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Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

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Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#61

Post by bnjms »

davidw wrote: post #14

I'm nearly 50. I'm used to the idea of businesses owners having different politics than my own, but mostly that was the sort of self-interested "I'm wealthy and I think wealthy people should pay fewer taxes and their businesses should be subject to fewer regulations" sorts of things. You can disagree without thinking they're necessarily Bad People or worthy of boycotting their businesses. Indeed, it's the hallmark of…

> rare to see, on the other hand, someone insert themselves into politics quite so loudly, and in such an extreme way.

Publicly sure. I assume it’s always been this way though. And I’m more concerned about the ones we’re unaware of.

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#62

Post by JumpCrisscross »

camhart wrote: post #53
davidw wrote: post #14

I'm nearly 50. I'm used to the idea of businesses owners having different politics than my own, but mostly that was the sort of self-interested "I'm wealthy and I think wealthy people should pay fewer taxes and their businesses should be subject to fewer regulations" sorts of things. You can disagree without thinking they're necessarily Bad People or worthy of boycotting their businesses. Indeed, it's the hallmark of…

[flagged]

> He's only extreme if your view points are extreme left

Musk's policy positions are all over the political compass. While I wouldn't call him a right-wing extremist (that's where Loomer et al live), he's certainly a right winger in the political company he keeps and supports.

> Hello downvotes

"Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading" [1].

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#63

Post by bryanlarsen »

cchance wrote: post #45
bryanlarsen wrote: post #20

In contrast, BYD sold over 500,000 vehicles in December alone. https://electrek.co/2025/01/02/byds-ev-sales-surged-2024-eno...

That includes hybrids though :S

BYD's EV sales in Q4 were 595,413 in contrast to Tesla's 495,570.

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#64

Post by camhart »

SoftTalker wrote: post #39
davidw wrote: post #14

I'm nearly 50. I'm used to the idea of businesses owners having different politics than my own, but mostly that was the sort of self-interested "I'm wealthy and I think wealthy people should pay fewer taxes and their businesses should be subject to fewer regulations" sorts of things. You can disagree without thinking they're necessarily Bad People or worthy of boycotting their businesses. Indeed, it's the hallmark of…

I think it's more simply that the market of people who want an EV and can afford a Tesla is now saturated.

I'd argue inflation and high interest rates have a large impact too. When every day necessities (shelter, food, healthcare, education) are +30% at a minimum, there's not a lot leftover for fancy cars for most Americans.

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#65

Post by lolinder »

SoftTalker wrote: post #39
davidw wrote: post #14

I'm nearly 50. I'm used to the idea of businesses owners having different politics than my own, but mostly that was the sort of self-interested "I'm wealthy and I think wealthy people should pay fewer taxes and their businesses should be subject to fewer regulations" sorts of things. You can disagree without thinking they're necessarily Bad People or worthy of boycotting their businesses. Indeed, it's the hallmark of…

I think it's more simply that the market of people who want an EV and can afford a Tesla is now saturated.

Not to mention that even if you can afford a Tesla, my understanding is that the non-Tesla market has just gotten much better than it was over the last few years.

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#66

Post by invalidname »

davidw wrote: post #14

I'm nearly 50. I'm used to the idea of businesses owners having different politics than my own, but mostly that was the sort of self-interested "I'm wealthy and I think wealthy people should pay fewer taxes and their businesses should be subject to fewer regulations" sorts of things. You can disagree without thinking they're necessarily Bad People or worthy of boycotting their businesses. Indeed, it's the hallmark of…

Same. I wish we can go back to the time of "I respectfully disagree with my esteemed opponent".

More than anything I'd just be embarrassed to drive in a Tesla. I can't believe the level of brand damage he did in such a short period of time.

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#67

Post by JumpCrisscross »

bnjms wrote: post #61
davidw wrote: post #14

I'm nearly 50. I'm used to the idea of businesses owners having different politics than my own, but mostly that was the sort of self-interested "I'm wealthy and I think wealthy people should pay fewer taxes and their businesses should be subject to fewer regulations" sorts of things. You can disagree without thinking they're necessarily Bad People or worthy of boycotting their businesses. Indeed, it's the hallmark of…

> rare to see, on the other hand, someone insert themselves into politics quite so loudly, and in such an extreme way. Publicly sure. I assume it’s always been this way though. And I’m more concerned about the ones we’re unaware of.

> Publicly sure. I assume it’s always been this way

Then you're misreading history. You have to go back to the age of the robber barons to find private individuals with the power to shut down the government [1].

[1] https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-congress-bipartisan-dea...

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#68

Post by bko »

davidw wrote: post #14

I'm nearly 50. I'm used to the idea of businesses owners having different politics than my own, but mostly that was the sort of self-interested "I'm wealthy and I think wealthy people should pay fewer taxes and their businesses should be subject to fewer regulations" sorts of things. You can disagree without thinking they're necessarily Bad People or worthy of boycotting their businesses. Indeed, it's the hallmark of…

The upside of having an outspoken public figure at the head is that he's in charge and takes ownership. It's pretty wild that you can have some failure in your Tesla, and you can just tweet about it and if its a compelling issue you'll get the CEO to respond and address it directly. Imagine trying to get the attention of someone from Ford.

I don't know if you can have it both ways. Either you're a faceless soulless corporation and you're dealing with PR people and can't get a straight answer, or you're dealing with someone in founder mode but you'll have to hear their political opinions if you choose to use the social media platform they also own.

In other words, I don't think him being eccentric and generally disagreeable is unrelated to him building great products and companies. I wish more founders were eccentric and taking risk rather than trying to squeeze out every last dime of profits by outsourcing or cutting corners or the million other marginal things an MBA program will teach you to do.

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#69

Post by JumpCrisscross »

FloorEgg wrote: post #52
j4coh wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess it speaks more to his utter lack of social skills than anything how he has managed to convince both the far left and far right he is simultaneously an Elder of Zion super-Liberal enemy as well as a white supremacist fascist enemy. Comments supporting both readings keep popping up as replies and then get insta-flagged.

[flagged]

> Do you really think that being at odds with both extreme ends of the political spectrum is a bad thing?

He's also at odds with much of the centre. Musk picks fights, and not particularly strategically. The comment about his lack of social skills is spot on.

Re: Tesla reports 1.1% sales drop for 2024, first annual decline in at least 9 years

#70

Post by kbelder »

vdupras wrote: post #12
sidcool wrote: post #4

Why's there so much hate for Tesla here on HN?

Isn't it basically the only logical conclusion at this point? If you don't like Musk, you don't like Tesla. If you like Musk, you believe what he says, and what he's been saying during his ascension to the White House is that EVs are trash. Aren't Teslas EVs?

That's too binary. You can dislike Musk without disliking Tesla, and vice versa.

I think it's rather pointless to avoid companies led by people with politics I dislike, because that is nearly all of them. Hell, I wouldn't have been able to see a movie or watch a TV show for years.

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