Q3 2015 Report & Conference Call

[uselesslogin]

To me the big news here is production of 13,091 vehicles in Q3 which beats guidance by more than 1,000 cars. Q3 was actually a huge beat but they decided to hold the deliveries back for Q4. I have no idea why. With one less week in Q3 production of 15,000 in Q4 should be no issue and with a very full pipeline at this point turning that into 17,000 deliveries should not be hard. I think some still doubt the 17,000-19,000 deliveries guidance so meeting that could provide a nice New Year's boost to the stock.

 

[RobStark]

It can be difficult to know when to mine or when to sell shovels to the miners.

When you manufacture an autonomous shovel with no need of an actual miner then it is a no brainer.

 

[Quant]

It can be difficult to know when to mine or when to sell shovels to the miners.

When you manufacture an autonomous shovel with no need of an actual miner then it is a no brainer.

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Punny ! But, This is is the Tesla Board !! No need to bring coals to New Castle !

 

[MorrisonHiker]

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Punny ! But, This is is the Tesla Board !! No need to bring coals to New Castle !

I think he's mining lithium.

 

[Quant]

I think he's mining lithium.

Oh, ok then.....you guys in CO and CA just mining Lithium?? Or, smoking it too ? Hahaha JK!

 

[dha]

Uber is dead once Tesla announces their product.

Just a matter of time before the other manufacturers follow suit.

Why would an automakers sell cars to Uber when they can start their own services?

Uber's end game is getting the driver out of the car.

Uber is just an app.

"driving" is a terrible job, unless the purpose is "make work".

You seem not to understand Uber's business model. No automakers are "selling cars to Uber." The cars are owned by the network of drivers, who are independent contractors hired by Uber.

 

[schonelucht]

You seem not to understand Uber's business model. No automakers are "selling cars to Uber." The cars are owned by the network of drivers, who are independent contractors hired by Uber.

Exactly, it allows them near unlimited leverage because they don't own the costly capital goods at all. And their drivers will take on the risk of deciding which manufacturer will put out the car that is most efficient for a given local market. Saying that Uber is just an app is about as misinformed as saying that Google is just a website. The app is actually the least interesting part of their operation.

 

[RationalOptimist]

You seem not to understand Uber's business model. No automakers are "selling cars to Uber." The cars are owned by the network of drivers, who are independent contractors hired by Uber.

That's their business model today. CallmeSam was referring, I think, to their predicted future model based on a fleet of self-driving cars. In that scenario they do indeed buy and own the cars and make a killing by offering them as a service in competition with their own huge fleet of drivers. It will, I would think, be a very awkward transition for them, and creates the possibility of their drivers defecting en masse to a rival like Lyft before they can roll out enough self-driving cars. But if they have enough market dominance they might pull it off.

However, the fact that Tesla, Google and possibly Apple may decide to operate rival fleets (and may even decline to sell uber the best self-driving cars on grounds that they make more margin operating the ride-sharing service and all the network effects that brings them) will create an incredible competitive landscape. It's shaping up to be one of the great land-grabs of the 21st century. At some point, if one of the manufacturers seems to be losing the race to the others, it has an easy master-stroke of going into partnership with uber.

 

[Lump]

CC recap from a skeptics point of view
Tesla “Analystsâ€￾ Shot Blanks At The Q3 Conference Call - Montana Skeptic | Seeking Alpha

 

[Pollux]

I don't agree with the implied assertion that Uber needs to acquire its own fleet of autonomous vehicles.

Instead, just like today, the autonomous vehicles can be purchased and operated by their independent contractors. Imagine the appeal of sitting at home and earning money from your autonomous vehicle. Or sitting at work and doing the same. In this scenario, Uber would enable the fleet, just as they do today. And there would be no perceived competition with their existing fleet.

Alan

That's their business model today. CallmeSam was referring, I think, to their predicted future model based on a fleet of self-driving cars. In that scenario they do indeed buy and own the cars and make a killing by offering them as a service in competition with their own huge fleet of drivers. It will, I would think, be a very awkward transition for them, and creates the possibility of their drivers defecting en masse to a rival like Lyft before they can roll out enough self-driving cars. But if they have enough market dominance they might pull it off.

However, the fact that Tesla, Google and possibly Apple may decide to operate rival fleets (and may even decline to sell uber the best self-driving cars on grounds that they make more margin operating the ride-sharing service and all the network effects that brings them) will create an incredible competitive landscape. It's shaping up to be one of the great land-grabs of the 21st century. At some point, if one of the manufacturers seems to be losing the race to the others, it has an easy master-stroke of going into partnership with uber.

 

[woof]

Imagine the appeal of sitting at home and earning money from your autonomous vehicle.

Sounds great! Until you realize that some stranger is now sitting in your car, doing who knows what to it/in it. Unsupervised people do odd things.

 

[chickensevil]

Sounds great! Until you realize that some stranger is now sitting in your car, doing who knows what to it/in it. Unsupervised people do odd things.

Pretty sure cameras would be allowed. Most states just prohibit audio recording. Problem solved.