Sönke Iwersen

Michael Verfürden

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The Tesla Files

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A whistleblower, a leak, a fight for truth: The Inside Story of Musk's Empire

Elon Musk, the self-appointed savior of civilization, the genius intent on leading us into a new age of electric vehicles, is one of the wealthiest people on the planet. But a whistleblower, a 100GB-leak of confidential Tesla documents and two investigative journalists reveal the frightening truth behind the façade: an unusually high number of workplace accidents in Musk’s factories, dangerous errors in Tesla's autopilot software, a culture of fear and deception, and countless broken promises. 
 
Through its chilling analysis of leaked internal Tesla data and court documents set alongside the astonishing first-hand accounts of employees, customers and their bereaved families, The Tesla Files is the definitive exposé of the world’s most powerful businessman and the rise and fall of his empire.

'Seven a.m. 
What the hell is going on? 
The ringing turns into pounding. 
Halfway to the door, he hesitates, moves to the window, peers out. 
His stomach drops. 
 
Tesla has found him.' 
 
When an anonymous whistleblower and ex-Tesla employee approached the German business newspaper Handelsblatt in November 2022, its newsroom was stunned. 
 
Accompanied by 23,000 leaked documents and 100 gigabytes of confidential data, the breach offered a rare glimpse inside the world’s most secretive and impenetrable automaker. 
 
From thousands of customer complaints concerning Tesla’s autopilot software to employees fired for raising safety concerns, buyers encouraged to accept defects as glitches and Tesla’s practice of withholding information from regulators and the grieving families of those who lost their lives to Tesla’s tech – the allegations were astounding. 
 
Through hundreds of interviews with employees and customers, Iwersen and Verfürden lay bare a company that values hype over substance. At its heart a CEO who demands devotion and rules through fear. 
 
As the line between tech empire and political power blurs, The Tesla Files is a timely exposé into what happens when a corporation outpaces the systems meant to contain it. 
 
A thrilling behind-the-scenes chronicle of investigative journalism at its most relentless, The Tesla Files is the gripping story of the newsroom that raced to hold the richest man in the world accountable.

When an anonymous whistleblower and ex-Tesla employee approached the German business newspaper Handelsblatt in November 2022, its newsroom was stunned. 
 
Accompanied by 23,000 leaked documents and 100 gigabytes of confidential data, the breach offered a rare glimpse inside the world’s most secretive and impenetrable automaker. 
 
From thousands of customer complaints concerning Tesla’s autopilot software to employees fired for raising safety concerns, buyers encouraged to accept defects as glitches and Tesla’s practice of withholding information from regulators and the grieving families of those who lost their lives to Tesla’s tech – the allegations were astounding. 
 
Through hundreds of interviews with employees and customers, Iwersen and Verfürden lay bare a company that values hype over substance. At its heart a CEO who demands devotion and rules through fear. 
 
As the line between tech empire and political power blurs, The Tesla Files is a timely exposé into what happens when a corporation outpaces the systems meant to contain it. A thrilling behind-the-scenes chronicle of investigative journalism at its most relentless, The Tesla Files is the gripping story of the newsroom that raced to hold the richest man in the world accountable.

Sönke Iwersen (Author) 
Sönke Iwersen is an award-winning journalist who has led the investigative team at Germany’s top business newspaper, Handelsblatt, since 2012. Known for uncovering complex stories with precision, he has received numerous accolades, including three Watchdog Awards, the Kurt Tucholsky Prize for Literary Journalism, and the German Reporter Prize. Named Business Journalist of the Year, Iwersen also teaches at the Georg von Holtzbrinck School for Business Journalists and hosts the acclaimed podcast Handelsblatt Crime, where he merges investigative rigor with compelling storytelling. 
 
Michael Verfürden (Author) 
Michael Verfürden is a distinguished investigative journalist at Handelsblatt, renowned for his in-depth reporting on topics such as misconduct in the meat industry, questionable real estate practices, and corporate-targeted cyberattacks. His relentless investigation into the Wirecard scandal unearthed secrets that even German law enforcement agencies had missed. Verfürden teaches research methods in cyberspace at the Georg von Holtzbrinck School for Business Journalists, blending traditional investigative techniques with advanced digital tools.

The Tesla Files

A whistleblower, a leak, a fight for truth: The Inside Story of Musk's Empire

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