Why the Prince’s Shadow Deal on EVs Signals a New Power Play in Sustainable Capital
Why the Prince’s Shadow Deal on EVs Signals a New Power Play in Sustainable Capital Lead/Executive Summary: The revelation that a senior adviser to Prince Andrew tried to enlist Jeffrey Epstein’s money for electric‑vehicle start‑ups such as Lucid Motors is less a scandalous footnote than a bellwether for how legacy wealth is being redirected into the green economy. The episode exposes a covert pipeline that could reshape financing dynamics, accelerate consolidation among EV players, and force regulators to confront the ethical dimensions of climate‑focused capital. Beyond the Headlines: Unpacking the Strategic Shift The pitch was not a casual dinner‑table suggestion; it was a calculated outreach by a businessman with deep ties to the British royal network, leveraging Epstein’s reputation as a “high‑net‑worth connector” to access capital for a sector that, in 2018‑2020, was experiencing a $150 billion funding surge. The adviser’s motivation was two‑fold: (1) to position the prince...