Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Elon Musk podcast. I'm your host, William Walden, tech entrepreneur and founder. In today's episode, we're going to unpack Elon Musk's Tesla and their latest offering. And no, it's not another electric vehicle. It's actually a limited edition set of beers that you could drink, retailing for a hefty $150.00.
We'll also touch upon the contrasting fortunes of Elon Musk and Bernard Arnault, owner of luxury conglomerate LVMH, and how Tesla's merchandising may move some people that were interested in a cyber truck to stick with it. Now Tesla, the electric vehicle giant, has given us yet another curveball. The company known for its disruptive automotive technology is now brewing beers.
Yes, that's right, Tesla is releasing an exclusive set of beers dubbed Tesla Cyber Beer along with a pair of ceramic steins called Cyber Steins. These are specifically designed to reflect the aesthetics of Tesla's much anticipated cyber truck. Tesla's offering 211 ounce bottles of lager with unique notes of herb, spice, tea and citrus, all wrapped in an exquisitely designed gloss black
sleeve. And to sip these beers in style, the kit also includes 2 matte black ceramic steins with a design mimicking the angular structure of the cyber truck. These are not just drinking vessels, but are also being viewed as future collectors items. The beer will start shipping in October, but there's a catch. The offer is limited to individuals who are at least 21 years old and reside in the United States, and after adding tax and about $15 for shipping, the total cost for the beer and
the steins is $176.63. Now, Earlier in the year, Tesla has already dipped its toes in the brewing industry with a $30 Giga beer celebrating the opening of its Berlin Giga factory. Tesla's move into alcohol isn't just a one off affair, seems like a deliberate attempt to diversify the brand's portfolio for the future. It's a nice little trinket to have a collector's item for the
future. And while Tesla stock has performed very well this year, increasing Elon Musk's wealth by approximately $100 billion, Bernard Arnault of LVMH is seeing a downturn in his fortunes. Arno's estimated net worth fell by more than $5 billion recently, mainly due a decline in the LVMH stock. The luxury conglomerate posted weaker than expected sales, indicating challenges in the luxury sector amid global
economic shifts. Arno and Musk have often been neck and neck in the race for the title of the world's richest person. But as Tesla diversifies into areas traditionally dominated by luxury brands like LVMH, we must wonder as Tesla's entry into high end merchandising like cyber beer. In additional pressure point to Bernard Arnault. Now, let's not forget that this is not Tesla's first safari into merchandising. The automaker had early released a $250 bottle of tequila shaped
like a lightning bolt. Although they had initially filed the name for the liquor teslaquila, they had to drop the idea due to industry regulations. Tesla's merchandising gamuts are more than just stunts. They offer unique, limited edition items that align with the company's brand identity. And the diverse range of products from Tesla seems to extend the company's ethos into other aspects of lifestyle as well.
Whether it's a gigafactory themed beer or lightning bolt shaped tequila, Tesla's merchandise feels like an extension of the futuristic disruptive brand image. Now, the divergent in fortunes between our No and Musk isn't just about beers and luxury products, it's a sign of how different industries are responding to the current global
economic environment. LVMH is feeling the pinch from weakening consumer trends, especially in its key markets like China. And on the other hand, Tesla seems to be riding high in the diversification strategy which seems to be paying off. Luxury sector in the tech industry often cater to a similar clientele who are willing to pay a premium for high quality exclusive products. So when Tesla moves into the merchandising game, could it be stealing some of another luxury markets Thunder?
It's kind of an intriguing question to think about. And shifting gears a little bit, NASA recently launched the Psyche mission aboard a Falcon Heavy SpaceX rocket. It's headed toward a unique asteroid between Mars and Jupiter. It's embarked on an ambitious 6 year journey that could change our understanding of our whole solar system as viewed by solar powered propulsion and propelled
by state-of-the-art thrusters. This spacecraft aims to collect data from the asteroid Psyche, which is believed to be an exposed planetary core. Now this groundbreaking mission could offer crucial insights into the violent history of planetary formation and even the early solar system and how the Earth was formed. This sets up the stage for future space expeditions as well. Now, spacecraft propulsion technologies are continuously advancing, and the Psyche mission is a case in point.
It utilizes solar electric propulsion to journey through space, A more efficient form of travel compared to traditional chemical rockets like Spacex's Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 and Starship. Now, this kind of propulsion uses electromagnetic fields to accelerate ions of xenon gas, offering the potential for higher speeds and greater
maneuverability. Now, a spacecraft is estimated to accelerate to speeds of up to 124,000 mph, A considerable feat that could influence the engineering of future deep space missions. And the mission also includes a cutting edge optical communication system called DSOC, or the Deep Space Optical Communication System. This system uses a near infrared laser to transmit data, offering ten to 100 times the bandwidth of conventional radio wave systems that NASA currently uses.
Now, what this means for space exploration is a huge deal. Higher data rate returns could facilitate more sophisticated scientific experiments, not to mention enable smoother communication for future human missions. To the moon for something like the Artemis program, or to Mars with something like Spacex's Starship, this could be a game changer, opening up doors to more ambitious projects like manned missions further out of the solar system or district
asteroid mining. Now NASA's Psyche mission isn't just a scientific exploration, it's a technological trial run for what could be the next era of space exploration. With advanced propulsion systems and breakthrough communication technologies on board, Psyche could be a milestone in humankind's external quest to explore our final frontier of space. And as such, the mission has wide reaching implications for future space travel.
Taking it not just a venture to watch, but a cornerstone for what may come next in our journey through this cosmos. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of the show. Now don't forget to hit the subscriber The follow button on your preferred podcast platform. It's free, takes just a second. And remember, each episode is around 10 minutes or less, so this helps you stay informed quickly. Please take care of yourselves and each other and I'll see you in the next one.