Bill Gates snubs Tesla again, but says EV revolution has begun

World's second richest billionaire and co-founder of Microsoft - Bill Gates - used his blogpost GatesNotes to say that electric vehicle revolution has certainly begun and that it could become one of the most important tools to fight climate change. However, his apparent differences with Tesla CEO Elon Musk was once again exposed when he decided to not mention the American EV giant among key EV makers.

Advocating for electric vehicles, Gates wrote, “Switching to electric vehicles and alternative fuels is the most effective way we can move toward zero emissions from the transportation sector." He also said that when most people picture what contributes to climate change, vehicles are one of the first things that come to mind. Gates reminded readers that in United States, transportation is the number one contributor to emissions. “But you might be surprised to learn that it only contributes 16 percent of global emissions. That’s a smaller percentage thanhow we plug in,grow things, andmake things. Still, decarbonizing how we move around is essential if we’re going to get to zero net emissions," said Gates in his blogpost.

He went on to say that cheaper batteries is the way to make electric vehicles more acceptable and mainstream. He wrote, “The batteries that power them have seen an 85 percent price drop since 2010, so they’re getting more affordable to purchase (although they’re still more expensive than gas-based options). Plus, increased competition in the market means there are more choices available to customers than ever before, from compact sedans to sleek sports cars."

But when he came to mention some of the key electric vehicle manufacturers, at least in US, Gates did not mention Elon Musk’s Tesla among the four he named. “You’ll even be able to buy an all-electric pick-up truck soon thanks to legacy companies like GM and Ford and new carmakers like Rivian and Bollinger," he wrote.

Gates had earlier criticised Elon Musk, suggesting that he should probably focus on his job and let the coronavirus experts focus on theirs after Tesla CEO said that number of deaths from Covid-19 is being overstated and thatlockdownsaren't needed.

Earlier, when Gates bought an electric Porsche Taycan, Elon Musk called him 'underwhelming' for picking an electric car over a Tesla. Musk's quip came despite Gates praising Tesla for coaxing the car industry to go electric.