Tesla, TSLA & the Investment World: the Perpetual Investors' Roundtable

[SO16]

Pretty good discussion at CR:

Basically re-iterates why Tesla's Autopilot is nowhere close to being ready, and their "self-driving" is pretty sad.

Does CR offer any actual video proof of cars getting cut off?

Here is a rebuttal from someone who actually USES autopilot often and KNOWS how to change AP settings for different behavior (like not using mad max mode if you don’t want to pass on the right).

 

[SPadival]

The Apple stocks app has done this from the very beginning. Someone posted here that the new iOS12 would change that. It’s only gotten worse.

There is a lot of content out there on Tesla other than Business Insider, CNBC, and Fox Business.

How is it that South China Sea news organization gets Tesla articles printed, but never Greentech media, inside Evs, or cleantech, etc.. never see the stream?

Day in and day out, the same thing happens on the Apple app. No change.

This is not about manipulating it to positive either.

Manipulation either way is a huge problem.

It’s about printing articles related to Tesla that come across the internet. That’s truly a valuable stock app. That doesn’t hurt Apple brand. It reinforces it.

Yes. Even Elon has commented on the Apple Stock app FUD and gave it an apt nickname "The Hate Stream". I thought it will improve after they switched the feed from Yahoo Finance to their in-house feed. But no luck

Yeah, feels like something is messed up with Apple news app. Almost only ever shows negative news. Nickname is “the hate stream”

Elon Musk on Twitter

 

[powertoold]

Stock is gonna pop tomorrow: another successful SpaceX execution by Elon. The guy feeds on and understands complexity.

 

[Pras]

Stock is gonna pop tomorrow: another successful SpaceX execution by Elon. The guy feeds on and understands complexity.

The stock seems to be setting up nicely. I hope it reclaims pre earning call-level in the next month at the least. But we have come down so far that it feel fantasy at this time.

 

[Navin]

Next time someone gives you *sugar* about Tesla. Make them watch this.

 

[MarcusMaximus]

I remember a long time back Ballmer showing a big collage of companies in the company annual meeting. What did they all have in common ? All collapsed because Microsoft started to compete in those markets - from Lotus 123, WordStar, Borland, Netscape etc etc. Microsoft owned the OS and desktop. So they could easily push their s/w over rivals. With netscape it was easy to offer free IE and kill off Netscape. Regulators of course did a terrible job.

If VW owned all the roads in the world, yes, it would be a good comparison to MSFT. VW hasn't even been able to break into the US market. More importantly the market is expanding so fast and can do so for next 20 years. And VW can't offer free EVs for everyone ​

Microsoft also used private API’s built into windows in IE, which 3rd party browsers couldn’t use, rendering them(pun intended) much slower. This analogy really doesn’t work in this direction. It’s actually much closer to the opposite direction, as the common thread with the Microsoft story is that MS crushed Netscape through massive vertical integration.

 

[Navin]

OT

I’d like to pay someone to design an iPhone app for me. It’s going to be called Jonas Speaks! It’s going to be a fun and easy to use selection of some of the most amazing things he has said on TV, on earnings calls and during special alert sessions like he had yesterday “aka Jonas bottom day”. Willing to pay real dough for this. PM if you are interested and I’ll donate proceeds from the app to his parents somehow.

 

[Beaver]

Somewhat OT but I typically for years have gone to Yahoo for finance news (old habit) but the constant TSLA hate is irritating. Where should I go for balanced financial news covering all companies? I do want negative when TSLA messes up but the FUD makes me want to stop giving Yahoo clicks. TIA.

 

[EVNow]

Stock is gonna pop tomorrow: another successful SpaceX execution by Elon. The guy feeds on and understands complexity.

If only I had bought some puts instead of calls everytime the stock was supposed to pop, I could've retired by now.

 

[mblakele]

If VW owned all the roads in the world, yes, it would be a good comparison to MSFT. VW hasn't even been able to break into the US market. More importantly the market is expanding so fast and can do so for next 20 years. And VW can't offer free EVs for everyone

Microsoft also used private API’s built into windows in IE, which 3rd party browsers couldn’t use, rendering them(pun intended) much slower. This analogy really doesn’t work in this direction. It’s actually much closer to the opposite direction, as the common thread with the Microsoft story is that MS crushed Netscape through massive vertical integration.

Another way to look at it is that Microsoft killed Netscape (and others) by denying them revenue. Netscape had customers who licensed their software. Microsoft targeted those customers and turned them around, cutting off Netscape’s revenue.

