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

[kbM3]

One of the things I’ve always loved about the model X, but I do not have on my model three, is that panoramic windshield. It looks like the cyber truck may have that same wonderful view.

 

[TradingInvest]

Just to follow up on this, I wanted to post this close to the time of my reservation for whatever useful value the order # might have, but I didn't have time to add comments.

Comments:

I own a 3 (5 months old) and have a long term plan to find the right time to upgrade to a Y. My two complaints with the 3 is the driver seating position (coming from a Pilot as my daily driver) and the breakover angle (my driveway has a somewhat sharp peak and my 3 will scrape the under carriage when the whole family is in the car - try telling your wife that it doesn't happen until she gets in).

I watched the Cybertruck reveal live and absolutely did not like the design.

I watched the video on tesla.com the next morning and it started growing on me.

Then I started thinking about the price. For the same $40k, why would I chose the SR+ model 3 vs. the base model Cybertruck? The truck has more interior room, more functionality (if needed), the only difference is the 3 will be more efficient with energy. Then I started thinking that the Cybertruck could easily replace the needs that our Pilot fulfills as our family car (with 2-3 large dogs) and we could upgrade my wife when the lease expires in 2022.

Convincing the wife: She's a preschool director and is having a hard time thinking about driving it to work. It just looks too flashy, gaudy, military-like, different. I presented the case that it will prove much more functional than the Pilot, while offering basically the same inside space. She still wasn't convinced. Then I showed her this vinyl wrap ( Satin Perfect Blue 3M™ Wrap | 1080 Series Wrap Film ) and she was instantly sold on placing a deposit.

I'm not certain we'll complete the purchase, I mainly wanted to put in the deposit to lock in FSD pricing and figure we can figure things out in 2-3 years. But, then I mentioned that maybe I'll take it as a replacement to my Model 3 and she said to put in a second deposit.

We still only have 1 deposit. I'll think about the second over the coming weeks.

Tesla Semi used to cost $5000 for reservation, within days they changed that to $20,000. Which means there is a non-zero chance they could change the deal, the price, the reservation cost, refundable or non refundable, locking FSD price or not, etc.

If I were you I would put down the second deposit, then think about it over the coming weeks. This truck is a great deal even if securing FSD price part is not included.

 

[Singer3000]

As Pixar had Newt, Tesla has Cybrtrk. I doubt this product will make it to production.

Apparently there are 146,000 reasons why I was being a silly billy.

And after a few days of reflection, I’d now quite like to buy a smaller cyber CUV. Goodbye car park dings!

 

[Sancho]

I was one of the first owners of the Model S in my area (one of the first 1000 or so to reserve one). In the first six months of driving it around, I could not get out of my car without everyone coming up asking me what I was driving. It was fun, but also a bit disorienting to be on display so much for the first time in my life.

Teenagers would literally shriek the first time they saw the interior.

The folks who are among the first to pull into a parking lot with the Cybertruck are going to get mobbed. Make sure you like that kind of attention before you pull it out of the garage.

 

[KarenRei]

I may have missed it (haven't been able to keep up), but in case it's not been posted:

Donald J. Trump on Twitter

Trump retweeted an interview with someone who was talking up Tesla as a good investment. Not because the guy was talking up Tesla, but still.

 

[Artful Dodger]

To add on to what some have just mentioned about how the unveil didnt focus on the areas it should have. The event really should have been held in the middle of nowhere in the desert, during the day or dusk when there's still some light, and in ways that show off how it would do for everyday truck buyers.

The Motortrend images that were captured during the day look 10 times better than their lighting setup at the design center. Literally everyone agreed that it looked much more appealing when the Motortrend images and video came out.

Lol, I've seen this movie. It did not end well for the tourists...

Cheers!

 

[mongo]

One of the things I’ve always loved about the model X, but I do not have on my model three, is that panoramic windshield. It looks like the cyber truck may have that same wonderful view.

The roof cross beam on the X is behind the driver's head. The Cybertruck is like the the 3 and S with the beam in front of the driver's head. However, the increased height of the truck and straight windshield going to the peak may give the same forward visual scene as the X for most drivers.

My fingers are crossed that I'll be able to see the lights at intersections.

 

[SteveG3]

My wife loved this picture, and my great idea for a commercial: Have Arnold Schwartzenegger come rolling up fast to the camera , throw open the passenger door, and say "Get in if you want to live", in true Terminator style. Someone REALLY needs to make this!

that’s funny. I was thinking of Arnold earlier today.

shot of Franz and Elon standing and laughing as Franz picks up steel ball

Arnold barges in with work leather jacket and shades on.

Glares at Franz and just rips ball out of his hands.

Tosses it at mirror, ball bounces off no damage.

Arnold removes shades. Looks at Elon and Franz, smiles and simply says, “Nice work, I’ll take 12”


I don’t know the depth of Arnold’s concern for the environment, but, he did set Greta up with a Tesla for her travels in North America this fall.

