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Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

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Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#241

Post by antisthenes »

flexie wrote: post #191
hueving wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or withdrawals from people. The deposits are non-committal so people can cancel without losing anything.

I can't think of any product I'd rather have than a Tesla. I think Tesla will sell millions of Model 3. Which other car is 400,000 people waiting patiently to buy for two years, even putting down a $1,000 deposit? Tesla is doing to traditional car manufacturers what Apple did to Nokia.

I'm with you 100%.

If my basic needs like housing and healthcare were already met (unfortunately they aren't), my next purchase would probably be a Tesla or a Solar/Powerwall combo for the house, or both.

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#242

Post by SXX »

jd20 wrote: post #205
dmix wrote: post #120

Tesla recently announced they are ramping up their Model 3 production even more than what some people thought was already optimistic numbers: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-27/tesla-mod... > For Musk to hit all of his targets, Tesla would need to build about 430,000 Model 3s by the end of next year. That’s more than all of the electric cars sold planet-wide last year. > Even if half of the Model 3 in…

One thing I've wondered about this: exactly what data is Tesla able to collect from the vehicles on the road? I've not found this on their website, nor any way to opt-out of data collection. For a vehicle with an always-on camera and cellular connection that can't be shut off, you'd think more people would be concerned about this.

How many people you know concerned about what data their phone software collect on them? Their laptop? Web browser? Facebook?

Probably not many. So Tesla will do just fine too.

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#243

Post by ithinkinstereo »

kpil wrote: post #200
ithinkinstereo wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This reminds me when the iPhone came out. Tesla is making a revolutionary new product. Millennials are also coming of age now through the next decade. Many of these buyers, either purchasing first-time, or upgrading their "college/hand-me-down" car, will buy Tesla, just because it's fashionable (ala iPhone). I'm bullish on Tesla and Musk. Edit: I should add that the product extends past the car itself. The whole dire…

If they can deliver the cars, and at a reasonable price, you are probably spot on.

I think for a young late 20s, early 30s professional with disposable income, maybe a baby on the way, it's really a no-brainer deciding between a 3-series, C-class, Volvo, vs a Model 3.

And if you can only afford a Camry/Altima/Jetta/etc. a 5-10K increase in price for a much better (perceived) product is also a no-brainer. People will def max out their credit to get the upgrade to a Tesla.

The above, doubly-so for Chinese consumers.

Model T :: iPod --> Model 3 :: iPhone

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#244

Post by bigiain »

When I first read this, my head saw "Fifty Cent"...

And I thought "A _rapper_ has just bought $1.7billion worth of Tesla shares???" and was all ready to make "Has Tesla already become the Cristal Champagne of car brands?" gags...

Still, half a billion return in two weeks on a 1.7 billion play is pretty nice money...

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#245

Post by elgenie »

bigiain wrote: post #244

When I first read this, my head saw "Fifty Cent"... And I thought "A _rapper_ has just bought $1.7billion worth of Tesla shares???" and was all ready to make "Has Tesla already become the Cristal Champagne of car brands?" gags... Still, half a billion return in two weeks on a 1.7 billion play is pretty nice money...

Fifty Cent got a minority stake in Glaceau instead of a payment for endorsing their Vitamin Water. When Glaceau sold to Coca-Cola, that equity was worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million.

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#246

Post by nickjarboe »

Arizhel wrote: post #198
olivermarks wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"In the last 25 years we have seen the explosion of Musk's empire across the solar system. " - you have to admit that is pretty funny...

Funny, but silly. Why would people want to live in other places in the solar system? Earth, the Moon, and Mars are the only places that really make any sense at all. Even Mars is iffy because the gravity is rather low, it's far from Earth, the atmosphere is barely there, it's cold, and there's no radiation protection without going underground. The Moon is even worse, but at least it's close to Earth so it'd be really…

Political freedom has often been the primary motivation for groups of people to emigrate. Hypothetical sea-steading aside, moving somewhere with no existing political system in place is not possible on Earth. Wealthy patrons might sponsor the pioneers. This was how much of early New England was settled by Europeans.

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#247

Post by smogcutter »

greglindahl wrote: post #221
smogcutter wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's really interesting. Seems like the answer is they need a lot more third party shops - the problems that McNeill describes sound like the kind of thing that happens when there isn't enough competition. If I'm a model 3 customer, I don't really care about your service record in Palo Alto. What can you do for me in Skokie? Very interested to see how all this plays out. The success or failure of the Model 3 could…

The problem McNeill discussed was related to 3rd party body shops. Tesla does not do any body work in its repair centers.

Right. The point is that soon they'll need a whole lot more of them, and first party repair centers as well. "Sorry, we have trouble with quality control at 3rd party shops" isn't going to cut it for a mass market car.

Re: Ford and Delorean, this is not the hill I want to die on. But what I mean is that the batteries, charging stations, etc, all live or die with the cars. If they can successfully create a mass market for consumer EVs, sky's the limit. If not, you can see a future where Detroit eats their lunch and the Model S is a footnote.

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#248

Post by VintageCool »

vkou wrote: post #174
mikeash wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a pretty decent market for used Model Ss out there. It's not huge, since Model Ss of sufficient age don't exist in great numbers, but it's not too bad. I've been looking at cheaper used EVs for a second car. There are lots of used LEAFs out there, some Smart EDs, and a couple of Focus Electrics, which look really nice if you don't mind the short range, but aren't very popular at all. These cars seem to drop i…

One of the reasons for why there are so many used LEAFs on the market, is that a lot of EV early adopters sold their Leaf to buy a Tesla. If you wanted an EV, and could afford it, the specs on the Model S are much better. This is not really great news for the low-end EV market, though - if the average person isn't interested in a midly used Keep in mind that after years of making cars, Tesla is still struggling with…

Used LEAFs are super cheap because they have short range, and new LEAFs have a 50% larger range. The tech keeps getting better and making old electric cars less desirable to the market of buyers looking for an electric car.

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#249

Post by greglindahl »

smogcutter wrote: post #247
greglindahl wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem McNeill discussed was related to 3rd party body shops. Tesla does not do any body work in its repair centers.

Right. The point is that soon they'll need a whole lot more of them, and first party repair centers as well. "Sorry, we have trouble with quality control at 3rd party shops" isn't going to cut it for a mass market car. Re: Ford and Delorean, this is not the hill I want to die on. But what I mean is that the batteries, charging stations, etc, all live or die with the cars. If they can successfully create a mass market…

Uh, what fraction of body shops do aluminum? Model 3 is not like Model S/X. And problems at body shops has nothing to do with problems at first party repair centers. I'm happy to agree that the future is uncertain, but you aren't adding much in the way of fact into the discussion.

Re: Tencent buys 5% of Tesla

#250

Post by kristianp »

dmix wrote: post #120

Tesla recently announced they are ramping up their Model 3 production even more than what some people thought was already optimistic numbers: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-27/tesla-mod... > For Musk to hit all of his targets, Tesla would need to build about 430,000 Model 3s by the end of next year. That’s more than all of the electric cars sold planet-wide last year. > Even if half of the Model 3 in…

Isn't it an error for the article to compare the Model 3 to the luxury brands? The 3 isn't going to be a premium/luxury car like the S is.
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