However, just hours before finalizing the agreement, Musk backed out, canceling the deal and refusing to sell Tesla. Tesla’s Crisis and the Deal with GoogleAccording to Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance, Tesla was in dire straits in early 2013. Upon discovering the dire situation, Musk took decisive action by dismissing senior staff and promoting younger employees who displayed enthusiasm. Musk even temporarily shut down the factory and approached Google co-founder Larry Page with a proposal to save the company. Musk would continue as Tesla’s CEO for eight years, until 2021 or until Tesla’s third-generation vehicles were launched.