Tesla Layoffs and Management Changes

[graham]

Sigh.... I seriously hope this article is mistaken.

 

[TEG]

Valleywag story: Schemes: Is Elon Musk aiming to take over Tesla?
Valleywag followup: Tesla Motors: My evening with Elon Musk

 

[thejump]

Roadster loosing $50k per car???

Tesla Motors: My evening with Elon Musk

 

[vfx]

Tesla Motors: My evening with Elon Musk

I spent the ride up to Coit Tower and back thinking about how much coal was burned to generate the electricity now being thrummed away by the Roadster's motors.

San Francisco burns coal?

 

[dpeilow]

The old "long tailpipe" argument refuses to go away.

 

[graham]

TEG was discussing this article over in this thread: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/news-articles-events/1731-tesla-layoffs-management-changes-11.html#post14659

I think the $50,000 number was previous to Martin being let go. With many cost-reductions occurring before they started production, they have claimed they will be "cash flow positive" by the upcoming Spring. There is no way that could occur is the car still cost so much more in parts than they sell it for.

 

[doug]

I don't get why ValleyWag is so down on the Roadster. The author refused a test drive and basically chose to be uninterested in a thrilling ride. Their niche is Silicon Valley gossip, and I guess negative gossip gets more page clicks than positive.

 

[graham]

I spent the ride up to Coit Tower and back thinking about how much coal was burned to generate the electricity now being thrummed away by the Roadster's motors.

Yeah, when I read that I knew there was no hope of a rational article from this person.

 

[vfx]

This was the line that got me.

If, like me, you sit there calculating the infinetesimal odds that the operator's insurers will allow a rollercoaster to actually pose any real danger to you...

Talk about a guy who sucks the energy out of a room, at a party he must be as fun as Droopy Dog.

 

[doug]

Talk about a guy who sucks the energy out of a room, at a party he must be as fun as Droopy Dog.

I was thinking Debbie Downer myself.

 

[TEG]

From this weekend's Chronicle:

Electric car startup downshifts for rough road - SFGate.com

Another quote:

...Tesla also closed one office in Michigan and replaced it with a smaller one nearby...

Is this the first we have heard that they still have a Michigan office?

 

[doug]

Is this the first we have heard that they still have a Michigan office?

I was told a couple months ago that they still had some people in Michigan, though down sized.

 

[vfx]

The part about Elon spending most of his time running Tesla is a complete switch from last report of his time spent.

Does that mean he has moved his priorities or his rhetoric?

 

[graham]

The part about Elon spending most of his time running Tesla is a complete switch from last report of his time spent.

Does that mean he has moved his priorities or his rhetoric?

Oh no, this is semi-old news. Back in September or October or whenever it was that Ze'ev got replaced by Elon (and shortly after the successful SpaceX orbit), he announced his intention to focus his attention mostly on Tesla over SpaceX, Solar City, etc.