Tesla to make "exciting announcement on Thursday" (correction Tuesday)

[FalconNinetyD]

TEG has a source who says they work for Tesla, and the announcement is that all Model S's already have the Magic Sky window technology, and that it just has to be enabled in the software.

While I would love this, I'm doubtful, as it doesn't really jive with the "money where my mouth is" comment.

Edit: OK, looks like like this one is an Aprils Fools joke!

 

[vfx]

I'm guessing when Elon tweeted last week there was a mad scramble at Tesla.

First they had to move the date for SEC concerns. Then it gets moved to the day after April fools (was that luck or did they catch that?)

Then Tesla had the profitable announcement and "Easter Egg" and the 40 drop that they had to work to put out on a Sunday Holiday so THAT did not fall on April 1st or Elon's tweet day.

I bet it's been a long week for them.

 

[BenTesla]

I still think it'll be supercharger related. Anyone know if there is an exact time for this?

 

[WarpedOne]

How is supercharger thing bigger than no-40-kWh model?

 

[SoCalGuy]

My guess is that Elon buys equity to repay DOE loan.

 

[AnOutsider]

How is supercharger thing bigger than no-40-kWh model?

Announce that on Friday 20 new superchargers will go live across the nation. Not only is it bigger, but it also makes the news better for the 40kwh folks as they also now have access to this network (with the upgrade).

 

[Clprenz]

Y'all don't understand, after following Elon for this long, this is either Some new huge technology or Gen3, Superchargers could be part of it, but I would bet that Superchargers are not the focal point of Elon's Big Announcement. This is going in the history books, Just like that fact that A new american car compnay just went Profitable!!!! Strap in Boys, Today is a Huge for Tesla, Tomorrow will be REALLY HUGE!

 

[WarpedOne]

Announce that on Friday 20 new superchargers will go live across the nation

Wasn't that exactly the plan from the start?

 

[avatar]

Hi Gang - does anyone here know how much of the DOE loan is currently outstanding? I don't think Elon has $100million in liquid cash just sitting around.

 

[Owner]

By bet is a payback of the DOE loan, because it was dependent up the 40KWh loan.:wink:

 

[Grendal]

Not even on the list but announced today is that the 40 kWh pack people get a free upgrade to the 60 kWh pack. That's a huge announcement and putting money where his mouth is. It's more Tesla's money though. But considering how much of the company he owns it will feel that way.

 

[Citizen-T]

Y'all don't understand, after following Elon for this long, this is either Some new huge technology or Gen3, Superchargers could be part of it, but I would bet that Superchargers are not the focal point of Elon's Big Announcement. This is going in the history books, Just like that fact that A new american car compnay just went Profitable!!!! Strap in Boys, Today is a Huge for Tesla, Tomorrow will be REALLY HUGE!

I have to disagree. This is going to be something from Business Elon, not Engineer Elon.

 

[BenTesla]

Not even on the list but announced today is that the 40 kWh pack people get a free upgrade to the 60 kWh pack. That's a huge announcement and putting money where his mouth is. It's more Tesla's money though. But considering how much of the company he owns it will feel that way.

That wouldn't make sense. They just said they're not doing that.

I might not know what it will be but a lot of the suggestions people are making are for things that wouldn't make sense. For example, Announcing the Gen. 3? Why? The other announcements have been huge events and this one is announced on twitter? Plus why delay the Model X and the launch the Gen. 3? Would make no sense

 

[Citizen-T]

Hi Gang - does anyone here know how much of the DOE loan is currently outstanding? I don't think Elon has $100million in liquid cash just sitting around.

If he exercises his options he'll raise $45M for Tesla. If he turns around and sells those options on the open market, he can raise something like $250M. That gives them a combined ~$300M which would get them close I think.

But for me, I have to ask, "Why?" The loan terms are favorable and they recently negotiated a plan to pay it down in half the time anyway. Tesla can do much more valuable things with $300M than pay the DOE loan down. My vote is for "other". I just don't know what he has planned, but nothing I've seen so far in this thread makes a ton of sense.

 

[Zythryn]

How is supercharger thing bigger than no-40-kWh model?

Elon noted that some might find today's news bigger, but he thinks tomorrow's is bigger.
However, if they rolled out 50 superchargers in the next 30 days, I would count that as a LOT bigger news. 4% of the orders vs speeding adoption of the Model S? No question in my mind that supercharger news could be much bigger.

 

[avatar]

If he exercises his options he'll raise $45M for Tesla. If he turns around and sells those options on the open market, he can raise something like $250M. That gives them a combined ~$300M which would get them close I think.

But for me, I have to ask, "Why?" The loan terms are favorable and they recently negotiated a plan to pay it down in half the time anyway. Tesla can do much more valuable things with $300M than pay the DOE loan down. My vote is for "other". I just don't know what he has planned, but nothing I've seen so far in this thread makes a ton of sense.

I agree. perhaps instead of selling them on the open market, he will turn around and sell them to an investor for a small premium on the market price? Somebody like Warren Buffet? That will give Tesla a massive cash injection without a need to raise anymore capital.

 

[Robert.Boston]

I have to disagree. This is going to be something from Business Elon, not Engineer Elon.

^^This.

 

[mitch672]

If they've reached 10,000 Model S, he could do something surprising, such as state "I met the goals set for me by the Tesla board of directors", "but I am am going to turn the awarded shares back over to Tesla Motors, who will sell them on the open market and raise several hundred million dollars, this will be used to more quickly deploy the SC network and also to jump start Gen 3 development". Most CEOs wouldn't even think about giving up hundreds of millions of $, Elon is not like other CEOs, the man has a mission!

 

[sp4rk]

Having seeing that video ... it would be nice of Tesla to make a convertible.
Draw back?
How many Model S's and X's would be available used?
Oh, they already made one ... the Roadster?

 

[ElSupreme]

But for me, I have to ask, "Why?" The loan terms are favorable and they recently negotiated a plan to pay it down in half the time anyway. Tesla can do much more valuable things with $300M than pay the DOE loan down. My vote is for "other". I just don't know what he has planned, but nothing I've seen so far in this thread makes a ton of sense.

I think the news is paying off the DOE loan. But I don't think paying off that loan is particularly a good idea. I think Tesla should sit on their cash, or use it to expand. Paying off a fairly favorable loan seems like a poor decision. There is a reason why I don't pay my mortgage off faster than I need too. My loan is very good, and I get more utility out of having cash on hand, like buying a Tesla.