In living proof that there is one law for the very rich and one for the very poor in the US, Musk has stuck two fingers up at the authorities who are trying to stop the spread of the coronavirius and effectively dared them to arrest him. It is starting to look like they won't.

On Monday, the company's chief executive Elon Musk tweeted that production had restarted and he would be "on the line with everyone else.

"Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me", he tweeted.

While the state has eased restrictions to allow manufacturing, Alameda County, where the Fremont plant is located, has not. The town is about one hour south of San Francisco.

On Saturday, Elon Musk said that Tesla had filed a lawsuit against the county asking a court to remove the order that prevents the carmaker from resuming production.

Rather than wait for a ruling, Mr Musk announced on Twitter on Monday that the plant would reopen. We assume it is because he has more money than the County he is suing and who needs courts when you are that rich?

Tesla also has a lot of support for re-opening from the White House.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said California "should prioritise" helping Tesla re-open because it was one of the biggest manufacturing employers in the state.

The state's governor, Gavin Newsom, said that he had spoken with Mr Musk last week and that his concerns were part of the reason California decided to phase in manufacturing as it slowly lifts lockdown measures.

Either way it looks like he will get away with it.