Porsche enthusiast Bill Gates picked up a Taycan this winter. The car will undoubtedly be his daily driver, an ecologically sensitive performance car that doesn’t have to make any excuses for itself, even in comparison with its ICE brethren.
Gates’ new conveyance may seem poor fodder for even a light news piece, but the fact that such a story gets a little exposure is because it is, as an abstraction, timely and important. Figureheads like Gates are of course influential, and the climate crisis that is presently brewing could potentially be ameliorated if the masses followed the lead of the computer guru and billionaire. That being said, there is another debate surrounding the total carbon footprint of electric cars, especially when their manufacture is included. And, needless to say, not everyone can afford a Taycan.
The story nevertheless reveals the degree of sophistication of electric vehicles, and their position on the cusp of mainstream acceptance. So Gates’ new car really represents good news all around. Especially if you happen to be driving a brand spanking new Taycan.
Gates, in his interview with YouTuber Marques Brownlee, didn’t go into the specifics of his Taycan. But one can assume he didn’t skimp on the options.
Elon Musk was apparently unimpressed by Gates’ choice, and took to twitter to answer the question on many people’s minds: Why did Gates buy a Porsche and not a Tesla? The truth is the performance-oriented Taycan is not a direct competitor of any Tesla model yet—the top of the line Taycan Turbo S flirts with the $200,000 mark—so the question doesn’t apply. And the real reason may simply be sentimental: Gates’ love of well-engineered Porsches dates back to the 1970s when he bought a new 1979 911 Turbo.
To his credit, Elon Musk continues to do extraordinary things at Tesla. Their latest update increases the range of the Model S Long Range to nearly 400 miles, with the Model X Long Range now surpassing 350 miles. That’s literally miles ahead of any competitor. Musk’s other, equally brilliant work includes ushering in an era of mass adoption of solar power and firing rockets at the heavens.
Musk couldn’t hide his general discontentment, however, calling his conversations with Gates “underwhelming.” Musk may have simply been unaware of Gates’ love of Porsches; it’s nothing personal, apparently.
Gates’ net worth hovers around $110 billion, give or take $10 billion. Musk’s net worth is climbing fast; it was last seen around $40 billion.
