Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Tesla newsletter 2009-2-11

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Hmm, I'm not so sure they've been approved for the loan yet. News stories are ambiguous. This one, Tesla Motors on an upswing?, just says:

Musk said today the DOE told him it could disperse funds within four or five months, paving the way for production of the sedan to start in 2011.

Are reporters confusing a quote from Musk about when the funds would be disbursed should they be approved, assuming they've already been approved?
 
I guess I'll just go ahead and copy it here:

Tesla to be Profitable by Mid Year

The $40M financing round completed in December was twice the amount Tesla needed to reach profitability. Moving forward two months later, we remain on track with our cost reductions and production ramp, so it appears highly likely that Tesla will meet the goal promised to those investors of becoming profitable by mid year.

The main reason for this confidence is that Tesla is already in the fortunate position of being sold out until early November, something few automakers can claim, and will soon be sold out of all 2009 production. While we have had some cancellations due to buyers experiencing personal financial difficulties, new orders continue to flow in every week from the United States and Europe. We have now produced more than 200 Roadsters for customers and there are more than 1,000 customers still awaiting delivery.

Due to our order backlog, it seems that owning a Roadster can be a good investment. Last September, as the financial and real estate markets began crashing, a Roadster was sold at the Sonoma Paradiso in California wine country for $160,000, well above the current list price of $109,000. Many Roadster owners who have taken delivery of their cars have already decided to purchase a second Roadster or Roadster Sport because they like the first one so much.

The continued strong demand is driven by the fact that the Tesla Roadster has no direct competitors. It is faster than almost any sports car on the market (our Roadster beat a Porsche GT3 on the Top Gear test track) and yet uses less energy and has a smaller carbon footprint than a Toyota Prius, even if you assume the worst possible case where all electricity comes from coal.

I expect sales demand to strengthen further as this awareness grows. After all, what's the point of driving another exotic sports car when it is slower than a Tesla and damages the environment? Already, the Tesla Roadster is the car of choice among the technology, business and Hollywood A lists – this year's Academy Awards will be a lineup of Teslas – and we have never had to give a discount to anyone.

Many customers also appreciate the fact that profit from their purchase goes towards helping Tesla develop more affordable, mass market electric cars. The same cannot be said for those who buy gas-guzzling sports cars from other automakers.

And owners aren't the only ones impressed with the Roadster. Road & Track was the first auto enthusiast magazine to perform third-party, instrumented testing on the Roadster; they were "pleased to see its extravagant claims confirmed." The Washington Post's Warren Brown gushed, "Wheeeeeee! If this is the future of the automobile, I want it." Dan Neil of the Los Angeles Times had perhaps the most colorful description we've seen to describe the Roadster's scorching acceleration: "God has grabbed me by the jockstrap and fired me off his thumb, rubber band-style. Wow." And we've also had a torrent of reviews in Europe, where deliveries begin this summer – including a Le Monde story with our favorite headline: "Le chic électrique."


Unveiling the Model S and DOE funding

On March 26th, at the Tesla design studio located within the SpaceX rocket factory, we will unveil a street-drivable prototype of the Model S four door sedan. Our objective with the Model S was to create one of the most functional, intuitive and beautiful vehicles on the road. Tesla Roadster customers and select VIPs invited to the event will have an opportunity to judge for themselves firsthand whether we have succeeded.

Regarding funding, I am excited to report that the Department of Energy informed Tesla last week that they expect to disburse funds from our $350M Model S loan application within four to five months. The Obama administration has thankfully made it a top priority to move quickly on the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program, as this will both generate high quality jobs in the near term and lay the groundwork for a better environment in the future.

This will keep us on track for production to start in 2011. As a gesture of gratitude for their early support, Roadster owners will receive a $10,000 discount off the price of the Model S Signature series and automatically be first in line for the sedan.


