Elon Musk and a Top Chinese Diplomat Take a Ride – TheStreet

Elon Musk took the suit out of his wardrobe for the occasion.

It's a sign, if there was any doubt, that this road trip is not like the others.

The billionaire, installed in the passenger seat of the car, wears a black suit and a black tie over a white shirt.

His neighbor who occupies the driver's seat also wears a dark suit but a little lighter than Musk's. He also wears a tie over a blue shirt and glasses.

The two men appear to be deep in conversation, the subject of which appears to be the capabilities of the car, a Tesla (TSLA) - Get Tesla Inc ReportS Plaid sedan.

Except that the passenger is not an average driver.

He is Qin Gang, the Chinese ambassador to the United States. It is also the diplomat who shared photos of this car trip between the two men on his Twitter account.

The trip took place on March 4.

The diplomat does not give any information on the route and the duration of this road trip.

"Had an inspiring talk with @elonmusk today on cars on the road, stars in the sky, research of human brain, meaning of life on earth and our future into the space," Qin Gang wrote. "Look up and think beyond."

In a second tweet, the diplomat gives his impression of this car trip, which he seems to have greatly appreciated.

"Took a ride in a @Tesla Model S Plaid on #autopilot. Powerful model, but smooth ride!"

The road trip between the two men reflects the closeness between Tesla, Elon Musk and China.

Musk, who has an extremely cold relationship with U.S. President Joe Biden, does not hide his ties with the Chinese authorities.

China is a crucial market for the manufacturer of luxury electric vehicles.

The company's Gigafactory in Shanghai has become the epicenter of the production of the Model 3 and Y, the entry-level sedan and SUV from which the American company, that wants to move its headquarters from California to Austin, Texas, hopes to conquer the world.

Tesla aims to at least double its production capacity in this factory which can currently produce roughly 850,000 cars per year.

Last year, more than half of the 936,172 cars delivered by Tesla worldwide were produced in Shanghai.

The Chinese authorities have reserved special treatment for Tesla.

The automaker is one of the few foreign vehicle manufacturers that Beijing did not require to form a joint venture to enter the Chinese market.

This free pass allowed Tesla to take advantage of tax credits, cheap land and low-interest loans granted in particular by Beijing to encourage the population to embrace electric vehicles, while other cities in the country have pollution rates among the highest in the world

From Volkswagen (VLKAF) to GM (GM) - Get General Motors Company Report, most automotive groups wishing to sell or produce cars in China have been forced to enter into partnerships with local players.

Musk's relationship with China is complicated, however.

The billionaire has been under pressure since China urges foreign companies to keep all data collected on their local customers in the country.

Tesla must also seek the green light from the authorities before making updates to certain software in its cars in China.

In an attempt to soften the authorities, Musk does not hesitate to sing their praises.

"The economic prosperity that China has achieved is truly amazing, especially in infrastructure! I encourage people to visit and see for themselves," he wrote on June 30 to his millions of followers on Twitter.

This did not prevent China from accusing SpaceX, another company founded by Musk, of threatening the safety of Chinas space station with its satellites.

The accusation made last December concluded an already turbulent year for Musk in the most populous country in the world.

Last spring, protesters claiming that Tesla cars were posed a danger to consumers attempted to block entry to the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition.

In June, Tesla had to recall 300,000 Model 3 and Model Y cars due to a technical glitch.

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Elon Musk and a Top Chinese Diplomat Take a Ride - TheStreet