It seems people can’t get enough of Elon Musk‘s latest novelty item.

The Silicon Valley billionaire claims he has sold out of his ‘zombie-killing’  flamethrowers just four days after opening sales.

In total, The Boring Company has sold 20,000 flamethrowers retailing at $500 (£351) each, raising $10 million (£7.02 million) for his high-speed tunnel venture.

The flamethrowers are ‘guaranteed to liven up any party!’ according to Musk. 

The man behind electric carmaker Tesla and rocket company SpaceX had earlier sold 50,000 Boring Company hats in similar fashion.

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Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk has sold 20,000 flamethrowers in four days. The flamethrowers were sold to fund Musk’s Boring Company’s plans to build a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) shaft under Culver City, California, to carry cars on electric skates at 150 mph (240 kph)

The latest impromptu fundraising scheme comes at a time when financial analysts and investors in Tesla are wondering if Musk will have to seek billions more in funding for the electric carmaker as it struggles to meet promises on production.

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. 

‘When the zombie apocalypse happens, you’ll be glad you bought a flamethrower,’ he tweeted last Saturday. 

‘Works against hordes of the undead or your money back!’

Each flamethrower, he said, comes with a free fire extinguisher and buyers need to agree to certain conditions before getting the device in spring.  

The company also offered $30 (£21) fire extinguisher, sales for which have now also ended. 

The firm said: ‘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.’

On Wednesday, the billionaire tech mogul announced that all flamethrowers will ship with a complimentary boring fire extinguisher

On Wednesday, the billionaire tech mogul announced that all flamethrowers will ship with a complimentary boring fire extinguisher

A video posted to Musk's Instagram account showed two Boring Company employees using the flamethrowers (pictured) 

A video posted to Musk’s Instagram account showed two Boring Company employees using the flamethrowers (pictured) 

On Wednesday, the billionaire tech mogul announced that all flamethrowers will ship in spring along with a complimentary Boring fire extinguisher

The Boring Company, a firm Musk founded to dig tunnels under Los Angeles that could one day relieve traffic congestion, presented plans to build a 6.5-mile (10.5 km) shaft under Culver City, California, at a council meeting

The tech billionaire posted a video to his Instagram account in which he is seen firing up one of the $500 (£351) weapons and charging toward the person filming him

‘I know it’s a little off-brand, but kids love it,’ Musk wrote about the flamethrower when he first announced it.

Most people assumed that the South African entrepreneur was joking. 

But as sales opened on Sunday, 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. 

Over the weekend and the last few days, Elon Musk posted regular updates on how many flamethrowers he had sold 

Over the weekend and the last few days, Elon Musk posted regular updates on how many flamethrowers he had sold 

The Boring Company, a firm Musk founded to dig tunnels under Los Angeles that could one day relieve traffic congestion, also offered $30 (£21) fire extinguishers, sales for which have now also ended

The Boring Company, a firm Musk founded to dig tunnels under Los Angeles that could one day relieve traffic congestion, also offered $30 (£21) fire extinguishers, sales for which have now also ended

Before shipping in April, the Boring Company's website says that 'aspiring flamethrower aficionados will be sent a terms and conditions rhyme for review and acceptance'

Before shipping in April, the Boring Company’s website says that ‘aspiring flamethrower aficionados will be sent a terms and conditions rhyme for review and acceptance’

While Musk faces production troubles with Tesla, his electric car company, the Boring Company has made significant progress in recent months.

On Monday, January 22, 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. 

WHAT IS ELON MUSK’S ‘BORING’ PLAN?

When Elon Musk first announced his plans to bore a tunnel to his SpaceX offices in Los Angeles, it was hard to know if he was simply venting his frustrations about being stuck in traffic.

‘Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging…’, he tweeted in December of 2016. 

He ended his rant on the social media site with: ‘I am actually going to do this’. 

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

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

The billionaire first tweeted a picture of his firm’s boring machine back in February 2017 with the caption ‘Minecraft’ – a reference to the popular video game in which players dig large tunnel networks for resources.   

On Monday, January 22, 2018, the Boring Company presented plans to build the 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 tunnel could also make Hyperloop adoption viable. 

Hyperloop is a proposed method of travel that would transport people at over 600 miles per hour (965.6 kilometers per hour) between distant locations.

Musk's proposed first tunnel will run from LAX to Culver City, then to Santa Monica, and end in Westwood. Musk claims the tunnel trip will take five minutes, compared to 45 minutes driving in normal LA traffic

Musk’s proposed first tunnel will run from LAX to Culver City, then to Santa Monica, and end in Westwood. Musk claims the tunnel trip will take five minutes, compared to 45 minutes driving in normal LA traffic

It was unveiled by Elon Musk in 2013, who at the time said it could take passengers the 380 miles (610km) from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes – half the time it takes a plane.

It is essentially a long tube that has had the air removed to create a vacuum.

The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes.

In August of 2017, Elon Musk took to social media to share progress on his traffic-beating tunnel beneath Los Angeles, revealing it was big enough to fit a Tesla Model S

In August of 2017, Elon Musk took to social media to share progress on his traffic-beating tunnel beneath Los Angeles, revealing it was big enough to fit a Tesla Model S

Here’s where the Boring Company’s current projects stand:

  • Hawthorne: A test tunnel has been permitted and is under construction. 
  • Los Angeles: An excavation permit application has been submitted to the City of Los Angeles. The project would be a 6.5 mile (10.5 km) proof-of-process tunnel which would run within the City of Los Angeles and Culver City. 
  • East Coast: The Boring Company says its working with federal and state officials on a DC-to-Baltimore route which would then be extended to New York. The State of Maryland has granted permission for 10.1 miles of tunnel beneath the state-owned part of the Baltimore-Washington 
  • Chicago: The company says it’s responding to the RFQ released by the City of Chicago to compete to fund, build and operate a high-speed Loop connecting Chicago O’Hare Aiport to downtown.  





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