Daimler Partnership

We announced last month at the Detroit auto show that we have been working with Daimler (maker of Mercedes) for over a year to create an electric version of the Smart car. Daimler has contracted with Tesla to build the battery packs and chargers for an initial run of 1,000 cars. Pending the results of that test fleet, the relationship could expand to tens of thousands of cars per year.

This is a very significant endorsement of both Tesla's technology and our financial strength by one of the world's most respected automotive companies. Daimler would not feel comfortable depending on us for this program if they felt that either our technology was easily replicated or that we were in financial danger.

Daimler was the first company to commercialize the internal combustion engine and has become a benchmark for automotive quality and reliability. It is an honor that they chose to work with Tesla after a thorough investigation of other options. The deal is likely to be the first in a series of strategic partnerships between Tesla and other auto manufacturers to engineer and produce electric cars.

My goal for Tesla from the beginning was to do whatever we can to help end the world's addiction to oil. We'll do that by making cars directly, helping other automakers develop cars, and serving as an example to the rest of the industry. Although the Roadster is still the only highway capable production electric car for sale in the United States, it was very encouraging to see that the central theme of the Detroit auto show this year was electric transportation. J


New Tesla Sales & Service Centers to Open

We have reached agreement on Tesla store leases in Chicago and London's Knightsbridge district, and we are close to finalizing locations in Manhattan, Miami, Seattle and Munich. All six facilities will open this year, and in the following months we'll provide details about individual store opening parties. These new stores will offer prospective customers the chance to see and drive the Roadster in person – and they underscore Tesla's commitment to looking at the auto industry with fresh eyes. Unlike traditional franchise dealerships, Tesla owns its stores and controls the customer experience. We think you'll agree that our stores are a refreshing change from the way most people have bought cars for the last 50 years.


Roadster Sport


Tesla is now taking orders for the Roadster Sport, an even higher performance car that does 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. It comes with a hand-wound stator and increased winding density for lower resistance and higher peak torque.

The tires are upgraded to Yokohama Ultra High Performance and the suspension features adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars tuned to the driver's preference – allowing for both softer and firmer rides than the standard Roadster. Deliveries are expected to begin in late June.


Upgraded Roadster Interior and Other Options


Tesla will soon offer an Executive Leather Interior that raises the level of luxury in the Roadster's cabin. We are also offering a Clear Carbon Fiber Exterior Package to add an additional level of sportiness and highlight the lightweight material that makes up the Roadster's body. Currently, the only exterior clear carbon fiber touch on the base model is the roll bar cover – but many customers and fans have asked if we could reveal more of this exotic, braided material. These packages will be available starting in June.


Battery Replacement Program

One of the top questions customers ask about the Roadster is, "How long will the battery last and what will it cost to replace?" Tesla engineers have determined that a Tesla battery pack should last approximately seven years or over 100,000 miles under normal use.

Customers may pay $12,000, €10,000 or £9,000 up front and in return receive a replacement battery pack after seven years. Customers will also have the option of replacing the pack earlier at a premium or later for a partial refund. With the low production volume of the Tesla Roadster, the current replacement price of the pack is almost three times that number. The main reason for the relatively low cost up front — and why this is a smart purchase — is that we are arbitraging the relative cost of capital between Tesla and our typical customer.


Extended Warranty to Double Standard Period

Many customers have also asked to purchase an extended warranty. We now offer a doubling of the standard warranty, which means an additional 3 years and 36,000 miles or 60,000 kilometers, for $5,000, €4,000 or £3,800.

This covers everything on the car except the battery pack. Should the motor, power electronics, HVAC or any other major system need to be replaced, this will be money well spent, and it provides peace of mind to many customers.

Thanks for your support!

— Elon —
According to Tesla's Rachel Konrad: "It's important to note that we have NOT received final confirmation from the DOE that we will receive funds. None of the 75 applications have received final approval. However, we are in the later stages of the loan application process, where the DOE is evaluating Tesla's financial viability and technical merits. The DOE is doing its due diligence, and we are very optimistic about a relatively expedient timeline for disbursal of funds."
 
