Google Nearly Bought Tesla Before Model S Turned It All Around, Book Claims

The year was 2013, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk sought to do what Tesla fans might consider a most unusual step; sell the carmaker to Google and work for them.

That’s the claim made by a new book titled Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, And The Quest For A Fantastic Future, set to be released by publisher Ecco in the US midway through next month.

The book says the carmaker was on the verge of bankruptcy, and that Musk reached out to Google co-founder Larry Page seeking a job and to sell Tesla.

Musk is said to have been keen to continue to oversee the Tesla project, and was willing to work with Google if need be to see the brand continue.

The combined US$11 billion deal included an eight-year clause that would see Musk in charge of a Google-owned Tesla, with a new pool of funds to continue the company’s expansion.