Musk endeavours

[ReformedCharacter]

Spacex have just launched the first batch of their Starlink satellites. IMO it could be an industry 'game changer' and quite disruptive for the comms industry. Orbiting at much lower altitude (550km) than geosynchronous satellites they have the potential to provide faster links than fibre with latencies of 10ms. The ability to launch cheaply on re-useable first stage boosters must give quite an economic advantage and apparently plans are underway to make the Falcon second stages re-useable as well. It's certainly an ambitious project. More here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho36aufooAU

As a holder of shares in Inmarsat, I'm not displeased at the recently announced takeover.

RC

[BobbyD]

In my case I still do 170 mile drives, so a short range electric would imply hiring a car for longer distances, but I generally want a bigger car for hauling stuff so a smaller car would not interest me although they can be fun to drive, not so good in a crash though.

It's a city car. If your needs aren't met by a city car then obviously it's unlikely to suit you.

On the other hand for those who live and work in and around cities, a car which is exempt from both, for example the London congestion charge and the London Ultra Low Emissions Zone charge (£24 a day combined), can be parked on postage stamp and handle a 30 mile each way commute on half a tank for less than £20k, could turn out to be not only a perfect automotive solution to their needs but a very economical way of achieving them.

[odysseus2000]

It would seem Audi don't speak colloquial French (warning strong language):

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1132220235543588864

Regards,

[odysseus2000]

In my case I still do 170 mile drives, so a short range electric would imply hiring a car for longer distances, but I generally want a bigger car for hauling stuff so a smaller car would not interest me although they can be fun to drive, not so good in a crash though.

It's a city car. If your needs aren't met by a city car then obviously it's unlikely to suit you.

On the other hand for those who live and work in and around cities, a car which is exempt from both, for example the London congestion charge and the London Ultra Low Emissions Zone charge (£24 a day combined), can be parked on postage stamp and handle a 30 mile each way commute on half a tank for less than £20k, could turn out to be not only a perfect automotive solution to their needs but a very economical way of achieving them.

I have begun to wonder if these satellites could provide input into self driving systems and it is for this reason that Musk is so confident that auto pilot will create a fleet of robotic taxis.

Regards,

[BobbyD]

It would seem Audi don't speak colloquial French (warning strong language):

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1132220235543588864

Regards,

If that is what I assume it is it's been known since the e-tron name was announced...

[odysseus2000]

Starlink satellite opening its single solar cell, so done as to minimise points of failure:

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1131748543373271042

Regards,

[odysseus2000]

Autopilot getting worse in the EU?:

https://youtu.be/sMvdI8nSAJE

Regards,

[TUK020]

Saw a MOdel X on the motorway a couple of days ago with the special range extension option.
It was on the back of a flatbed recovery truck

[BobbyD]

Starlink satellite opening its single solar cell, so done as to minimise points of failure:

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1131748543373271042

Regards,

You might want to rephrase that, Single Point of Failure isn't generally regarded as a selling point.

[BobbyD]

Saw a MOdel X on the motorway a couple of days ago with the special range extension option.
It was on the back of a flatbed recovery truck

The Tesla hybrid...

[odysseus2000]

A model S with 450,000 miles:

https://youtu.be/rhbD44jXffY

Regards,

[Bouleversee]

Big article in Sun. Times today re Tesla's dire financial situation and cost cutting etc.; also that Musk is overloaded by too many projects on the go. However, I see that SMT has increased its holding rather than the other way aroun. I hope they know what they are doing as SMT was doing better than most of my holdings and has now come back a bit.

[odysseus2000]

Big article in Sun. Times today re Tesla's dire financial situation and cost cutting etc.; also that Musk is overloaded by too many projects on the go. However, I see that SMT has increased its holding rather than the other way aroun. I hope they know what they are doing as SMT was doing better than most of my holdings and has now come back a bit.

