Journalist Edward Niedermeyer has been reporting on the automobile industry -- and its blind spots -- since 2008. He co-hosts the Autonocast podcast, focusing on the future of transportation. And he is the author of "Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors." In his book, Niedermeyer chronicles the electric car maker's rise and lays bare the disconnect between the popular perception of Tesla and the day-to-day realities of the company, its products, and its peripatetic, billionaire CEO Elon Musk. Musk, Niedermeyer argues, is a huckster with a particular genius for selling implausible products and making old ideas feel futuristic and new. But his overwhelming wealth, influence, and cult-like following is making him a danger to the rest of us.

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LINKS:

Pick up a copy of Ed Niedermeyer's "Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors" at your local bookshop or directly from the publisher.

Listen to Ed's podcast, "The Autonocast," about the future of transportation.

Follow Ed Niedermeyer on Twitter @Tweetermeyer.

When I First Saw Elon Musk for Who He Really Is (Slate)

Tesla Battery Swap Unused Over Busy Holiday Weekend (Daily Kaban, May 27, 2015)

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This episode was produced and edited by Aaron Naparstek. It was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo was designed by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Designs.

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