Elon Musk never wants Tesla to produce electric motorcycles. The controversial CEO explained on social media why this decision will never change. As Musk confirmed, the problem isn’t that Tesla doesn’t think it can make electric motorcycles, but rather that it believes motorcycles are unsafe in the first place.

Criticism of Autopilot and Motorcycle Safety

In response to an AI video about a fake Tesla motorcycle on his own X (formerly Twitter) platform, Musk replied, “It will never happen, because we can’t make motorcycles safe.”

Musk then referenced a story he’s told several times before about nearly being run over by a truck while riding a motorcycle in his youth. However, his feelings seemed more directed at street motorcycles. “Dirt bikes are safe if you ride carefully, because you can’t get run over by a truck,” Musk added.

Tesla’s own Autopilot features have long been criticized for posing a danger to motorcyclists; several high-profile deaths have occurred when Tesla vehicles operating under Autopilot struck motorcycles. Many claim that Teslas have repeatedly rear-ended cruiser motorcycles, with fatal consequences, due to the company’s all-important autonomous driving system mistaking the narrower-spaced taillights on the back of cruiser motorcycles for a distant vehicle.

While the electric motorcycle industry won’t be receiving a Tesla boost anytime soon, it’s not standing still. Established brands like Honda, BMW, and Kawasaki are finally launching production models, while companies like Zero and LiveWire continue to advance the segment with higher performance and increased dealer support. Smaller companies like Ryvid have stepped in to meet the demand for affordable, commuting-focused motorcycles. Meanwhile, Asian giants Yadea and NIU are flooding the market with affordable scooters, driving global adoption much faster than in the US.