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

[traxila]

Another anecdotal data point: a good friend of ours is the last holdout in a small group of friends to buy a Tesla. He owned a Leaf, and was dead set against buying a Tesla, partially because of price, partially because of negative feelings towards Elon, partly wanting to be different.

Anyway, yesterday he bought a Model Y. The price drop was all he needed to overcome his objections.

It turns out, price matters.

Thank goodness for friends with convictions.

 

[traxila]

Lithium and battery metal scarcity is the latest widely supported hard core FUD.

Toyota has thrown in 100% in the name of ‘common sense’. It is being supported behind the scenes with oil company troll farms and legacy auto makers whispering in the dark.

The main scarcity in this world is people that do the right thing when it is in opposition to the volume of their cash pile.

What is needed is investment in refining the metals, and push back on this ridiculous idea that no matter what a new mine needs a decade before it can produce.

 

[Curt Renz]

"Betting against Musk is like betting against Steve Jobs at the peak of Apple, says Keith Fitz-Gerald"​

CNBC - Friday:

 

[Knightshade]

I was wondering about the door handle, the missing side camera and the rear charge port light on his Y. These tweet replies explained it. They were edited out, per common debranding practice for commercials, to avoid being sued.

..sued for what, exactly?

It's not illegal to have a branded car show up in a commercial for something else (even another car! so long as the commercial is truthful), and there's nothing negative or slanderous about the car in the commercial (on the contrary the only references are that it is "a nice ride" and "electric")

More likely whoever was cleaning up the content of the advertisement just thought they'd make the side of the car look "cleaner" in an aesthetic sense by removing that stuff. I certainly can't think of ANY legal concern doing so would address.

 

[ByeByeJohnny]

..sued for what, exactly?

It's not illegal to have a branded car show up in a commercial for something else (even another car! so long as the commercial is truthful), and there's nothing negative or slanderous about the car in the commercial (on the contrary the only references are that it is "a nice ride" and "electric")

I was just gonna ask the same thing. If you can't show a car why should you be able to show the clothes he is wearing? Or the doors and windows to the house. Or in any other commercial basically anything made and sold by anyone? What would make cars different?

 

[AndrewZ]

Lithium and battery metal scarcity is the latest widely supported hard core FUD.

Toyota has thrown in 100% in the name of ‘common sense’. It is being supported behind the scenes with oil company troll farms and legacy auto makers whispering in the dark.

The main scarcity in this world is people that do the right thing when it is in opposition to the volume of their cash pile.

What is needed is investment in refining the metals, and push back on this ridiculous idea that no matter what a new mine needs a decade before it can produce.

Well it's not "no matter what", it's all the regulatory hurdles and protests and environmental red tape that very much makes getting anything out of the ground a decade-long endeavor in North America -- talking conception + engineering + construction + commissioning of course.

Thacker Pass for example started their new exploration program in 2017, is currently targeting 2026 for production, and these schedules are always overly optimistic. They'll find an endangered species of frog or grouse, shut down work fronts, push the schedule out, etc etc. I consult with resource companies in Canada, mainly in mining and on the management of cost and schedule, and I see this all the time even with benign stuff like potash.

 

[Ogre]

What’s going to change the landscape is when competitors realize they have to charge twice the price to sell a pick up truck with the same range as the. Cybertruck. This will be an eye opening moment for wallstreet again and will be a Hertz 2.0 effect for TSLA.

Also:

What’s going to change the landscape is when consumers realize they have to charge twice as long to drive a pick up truck with half the range as the. Cybertruck. This will be an eye opening moment for truck lovers everywhere and have a Model 3 effect on ICE truck sales.

My 4 boys will soon all be playing hockey during winter, skiing on the week end and mountain biking during summertime. Can’t wait for my Cybertruck to haul Mountain bikes, skis and all the ski equipment. The model Y is starting to feel small. Cybertruck is the most wanted thing in our family right now. Also with the record snow in Montreal this winter, my model Y undersurface is rubbing on ice, slush and snow everyday. The Cybertruck will be a game changer. And of course I will finally be able to buy a descent camping trailer for the summer vacations!

Likewise, though mostly for mountain bikes and trail tools!

 

[M|S|M MYP]

Thank goodness for friends with convictions.

I bet <80% of people that said "I will never buy a Tesla because of EM" have either ordered one or entertained the thought of owning one after the recent price cuts. I know of 3 people that have crossed over whom previously said "I will NEVER buy a Tesla".

