Boring Company founder Elon Musk has sold 7,000 flamethrowers in a little over 24 hours, just a month after posing the idea on Twitter.
In total, Musk has sold $4 million- (£2.9 million) worth of his ‘zombie-killing’ flamethrowers, with the Boring Company receiving 1,000 orders in the first three hours.
The billionaire also posted a video to his Instagram account in which he is seen firing up one of the $600 (£430) weapons and charging toward the person filming him.
Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has sold 7,000 flamethrowers (pictured) in a little over 24 hours, just a month after posing the idea on Twitter
Musk had claimed he would begin selling flamethrowers in December if his tunnel-digging firm the Boring Company sold 50,000 hats.
Sales for The Boring Company Flamethrower opened on Sunday, with the 46-year-old proceeding to post regular updates on how many he had sold.
Musk has said he is selling a total of 20,000 of the weapons, described on the firm’s website at the ‘world’s safest flamethrower’, with shipping expected in April.
The billionaire tweeted on Sunday: ‘When the zombie apocalypse happens, you’ll be glad you bought a flamethrower.
‘Works against hordes of the undead or your money back!’
The Boring Company, a firm Musk founded to dig tunnels under Los Angeles that could one day relieve traffic congestion, even offers a $30 (£21) fire extinguisher.
Sales for the extinguishers are available through the ‘flamethrower’ section of the company’s website.
The billionaire posted a video to his Instagram account in which he is seen firing up one of the $600 (£430) weapons and charging toward the person filming him
The firm writes: ‘Buy an overpriced Boring Company fire extinguisher! You can definitely buy one for less elsewhere, but this one comes with a cool sticker and the button is conveniently riiight above.’
Last month, Musk tweeted that the Boring Company would create the ‘safest flamethrower ever’ after selling 50,000 $20 (£14) hats bearing the firm’s name.
‘I know it’s a little off-brand, but kids love it,’ Musk wrote.
Most people assumed that the South African entrepreneur was joking.
Musk has now sold over $4 million- (£2.9 million) worth of flamethrowers, with the Boring Company receiving 1,000 orders in the first three hours
Musk has said he is selling a total of 20,000 of the weapons, described on the firm’s website at the ‘world’s safest flamethrower’, with shipping expected in April. A video posted to Musk’s Instagram showed two Boring Company employees using the devices (pictured)
But as sales opened yesterday, orders flooded in, with Musk comically advising on Twitter that people shouldn’t buy the devices.
‘Obviously, a flamethrower is a super terrible idea. Definitely don’t buy one. Unless you like fun,’ he wrote on Sunday.
Rumours that the weapons would actually go on sale surfaced this week when fans of Musk discovered a secretive, password-protected webpage on the Boring Company’s website advertising a flamethrower.
The page, which at one time was accessible using the password ‘flame,’ had an option to pre-order one of the devices and said the item will ship in April.
The Boring Company, a firm Musk founded to dig tunnels under Los Angeles that could one day relieve traffic congestion, even offers a $30 (£21) fire extinguisher. Sales for the extinguishers are available through the ‘flamethrower’ section of the company’s website
Pictured, a prototype of the Boring Company’s $600 flamethrower. The device was discovered on a password protected page on the company’s website last week
It also noted that the flamethrower pictured is a prototype.
‘Final production flamethrower will be better,’ it said.
While Musk faces production troubles with Tesla, his electric car company, the Boring Company has made significant progress in recent months.
Last week, the Boring Company presented plans to build a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) shaft under Culver City, California, at a council meeting.
According to the plans, the privately-funded tunnel would carry cars on ‘electric skates’ at 150 miles per hour (240 kph) to help with LA’s ‘soul-destroying’ congestion.
The proposed route goes through West Los Angeles passing underneath Sepulveda Boulevard through Culver City.
The billionaire’s tunnel-digging firm ‘The Boring Company’ has presented its plans to build a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) shaft under Culver City, California, at a council meeting. Pictured is an image shared by Musk in October of the firm’s test tunnel in Los Angeles