Elon Almost Burns Down Walmart
Walmart’s been on fire recently, and in more ways than one! After eagerly rigging up its new Tesla solar panels, seven rooftop infernos have left the retailer irate and confused!
After careful thought and deliberation earlier this year, SolarCity chairman Elon Musk decided to sell his solar panel company to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. To the surprise of analysts, the deal was wrapped up very quickly, and Musk was chuffed with the merger.
However, as soon as Elon signed on that dotted line, SolarCity’s problems became Tesla’s problems. That was no more evident than yesterday when Walmart launched a full-on legal campaign against the combined tech company after some faulty panels ignited controversy. The solar panels were too good, drawing too much heat from the sun. They caught fire, prompting numerous 911 calls from terrified Walmart staffers.
Specifically, Walmart has beef with how Tesla “deployed individuals to inspect the solar systems who lacked basic solar training.” The solar boffins failed to fix some apparent defects that Walmart employees could see. The low-cost retailer has gone all-in with Tesla solar panels at over 240 stores across the country. It’s placed further orders for electric semi-trucks, knowing that if delivery costs can be cut back, that leaves more earnings for its investors.
So, lawsuit pending! Investors main concern may now be the loss of a good customer. Having the country’s biggest retailer onboard is a great trustmark. Tesla can’t afford to fluff up its first mover’s advantage before other competitors enter the electric and solar scene. For more, head to Elon Musk’s Twitter account.