 

[Curt Renz]

I was wondering about the door handle, the missing side camera and the rear charge port light on his Y. These tweet replies explained it. They were edited out, per common debranding practice for commercials, to avoid being sued.

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Indeed, much photoshopping to hide the car brand. At the beginning of the ad when the car is moving, the photoshopping was limited and the car was more obviouly a Tesla. When the man is standing in front of the car, not only were details removed but the car was much shortened. Fox may not have wanted Popeye's to showcase a car from a company that does not advertise.

 

[Unpilot]

The main scarcity in this world is people that do the right thing when it is in opposition to the volume of their cash pile.

So true....and always has been.

 

[Buckminster]

Tonight's EV ads:
Automakers in the Super Bowl, and their ads
Who knew Jeep have chargers at the top of mountains...

 

[Ogre]

Soooo, how many of us can honestly say our Cybertruck purchases won't be vanity rigs? Especially those of us with multiple orders.

Speak for yourself here. My Model Y is tired of getting treated like this.

 

[Doit]

Tesla AI confirming the obvious:

Optimus on Twitter: "Establishing a life on Mars for humans will be incredibly difficult and hard work. With a legion of Tesla Bots that would arrive years before humans, we could make Mars habitable. Thank you to @elonmusk for making this possible " / Twitter​

This account Optimus @TeslaAIBot
is not Tesla affiliated, despite its "Boi" stating "The Official Account of Tesla AI Bot"

The "official" account is Tesla Optimus @Tesla_Optimus

 

[Mark R]

Indeed, much photoshopping to hide the car brand. At the beginning of the ad when the car is moving, the photoshopping was limited and the car was more obviouly a Tesla. When the man is standing in front of the car, not only were details removed but the car was much shortened. Fox may not have wanted Popeye's to showcase a car from a company that does not advertise.

I've been in TV production my entire life. This "Debranding" is standard practice. It's NOT about Tesla suing... it's about the network not wanting to give away free advertising time. Also, all the other car brands will say, "WTF" are they getting free exposure when we're paying for it? So, to keep everyone happy, there's "no free lunch" in advertising. Bottom line, everyone KNOWS it's a Tesla and NOT a Chevy Bolt!

 

[Ogre]

I bet <80% of people that said "I will never buy a Tesla because of EM" have either ordered one or entertained the thought of owning one after the recent price cuts. I know of 3 people that have crossed over whom previously said "I will NEVER buy a Tesla".

Its a lot easier to take the high moral ground when doing so saves you money. When taking the “high moral ground” costs you $200/ month for 5 years, it gets a little tougher.

Fundamentally a Model Y was expensive and easy to resist at $65k. At ~$45k, choosing to get a car in the $35k or higher range other than a Tesla becomes a much tougher choice. Suddenly sacrifices need to be made and convictions fade.

 

[SOULPEDL]

Also:

What’s going to change the landscape is when consumers realize they have to charge twice as long to drive a pick up truck with half the range as the. Cybertruck. This will be an eye opening moment for truck lovers everywhere and have a Model 3 effect on ICE truck sales.

Likewise, though mostly for mountain bikes and trail tools!

For some reason, I'm wearing my CyberTruck shirt for the game. My little protest.

 

[Ogre]

For some reason, I'm wearing my CyberTruck shirt for the game. My little protest.

I would say I’m boycotting the game as my protest, but I’ve never really cared or watched Super Bowl religiously regardless.

What are we protesting again?

 

[Ogre]

Looks like Tesla is Tesla’s first and best customer for the Semi so far. Really good seeing them dogfooding and putting these to use.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1624638578398748675

This guy rolls past Giga Nevada all the time and gets footage like this.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1624451932466343937

 

[Cattledog]

I would say I’m boycotting the game as my protest, but I’ve never really cared or watched Super Bowl religiously regardless.

What are we protesting again?

This...err...wait...

 

[Sancho]

Thank goodness for friends with convictions.

You joke, but it’s a poignant example of the real impact of Elon’s politics and tweets. This friend is a staunch progressive and his opinion of Elon has morphed this year from bemusement to outright loathing. Four months ago he would not have bought a Tesla solely for political reasons of not wanting to support Elon. But…but…today he is giddily texting about all the great features he’s discovering about his new MY.