— Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) December 16, 2022 Musk doesn’t have to leave Tesla entirely. His vision still gives the company an edge. But it’s time for him to relinquish the CEO title, if only to insulate Tesla from the chaos of his personal and political battles. The “Musk mystique” still holds weight. When he announced the soft launch of Tesla’s robotaxi service in Austin last month, the market reacted with wild optimism, even though the premiere involved just a few hand-picked superfans and required a human monitor in the passenger seat. Experts briefly forgot that Google’s Waymo has been leading in autonomous vehicles for years. That’s the power of Musk. But here’s the truth: Musk no longer seems interested in building cars. Tesla hasn’t launched a brand-new model in years. The Cybertruck, its most recent release, is widely considered a flop. Musk is focused elsewhere: on Optimus, the humanoid robot, and on Tesla’s software ambitions like Full Self-Driving (FSD) and robotics. Yes, these are important areas for Tesla’s future. But right now, the company needs to deliver real products in a highly competitive EV market. GM, BYD, and a wave of Chinese automakers are flooding the field with fresh, affordable models. Tesla’s once-blazing star is dimming. Meanwhile, Musk is consumed by politics. He helped bankroll Donald Trump’s return to the White House with nearly $290 million in spending. Then he had a very public falling out with Trump. Now, he’s attempting to launch his own political movement—the America Party—while lobbing policy bombs at both Republicans and Democrats. He’s trying to influence everything from electric vehicle mandates to NASA leadership. It’s clear that this political obsession isn’t temporary. It amuses him. It gives him power. It scratches the itch of global influence. But it also puts Tesla shareholders in the crossfire. It’s a pipe dream to think Musk will abandon his political ambitions; it’s a game he clearly enjoys playing. The sooner Tesla and its beleaguered investors accept this reality, the better it will be for their wallets. There’s no reason Musk can’t continue to shape Tesla’s vision. But the company needs a CEO who’s focused on building cars, not building a political party. Musk can remain as Chief Product Architect or visionary founder, but it’s time for him to abandon the CEO title and let someone else steer the ship. Until that happens, the real risk to Tesla won’t be from competitors. It’ll be from the man who built it.