- Billionaires Mark Cuban and Elon Musk have been in a bitter online feud.
- In a recent slight, Cuban said that he prefers his Kia EV6 over his Tesla Model X Plaid.
- He told Business Insider that he feels the car gets longer range and is “an easier drive.”
The very online and bitter feud between Mark Cuban and Elon Musk continues.
For several weeks, the billionaires have been taking shots at each other on social media after a debate on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives devolved into petty name-calling — mostly, if not solely, from Musk.
Musk has so far called Cuban a “racist,” “liar,” “marionette,” and “insufferable tool,” among other descriptions.
On Friday evening, Cuban took a more subtle jab at Musk. This time at one of Musk’s babies, Tesla, and on Threads, no less.
After a Threads user goaded Cuban to “stick it to Elon” by posting a photo of himself in a Rivian, an EV competitor, Cuban responded that he owns a Tesla and a Kia.
But he said he prefers the latter.
“Actually I own a Tesla Plaid and a Kia EV,” he wrote. “I drive the Kia almost exclusively.”
Cuban told Business Insider in an email that his Kia EV6 provides a better driving experience than his Model X Plaid.
“Longer range. More accurate miles remaining. Miles not as impacted by the cold. Higher off the ground,” he wrote. “Tesla has more comprehensive software, but the Kia is an easier drive.”
That’s a fairly bold position, considering Tesla advertises that the 2024 Plaid X model, which offers better specs, gets up to 326 miles between charges. The Kia EV6 is said to get up to 310 miles.
However, performance impacts on EVs in cold weather are real issues, and not all electric vehicles are built equally.
Recurrent, a used-EV research firm, found that the 2022 Kia EV6 maintained 93% of its EPA range while operating at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, while the Tesla Model X’s “observed range at 32F” was 48% of its original EPA range.
A spokesperson for Tesla did not respond to a request for comment outside working hours.
To be clear, these are just the thoughts of one driver, but BI also preferred the Kia EV6 over the Tesla Model Y in 2022.
Cuban also wasn’t a hundred percent sure if his Tesla was a Model S or X. The billionaire has a pretty extensive car collection. (He said “I think so” when asked if he has a Model X Plaid.)
Hard to say how Musk feels about this jab. He didn’t respond to a request for comment. But Kia seems to be pleased.
“Kia agrees!” James Bell, head of corporate communications at Kia America, told BI.