I tend to view the media as strong contrarian indicators, suggesting to me that SMT have the right idea.

Regards,

[odysseus2000]

A model S is more affordable than you may think?

https://insideevs.com/news/351491/tesla ... lysis/amp/

Regards,

[odysseus2000]

Starlink satellites over Chicago:

https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann/stat ... 2663118850

Regards,

[odysseus2000]

For those interested in the case for solar, powerwall & electric car, this, albeit near two years old, gives a good overview:

https://youtu.be/nWLzlrGGuxQ

Regards,

[BobbyD]

Tesla's Updated Navigate on Autopilot Requires Significant Driver Intervention

CR finds that the new automatic lane-changing feature is far less competent than a human driver

...The Verdict

David Friedman, vice president of advocacy at Consumer Reports, says that as it currently exists, the automatic lane-change function raises serious safety concerns.

“Tesla is showing what not to do on the path toward self-driving cars: release increasingly automated driving systems that aren’t vetted properly,” he says. “Before selling these systems, automakers should be required to give the public validated evidence of that system’s safety—backed by rigorous simulations, track testing, and the use of safety drivers in real-world conditions.”

https://www.consumerreports.org/autonom ... ervention/

[BobbyD]

One view of the future:

Tesla is now doomed. Here’s how its EV dream will soon come crashing down

...Scaling up production lines and capacity is the activity that is killing Tesla, but scaling up further is the only thing that can save it. The company is at the low point of a “production valley” where becoming capable of building 300,000 cars has made them wildly unprofitable, but the only way to get to profit is to build even more capacity to enable it to make 700,000 – 1,000,000 cars. Tesla could potentially have, or raise, the billions needed to do this. It could, that is, if the company could concentrate on doing one thing at a time.

Tesla’s worst enemy is Elon Musk. The serial entrepreneur has an affliction that many serial entrepreneurs have: Shiny Thing Syndrome. Mr. Musk loves to chase after new challenges and novel projects. Tesla is currently producing 3 different cars, wall chargers, charging stations, electric semi-trucks, photovoltaic roofs, and spearheading autonomous technology. Throw in the odd flamethrower, underground tunnels, and a new insurance product (not to mention Space X), and you see a leader not focused on doing the hard work of pushing his company through a crisis of scale, but a man obsessed with moon-shots and new projects.

- https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/tesl ... -will-end/

[odysseus2000]

One view of the future:

Tesla is now doomed. Here’s how its EV dream will soon come crashing down

...Scaling up production lines and capacity is the activity that is killing Tesla, but scaling up further is the only thing that can save it. The company is at the low point of a “production valley” where becoming capable of building 300,000 cars has made them wildly unprofitable, but the only way to get to profit is to build even more capacity to enable it to make 700,000 – 1,000,000 cars. Tesla could potentially have, or raise, the billions needed to do this. It could, that is, if the company could concentrate on doing one thing at a time.

Tesla’s worst enemy is Elon Musk. The serial entrepreneur has an affliction that many serial entrepreneurs have: Shiny Thing Syndrome. Mr. Musk loves to chase after new challenges and novel projects. Tesla is currently producing 3 different cars, wall chargers, charging stations, electric semi-trucks, photovoltaic roofs, and spearheading autonomous technology. Throw in the odd flamethrower, underground tunnels, and a new insurance product (not to mention Space X), and you see a leader not focused on doing the hard work of pushing his company through a crisis of scale, but a man obsessed with moon-shots and new projects.

- https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/tesl ... -will-end/

This is a useless article, all based on the bias of the author and full of errors.

No legacy auto has a product comparable to a Tesla motor and legacy auto has demonstrated an inability to make quality for a long time. They have all jumped on the lease market: Making cars that stick together for 3 lease years and then become money pits.

Tesla are not selling at low margins.

