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If Elon got tired of Tesla, I have great faith that JB could keep the technical side of things going just fine.
Tucker was hamstrung by his government loans, Tesla is free of them.
Tesla has great momentum and I think the 21st century free press ( us ) could counter any smear campaign from competition. Tucker could not.
Tesla survived 2008, that was a great test.
I see no reason to think Tesla and Tucker will follow any similar path.
Tucker was hamstrung by his government loans, Tesla is free of them.
Tesla has great momentum and I think the 21st century free press ( us ) could counter any smear campaign from competition. Tucker could not.
Tesla survived 2008, that was a great test.
I see no reason to think Tesla and Tucker will follow any similar path.
rolosrevenge
Dr. EVS
What happened to Mr. Tucker (financially) was fairly analogous to what happened to TSLA back in the roadster era. We are way past that now IMO. The 1948 Tucker Torpedo had many significant limitations despite the innovations that went into it (e.g. no reverse gearing, as the transmission could not be properly mated to a horizontally apposed helicopter motor) as well. Basically, Tucker was forced to sell off/give away its 50 hastily-produced (in an effort to prove the company's viability) "alpha" models and dissolve after its deposit-holders screamed fraud, backed by attacks from the old guard US auto market. The company was founded and largely run by an insightful engineer who largely lacked business savvy, another distinction from EM, however there are many others. I have been fascinated by Tucker since I was a child, however to suggest that Tesla may follow the same fate at this point makes throw up in my mouth a little.
Not say Tesla or EM would follow the same fate by lack of business savvy. Attacks from the old guard US auto, oil, and petroleum industries. Tesla and EM are getting closer to changing the automotive industry at all levels. Which in turn would affect the pocketbooks of these industries. It is reasonable to think these industries would use their lobbyist to hinder or prevent these changes by Tesla and EM?
Here is an example:
Tesla having the audacity to want to sell its cars directly to the consumer, instead of going through a middle-man, Bill Wolters, the president of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association, told the press that this kind of thing happens all the time, stating. . .
“Someone wants an exception to the franchise laws. If we made an exception for everybody that showed up in the legislature, before long the integrity of the entire franchise system is in peril.”
Yes, because nothing says integrity like a car dealership.
This is about nothing more than a prejudice against Tesla because they are a threat to their interest...
Tesla having the audacity to want to sell its cars directly to the consumer, instead of going through a middle-man, Bill Wolters, the president of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association, told the press that this kind of thing happens all the time, stating. . .
“Someone wants an exception to the franchise laws. If we made an exception for everybody that showed up in the legislature, before long the integrity of the entire franchise system is in peril.”
Yes, because nothing says integrity like a car dealership.
This is about nothing more than a prejudice against Tesla because they are a threat to their interest...
ToddRLockwood
Active Member
Simply having new technology was not enough to insure Tucker's success. Technology has to have benefits for the owner—features that give owners a sense of power and control. Safety features, while desirable, are only viewed as a secondary benefit—even today. Buyers are much more motivated by a car's looks or how it feels to drive. Tucker was dedicated to safety similar to the way Elon is dedicated to sustainable transportation. Unfortunately, Tucker's efforts were lost on most people back then.
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Consider this: could Tesla make it without the benefits of the Internet? I doubt it. Tucker not only lacked the Internet, but lacked television, which was only just taking off in late 40s. Newspapers, magazines, and radio ruled. And if Tucker were lucky maybe moviegoers saw clips of the car in pre-feature newsreels.
Imagine Tesla's fate in the hands of old-fashioned newspapers, magazines, and radio today. No viral word of mouth. Huge marketing/PR expenses. End of story.
Imagine Tesla's fate in the hands of old-fashioned newspapers, magazines, and radio today. No viral word of mouth. Huge marketing/PR expenses. End of story.
Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, New York and Virginia, have similar anti-Tesla legislation pending, according to the Yahoo report.
These states will not allow Tesla to sell their product directly to consumers.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/nightline-fix-abc-news/why-texas-bans-sale-tesla-cars-140842349.html
These states will not allow Tesla to sell their product directly to consumers.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/nightline-fix-abc-news/why-texas-bans-sale-tesla-cars-140842349.html
ToddRLockwood
Active Member
Excellent point. And the information flows both directions! I think the Model S might very well be the first crowd-sourced automobile. Can you imagine trying to contact Chevrolet with a suggestion or two?
That report was clearly written by an anti-Tesla person. In Texas, what Telsa can't do is talk about the price, financing, or sell it from their stores. However, there is no problem in ordering one and picking it up at the Tesla service centre. The only inconvenience to the purchaser is going to the county tax office to pay the sales tax and collect the plates. Takes about 30 minutes.
These laws will eventually go away in the same manner that the anti-car laws went away after 1900.
wcalvin
Member
I recall seeing a Tucker in a Kansas City showroom in 1948. Still had a two-part windshield, as I recall. My father, an insurance executive, was interested in the safety features.
I think it is obvious that Tesla who has been around 10 years and making thousands of cars won't become Tucker. Unlike in those days, the auto industry is weaker then back then. The big 3 pretty much let the Japanese car manufacturers walk all over them. They are way past their prime. The oil industry while doing well is not exactly well liked and I think they are too busy digging up more oil, I think they are more concerned with fighting renewable energy then Tesla. That is why they are pushing Natural Gas.
