Nonsense article on Elon Musk subsidies

[mknox]

You must be talking about a pretty old Cadillac if the parts content was mostly US/Canadian parts.

It was a 2009, but there isn't a single GM car sold in Canada that is subject to import duties. All would seem to have enough North American content to qualify under NAFTA, unlike my Tesla which has too much foreign content. (Yes, I do realize it's the batteries and they're expensive, but it still cost me thousands in extra taxes).

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It'll be interesting to see when the gigafactory cells start being installed. I wonder if Tesla will instantly flip to being one of the highest US/Canadian parts content.

I work in the Waterloo, Ontario Canada region and am aware of two suppliers here who make parts or processes for the Model S. One supplier showed me the plastic separators that are used in the construction of the battery pack modules, complete with Tesla logo pressed into it. I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

Model X looks like the ugly fat sister of the hot Model S.

But maybe thats what people are into these days .. :-/

 

[scaesare]

I see your point. But my not liking SUVs has nothing to do with EV or not EV.
/

I don't think you see my point. Insulting an entire class of people personally for not sharing your preferences is rude at the very least.

 

[mknox]

...but isn't there an inherent advantage in stability and traction with AWD?.

Sure. But when winter strikes and the roads are snow and ice covered, the benefits fade IMHO. A lot of time, AWD drivers become overconfident because they can pull away quickly without realizing how slippery it is when it comes time to stop. And as I mentioned, a lot of AWD drivers forego winter tires thinking they don't need them. I drove through two brutal winters and never once came close to being stuck as a result of not having AWD. And my last two vehicle were AWD, so I am speaking from experience.

 

[Nomad]

One thing I've not seen is, how much has SpaceX saved the US Government in the form of reduced cost rocket launches. That is, what is the cumulative amount that SpaceX has underbid its competitors in contracts it has been awarded. Is that sort of information publicly available? If not, are there any estimates out there?

 

[chriSharek]

The best argument when it comes to the protection of our oil interests is Iraq War I. How else do you explain that war other than oil interests? That one war was a massive $1 trillion subsidy of oil and gasoline. In no way was the cost shown at the pumps.

Totally agree! ^

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The basic premise is flawed, when the government does not tax someone it is being called a subsidy; that assumes the government owns the money it takes. That premise is wrong. Ownership capital and income belongs to those who earn it, people or companies.

This is a great point too. It's the entitlement attitude that so many people have now-a-days!

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Yup, I don't know why people are crazy about SUVs. But then again, I've never owned an SUV.
I have sat in one though, and didn't think it was all that.

Couple of advantages of SUV though,
- If you live in the boonies in snow country, SUV with its clearance and 4wd is a must.
- Carrying capacity (which Tesla is pretty good at too).
- Some people say driving sitting higher on the road is an advantage - that is the most BS reason ever. I just HATE it when I want to make a right, and the SUV to my left, blocking my view from incoming traffic, wants to make a left. SUV drivers are a55h0l3s. Thats all there is to it.

Still, people who commute (1 person) in cadillac escalades - what is wrong with your head?

And yes Volt is awesome. I had a hard time choosing between Volt 2016 or Model S. Decided to live a little, especially given that Volt's 0-60 is 9 seconds

I'm with you on this. SUVs are an American thing. Outside the US they simply aren't sold NEARLY like in the US. They are starting to pick up in China - but that's only because they're beginning to have the "rich" to buy them.

I've also heard the argument that SUVs are "safer" because they have more mass. They also have twice the likelihood of rollover. My mother-in-law drives a Lincoln Navigator. She has a chihuahua. She never carries more than 5 people. We live in Florida. There is absolutely NO reason she "need" the UTILITY of an SUV. But, they can afford them and she's been brainwashed to think it's safer.

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While I know someone will give me hell for this, but how much have you read about Musk? You do know that Tesla wasn't his idea, and he kicked out one of the founders after he invested in it? He's great at PR, but tends to over promise and... maybe not under-deliver, but definitely deliver very very late.

I'm not talking ONLY about Tesla Motors. The gigafactory, Powerwall, and SpaceX, are all examples of his LEADERSHIP and being an innovator. I would argue his leadership was what allowed him to "kick out" the other founder of Tesla Motors.

 

[mknox]

I'm with you on this. SUVs are an American thing. Outside the US they simply aren't sold NEARLY like in the US.

Nope. They're huge in Canada too, and getting even more popular. There was an article in the Globe and Mail recently on this phenomenon here, but I couldn't find a link to an electronic version of the article. My parking lot at work is probably mostly trucks. Mid and Full size SUVs with a fair number of monster pickup trucks, and a lot are driven by women.

 

[dsm363]

While I know someone will give me hell for this, but how much have you read about Musk? You do know that Tesla wasn't his idea, and he kicked out one of the founders after he invested in it? He's great at PR, but tends to over promise and... maybe not under-deliver, but definitely deliver very very late.

The other co-founder apparently mismanaged things and underestimated costs to where they were losing money on each car. Since Elon had put up most of the money at that point he took over.

 

[MileHighMotoring]

Funny, I read the title as subsidiaries and was hoping to learn about new Elon Musk companies! I need coffee.