Comments on: Driving Tesla Near The Edge, Or Over?

By: TEG

TEG — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:10:13 +0000

I see that the article was eventually edited and my comments taken into consideration.

By: Herby Sagues

Herby Sagues — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:47:08 +0000

Well, companies like Ferrari and others made loads of money building a few cars a week (though now they have moved to higher production volumes).
What you can’t do with low volume is to change the world and in that I’m with you, their success is important for all of us.

By: Herbys

Herbys — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:44:33 +0000

The fact that all the original naysayer’s objections (around performance, the feasibility of the battery pack or the price point) have been proved 100% wrong should say enough about the objections to the current plans. Musk and their team may have their faults, but they definitely know what they are doing. They are top-notch, brilliant engineers, they have the technology, business and financial knowledge necessary to continue creating revolutionary things, and they also have the financial muscle to make it real.

By: Robert Jackson

Robert Jackson — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:35:00 +0000

Explain this to me, they spent $400 million building 50 cars that they sold for $100 at a loss of $7.9 million per car.

All the did was take existing technology. Package it, Lotus, Dell, etc..

I am amazed at how people eat this stuff up.

By: thomatt12

thomatt12 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:21:29 +0000

I still believe the Tesla Roadster is a good car…

By: Orion-5ster

Orion-5ster — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:59:03 +0000

Well, I think it's because even though you may THINK there are a lot of mid-20-ish people with lots of money to burn on a sports car, you're actually not the biggest market out there at the moment. Consequently the car companies aren't designing cars for you. Sorry to disappoint... But you'll see exactly what I mean in about 5 years time.

Peace!

By: Wolf Wahn

Wolf Wahn — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:35:06 +0000

Good point!!!

I understand that you want to introduce a new technology at a car that runs not in the millions of units -- the first recall might get you on or over the edge of bankruptcy. However, why not addressing the market of the buyers of reasonably priced sport cars?!

By: hybridman2

hybridman2 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:11:56 +0000

I agree with ex-Ev1 on this one. Tesla Motors has done an incredible job doing what the big three could have done, but didn't. They didn't ask for Govt. Bail out money, they raised their own.

Have any of you even tried to pull just a motor out of a car, rebuild it by hand and then re-install it? If you have, you know the complexities involved. Now imagine designing, building, and selling a radical new car from the ground up. Enormous undertaking to say the least.

Tesla is just running into the same problem as everyone- cash is tightening and credit markets are quickly drying up. Most people who would have had an extra $300K in equity on their California home a year or two ago, have seen it become vaporware. They've had to cut back on luxuries, and $100K car, electric or not, is a luxury.

I want to see them make it. If they can weather through this and continue plowing forward, I think they will.

Bob

By: ex-EV1 driver

ex-EV1 driver — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:12:56 +0000

Let's not get too down on Tesla. TEG is right that there are serious technical errors in the article and its overall tone is quite harsh as well.
Face it, making an american car company is hard. It hasn't been done successfully in nearly 100 years. Tesla is at least delivering full (understatement of the century) performance, FHMVSS certified, electric vehicles and they are awesome performers to real customers. This is more than anyone else in the world can claim today.
About the 50 cars delivered: The journey of 100 miles begins with a single step. I'd say they are at least 50 steps into their journey. Lets not give up on the person's worth as an adult while he is still a child.
By the way, this 50 car number is likely to be about 60 by the end of this week and 70 by the next week. If Tesla can keep this rate up, there will be nothing left to say.
Its sad to see that the Model S has had to be delayed but when the big 3 are about to die, it isn't surprising that Tesla at least has to tighten their belt.
I invite anyone in the SF Bay Area to stop by Tesla's store in Menlo Park on El Camino Real to see the cars being delivered. Reality is a lot stronger than paper.

By: joe

joe — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:09:58 +0000

Just about everything Samie has said in both of his/her posts is inaccurate.