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Tesla Reality Check?

Yeah. When revenue itself is down over 35%, you're in some kind of trouble.
Getting creative with when you post sales, how you handle fleet, etc is nice, but the bottom line is real bad.
And they're not delivering on the $35,000 Model 3 either.

I want the cars to exist and I really want the software to exist and keep pushing the industry, but manufacturing looks bleak.
 
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What I don't get about him, he's venturing into other verticals like vacuum cleaners and insurance. Those verticals are just as complex and competitive as automotive and he'll master none of them.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/24/elo...ch-an-insurance-product-in-about-a-month.html
Warren Buffett on Tesla: 'I'd bet against any company in the auto business'
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/04/war...against-any-company-in-the-auto-business.html

Buffett knocks Elon Musk's plan for Tesla to sell insurance: 'It's not an easy business'
 
I think the whole insurance thing is a major misunderstanding...

Tesla is partnering with State National to administer the program and the policies will be backed by others (tbd).

It'd be like GM reselling Geico insurance at the dealership but getting a better rate for agreeing to body/rental prices up front while also providing risk data of each driver.

IMO, they're doing every little thing they can to make it easier to get in their vehicles. I think it's somewhat of a distraction for them, but since service and body work is such a clusterf* for them insurance companies are starting to jack up rates. To me, this is more or less a problem they created but going a little further to solve it.
 
I think the whole insurance thing is a major misunderstanding...

Tesla is partnering with State National to administer the program and the policies will be backed by others (tbd).

It'd be like GM reselling Geico insurance at the dealership but getting a better rate for agreeing to body/rental prices up front while also providing risk data of each driver.

IMO, they're doing every little thing they can to make it easier to get in their vehicles. I think it's somewhat of a distraction for them, but since service and body work is such a clusterf* for them insurance companies are starting to jack up rates. To me, this is more or less a problem they created but going a little further to solve it.
Well, it will be interesting to see how that shakes up. Are they reselling insurance, not truly backing it with their own funds? Seems like the media thinks that they are selling their own insurance and are reporting it as such. :thinker:
 
What's sort of funny is that they really are NOT a good looking vehicle. I only see it as a status symbol -- For me, the Jaguar XF is far more luxurious of a sedan for less. I know, it's not electric ... but who cares. I am not into this electric vehicle "look at me, I'm saving the environment."
 
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What's sort of funny is that they really are NOT a good looking vehicle. I only see it as a status symbol -- For me, the Jaguar XF is far more luxurious of a sedan for less. I know, it's not electric ... but who cares. I am not into this electric vehicle "look at me, I'm saving the environment."

I think the Model 3/S are pretty sharp but the 3 is just too small of a car. I'm also not into the "I'm saving the environment" camp, I just think EVs make for better cars overall. From what I understand EVs in their current form are actually *more* harmful to the environment - they just don't emit carbon. I think the Prius/Volt sort of tainted that image and I'm happy most of the sought after EVs tend to be more of the sport variant. The 2020 Audi eTron GT is pretty jaw dropping IMO (https://www.driving.co.uk/news/2020-audi-e-tron-gt-price-specs-release-date/). The XF is quite nice. I'm a big fan of the Audi A7 too.