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Trump’s sweep could be a big setback to Tesla and Elon Musk

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Trump’s sweep could be a big setback to Tesla and Elon Musk

#41

Post by flukus »

lingben wrote: post #35
tlack wrote: post #19

He doesn't seem totally opposed to renewable energy sources: "It should be the goal of the American people and their government to achieve energy independence as soon as possible. Energy independence means exploring and developing every possible energy source including wind, solar, nuclear and bio-fuels. A thriving market system will allow consumers to determine the best sources of energy for future consumption." Fro…

if you have been paying attention to what he says, then you would have heard that he is incredibly against renewable energy sources, especially wind (he has a major grudge against wind farms ever since his battle with them in Scotland) http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-loses-battle-to-stop-wind-... https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/22/trump-re... it is notoriously difficult to pin down what Trump stand…

> it is notoriously difficult to pin down what Trump stands for because it really depends on the day and time and situation since he only truly cares about himself and only thinks about what will benefit him.

I think it's more that he knows his audience. He isn't going to talk up renewable in coal mining areas for instance. He isn't talking to the media, he's talking around them.

Re: Trump’s sweep could be a big setback to Tesla and Elon Musk

#42

Post by rsynnott »

chronic6l wrote: post #10
k8t wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Tesla's whole philosophy, I think, was to get people to buy their cars simply because it's a better car, not for any environmental reasons. Oil prices will affect them, but can't destroy them

Oh, come on. A major reason people buy Tesla vehicles because they "want to do their part" for the environment.

If they wanted to do that, they'd presumably buy a smaller electric car. People but Teslas to show off, to a large extent.

Re: Trump’s sweep could be a big setback to Tesla and Elon Musk

#43

Post by Spivak »

cossatot wrote: post #32
dreta wrote: post #20

If Tesla’s not competitive, then it’s not competitive. I’m glad to see the government involvement being reduced. Let the free market handle things.

It's probably cheaper for government and taxpayers in the long run to for the govermnent to aid in the development of markets for alternative energy that can reduce the negative externalities of pollution, the international control of conventional fuel sources, and ease the transition from finite nonrenewables as supply diminishes, than to sit it out completely and deal with the aftermath. Not many private investors…

Serous question, why not just fund/subsidize the research and development until it's actually competitive? Then when it's ready to bring to market give them a huge investment for the infrastructure to combat the high barrier to entry in return for something we want as a society, like say, a cap on battery costs or an open charging protocol.

Are electric cars, as they currently stand, really so environmentally friendly that it's worth the taxpayers $5-15k/car plus the infrastructure subsidies to get someone off gasoline? If that's the case then I'll happily pay it but then damn -- we should just pay people $2k/year to just not own a car.

Re: Trump’s sweep could be a big setback to Tesla and Elon Musk

#44

Post by eli_gottlieb »

terravion wrote: post #26
vvanders wrote: post #22

I think Tesla will do okay, they've got a solid product that stands on its own. What I'm worried about is rooftop solar tiles. One of the thing that can make it cheaper than a traditional roof is that the whole thing will qualify for solar subsidies. If that goes away it could make things incredibly difficult for Solar City.

I guess it depends on whether you think that net metering is a subsidy and whose eyes are beholding the payments. Those tiles are generating electricity, why shouldn't they get paid same as large generators?

> Those tiles are generating electricity, why shouldn't they get paid same as large generators?

Because they haven't bribed the governor.

Re: Trump’s sweep could be a big setback to Tesla and Elon Musk

#47

Post by XJOKOLAT »

tlack wrote: post #19

He doesn't seem totally opposed to renewable energy sources: "It should be the goal of the American people and their government to achieve energy independence as soon as possible. Energy independence means exploring and developing every possible energy source including wind, solar, nuclear and bio-fuels. A thriving market system will allow consumers to determine the best sources of energy for future consumption." Fro…

Mr Thiel, can you just post under your real name, please?

Thanks.

EDIT: Keep downvoting, please. Set a record.

If there's a moderator watching, PLEASE DELETE MY ACCOUNT.

I've just come to an increasing, gut-wretching conclusion that this site is irredeemably tainted by Mr Thiel's involvement and I can no longer be a part of it.

Fuck that. I'm out.

Re: Trump’s sweep could be a big setback to Tesla and Elon Musk

#48

Post by vonmoltke »

yessql wrote: post #38
piotrjurkiewicz wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This makes rest of my statement even more true (lower resources costs -> cheaper electricity -> cheaper manufacturing of electric vehicles -> better business for Tesla). All they need to do is keep being focused on their primary business, instead buying SolarCity.

Electricity is basically free compared to gasoline. If you cut the price of electricity in half, it wouldn't move the needle at all on EV sales.

It's significantly cheaper, but it is far from free (unless you are actually not paying for it). Even at a generous $0.10/kWh a Tesla costs about $0.029/mile. At $2.20/gallon, a 30MPG cat costs about $0.073/mile.
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