'Musk is Tesla and Tesla is Musk' – why investors are happy to pay him 1tn

Protesters make their point in Austin, Texas, but Tesla investors disagreed, voting to make the tycoon the world's first trillionaire. Protesters make their point in Austin, Texas, but Tesla investors disagreed, voting to make the tycoon the world's first trillionaire. 'Musk is Tesla and Tesla is Musk' - why investors are happy to pay him $1tn Making Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire appears to fit a US investment culture of backing high-flying innovators For all the headlines about an on-off relationship with Donald Trump, baiting liberals and erratic behaviour, Tesla shareholders are loath to part with Elon Musk . Investors in the electric vehicle maker voted on Thursday to put the world's richest person on the path to become the world's first trillionaire, despite the controversy that is now seemingly intrinsic to his public profile. Shareholders approved the $1tn compensation plan, which could yield the largest corporate payout in history if he meets a series of tough-looking goals, not least pushing Tesla from its current market value of $1.4tn to $8.5tn (£1.06tn to £6.4tn).