Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

JB talk

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
It is quite old(September) video, but very interesting one.

Slide of four wheel drivetraine, statistic that total li-ion industry produced 27GWh in 2012 and Tesla alone expect to consume 40GWh batteries in five years. And nice life-cycle comparison of Model S vs S class in terms of CO2 or kWh.

And only 350 views so far, so I assume not many people saw this video.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Interesting on one of JB's last slides it says GEN III is a "sedan and crossover". Not sure that I'd read about the crossover part before.

Crossover will be the Model Y.

GEN III refers to two vehicles, not one. Both will use the same tech and batteries, just like how the Model S and Model X use the same tech and batteries. So we'll see a smaller sedan, and we'll see a smaller crossover. I'm guessing the next two after that will be a truck and a sports car. AFAIK Tesla's plan is to never make more than 6 different vehicles (I forget where I read that... I think Elon said that in a recent interview). Personally, I'd like to see Tesla branch out after this slightly and make some electric motorcycles and jet skis and boats too. Maybe a plane by that point with the latest tech. Hopefully that won't have the "pullover now, vehicle shutting down" warning lol
 
Weren't they going to make a factory in Europe somewhere?

They have the assembly plant in Tilburg The Netherlands to bypass EU tariffs which could be converted to a manufacturing plant with some stamping presses and robots.

- - - Updated - - -

I'd bet on China if they do well there in the early going.

I think Tesla qualifies for the EV exemption to the punitive automotive tariffs. I think they can export up to 100k cars at the standard tariff.

I saw Elon say on some Youtube vid a factory in China is a long way off since it requires a local Chinese partner and they have to figure out how to protect intellectual property to prevent local Chinese partner from opening their own factory making knockoff Teslas.
 
What I like is that Tesla started in a garage. Many great companies start this way. Even with Elon's backing, it took a number off years to convince VC to invest. I also like that TM was experimenting wtih 18650 cells so many years ago. Going with small laptop batteries that are mass-produced and relatively cheap instead of large automotive lithium batteries is different from other OEMs and has paid off well. Also, going with a sports car initially was the right move as well. Proof of concept was done by AC Propulsion in 2003 (T-Zero - LA to LV in one charge), and Tesla ran with this idea.

Anyway, very impressive beginning to a great company!