Providing skateboards to ALL the other companies (Chuck Jr.s idea)

[lafrisbee]

I will post Chuck Jr's post from another thread on here at the end. It was his post that got me thinking.

"That would accomplish Biggee Ee's goal of "the World a better place" and investors (like me) filthy rich.
So what is 5 years of tech research by all the "BIG Automakers" worth? And would they develop a superior product then? Would it take ten years and billions and billions of dollars to catch Tesla?
SO instead, as Chuck Jr suggested, Tesla should make a gigafactory that makes skateboards for the rest of the industry. Perhaps even FSD Packages (and Supper Chargers take over the world en masse)?
The main point? Well come with me... and let's drive the Porsche Taycan. Or just let me condense it... Some of the more honest reviews state...It looks like a porsche, and that is the big difference between it and a Tesla.
So there you have it. Most BEV's of a certain level are going to be like the Teslas AFTER they spend billions fighting tooth and claw for the market. But let's do the right thing to get the world all in on BEV's and save and make them money...while making Tesla a Trillion Dollar company in 5 years... a multi-trillion dollar company.
CHUCK JR's Post:
"My hunch is that Tesla is raising the money to build a skateboard factory and will announce a deal at battery investor day. I don't see how other automakers can compete by building their own skateboard. They will instead buy it and innovate on top of it. Currently no one cares about the skateboard of existing cars, they care about the brand, looks, and features. That will continue with EVs, with range and performance being new variables. If you can buy a skateboard and get close to Tesla's range and perf, why spend billions to develop one?"

To me, the parallels to EVs and the computer industry are too close to ignore.

 

[Akikiki]

Yes.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

Makes sense but I doubt legacy automakers will be willing to do that. It will reduce them from vehicle manufacturer to a smaller, less important role. I think they will continue to charge ahead and attempt to compete...or die in the process.

 

[Akikiki]

@MichaelP90DL, Watch this video. Pioneers in Clean Technology - Marc Tarpenning - Tesla Motors Very interesting history of what was the reasoning behind starting Tesla. And there's a place where Mark talks about how car manufacturers - 30 years ago - started and continued to outsource EVERYTHING to build cars except their core competency which was designing and building engines. Its not uncommon or exceptional for them to outsource other components or systems. So, makes sense they could get a 8-10 jump start letting Tesla supply drivetrain platforms.

Marc Tarpenning gave this briefing in 2014. There's been plenty of Tesla changes since then, and the other car manufacturers are even further behind.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

@MichaelP90DL, Watch this video. Pioneers in Clean Technology - Marc Tarpenning - Tesla Motors Very interesting history of what was the reasoning behind starting Tesla. And there's a place where Mark talks about how car manufacturers - 30 years ago - started and continued to outsource EVERYTHING to build cars except their core competency which was designing and building engines. Its not uncommon or exceptional for them to outsource other components or systems. So, makes sense they could get a 8-10 jump start letting Tesla supply drivetrain platforms.

Thanks for that, I will check it out.

I'm saying it makes logical sense to use Tesla as a platform supplier; I just can't see them doing it. Ego thing, ultimately.

 

[Dan Detweiler]

Tesla needs to make sure they have the batteries for their own needs first. Down the road...sure but for now they need all the batteries they can get, or make.

Dan

 

[lafrisbee]

Tesla needs to make sure they have the batteries for their own needs first. Down the road...sure but for now they need all the batteries they can get, or make.

Dan

Given the amount of resource available at the moment batteries et al are a bottleneck. But that could be resolved with $$$ to open mines and scale up battery production.
WIN WIN...win...
The Planet wins, Tesla Wins and we win

 

[DaveT]

It makes no sense to me for Tesla to make a skateboard and sell it to OEMs.

I don't think think it's going to happen.

Tesla can provide a much better experience to the end user by just making the entire product themselves.

 

[Akikiki]

DaveT. Are you forgetting Elon's Tesla mission statement? He doesn't say Tesla only

 

[Akikiki]

Tesla needs to make sure they have the batteries for their own needs first. Down the road...sure but for now they need all the batteries they can get, or make.

Dan

I'll pass your recommendation along to EM next time he's over at the house for chicken dinner.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

I'll pass your recommendation along to EM next time he's over at the house for chicken dinner.

Or at my house when he's over for fried Spam and black beans.

 

[DaveT]

DaveT. Are you forgetting Elon's Tesla mission statement? He doesn't say Tesla only

Tesla will have their hands full making enough batteries for their own production for the next 10 years.

 

[EinSV]

Tesla can build EVs more efficiently than everyone else and is battery constrained. It makes no sense for them to deprive themselves of batteries to provide skateboards to less efficient manufacturers.

 

[Akikiki]

Duh. No it doesn't. Why is that a necessary comment? You think he would even consider that? Why go off in a side creek ?

 

[lafrisbee]

Duh. No it doesn't. Why is that a necessary comment? You think he would even consider that? Why go off in a side creek ?

Look, Akikiki. You can't fix some people. Quit thinking they can read.

 

[EinSV]

I’m not sure if the last two posts are directed at me or someone else but it’s important to keep in mind how incredibly ambitious Tesla’s goals of making 20 million EVs per year and the 2 terawatt hours of batteries per year for these EVs and storage are.

Tesla has emphasized on many occasions that the limiting factor to its growth is battery production. Elon explained it again on the recent earnings conference call. (Excerpt below).

