REPORT: Eberhard drops lawsuit against Tesla
by Domenick Yoney on Aug 19th 2009 at 1:50PM 
The civil lawsuit filed by Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard against Tesla Motors and its CEO Elon Musk has been suddenly dropped. It was just a few short weeks ago that Eberhard had won something of a victory in an opening skirmish of what had threatened to be a long campaign when a judge slapped down Tesla's anti-SLAPP motion.
While it's probable a settlement framework of some sort was agreed upon, no details of any such arrangement between the two parties have been released. Eberhard's council, Yosef Peretz, has only been willing to say that more information may be disclosed sometime toward the end of September. Tesla Motors declined to give AutoblogGreen any comment on the lawsuit at this time.
The suspension of hostilities comes at a good time for Tesla, having recently been given a large ATVMP loan that should help them get their promising Model S in production and become an automaker in earnest. For his part, Martin is also keeping busy and has just started sales of his own Tesla Roadster-specific mobile charger, the Roadster Foundry Mobile Connector. Let's just hope these two stay busy and keep bringing the world green transportation innovation.
Gallery: Tesla Model S
[Source: Silicone Valley / San Jose Business Journal via Tesla Motors Club]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Throwback 3:02PM (8/19/2009)
Pay off? money usually settles these slapping contests.
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Chris M 3:29PM (8/19/2009)
Could be that someone with considerable "people skills" managed to negotiate a settlement between the two big egos. All too often, engineer and CEO types lack "people skills" and have trouble dealing with colleges and employees.
Or it could have been a deal to allow Martin to run his new business of supplying Roadster accessories (like the charging cable) without interference from Tesla Motors.
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Serge 3:33PM (8/19/2009)
Most likely the former.
As for the latter, that project has been handed off to EV Components http://teslafounders.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/the-roadster-foundry-mobile-charger/
Level 4:02PM (8/19/2009)
Money is the solution to a lot of problems lol
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Nick P. 5:22PM (8/19/2009)
Good! Martins demands were quite reasonable and the founder/not founder question is ridiculous: they are both co-founders and were important in Tesla being where it is now.
Now they can both concentrate on contributing to EV history. Hopefully Martin is still doing things connected to EVs.
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Nozferat 5:54PM (8/19/2009)
They are both over-rated arrogant douches.
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Yanquetino 10:36PM (8/19/2009)
Whatever has been negotiated behind closed doors to avoid the lawsuit, I sincerely hope that it is in Martin's very best interest. After all, there would be no Tesla Motors without him. I can't wait to read the book someday!
As for Edison Musk... I'm still waiting to see a scan of that physics diploma.
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Tohe 5:59AM (8/20/2009)
I hope there is no "book", most likely Mr. Eberhard signed his soul away with deep ink on this deal. And I could care less, I've had enough of this drama.
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Stan Peterson 10:59AM (8/20/2009)
The 3/4 of a billion taxpayer dollars that the Clueless One and his daffy minions have lavished Helps Tesla is basically a garage-shop operation, but with a big PR mill, with no factories and little original technology. Taxpayer grants will go a long way for all the handful of investors to ride off into the sunset, very amicably! And enormously wealthier.
Mercedes invested some money into Tesla, envisioning some great technology acquisition, and discovered it to be a paper shell of a company, to their horror. Mercedes then dumped its investment to a dumb Oil Sheik in less than a month.
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Chris M 10:09PM (8/20/2009)
Your "facts" are more than a little bit off.
That 400 million "advanced vehicles manufacturing loan" was from a Government program started in 2007 when Bush Jr was in office - "Clueless one and his daffy minions" indeed!
As for the 50 million invested by Daimler, turns out Daimler still owns most of it and sold off only a small portion to an Arab investor that also has substantial stock in Daimler. Tesla Motors will be supplying the batteries for the 2nd generation Smart EV, a contract still in effect, and one that demonstrates that Tesla Motors is more than just "a paper shell". Tesla Motors has delivered over 500 vehicles, something a "paper shell company" would never have done.
Maybe if you stopped listening to Faux News you'd get a more realistic understanding of what is going on in the world.
Nick 12:40AM (8/21/2009)
@Stan
Been doing crack again lately?
You represent the true Republican retard, distorting facts, making up complete nonsense, but as long as it back ups your argument it's ok right? Integrity my a...
First of all the loan program was started under Bush, in an effort to increase the technological competitiveness of American car manufacturers. No one has ever said that 'filthy rich investors will ride into the sunset with taxpayers money' where the hell did you read that anyway, at a 'tea party'? F-tard.
Secondly Tesla has been able to put a high performance EV on the road long before any large car company, the cars are being cranked out by the dozens nowadays.
And you stupid little retard had to make up a bunch of c.... to poo poo Tesla, EV cars and of course Obama?