So cutting off tax credits and other subsidies is a sound move against Tesla. Anything to reduce demand. FUD could have an effect too, but it’s hard to say from the outside. I think that if Tesla started advertising, we could infer that they’re seeing demand problems. Until then I’m not too concerned.

 

[EVNow]

Microsoft also used private API’s built into windows in IE, which 3rd party browsers couldn’t use, rendering them(pun intended) much slower. This analogy really doesn’t work in this direction. It’s actually much closer to the opposite direction, as the common thread with the Microsoft story is that MS crushed Netscape through massive vertical integration.

I think it is kind of dependence thing. All these applications (netscape, wordstar, lotus 123) needed windows to work on. They couldn't work stand alone.

Another example of that kind is TiVo. It got rushed because cable/sat operators just made similar equipment they started lending out for small monthly fees but TiVo couldn't operate without them. So customers had to have cable/sat AND buy TiVO. Similarly you had to buy Windows (PC) AND buy Netscape browser. They were replacement products. That is why when the phone OS came on, Microsoft couldn't do much about them (apart from getting very late into the game because of existing legacy Windows Phone).

With Tesla it is totally independent. It is a replacement product - not something that is an add-on.

 

[Skryll]

If only I had bought some puts instead of calls everytime the stock was supposed to pop, I could've retired by now.

I had fun selling short term calls into the hiccups on the way down but that peanuts compared to the calls that expired January 2019 that I shouldn’t have hoped to rebound.

Should have stayed more clear of margin, too. But what do you know.

 

[Artful Dodger]

but seriously — so much more opportunity to shape the narrative if you have someone who can be 80% as effective as Elon at explaining the most important points and why FUDsters are wrong.

So, Elon's Mom?

Maye Musk on Twitter

 

[SPadival]

It would be great to have Jerome in charge of sales and service as well.

I think it would be a lot of stability.

You really need to read the Cleantechnica interview.

After leading Model S development, Jerome took over sales and service globally. He indicated that he loved working on the service side of the business during that time and enjoyed his communications with owners, but the sales work didn’t match his personality as well and it sounds like that’s what eventually burnt him out. After numerous accomplishments at Tesla and what must have been hyperspeed work for years, Jerome was ready for a vacation.

Jerome — The Man, The Myth, The Tesla Super-Engineer — #CleanTechnica Interview | CleanTechnica

BTW, @ZachShahan , how come no audio podcast version of this interview? Great work on the other podcasts and the youtube videos

 

[Remus]

A very financially conservative family in my church just pulled the trigger on a used S. They will be the fourth Tesla at our church but they are the most financially conservative. Replacing a 16 year old Honda Odyssey minivan with over 200k miles. Tesla is slowly, slowly moving more mainstream here in N. GA.

I think we will slowly but surely continue to see Tesla move more mainstream, especially when the Y comes out.

This is like a crack on a river bank
When more people realize the TCO benefits of Tesla

 

[CalX]

Update: Received an email saying after making adjustments to the route I'll be able to keep my tour appointment after all. Wonder if I'll catch a glimpse of areas being...improved.

Also, yesterday as a distraction to SP action I started playing around with the InsideEVs plugin data and created this visualization. The Model 3 bar is fun to watch.

US Plug In EV Sales 2012 - Present

I would give you 5 hearts if I could. You should post it on reddit.

 

[wipster]

So now we know that deliveries will be strong, and Tesla is aggressively cutting costs. Wall Street still hasn't put 2 and 2 together.

They did, they just got -3...

 

[CalX]

Pretty good discussion at CR:

Basically re-iterates why Tesla's Autopilot is nowhere close to being ready, and their "self-driving" is pretty sad.

 

[DaveT]

You really need to read the Cleantechnica interview.



Jerome — The Man, The Myth, The Tesla Super-Engineer — #CleanTechnica Interview | CleanTechnica

BTW, @ZachShahan , how come no audio podcast version of this interview? Great work on the other podcasts and the youtube videos

When I talked with him he didn’t seem against the idea. He said he was busy enough. He did say though dealing with corporate/business customers for the Semi is refreshing because it’s all about numbers and spreadsheets for them.

 

[DaveT]

You really need to read the Cleantechnica interview.



Jerome — The Man, The Myth, The Tesla Super-Engineer — #CleanTechnica Interview | CleanTechnica

BTW, @ZachShahan , how come no audio podcast version of this interview? Great work on the other podcasts and the youtube videos

Thanks for the link. Did @ZachShahan ever publish the second part of that interview?