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The Tesla Files

The Definitive Exposé of the World's Most Powerful Businessman and the Rise and Fall of his Empire

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The Tesla Files

By: Sönke Iwersen, Michael Verfürden
Narrated by: Mark Elstob
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Brought to you by Penguin.

A whistleblower.
A 100BG-leak of confidential internal documents.

This is the story of the fight to expose the truth of Tesla.


Elon Musk is one of the wealthiest people in the world. Tesla made him a 300-times billionaire. Starlink turned him into a force in global conflicts. X became his personal megaphone, stoking political turmoil at the touch of a button. With SpaceX, he aims to conquer the stars.

But a whistleblower, a 100GB-leak of confidential Tesla documents and two investigative journalists reveal the frightening truth behind the façade: an unusually high number of workplace accidents in Musk’s factories, dangerous errors in Tesla's autopilot software, a culture of fear and deception, and countless broken promises.

Investigative journalists Sönke Iwersen and Michael Verfürden take readers behind the shiny surface of Tesla. Through their chilling analysis of internal Tesla data and court documents set alongside the astonishing first-hand accounts of employees, customers and their bereaved families, The Tesla Files reveals a corporation in crisis. At its heart a billionaire who truly believes the world is his for the taking.

The definitive exposé of the world’s most powerful businessman and the rise and fall of his empire.

© Michael Verfürden, Sönke Iwersen 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Business Ethics Engineering Workplace & Organisational Behavior Inspiring Heartfelt
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Critic reviews

The Tesla Files is a triad of disclosures that might have destroyed a more conventional company
Sensational…A bombshell book
All stars
Most relevant
What a book and what revelations. The richest man in the world can do what he likes and get away with anything.
God help us.
This is a must read for anybody who cares about the future of the human race.

Proof that Money=Power

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Thorough and fascinating, I've been a Tesla fan for a long time this book is like that feeling when you start working at your dream company and you suddenly learn that everything is held together by string and that politics and optics are more important than engineering.

You can have the future today but at what price

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The unravelling of the Musk facade told within some of the best investigative journalism in recent times. A stark warning backed up with evidence as to how the world is being manipulated right in front of us by people who have far too much money and power…And we’re worried about AI?

An absolute Musk Read!

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Very well written and hooked me from the start. If you've got a Tesla, don't read this. Or alternatively, if you've got a Tesla you have to read this! It basically proves the theory that everyone ( including Elon) is just 'winging' it. The breathtaking hubris and self belief of the company and its owner is dissected in detail. The sheer unaccountability is also evident. It's a damning account of one man deciding to stand up against the richest man in the world. I listened while I was painting fence panels and I almost wished I had more panels to paint!
Recommended

Like WTF Man! As Elon would say

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Enjoyable and compelling read that gives more of a focus on the behaviours of Musk that at times felt a bit lacking from the official biography.

This book is more condeming and focuses on how challenging his conduct can be, as well as the negative impacts of him and his behaviour.

Definitely good to read alongside the biography but I guess also in isolation.

Doubt I'll be buying a Tesla having read this!

Excellent to read in tandem with the Musk biography

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