NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG, REUTERS) - Elon Musk's year of dizzying ascents hit a new high as the Tesla co-founder passed Bill Gates to become the world's second-richest person. The 49-year-old entrepreneur's net worth soared US$7.2 billion to US$127.9 billion (S$171.6 billion), driven by yet another surge in Tesla's share price. Mr Musk has added US$100.3 billion to his net worth this year, the most of anyone on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a ranking of the world's 500 richest people. In January he ranked 35th. His advance up the wealth ranks has been driven largely by the electric-car maker, whose market value passed US$500 billion on Tuesday (Nov 24). Tesla shares surged 6.4 per cent to US$555.38 in New York, extending a meteoric rally that has seen the stock gain more than six times this year. The stock has risen nearly 28 per cent since the S&P Dow Jones Indices decided to add the company to the benchmark index from Dec 21. Tesla has become by far the world's most valuable automaker, despite a production that is a fraction of Toyota Motor, Volkswagen or General Motors. Shares of other electric vehicle (EV) makers have also risen in the last few months as US President-elect Joe B...