Tesla CEO Musk Nears $1 Trillion Payday Amid $8.5 Trillion Valuation Goal

Tesla has proposed an ambitious CEO compensation plan for Elon Musk that could potentially pay him over $1 trillion if the company achieves an $8.5 trillion valuation, a goal tied to groundbreaking developments in robotaxi networks and humanoid robots. However, the plan has faced sharp criticism from figures like Senator Bernie Sanders, who called the potential payout an ethical embarrassment given extreme wealth inequalities. Despite Musk's extraordinary wealth, estimated at over $436 billion, he maintains a relatively modest lifestyle, living in a rented $50,000 home near SpaceX’s Texas facility and owning a few other properties in Texas and California. Musk's real estate investments reflect a strategic focus on Texas, aligning with his business operations at SpaceX and Tesla, particularly as SpaceX expands near Boca Chica to support Starlink production. Tesla's current valuation and stock metrics raise skepticism about the feasibility of reaching the unprecedented $8.5 trillion target, with critics noting Tesla's main revenue still largely dependent on auto sales, which have stagnated recently. Nonetheless, some investors remain optimistic about Tesla's future beyond automobiles, viewing the company as a transformative tech enterprise.