If I had to guess, I’d say the original Tesla founders had a greater influence than Musk. His track record, frankly, is unimpressive. He’s been promising full self-driving “next year” since 2016, yet it’s still nowhere close. Aside from the Model S and X, there hasn’t been a major innovation under his watch. The real groundbreaking work likely came before him. His reign? Far from remarkable. Each year has been a cycle of overpromising (often outright lying) and underdelivering. As for Tesla’s stock? Well, markets can stay irrational far longer than most people can remain solvent.

Tarpenning and Eberhard left Tesla in 2008 and 2007 but somehow they had a greater influence? They contributed no money, nearly tanked the company but somehow were more important.

"His track record is unimpressive"... I can see why you say that, I mean, took Tesla from almost nothing to a trillion dollar company. Started the most prolific rocket and satellite company in history (but hey, it's only rocket science right?), provides internet to places that it never even had the possibility of getting to, and providing untold millions the chance to get on the internet.

Started a company that is giving the paralyzed the ability to use a computer controlling their brain, and is working to restore sight to the blind.

Totally unimpressive. There are so many people who have done these things /s