10 weird facts about Elon Musk that you might not know

Whether you admire him or question his every move, there’s no denying Elon Musk is one of the most used household names of our time.

He is not just the world's richest man but also one of the most polarising and unpredictable figures in modern history.

From founding groundbreaking companies like Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and xAI to reshaping how we think about electric vehicles (EVs), space travel, and artificial intelligence (AI), Musk is constantly in the headlines.

Beyond that, Musk's life is full of strange, lesser-known stories. Here are 10 weird facts about Elon Musk that will leave you surprised.

1. Musk didn’t actually found Tesla

Despite being linked with Tesla, Musk wasn’t its founder. Tesla was founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in 2003.

Musk joined in 2004 as an early investor and took over as CEO later.

2. Musk's real-life James Bond car

In 2013, Musk bought the Lotus Esprit submarine car used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me for nearly $1 million.

Disappointed that it couldn’t actually transform into a sub, Musk joked about upgrading it using Tesla technology.

3. He's obsessed with the letter “X”

From SpaceX to Model X, and even rebranding Twitter to just “X”, Musk has long been fixated on the letter.

His AI company is called xAI, and even his child with Grimes is named X Æ A-Xii, pronounced just “X.”

The obsession even dates back to his early startup X.com, which eventually became PayPal.

4. Musk’s first business was at age 12

At only 12, Musk coded and sold a space-themed video game called Blastar for $500. 

The game’s objective was to destroy alien freighters carrying deadly bombs, a strange foreshadowing of Musk’s lifelong fascination with space and tech.

5. Musk is a sci-fi superfan

Musk is a huge fan of sci-fi, citing The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Foundation as life-shaping books.

He’s also obsessed with the X-Men, naming Tesla’s robots after characters like Cyclops and Xavier.

Moreover, he has made cameos in Iron Man 2, The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, South Park, and even voiced “Elon Tusk” in Rick and Morty.

6. Musk has 11 children

Musk has fathered 11 children with three different women, including six with his first wife, Justine Wilson, and three with musician Grimes.

His twins with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis were kept secret until revealed by court documents.

7. He bought Twitter just to stir chaos

After acquiring Twitter (now X), Musk admitted he may have made a mistake, but many argue he thrives on chaos.

Musk reportedly takes on stress deliberately, with insiders suggesting that when life gets too calm, he craves disruption.

8. He prefers extreme risk

Musk is no stranger to putting it all on the line. After three failed SpaceX launches, the fourth launch was a last-ditch effort that succeeded, saving the company.

9. Musk has high tolerance for stress

From running multiple companies to being constantly in the spotlight, Musk has admitted to suffering from extreme stress.

At times, it’s impacted his health, but he pushes through, partly because he’s become so used to pressure that “normal life” feels boring in comparison.

10. Struggles with empathy

Musk has openly stated that he has Asperger’s syndrome, which may explain some of his infamous lack of empathy.

While it helps him stay laser-focused on innovation, it’s also been blamed for conflicts with employees, partners, and even family members.