Article from Noah from Pre-Dinner/ Model X event

[bonnie]

Some of us spent some time with Noah Kravitz, an editor with TechnoBuffalo (also a forum member) before the Model X event ... he has some reviews out on the Model S and Model X. His story on spending time with Roadster owners went live today: http://www.technobuffalo.com/news/cars/a-day-in-the-sun-with-electric-cars-part-1/

A couple of small discrepancies (the doors again), but a really good job (imho). Thanks, Noah!

 

[AnOutsider]

I think I know another reason you like it

Then there was the organizer. A smart, indefatigably happy veteran of the medical technology industry

Overall a decent article. From the opener it sounds like his commenters frequently harp on him, so it'll be interesting to watch the comments.

 

[bonnie]

You don't know that's me. You just THINK that's me. No names were used.

Yes, I think it will be interesting to watch the comments. I have my armor on for today. Bring it!

 

[rabar10]

I have my armor on for today. Bring it!

Your dogs would be willing to take delivery of the Model X without even getting a test ride?

They must be crazy. :biggrin:

 

[bonnie]

Your dogs would be willing to take delivery of the Model X without even getting a test ride?

They must be crazy. :biggrin:

They'd settle for rides in the Roadster, but they don't fit.

 

[NigelM]

Nice article. Liked it.

 

[Bearman]

Yes, was a nice article even tho he didnt like the wings

 

[nk126]

Thanks for posting, Bonnie. Yeah, what can I say, the more time passes, the less I like the doors. Weighing the pros (style, alleged ingress/egress advantages) against the cons (style, vertical clearance) I keep coming up with: They should've just designed a better sliding door. Would have fit in more garages and turned fewer people off without, dare I say, alienating any of the folks who like the X as designed.

But there's plenty of time to refine the design before production.

And, more importantly, who cares what I think? They sold $40M worth of Model X reservations.

 

[NigelM]

Have you figured out who all the people are in the article? I'm easy to spot. But you know all the other players that were mentioned.

Oooh, tough test!

I suspect that the Evangelist was a certain *visual effects* guy.

The only anesthesiologist I recall on here was *smd*

Is the banker from Atlanta?

Software engineer from Seattle was *richkae*

I have a suspicion I just flunked.....:redface:

 

[bonnie]

You got one right (besides me)!

 

[NigelM]

Shoot. :redface:

My excuse is that I only met most of the people once in October and I was jet-lagged at the time!

 

[NigelM]

BTW Bonnie, I had the EXACT same story as you:

Indeed, she’d originally contacted Tesla about the Model S sedan, a car promising roughly twice the luxury and space as the Roadster at two-thirds the price. A salesperson talked her into test driving the two-seater anyway, and twelve weeks later she had herself an electric sports car.

 

[bonnie]

Shoot. :redface:

My excuse is that I only met most of the people once in October and I was jet-lagged at the time!

I'll let everyone 'self-identify'. Noah kindly left names out of the article (even though, afaik, no one requested that).

 

[dsm363]

Great article. One of the few well written, even and fair articles about Tesla I've seen. Nice work Noah.

Just one comment about the line "Since then the Silicon Valley startup bankrolled by a half billon dollar federal loan has sold more than 2,100 of the two-seater convertibles"

This is pretty accurate but wanted to make one comment. The loan was a $465 million dollar DOE loan from the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program which includes $365 million directed towards the Model S program and $100 million towards a powertrain factory. The way it's written sounds like it might be a bail out that helped them survive and build the Roadster.

 

[Citizen-T]

Exactly what I was thinking. No DOE loan money was used for the Roadster. That is explicitly for Model S program.

I thought the article was very well written. Good job.

 

[vfx]

This is good.

The event had hemp clothing?

 

[Doug_G]

Great article. I'm still going to nit-pick it. :tongue:

"Since then the Silicon Valley startup bankrolled by a half billon dollar federal loan has sold more than 2,100 of the two-seater convertibles." Literally true, perhaps, but misleading. No federal money went to the Roadster; they were being sold long before they applied for the DOE loan. Plus the company is bankrolled by a lot more than the federal government - its own IPO, investments from venture capital, individuals including Elon Musk, Daimler, Toyota, Panasonic, not to mention car and drive train sales.

"Detractors cry foul about everything from the absurdity of $100,000 sports cars being built on the government’s (loaned) dime..." perpetuates the myth - and actually IS completely wrong.

"What about when all of those battery packs die and have to be thrown out? Toxic Landfill City!" I know that wasn't the point of the paragraph, but that's again perpetuating a myth. The batteries are non-toxic, fully recyclable, and those materials are too valuable to simply toss in the trash.

 

[dsm363]

Great article. I'm still going to nit-pick it. :tongue:
"What about when all of those battery packs die and have to be thrown out? Toxic Landfill City!" I know that wasn't the point of the paragraph, but that's again perpetuating a myth. The batteries are non-toxic, fully recyclable, and those materials are too valuable to simply toss in the trash.

Exactly right.

Here's a good link too Noah. Could include it in your article.

Mythbusters Part 3: Recycling our Non-Toxic Battery Packs | Blog | Tesla Motors

 

[nk126]

Appreciate the corrections and links to more info, everyone. Very much so. Will digest soonest.

 

[Tommy]

The other part of Tesla's "bankroll" came from the sale of stock in the initial IPO and later in a second offering of stock for sale to the public.