Last edited:
The full text of the eMail was in my original link.
Regarding funding, I am excited to report that the Department of Energy informed Tesla last week that they expect to disburse funds from our $350M Model S loan application within four to five months. The Obama administration has thankfully made it a top priority to move quickly on the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program, as this will both generate high quality jobs in the near term and lay the groundwork for a better environment in the future.

It seems Mr. Musk expects the government to follow its own rules.
 
Last edited:
You can NOT believe a single word out of Elon's mouth. This is getting very tiring. The loan has not even been approved yet and he is already counting his chickens and saying it will be disbursed in the next 4-5 months. At first I thought he was just having a language barrier or was hard to understand but now with all of these MISTAKES I am thinking he is just a plain old LIAR. They should forbid him from speaking to the public and leave it to Rachael. I just hope that this misstep does not cause the DOE to say " We decided you are not approved" I think he is just a plain old IDIOT who is full of himself.
 
My guess is, that Elon got actually a big relief, when it got clear, that the loan program is proceeding now well, and it seems to me, he's quite shure, that Tesla Motors can fullfill the conditions to get the loan without big difficulty. As an entrepreneur you sometimes don't need the things to be 100% confirmed. It's enough if you can lead the business, making the right decisions at the right time - and I think he knows why he can go straight ahead now with the model S. I don't think you should call him a liar.
 
I think Elon Musk is correct that Tesla will get the DOE loans.

I cannot think of any other company that is more qualified or viable with this technology. Does anyone seriously think that GM or Chrysler are better long term investments?

Tesla just had their technology validated by Daimler for the Smart EV. When Daimler signed to purchase 1,000 systems from Tesla Motors, that is market proof of viability and superior technology.

Also, Nancy Pelosi is Speaker of the House in Congress and she represent San Francisco. I think there are something like 70 Tesla Roadsters in her district or nearby. :) They are going to support the local company in San Carlos.
 
While I like to believe that Elon is leading the company in the right direction. The way the Rachael approached it was correct. Saying we are in the final stages of approval and that we do not forsee any reason why it would not be approved is totally different than we expect it to be distributed in a couple months. I think he either makes poor word choices or he deliberately misleads to his favor. The more I read the more I think it is the latter. I think this is unacceptable from someone in his position. We expect some spin from PR people but from him it sounds like he is either lying or stupid or perhaps BOTH.
 

Valleywag has some serious Tesla envy. For some reason, they just absolutely hate everything about Elon Musk

And a back-of-the-envelope estimate shows that Tesla is far from profitability. The company has 300 employees; estimate $120,000 per employee, including benefits, and you get $36 million in annual staff costs alone. Tesla is currently producing cars at a rate of 1,000 a year, meaning that it must make $36,000 per vehicle just to meet payroll expenses. It is nowhere close to making that much money on the Roadster, if it is making money at all. And that's not counting the cost of Tesla's fancy new showrooms; it has leased space for stores in Chicago and London, and has plans for four more.

I seriously doubt Tesla has an average cost of $120,000 per employee, including benefits.

So their number that Tesla needs to make $36,000 per vehicle to meet payroll is high.

But even if it is accurate, Tesla has reported that their costs on the Roadster will be $80,000 each by this summer as they keep controlling costs. So if they are sold for $109,000 each, that is a $29,000 gross profit per vehicle. With options included, I think most vehicles will be around $120,000.

All of a sudden that begins to look profitable.
 
Elon specifically said that the ROADSTER business would be profitable by summer, not the company as a whole. And, if you were dividing Tesla into 3 parts (3rd party development, Roadster, Model S), you wouldn't put 100% of the employment costs (or resources) into the Roadster business, probably more like 60%, and that will decrease over time (significantly after the 2009 redesign is complete and then slowly thereafter as some employees divide time between projects).