Every GWh of batteries Tesla can reasonably produce is needed for Tesla products for the foreseeable future.

Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) Q4 2019 Earnings Call Transcript | The Motley Fool

Gene Munster -- Loup Ventures -- Analyst

Good afternoon and congratulations on the progress. First question related to Cybertruck, you mentioned you'll sell as many as you can make. Can you remind me how many you think you can make and any thoughts on the cost of production for making those Cybertrucks?

Elon Musk -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Yeah. I think we don't comment on those detailed numbers, except the demand is just far more than we could reasonably make in the space of, I don't know, three or four years, something like that. So, the thing we're going to be really focused on is increasing battery production capacity because that's very fundamental because if you don't improve battery production capacity, then you end up just shifting unit volume from one product to another and you haven't actually produced more electric vehicles. So, that's part of the reason why we have not, for example, really accelerated production of the Tesla Semi because it does use a lot of cells and unless we've got a lot of battery cells available, then -- and say like accelerating production of the Tesla Semi would then necessarily mean making pure Model 3 or Model Y cars. And so, we've got a really -- make sure we get a very steep ramp in battery production and continue to improve the cost per kilowatt hour of the batteries. This is very fundamental and extremely difficult.

So that -- I said we're going to do kind of like a Battery Day just to kind of explain more about this and what our plans are. I think probably it's going to make sense to do that after the end of this quarter, because I think it's going to be kind of an intense end of quarter as it was last quarter. So tentatively sort of in the April timeframe, we will do a Battery Day and kind of go through what the challenges are, how do you get from here to, I don't know a couple of thousand gigawatt hours a year or something.

 

[kaffine]

No Tesla should not be building the skateboards for other companies. Batteries sure motors ok but no the skateboard.

The skateboard has the suspension system as well and that is my issue. Several car companies pride themselves on how the car handles or feels. This is tied into the suspension and should be left to each company to make the tradeoffs.

I also don't see it happening as they are not going to want to buy batteries from Tesla at this point. They can't even get any of them to go in with the supercharger network. Also not sure if Tesla will have the extra battery capacity to want to sell batteries to other companies.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

They can't even get any of them to go in with the supercharger network. Also not sure if Tesla will have the extra battery capacity to want to sell batteries to other companies.

If some manufacturer does partner with Tesla on the Supercharging network, I sure do hope they will be contributing big bux to further build out the network. It's getting very crowded in a lot of places.

 

[Akikiki]

I want Tesla to sell skateboards. I want there to be clones out there under other manufacturers sheet metal. I want Tesla to make those drive trains and battery systems. I want more common products on different manufacturers. I wish all the batteries were the same, all the wheel hubs, the motors, the inverters - even more were the same. I want that like Ford could with Mercury and GM did between Olds, Buick, Pontiac, Chevy, and GMC many (no all weren't) but many parts are used across all lines and versions. I want more that we could take a battery out of a Mach E and it fits under a Bolt II or Model 3-II some day. It makes for over all lower costs, and being able to get that rare part from "Ford" for my GMC and can count that it works. The more Tesla can make the less expensive (most stuff) they can make them. I didn't say sell cheaper than Tesla to other manufacturers, but bring down the cost for us.

Example, if Tesla is building a battery pack today for $100 per kw and can sell the same battery pack to other manufacturers for 20% more - good. If after making enough for other manufacturers they can bring the price down 20%, the next Tesla I buy or battery pack I must replace could cost me a Tesla owner 20% less thanks to efficiencies - good.

Marc Tarpenning reported in a video report that while researching parts sources for Tesla, that more than 30 years ago auto manufacturers were outsourcing everything they used except their core competency - engines. I want all manufacturers to give up building skateboards and come to Tesla to get them.

Of course I don't want Tesla to give them away. Of course I don't want Tesla to put the other manufacturers ahead of supplying Tesla factories. Of course I want Tesla to make more so they can supply Tesla but can also supply others. Of course I don't want to forsake anything at Tesla to make another manufacturer better, (not worse either), but not better than Tesla.

I'm not in charge. My opinion does not count for anything. And it matters not if I am right or wrong, there's no risks to business for my two cents. But I believe that Mr. Musk sees not only down the road but around its corner. When in 2014 Tesla announced it would not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who want to use its tech, he was helping jump start other manufacturers using Tesla IP. Good why re-invent the wheel when its for the good of the world? Go back and read the mission statement. Its core of "accelerate the advent of sustainable transport". Tesla can help others - for a fee but once Tesla is positioned to do so.

Don't you think that's why he's buying battery making companies, battery equipment making companies, and building more factories?
Don't go trying to point out to me that Tesla doesn't have enough batteries now, how can they sell to someone else. I am not trying to answer that. I don't have the answer to that. But you didn't put a date - when they might sell. That's important to Tesla. That's why he's the boss.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

When in 2014 Tesla announced it would not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who want to use its tech, he was helping jump start other manufacturers using Tesla IP. Good why re-invent the wheel when its for the good of the world? Go back and read the mission statement. Its core of "accelerate the advent of sustainable transport".

While he's the boss, yes, that is the mission statement. When he leaves or dies, the mission statement will change. Wall Street investors want pure profit and they don't care how they get it. Without Musk at the helm, that mission statement will end up in the dumpster.