25 Things You Didn't Know About Elon Musk

Dude has been making moves since he was a kid in South Africa.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

VH1 needs to make a "Best Year Ever" episode just about Elon Musk. Tesla Motors, even with a few bumps in the battery road, has grown to enormous levels already, SpaceX is finally being taken seriously, and, because he had too much free time on his hands, Musk also released his plans for the Hyperloop. So, it should come as no surprise that the man whose hands are in technology both in and out of this world was named AskMen's "Most Influential Man of the Year."

It's likely that this will be just the first of many year-end awards he receives, so let us humbly suggest one more for the list: Most Interesting Man Alive. Every detail of his story reveals how fascinating his mind is, from his favorite book as a child to the blockbuster movie character inspired by him. While he's out here learning to change the world, you can teach yourself a few things about him with 25 Things You Didn't Know About Elon Musk.

RELATED: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Was Named "Most Influential Man" of the Year
RELATED: Elon Musk of Tesla Motors Dropped Close to $900K on 007's Lotus Esprit Submarine

Elon's great-grandma was the first female chiropractor in Canada.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon read four to five hours a day as a kid.

Not Available Interstitial

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy enlightened him.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon was bullied in school.

Not Available Interstitial

Despite not having a map, he once tried to bike 50 miles.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon also created homemade explosives and fireworks.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon copped his first computer at age 10.

Not Available Interstitial

He tried opening an arcade when he was 16.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon moved to Canada to make immigrating to the U.S. easier.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon worked at a lumber mill and cleaned boilers so filthy he needed a hazmat suit.

Not Available Interstitial

At Penn he paid his way through school by throwing house parties.

Not Available Interstitial

He's been interested in the Internet, sustainable energy, and space exploration since college.

Not Available Interstitial

Musk bored his dates with rants about electric cars.

Not Available Interstitial

He dropped out of Stanford 48 hours after beginning the physics doctoral program.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon made $180 million as a co-founder of PayPal.

Not Available Interstitial

He was held at gunpoint by police in Russia.

Not Available Interstitial

Tony Stark's character in the Iron Man movies was inspired by him.

Not Available Interstitial

He was an executive producer on Thank You For Smoking.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon insisted upon selling battery packs to other manufacturers.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon reimagined the sedan.

Not Available Interstitial

Musk ate froyo with Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda.

Not Available Interstitial

Elon paid $42 million for a plant valued at $1 billion.

Not Available Interstitial

He works 80-100 hours per week and once almost had a nervous breakdown.

Not Available Interstitial

He sonned Mitt Romney.

Not Available Interstitial

He was annoyed with the traffic on California's I-405, so he donated $50K to a group advocating highway improvements.

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Sports