Now, with the subprime mortgage crisis spreading further, an opportunity has arrived.
Speaking of Tesla, although the company has initially gained some recognition following the launch and commencement of deliveries of its electric sports car, the Roadster, it remains largely overlooked by the major automakers. It will only be after the launch of the Model Series that they will be taken seriously.
After all, even if the Roadster is successful, it's still just a sports car...
sales will be modest at best.
Only by achieving success in the massive family car market will the major automakers feel the greatest threat.
Then, a concerted crackdown from the major fuel vehicle manufacturers will ensue.
Looking at Tesla, Baron couldn't help but think of another company he invested in—China's BYD. As one of the world's largest battery suppliers, BYD was also developing electric vehicles.
Baron knew that within the next decade or so, BYD would steadily build momentum in the electric vehicle sector, ultimately reaching a position comparable to Tesla and becoming its biggest competitor.
"You look a little tired, Mr. Musk."
Hearing Barron's words, Elon Musk said apologetically,
"Sorry, Your Highness, I worked overtime last night... I'm still not entirely satisfied with the Roadster's battery pack, and I'm working on further refinements."
Musk was indeed a workaholic. Barron remembered reading an interview with his future wife in his previous life...
In that interview, the actress complained that after their marriage, Musk spent most of his time working at the company, which had contributed to the breakdown of their marriage...
At that time, to develop electric vehicles, Musk practically lived at Tesla's R&D center, working alongside the company's engineers on various trials and experiments... This
was also why Barron didn't acquire Tesla before Musk had done.
After all, Barron didn't believe he could do a better job than Musk at this sort of thing—and there was no need for him to be so personally involved in electric vehicle development...
He simply needed to invest in the company when the time was right, like now.
Despite the successful launch of the Roadster electric sports car, Tesla's current situation is not good. Therefore, in a subsequent conversation, Musk almost fully supported Barron's interest in investing in Tesla—assuming that the investment was just that, an investment, and he would not allow anyone else to interfere with his dominant position at Tesla.
Tesla is expected to lose over $80 million this year—one can imagine how difficult it is for a company that has never been profitable since its inception to raise funds amid the deepening financial crisis.
However, Barron and Musk had a relatively cordial conversation during this visit to Tesla.
Ultimately, British Motor Group confirmed that it would invest $150 million in Tesla, acquiring a 20% stake, and would collaborate with Tesla on certain electric vehicle technologies and establish a joint R&D center.
Musk's primary reason for accepting this investment wasn't just the $150 million it would provide to meet his immediate financial needs—remember, in his original time, due to a shortage of funds, Musk ultimately invested his remaining $60 million in Tesla, essentially dedicating his entire fortune to a last-ditch effort. Furthermore, he believed that BMG's technological expertise in traditional auto manufacturing could aid Tesla in developing new models. Both parties had their own priorities. Baron, through BMG, invested in Tesla because of his understanding of the broad prospects for electric vehicles over the next decade or so .
He also hoped that this partnership would allow BMG to accumulate significant technological expertise in the electric vehicle sector.
"You invested in Tesla?"
After Barron's visit to Tesla, he met Ivanta at his Silicon Valley home.
"Yes, I think electric cars have a bright future, so it's a bit of a gamble. By the way, you know this company?"
"Yes, I've heard of Musk before. He's been approaching a lot of investment firms lately, including IC Capital."
Ivanta took off her coat, revealing her figure in a tight sweater.
"But IC Capital didn't plan to invest in this sector, so we declined."
IC Capital is a well-known name in America, making Ivanta a goddess in the venture capital industry.
It's no wonder Tesla approached IC Capital when seeking investment.
However, after IC Capital sold DoubleClick and YouTube to Woaw Technology, Ivanta focused her attention on Android. She's been helping Android with acquisitions, acquiring companies with the latest technology and patents to support its growth.
Naturally, she had no interest in Tesla.
"Are you going to see Steve Jobs tomorrow?"
Barron embraced Ivanta, kissed her passionately, and then, in response to her curiosity, he replied,
"Yes, after all, I'm a major shareholder in Apple."
"I heard his health isn't very good right now."
Back in 2004, Jobs publicly announced that he had pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, a relatively rare form of pancreatic cancer.
If an ordinary person had contracted this disease, they would have died long ago, but Jobs's billions of dollars ensured he had access to the world's most advanced medical resources—he personally donated substantial funds to relevant medical institutions.
In Barron's previous life, Jobs died three years later, in 2011...
When Barron met Jobs the next day, although he appeared calm, he could still see that his complexion was noticeably darker than a normal person's.
"Thank you very much for your continued support of Apple, Your Highness."
Jobs' eyes shone with a brilliance that didn't match his current physical condition. He stared at Barron and said,
"But at the same time, Honor Electronics, in which you invested, is also our biggest competitor."
"You're wrong, Mr. Jobs. Apple's biggest competitor isn't Honor Electronics or Android. On the contrary, they are Apple's true allies..."