There is no where near enough batteries for Tesla, let alone the rest of legacy. Tesla can't even source batteries for its storage. If you think this is false then try, like I have been doing, to source a small number of Lithium ion cells, say a few 100. I am finding this is difficult and expensive. Sure I can get a few hundred if I would pay £4+ each for 2 Wh 18650, but at a more sensible price, say 50p, I can not find any.

The idea that a tech company should remain focused on making what it has was the rational behind Apple firing Jobs when Sculley was in charge and this nearly brought Apple down. The tactic of assuming things don't change was fine in the 20th century, now its a recipe for the poor house. For a modern tech business to survive, it has to relentless innovate.

The author, who has never done anything in his life, is trying to cobble together a bear case based on wrong assumptions and using the old military failure of fighting a new war with the tactics of the last war.

Regards,

[dspp]

One view of the future:

Tesla is now doomed. Here’s how its EV dream will soon come crashing down

...Scaling up production lines and capacity is the activity that is killing Tesla, but scaling up further is the only thing that can save it. The company is at the low point of a “production valley” where becoming capable of building 300,000 cars has made them wildly unprofitable, but the only way to get to profit is to build even more capacity to enable it to make 700,000 – 1,000,000 cars. Tesla could potentially have, or raise, the billions needed to do this. It could, that is, if the company could concentrate on doing one thing at a time.

Tesla’s worst enemy is Elon Musk. The serial entrepreneur has an affliction that many serial entrepreneurs have: Shiny Thing Syndrome. Mr. Musk loves to chase after new challenges and novel projects. Tesla is currently producing 3 different cars, wall chargers, charging stations, electric semi-trucks, photovoltaic roofs, and spearheading autonomous technology. Throw in the odd flamethrower, underground tunnels, and a new insurance product (not to mention Space X), and you see a leader not focused on doing the hard work of pushing his company through a crisis of scale, but a man obsessed with moon-shots and new projects.

- https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/tesl ... -will-end/

This is a useless article, all based on the bias of the author and full of errors.

No legacy auto has a product comparable to a Tesla motor and legacy auto has demonstrated an inability to make quality for a long time. They have all jumped on the lease market: Making cars that stick together for 3 lease years and then become money pits.

Tesla are not selling at low margins.

There is no where near enough batteries for Tesla, let alone the rest of legacy. Tesla can't even source batteries for its storage. If you think this is false then try, like I have been doing, to source a small number of Lithium ion cells, say a few 100. I am finding this is difficult and expensive. Sure I can get a few hundred if I would pay £4+ each for 2 Wh 18650, but at a more sensible price, say 50p, I can not find any.

The idea that a tech company should remain focused on making what it has was the rational behind Apple firing Jobs when Sculley was in charge and this nearly brought Apple down. The tactic of assuming things don't change was fine in the 20th century, now its a recipe for the poor house. For a modern tech business to survive, it has to relentless innovate.

The author, who has never done anything in his life, is trying to cobble together a bear case based on wrong assumptions and using the old military failure of fighting a new war with the tactics of the last war.

Regards,

ody,

On this I agree with you.

At the moment Tesla/Panasonic represent half the EV battery capacity in the world, with one battery factory (Nevada) and one auto factory (Fremont). Nobody else can get enough batteries, and nobody else has been prepared to put the $bn on the table to build the next one. Now Tesla are a fair way along to building the next factory but this time as a combo battery/auto factory (Shanghai). At least as a shell with foundations ...... If they get that in and running before anyone else has their comparable factories at scale then Tesla will really start to pull seriously ahead on the manufacturing scale issues, as well as the tech issues. That is a big scale if mind you.

I wonder how the planning / investment / build for the battery (cell) mfg machinery for Shanghai is going ? And the supply chain behind the operation of that. We hear very little of that. The pack-making machines we can be relatively sure about (Tesla Grohmann), but so far I don't even think we know who Tesla have selected as the cell makers for Shanghai. (?? do we ??)

Very high risk this stuff ......

regards, dspp