Elon's demand "secret weapon" ...what is it?

[LargeHamCollider]

In the Q&A Elon mentions a demand "secret weapon" that he plans to deploy this year... I think it's likely that the TMC collective can guess what this "secret weapon" is...

Some guesses:

federal legislation?
new battery?
major celebrity endorsement?
$2 million super-car?

let the speculation begin

http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/ft6yp5vg

 

[flankspeed8]

next gen battery with higher capacity would be my guess

 

[Obsoletion]

Secret/not so secret. GigaFactory AND the new battery technology being produced there.... and I'm guessing they don't give those patents away. But I'm thinking better and better batteries to come and without any other car manufacturer having a match for it, that will keep Tesla ahead of them for at least the near future.

 

[Eseell]

Advertising? He said that a bigger/better battery for the Model S was some ways off.

 

[SteveG3]

think he said it had something to do with some kind of response to dealerships.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

I'll repeat my idea from the release thread: rental.

Do a deal with a national rental company to make Teslas available for rent at reasonable cost, and voila, test drives available, no need for special event permits.

Or, an alternative: Tesla Test-drive Taxis. Tesla makes Model Ss available as taxis. But when you hire the cab, you can opt to drive it yourself.

Or: long-term rental. They don't sell you the car, you rent it long-term. Buy option available.

 

[AudubonB]

Yes, I heard that, Steve. My scribbled notes say "...secret weapon on demand side...may deploy this year....weapon against the dealers".

I'm at a loss, though, as to what it could be.

 

[flankspeed8]

I'll repeat my idea from the release thread: rental.

Do a deal with a national rental company to make Teslas available for rent at reasonable cost, and voila, test drives available, no need for special event permits.

The economics just don't work out to have "cheap rental" and "Model S" in the same sentence. Plus, as great as the MS is, it is not a great rental car.

Remember, he said..."everyone pays full retail...no one gets a break."

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

The economics just don't work out to have "cheap rental" and "Model S" in the same sentence. Plus, as great as the MS is, it is not a great rental car.

Remember, he said..."everyone pays full retail...no one gets a break."

I didn't say cheap, I said reasonable. Rental companies want to make money on the rental, Tesla just wants you to buy the car. Demo discount is 1% per month + $1/mile, right? Then rent out the Model S for 0.05%/day + $1/mi. Want to rent a base S60? It's $35/day + $1/mi.

EDIT: Hands up anyone here who doesn't own a Tesla and wouldn't take up that offer.

 

[dgh]

Evangelical Owner Recognition/Award

A program to better harness current owners evangelical promotion of Tesla to prospective owners. Solar City I think pays $ 50 bucks or something if they help sign up a new homeowner. I don't think small cash payments will (or should be) the major incentive, but I am sure they can come up with something good that will motivate (more superchargers based on local sales overall or from current owner referrals).

 

[LargeHamCollider]

I'll repeat my idea from the release thread: rental.

Do a deal with a national rental company to make Teslas available for rent at reasonable cost, and voila, test drives available, no need for special event permits.

Or, an alternative: Tesla Test-drive Taxis. Tesla makes Model Ss available as taxis. But when you hire the cab, you can opt to drive it yourself.

Or: long-term rental. They don't sell you the car, you rent it long-term. Buy option available.

I like this guess... but like everyone else I'm reallllly hoping for a larger battery too.

 

[austinEV]

Concerning referrals, we discussed this at length last year. The problem is that you will be deputizing thousands of potentially clumsy "salesmen" who might use the very same high-pressure tactics that Tesla is trying to distance themselves from. And if the owners don't give the hard sell, then that is the "sales force" they have currently without a kickback program. Its nothing but risk for TM.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Ah. About that CPO program...

Tesla Motors Pre-Owned LLC. They only sell used cars. Plenty of used cars around. Come and take one for a test drive.

By the way, says the salesperson, there's a company called Tesla Motors LLC in California. Their cars are all new. A bit better than this one. If you want a new one, you can buy one from them. Let me bring up the website on the center console...

 

[aznt1217]

I think its going to have something to do with the model S being used as excess energy storage and feeding energy back into the grid when that software update rolls out I see Tesla working a deal with utilities to give credits to owners essentially having the car pay for itself.

 

[jerry33]

I think its going to have something to do with the model S being used as excess energy storage and feeding energy back into the grid when that software update rolls out I see Tesla working a deal with utilities to give credits to owners essentially having the car pay for itself.

I don't see that as a way to create demand. It might actually lower demand as you could never count on a fully charged car if the electric utility decides to drain your car. Also people will worry about the extra cycles that the battery would get.

 

[Cosmacelf]

It could easily be an advertising campaign. It would directly attack pervasive dishonest dealer practices and tout their online buying experience. I mean this is very similar to how Saturn sold their cars.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

I think the Tesla will get sold through a dealer network called the Apple Retail Store - it will be called the iCar P85D and you will be able to buy apple care with it.

 

[yobigd20]

Maybe you buy the car and rent the battery? Reduces initial buying price from $70k to $40k? Heh it's a stretch. Who knows.

 

[JakeP]

Maybe you buy the car and rent the battery? Reduces initial buying price from $70k to $40k? Heh it's a stretch. Who knows.

Wow that is a crazy idea, but crazy good.

 

[TEG]

...Elon mentions a demand "secret weapon" that he plans to deploy this year...