> we expect Tesla to become cash flow positive at the end of next month.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect that to become a reality. We truly live in amazing times.
An Update from Elon Musk
81–90 of 119 posts
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#82I'm a huge Elon Musk/Tesla/SpaceX fan, and have often felt it would be the ultimate opportunity to work at either company (Tesla would be my first choice, as automotive interface tech is one of my passions). However, doing a quick bit of research earlier today, a search for "Tesla working environment" turned up more than a handful of reports by former and current employees that hint at an unpleasant company culture.…
Work/life balance? If I worked at Tesla I'd have a very hard time going home in the evening. I think exciting companies attract people who just keep going that extra mile.
Getting out of work at 5pm kind of defeats the purpose of working at a company like Tesla.
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#83Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm guessing, but the culture clash might come from an intersection of "car factory" meets "startup mindset", with the latter introducing an against-all-odds urgency. If you want to put a rocket in space or create the first viable electric car company, you probably can't initially go home at 5pm. You're probably less forgiving of those that can't keep up with the insane pace. Here's hoping it calms down, and that the…
Hogwash. If you can't do something at a sustainable pace, you can't do it at all. In startup environments crunch time has a nasty tendency of becoming normal time, and you get nosediving morale, massively increased attrition, and lower overall productivity. It's lose-lose all around. So sure, in a startup you'd expect some late nights. When late nights become the norm though, you are now officially in dysfunctional c…
Every baseball team has a bench. The unsung hero that is the difference between start-up success and failure is often a family member, friend, or junior helper who keeps the caffeine and food and goodies stocked, has the temerity to send people home when they're so exhausted they're no longer helpful, and last but not least, can occasionally talk some sense into the SuperFounder. Or at least makes sure there is a long comfy couch.
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#84Musk's public statements are the nicest and most logical ones I've seen made by a modern CEO. No sense of spin. Always a pleasure to read.
I don't know much about him as a person and as a speaker, but his first few paragraphs flagged my BS meter at "!full disclosure" From experience with 10-Ks and working on/seeing how financial documents are massaged, this felt very similar. ninja Edit: grammar/language.
I get the impression that Tesla becoming cash flow positive is financial engineering. Do you have any idea how that would be done in the case of Tesla or in general?
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Really? That's the direction you took? You realize what Tesla is doing is going to destroy the oil economy - dependency on oil for cars - and practically eliminate the need to pay for re-fueling your car once you own it? Or is it that you just don't believe it? Calm down:) All I was responding to was a couple of comments about working for below average wages, bad work environment and the performance of Tesla's stoc…
Tesla are setting up Supercharger stations to refuel cars. From my understanding they are garage-port like things with solar panels on them, that recharge themselves. Solar cells can last a long time, and the technology will continue to improve. For climates with less sun there will likely need to be an alternate method of generating energy, though that will all be figured out. Read the following for details of I'm t…
So, you're saying that people who have sufficient disposable income to purchase a very expensive sports car that they can only "refuel" near their home needn't worry about how much it's going to cost them to do so?
I'm relieved.
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
If I recall correctly, the DOE loan is very low interest rate, repayment is based on metric milestones, and at the time financing via traditional capital markets was fairly difficult for almost anyone. Seems like Tesla got a great deal.
Yeah, but the government itself is borrowing money at absurdly low interest rates right now. If you agree with the notion that government intervention to get an edge in strategic industries can be a good idea, it looks like a good loan at whatever rate they got (assuming it's higher than a 1/8 of a percent, the gov't turns a profit, too).
If you agree with the notion that government intervention to get an edge in strategic industries can be a good idea, it looks like a good loan at whatever rate they got (assuming it's higher than a 1/8 of a percent, the gov't turns a profit, too).
I agree with this notion. Why not use whatever resources available to gain a competitive edge?
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#87I've been 100% long TSLA since the beginning and really don't understand the reasoning behind the doubts people have - given how little they actually know about a) the car industry and b) electric batteries and c) the ability to think on first principles and not by analogy. But I guess everyone has the right to an opinion - even if most of them aren't a) warranted b) backed up or c) logically reasoned. We are past pe…
Battery tech will not reach oil parity within the decade. Oil parity would be batteries with roughly 1/3 the energy density of oil (maybe 1/4 if you factor in the fact that electric motors are lighter than ICE motors).
Predictions are hard, but I'm going to go on the record (and am willing to wager) saying that the batteries in EVs produced in 2012 will have an energy density lower than 9MJ/L.
Ultimately that doesn't matter though. The ED in the Model S is already almost good enough, it's the cost that matters, and I think that will go down. If you end up having a car that is a bit bigger and a lot heavier than an equivalent ICE car would be, you can still sell it.
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't know much about him as a person and as a speaker, but his first few paragraphs flagged my BS meter at "!full disclosure" From experience with 10-Ks and working on/seeing how financial documents are massaged, this felt very similar. ninja Edit: grammar/language.
I get the impression that Tesla becoming cash flow positive is financial engineering. Do you have any idea how that would be done in the case of Tesla or in general?
[deleted]
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have a bunch of friends who work at Tesla. They do work hard, one of whom works waaaaay too hard, but it's meaningful work. They're changing the world. It's a similar feeling I get from people I know who work at Apple.
I understand the geek/social effect of saying that you work for Apple or any other well perceived company, but get real: you're no changing the world. You would change the world if you were one of the first few employees at Apple, or nowadays if you are a high ranking executive/manager. Other than that, you're just a small piece in the engine. Maybe an independent developer is doing more to change the world than an e…
> You would change the world if you were one of the first few employees at Apple, or nowadays if you are a high ranking executive/manager. Other than that, you're just a small piece in the engine.
“Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it”
--Mahatma Gandhi
Re: An Update from Elon Musk
#90I've been 100% long TSLA since the beginning and really don't understand the reasoning behind the doubts people have - given how little they actually know about a) the car industry and b) electric batteries and c) the ability to think on first principles and not by analogy. But I guess everyone has the right to an opinion - even if most of them aren't a) warranted b) backed up or c) logically reasoned. We are past pe…
Battery tech will not reach oil parity within the decade. Oil parity would be batteries with roughly 1/3 the energy density of oil (maybe 1/4 if you factor in the fact that electric motors are lighter than ICE motors). Predictions are hard, but I'm going to go on the record (and am willing to wager) saying that the batteries in EVs produced in 2012 will have an energy density lower than 9MJ/L. Ultimately that doesn't…
> If you end up having a car that is a bit bigger and a lot heavier than an equivalent ICE car would be, you can still sell it.
The Tesla Roadster was heavier than the Lotus car it was based on, but had quite respectable performance. That fact, combined with the electric car cachet was enough to sell it.
If they can keep putting the batteries in the floor, they could consistently wind up with a roomier and more versatile vehicle than the equivalent ICE car. Then again, what Ford is doing with Ecoboost is very impressive. I suspect there's a lot of untapped potential for different form factors with ICE technology.