As far as the dealers association goes, they are not getting the support of the people that is for sure. And while it may be tough for Tesla to remove current laws. Tesla's ability on making the public aware is going to keep politicians at bay from acting on the lobby money.
As far as the dealers association goes, they are not getting the support of the people that is for sure. And while it may be tough for Tesla to remove current laws. Tesla's ability on making the public aware is going to keep politicians at bay from acting on the lobby money.
The fact that the similarities between Preston Tucker and Tesla Motors in its current state has been thoroughly debunked here has not prevented a Michigan attorney from pushing the comparison once again:
The Eerie Similarities Between Tesla and a Failed 1940s Car Company
Considering that the Federal Trade Commission is actually in favour of the direct sales model that this new hit-piece singles out as a risk, I consider the outlined risk that Tesla Motors will find itself under federal investigation even more far fetched than it was back in 2013.
But the article certainly lends credibility to the belief that the traditional automakers are out to get Tesla Motors, by means other than actual innovation.
What surprises me is how utterly pathetic their attempts are.
The Eerie Similarities Between Tesla and a Failed 1940s Car Company
Considering that the Federal Trade Commission is actually in favour of the direct sales model that this new hit-piece singles out as a risk, I consider the outlined risk that Tesla Motors will find itself under federal investigation even more far fetched than it was back in 2013.
But the article certainly lends credibility to the belief that the traditional automakers are out to get Tesla Motors, by means other than actual innovation.
What surprises me is how utterly pathetic their attempts are.
Piney999
Member
I hear the Tucker comparisons from my friends, as many have seen the movie, once again just this past weekend. It will take time, but eventually Tesla's superior product will win the day.
SW2Fiddler
We Are Cognitive Dissidents
Tucker was insufficiently differentiated from the big automakers.
The big automakers, except for Nissan, seem to be responding in a way that will leave Tesla with a unique space in the market. Both Mercedes, VW and Hyundai seem to be building multipurpose platforms to compete with the model 3. Toyota and BMW seem too happy with their current "master of the universe" position to respond aggressively to the model 3. They all will likely find more difficulty competing with Tesla software than they expect.
If Tesla can execute they should be able to grow to a Mazda size company. At that size they have enough sales to spread development costs over many units.
The big automakers, except for Nissan, seem to be responding in a way that will leave Tesla with a unique space in the market. Both Mercedes, VW and Hyundai seem to be building multipurpose platforms to compete with the model 3. Toyota and BMW seem too happy with their current "master of the universe" position to respond aggressively to the model 3. They all will likely find more difficulty competing with Tesla software than they expect.
If Tesla can execute they should be able to grow to a Mazda size company. At that size they have enough sales to spread development costs over many units.
Jaff
Active Member
IMO, if Tesla failed in the U.S. (due to draconian laws or what ever), the assets & technology would be purchased rather quickly by some entity, probably Chinese...Tesla's products are unique, in demand, and they work. Tesla vehicles will be manufactured somewhere in the world, if not under the same moniker, and if not in the U.S.
Tucker did not have this luxury.
Tucker did not have this luxury.
Among the many differences were:
- Tucker began by using a Franklin air-cooled aircraft engine, then retrofitted it to be liquid-cooled, changing the approach several times before completing the production run;
-Tucker also tried to produce automatic transmissions with three (IIRC) used during the short production run.
Tucker was innovative, and some of the innovations were later adopted by others, but the Tucker cars were never produced in commercial quantities, nor were they ever fully functional.
For everything Tucker including multiple cars, history, several engine versions etc. a visit to Hershey, PA is in order, to the AACA Auto Museum:
http://www.aacamuseum.org/tucker-automobiles-cammack-collection/
I spent three hours there a couple of months ago taking advantage of their Tesla HPWC that are just outside the front door. At the time the Harrisburg Supercharger was not yet open. I highly recommend the museum for the Tucker collection, an interesting bus collection and lots of other curiosities. There is no empahsis on EV's, sadly, but it still is well worth the stop.
There is essentially nothing analogous between Tucker and Tesla, in my opinion. Tucker had commonalities with Bricklin and DeLorean far more than with Tesla.
- Tucker began by using a Franklin air-cooled aircraft engine, then retrofitted it to be liquid-cooled, changing the approach several times before completing the production run;
-Tucker also tried to produce automatic transmissions with three (IIRC) used during the short production run.
Tucker was innovative, and some of the innovations were later adopted by others, but the Tucker cars were never produced in commercial quantities, nor were they ever fully functional.
For everything Tucker including multiple cars, history, several engine versions etc. a visit to Hershey, PA is in order, to the AACA Auto Museum:
http://www.aacamuseum.org/tucker-automobiles-cammack-collection/
I spent three hours there a couple of months ago taking advantage of their Tesla HPWC that are just outside the front door. At the time the Harrisburg Supercharger was not yet open. I highly recommend the museum for the Tucker collection, an interesting bus collection and lots of other curiosities. There is no empahsis on EV's, sadly, but it still is well worth the stop.
There is essentially nothing analogous between Tucker and Tesla, in my opinion. Tucker had commonalities with Bricklin and DeLorean far more than with Tesla.
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