip went viral… But the Tesla CEO's response was as brutal as it was definitive: « That will never happen; we can't make motorcycles safe. »

No promise of innovation. No technical challenge to overcome. No "maybe later." Just a resounding NO. If Musk To slam the door shut with such firmness is not a rational CEO decision or a calculated product strategy. It's a personal wound.

When he had 17 yearsMusk was riding his motorcycle. A truck hit him. A violent, head-on collision with death. Since then, he has categorically refused to ride on the road again: I almost died. They'll never make road bikes. »

He had already told the shareholders this story in 2018. Then repeated it in 2019. And he has just written it down again, recalling that this episode changed his life: My near-death experience took place on a motorcycle. »

This refusal comes at a time when the sector is booming. Honda, BMW, Kawasaki embark on the electric, Zero et Live Wire they push performance. Yadea et NIU make the electric scooter a mass-market product.

Tesla It would have everything it takes to revolutionize this market, just as it did for the automotive industry. But Musk doesn't want to play with fate. One exception, however: off-roading…

Elon Musk: Off-road motorcycles are safe if you ride carefully, because no truck can run you over. »

If there is a narrow opening, it is located far from the asphalt: Off-road motorcycles are safe if you ride carefully, because no truck can run you over. »

A Tesla Off-Road Electric It is therefore not totally excluded… but it is clearly not among the CEO's priorities.

Ultimately, this question reveals more about the man than about the company. Tesla is a pioneer in the electrification of the world. But Musk don't try to prove anything to motorcycles.

For him, the road on two wheels will always be a reminder of a near-death experience. And faced with this deep-seated fear, even innovation falls silent.