Would be pretty cool to have the guy who made the Hummer a consumer vehicle emphatically behind this product because he believes in it and the company’s mission.

 

[Christine69420]

Don't give this woman a gun. She's getting closer. Must have shaky triggerfingeritis. Is that already an Icelandic word?

Iceland prefer local words above imported words - so perhaps something like skakaskjutfingir?

I thought about that, but I wonder if it would have enough headroom if you shrink it down. I guess they might be able to add a flat roof, but some have said the triangle gives it the strength.

In one of the ridealong videos some guy said it was several inches of space above his head when sitting in the back. So there might be room for a smaller cyber too.

 

[CorneliusXX]

you serious?
if not a disaster, at least its far away from being good.

No other OEM has received this many reservations for any of their vehicles

 

[SteveG3]

I don't see the 146k reservation tally as that great. For context, the Model 3 was at 276k pre-orders after 2 days. The Cybertruck isn't quite at 2 days yet but is at 146k through 1.7 days, so it likely to be around 160k at that point. So it's on track for about 60% as many reservations despite being in a much larger niche with a much smaller down payment.

Given that the pickup niche is 2-3x that of a compact sedan, I think 500 - 700k reservation would indicate similar popularity (2-3x * 276k), but then the downpayment is much smaller now. Since $100 is much easier to part with, I think roughly 1 million reservations at this point would indicate similar reception. So arguably reception is only 15% as good as the Model 3.

I think Tesla could improve that with some moderate changes to the design. Some tweaks to the rear flanks and adding side windows into the vault (to give it more of a pickup silhouette without actually having one) could do a lot to break up the very blunt rear half in the side profile.

One additional huge bit of context,

People in the US (#1 in reservations for the car) lined up for the Model 3 aware that their spot on line could make a difference of up to $7.5k.



Under current law, there is not a dime at stake re getting in line for any US federal incentives.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

And what about Naomi? (SNL humor.)

That burning question was from a running skit not on SNL but on The Electric Company; a young Morgan Freeman debuted on that Public Television show as the 1960s ebbed into the Early 70s...

Totally electric!

See, I’m not the only one who remembers! Totes appropes for this forum.

 

[BornToFly]

I said I was done with LEAPS, but I'm buying Monday and hopefully paying for the Dual to Tri-motor upgrade. Thank you to everyone that sold Friday!

 

[Drumheller]

I've never had a truck. Never wanted a truck.

 

[BornToFly]

I don't know why, but when I picture my Cybertruck accelerating and rolling over stuff, I imagine a loud diesel engine sound! Make it stop!!!

 

[MXWing]

I find it hilarious that the Cybertruck is inciting civil war even among fellow Tesla owners. There's probably more vitriol and eating our own than from Ford/Chevy groups.

So when I get my Cybertruck I'm going to park really close to the driver side door of other Tesla's.

Those owners can:

1.) Summon their car out.
2.) Crawl through the passenger side.
3.) Ding their door trying to get into their cars.
4.) Buy their own invulnerable Cybertruck.

 

[Krugerrand]

So what might the implications be for a factory for Cybertruck, please?

For example, say GM’s just sold Lordstown plant were to come on the market in 8 or 12 months (or even next week once the Lordstown Motors folks digest the specs). Would the unibody construction and simple shapes make it amenable for that or another plant? Or would the ultra-hard stainless steel require too extensive modifications?

The implications question is of course two-fold. First, would retrofitting an existing, traditional plant make more sense than building a new factory for Cybertruck vs their other vehicles? Second, would Musk choose to do so?

Maybe @RobStark, @Krugerrand, and others might chime in too. TIA all.

Depends?

Sometimes it’s less expensive to start from scratch, sometimes to refurbish. If the old is close to what you need then refurbish, otherwise you’re better off to plow it under and start fresh, ime.

 

[ZeApelido]

I find it hilarious that the Cybertruck is inciting civil war even among fellow Tesla owners. There's probably more vitriol and eating our own than from Ford/Chevy groups.

So when I get my Cybertruck I'm going to park really close to the driver side door of other Tesla's.

Those owners can:

1.) Summon their car out.
2.) Crawl through the passenger side.
3.) Ding their door trying to get into their cars.
4.) Buy their own invulnerable Cybertruck.

Civil War? More akin to Operation Desert Shield because I think the pro-Cybertruck side has already won.

 

[Artful Dodger]

Imagine a neighbourhood in California, lots of PowerWalls, somehow all hacked, dumping their power one second, full charging the next and on and on and on.

Yeah. Then imagine how this hypothetical Powerwall, complete with open WiFi and a preset/unchangable admin pwd has been shipping to customers for 3 yrs, but this wide-open back-door was somehow UNDETECTED by neighborhood 12 year olds, until discovered by white-hats on the weekend of the Cybertruck unveil.

Very revealing...

/S

 

[ZeApelido]

Again now you can buy solar, power wall, and have a multi-day backup power resource with a Cybertruck. Question is, how hard would it be to connect the 240 V AC output into a power wall to charge up?