Tesla CEO Elon Musk took a swipe at Apple’s $19 polishing cloth as he unveiled his electric car company’s new $50 “cyberwhistle” — an apparent jab at the company’s various whistleblowers who have alleged sexual harassment and racist abuse.
“Blow the whistle on Tesla!” Musk tweeted Tuesday evening with a link to the product, which is shaped like the company’s cybertruck — a futuristic take on the truck that was announced in 2019 but has yet to be manufactured.
“Don’t waste your money on that silly Apple Cloth, buy our whistle instead!” he added, referring to Apple’s $19 polishing cloth that quickly sold out last month despite taking a teasing for its high price.
The product could also be Tesla’s subtle response to a series of whistleblower complaints against the company in recent years, most recently by a 38-year-old mother of two who said she faced “nightmarish conditions of rampant sexual harassment” in her job at Tesla’s Fremont factory.
“Inspired by Cybertruck, the limited-edition Cyberwhistle is a premium collectible made from medical-grade stainless steel with a polished finish. The whistle includes an integrated attachment feature for added versatility,” the website description says.
The $50 whistle was listed as out of stock by Wednesday morning.
The steel whistle is listed under the lifestyle section of Tesla’s website, which also hosts items like a $150 decanter and a $30 “S3XY” logo mug, which refers the company’s models S, 3, X and Y vehicles.
Tesla has previously used miscellaneous products to challenge critics and competitors of the company. Last year, the company mocked short-sellers — who have wagered bets against the stock price of the company — by unveiling red satin short shorts that featured gold trim and “S3XY” in gold across the back.
The shorts were listed at $69.420, an apparent reference to Musk’s infamous tweet in 2018 that he was considering taking Tesla private for $420 per share.