Over two months ago, Tesla unveiled its fourth “Master Plan,” a broad and somewhat vague announcement about the company’s vision to deliver “sustainable abundance” through upcoming products. While specifics are still largely missing, Tesla has nonetheless made this plan the centerpiece of its campaign to persuade shareholders to approve a $1 trillion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk at the annual meeting on Thursday.
Should the proposal be approved, Musk—the wealthiest individual globally—would secure the largest compensation deal ever seen in the corporate world.
When the “Plan” was first shared, its lack of clarity drew criticism even from some of Tesla’s most loyal supporters. Musk himself admitted that the feedback was “[f]air” and promised that Tesla would “add more specifics,” acknowledging the plan’s vagueness.
Despite this, the post remains unchanged and continues to be a focal point of Tesla’s aggressive push.
Musk has repeatedly stated that his primary concern is not the money, but rather maintaining his influence over Tesla and the “robot army” he aims to develop—going so far as to threaten his departure if the vote does not succeed.
Master Plan 4 stands in sharp contrast to Tesla’s earlier “Master Plans,” which each outlined clear objectives and actionable ideas, even if some were overly ambitious and remain unfulfilled. The third Master Plan, released in 2023, was a 41-page white paper centered on building a sustainable energy economy.
Requests for comment from Tesla and Musk went unanswered.
Musk first hinted at the fourth Master Plan in June 2024, posting on X, “Working on the Tesla Master Plan 4. It will be epic.”
In August, he commented in another post that “Master Plan 3 was too complex for almost anyone to understand,” and promised “Master Plan 4 will be concise.” The plan was published just days after this statement.
Even though the plan lacks detail, nearly all of Tesla’s communications to shareholders regarding the vote have promoted the fourth Master Plan as a key reason to support the compensation package. It is prominently featured in voting guides, mentioned in Tesla’s third-quarter shareholder letter, and referenced in interviews by board chair Robyn Denholm and design chief Franz von Holzhausen.
“Just a few days ago, Elon introduced an inspiring new phase for Tesla with Master Plan, Part IV, which aims to achieve Sustainable Abundance for everyone,” Denholm and fellow board member Kathleen Wilson-Thompson wrote in a letter to shareholders in September, again without offering further details. “We have always been a company that dreams bigger, moves faster, and works toward a brighter future. Master Plan, Part IV continues that legacy by rethinking labor, transportation, and energy, and integrating AI into the real world through products and services like FSD, Optimus, and Robotaxi.”
Denholm has been actively campaigning in the media to rally support for the $1 trillion pay package, but has not been pressed to clarify the vision behind Master Plan 4. Instead, she has focused on the targets Musk must achieve to unlock the full payout—most of which are diluted versions of the bold promises he has made over the years.
Since his September 2 post about adding more details, Musk has not mentioned Master Plan 4 directly on X. In the days leading up to the shareholder vote, he has instead concentrated on promoting the compensation package, making alarmist statements about immigration, and spreading false information about the New York City mayoral race.
It wasn’t until an October interview on the Ride the Lightning podcast with von Holzhausen that the plan’s vagueness was addressed.
“As a Tesla shareholder, owner, and fan, my first impression—and I saw this echoed throughout the Tesla community—was that it seemed to lack the detail found in previous Master Plans, which were much more concrete,” said host Ryan McCaffrey, before quickly shifting to more optimistic questions for the chief designer.
“So, what excites you about Master Plan Part 4, and how does Tesla plan to accomplish it? That’s a big question,” McCaffrey asked.
“We’ll approach it in true Tesla style, of course,” von Holzhausen replied.
