Ross Gerber has been one of Tesla's (NASDAQ:TSLA) most vocal investors for years, and while his criticisms of the company's leadership have intensified lately, he still sees Tesla as a critical player in the fight against climate change.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Gerber laid it all out. He criticized CEO Elon Musk's behavior and its impact on Tesla's stock and reputation, but made it known he hasn't given up on the mission.

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“I Want to See Tesla Succeed”

“I’m going to stand up for Tesla because I care about climate,” Gerber said. “I want to see Tesla succeed. And that is the whole purpose of why I say these things and get criticized.”

Gerber, who heads Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management, said the urgency around climate change became personal after he recently faced a “horrible fire that was created by climate.”

“I can tell you firsthand, after seeing and fighting it myself, that if you’re not concerned about what climate change is going to do to you, you’re just being foolish here,” he said.

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Tesla’s image problem

While Gerber still believes in Tesla's products and mission, he said the company is being held back by Musk's distractions and political behavior.

“Nobody’s made any money in Tesla for a long time,” he said, pointing to the stock being down around 40% in 2025. “It’s clear that [Musk] just doesn’t care.”

He also criticized the company for failing to advertise its newer products, like the upgraded Model Y, which Gerber called “a great upgrade” and “way better than the old Model Y.”

Despite the setbacks, he maintains that Tesla remains one of the most important companies in the world when it comes to tackling the climate crisis.

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Growing pressure on climate research

Gerber's climate-focused stance comes at a time when the Trump administration has begun slashing funding for climate research, including nearly $4 million in grants to Princeton University. The administration’s press release said the programs increased “climate anxiety” and promoted “implausible climate threats.”

The funding cuts included support for a Nobel Prize-winning climate modeling program and research into sea-level rise and water availability.

Scientists have warned that weakening climate research efforts could leave the public less informed and less prepared for real environmental risks.

“Climate-related risks will not vanish if they are denied,” French climate scientist Valérie Masson-Delmotte said in a Bluesky post.

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Tesla Remains a Key Part of Gerber’s Portfolio

Despite cutting Tesla exposure in his fund, Gerber said the company is still a core holding for many of his clients.

“I still own Tesla. We own a lot of Tesla at my firm,” he said, even though he can’t “really even justify owning it” in his fund at the moment.

For Gerber, the big picture still matters most: “Tesla’s one of the most important companies to solving climate.”

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This article You're Just 'Being Foolish' If You Ignore Climate Change, Says Ross Gerber. He Believes Tesla Is Central To The Solution originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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