SAN FRANCISCO ¨C It is nearly impossible to imagine Tesla Inc. without Elon Musk ¡ª its chairman, CEO, largest shareholder and public face.
But the Securities and Exchange Commission¡¯s lawsuit Thursday has raised questions about the executive¡¯s future at the electric car company, sending shares spiraling. The agency accuses Musk of misleading investors with his infamous Aug. 7 tweet about taking Tesla private and seeks to ban him from serving as a director or officer.
That possibility, however remote, cast a pall on the final days of a rocky quarter and is likely to renew concerns about Tesla¡¯s lack of an operating chief or a clear No. 2. This weekend was supposed to be a celebratory milestone, with thousands of Model 3 sedans finally making their way to customers at delivery centers across the U.S. as the company made a final push to achieve sustainable profits. But once again, a drama surrounding Musk is taking center stage.
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