False claim that Elon Musk invented the ‘Cosmo Heater’ using NASA tech | Fact check

Isabel C. Morales, USA TODAY

January 9, 2024 at 6:03 p.m.·2 min read

The claim: Elon Musk developed a heater that reduces electric bills to $0

An article widely shared on Facebook claims that a billionaire is promoting a new "Cosmo Heater" his company has created.

The headline reads, "Elon Musk Reveals the Secret to Heating Your Home This Fall And Winter. All While Cutting Your Heating Bill to Basically $0."

The post was shared more than 600 times on Facebook.

More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

Our rating: False

There are no credible news reports about Musk, the creator of Tesla, developing or promoting a portable heater called the "Cosmo Heater."

Musk wants to create a heat pump for homes

A Bloomberg News story in March 2023 talked about Tesla teasing the idea of making heat pumps for houses, and Tesla's website describes a plan for creating a home heat pump in the future.

But the company did not mention anything related to a portable heater.

The Cosmo Heater article circulating on social media claims the heater uses declassified NASA technology. It attributes the heater's development to "Tom Musashi," who it says is an ex-NASA engineer who created the heating technology for the agency and is a friend of Musk's. The article links to a website to purchase the heater.

But USA TODAY found no record of a person by that name creating the heater or working for NASA.

There's also no record of Musk referencing the "Cosmo Heater" on social media.

USA TODAY has previously debunked claims wrongly linking Musk to a software trading program, a silver bars giveaway and purchases of Meta and Snapchat.

USA TODAY couldn't reach the article's creator for comment.

PolitiFact and Lead Stories also debunked the claim.

Fact check: No, CNN did not announce EU citizens no longer need to work; it's a deep fake

Our fact-check sources:

Bloomberg News, March 2, 2023, Elon Musk really wants Tesla to make home heat pumps
Tesla, April 5, 2023, Master Plan, Sustainable energy for all of Earth
NASA, accessed Jan. 5, search for Thomas Musashi and Tom Musashi
LinkedIn, accessed Jan. 5, search for Tom Musashi
Elon Musk, accessed Jan. 5, search for Elon Musk's tweets containing 'Cosmo Heater'

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USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Musk did not develop a heater to reduce electric bill | Fact check

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The claim: Elon Musk developed a heater that reduces electric bills to $0

Our rating: False

Musk wants to create a heat pump for homes

Our fact-check sources:

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