Roadster sighting (12/31 U of Wisconsin Pep Rally @Santa Monica pier)

[chimpanzee]

I was covering the 2012 pre Rose Bowl events (Pep Rallies for Wisconsin & Oregon on 12/31 & 1/1, respectively).

I took the 704 bus from Union Station to Santa Monica, & passed the Tesla Motors store on Santa Monica Blvd (near 405 fwy). I noticed the maroon Model S in the showroom. I got there late (took 2 hours from Union Station to S. Monica!!) at 4:45pm, just as the rally ended (3-5 pm). As I got on Santa Monica pier & went down, I noticed a silent car going by. It was a Tesla Roadster, maroon colored.

I got this quick pic

You need special permission to have a car on the pier, so I'm trying to figure out what was going on.

Was there a Tesla Motors demo for the Wisconsin pep rally? Was it a VIP who had free run on the pier?

Anyone know who it belongs to?

More of my 2012 Rose Bowl coverage at

JUMPLIVE - Real Time Photo-Video Updates/OffRoad Racing

Collection: 2012 Rose Parade/Bowl
2012 Rose Bowl [ pre-event ]

with emphasis on STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) Outreach. I did an interview with some U of Wisconsin engineering majors, who were involved with Hybrid cars (tailgating at Rose Bowl). I kept running into Mechanical Eng majors from U of Wisconsin & Oregon, videos will be uploaded over next 2 days..

 

[vfx]

Be a lot easier to ID with a plate or Vin #

 

[TEG]

This one I think:


By the way, Stanford team colors are red too.

 

[chimpanzee]

license plate 6HGX796

TEG found the Roadster at:

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/02/24/tesla-driver-helps-roadster-fans-with-donated-charge-point-betwe/

It's a shame I didn't get to the Rally earlier, I would have interviewed the guy..

I will be uploading the Pier interviews (Wisconsin & Oregon on Dec 31 & Jan 1) later today..

I happened to meet some Wisoncsin STEM (Science TEchnology ENgineering mathematics) majors at the Rose Bowl

2012 Rose Bowl [ pre-event ]: Kaitlin Moore (Biology/Pre-Med) & Sotirin daughters (Engineering) [ '12 Rose Bowl ]

Andi Satirin's 2 daughters are Engineering majors, 1 of who is involved with a Hybrid car project at U of Wisconsin.

I met the Google Car mgr (Anthony Levandowsk ) at the 2011 SEMA show, at the Vehicle Technology Exhibit.

2011 SEMA: John Waraniak/SEMA VP Vehicle Technology [ '11 SEMA Wed/Nov 2 ]

[ SEMA VTE was run by John Waraniak (SEMA VIce President of Vehicle Technology), U of Illinois TAM/Theoretical Applied Mechanics grad ('81). 1981 was the same year myself, Martin Eberhard, Dr Steve Cross (Georgia-Tech, former Vice President & President of GTRI/GaTech Research Inst) were at U of Illinois/Electrical Eng/Coordinated Science Laboratory/AARG Advanced Automation Research Group ]

Clemson Univ was there with an electric project car (Intel, Pasadena Art Center..which produces 70% of the Automotive Designers in Industry, incl Klaus von Holshauzen/Tesla MOtors),

2011 SEMA: Clemson Univ ICAR [ '11 SEMA Wed/Nov 2 ]

the faculty lead is a former BMW engineer. He came back to Academia, to better train college grads for Automotive. He observed that college grads were unprepared for Auto Industry. SEMA Vehicle Technology Exhibit was filled with other companies led by PhDs (former U of Michigan Mechanical Eng prof, etc) I will be uploading videos later..

Stanford team colors are red too...

Tesla CTO JB Straubel is a Stanford alumni, very qualified engineer. When I was interviewing the Oregon & Wisconsin students (& alumni), YOU COULD FEEL the "intellectual power". Really bright kids who were inspired by science/math teachers in high-school.

"intellectual property"

That's the key to America's Economic Recovery (JOB CREATION), a STEM based Economy

Apple Computer is the shining example

"Designed by Apple in California/USA, assembled in China"

Tesla recently hired the Apple exec who was responsible for the Apple branded stores.

Hopefully, the Model S will be a success (BIG CHALLENGE!), & Tesla Motors will be the NEXT Apple Computer "American success story".

THe Martin Eberhard & Elon Musk "partnership" in Tesla Motors, would be a great successor to Apple's pathfinding success..

"Though his [ Steve Jobs ] death separated the couple, his Legacy will live on forever"

THere are OTHER Steve Jobs "visionaries, Leaders, & Executors" lurking around..