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

[Krugerrand]

This the first of the first world problems. I don't know how humans could survive without heating steering wheels until now.

 

[Krugerrand]

Few guys on Twitter were speculating and they believe that Tesla is shipping from the east coast.

Also I just read this morning that Europe is showing delivery times in February? Anybody confirm this?

Paging @Krugerrand for demand issues

I’m prepared.

 

[joh01652]

2021 Model 3 range updates: (They have updated the page to include pictures of the new console, etc.)

• SR+: 263 miles (estimated)
• LR: 353 miles (estimated)
• Performance: 315 miles (estimated)

2021 Model Y range updates:

• LR: 326 miles (estimated)
• Performance: 303 miles (estimated)

2021 Model X range updates:

• LR+: 371 miles (estimated)
• Performance: 341 miles (estimated)

2021 Model S range updates:

• LR+: 402 miles (estimated) (no change?)
• Performance: 387 miles (estimated)
• Plaid: 520+ miles (estimated)

They really should add the ~5% to the Model S LR+ so that the estimated range would be 420 miles.

Every time I think I couldn't possibly be more bullish on Tesla than I already am, they do something that makes me even more bullish...

 

[Buckminster]

So where have the vehicles been shipped so far? Presumably this is all linked to the 2021 updates.

 

[S3XY]

2021 Model 3 range updates: (They have updated the page to include pictures of the new console, etc.)

• SR+: 263 miles (estimated)
• LR: 353 miles (estimated)
• Performance: 315 miles (estimated)

2021 Model Y range updates:

• LR: 326 miles (estimated)
• Performance: 303 miles (estimated)

2021 Model X range updates:

• LR+: 371 miles (estimated)
• Performance: 341 miles (estimated)

2021 Model S range updates:

• LR+: 402 miles (estimated) (no change?)
• Performance: 387 miles (estimated)
• Plaid: 520+ miles (estimated)

They really should add the ~5% to the Model S LR+ so that the estimated range would be 420 miles.

This move was necessary to make room for the Model 2 and Model 1. The corresponding SR and LR ranges have to fall below the upscale models but Elon would want them to still have a usable real life range at least in the 200's. I wouldn't be surprised if there was another small adjustment upward planned for prior to the M1& M2 releases with their ranges taking on the original M3 ranges.

 

[Chocochip]

This the first of the first world problems. I don't know how humans could survive without heating steering wheels until now.

I know you're joking, but heated steering wheels are a convenience feature, much like a powered trunk lid or auto high beams or heated seats. We can't get excited when Elon Musk shows off the huge windshield on the X or the glass roof on both the 3 and the Y, but then decide it's ridiculous to expect a heated steering wheel. People can definitely survive without these things, sure. People can survive without power steering too, yet the vast majority of people would not dream of buying a new car (or a used car not older than 10 years) without it.

So if the difference between buying a Model 3 (or Y) and another EV from a "traditional" automaker comes down to such creature comforts rather than intangibles such as energy efficiency (and, due to wide availability of these convenience features on cars sold at these price ranges, combined with the pervasive instant gratification in our consumerist society, it does come down to the availability of such features for many buyers), then it makes perfect sense for us as investors to expect Tesla to add them to their cars, particularly if it's a simple implementation from a technical standpoint and it's something that people in the Northern Hemisphere directly interface with every time they get in their cars, for 3-6 months every year.

It would even make sense for Tesla to raise the prices for the whole 3 range by, let's say, $500 (or $1000 even, if introduced together with a bunch of other upgrades, like it was the case now), nobody would complain.

 

[jerry33]

People can definitely survive without these things, sure. People can survive without power steering too, yet the vast majority of people would not dream of buying a new car (or a used car not older than 10 years) without it.

Unless the car has centre point steering, in which case power steering is pretty much moot.

 

[Chocochip]

Confirmed: European countries (except UK and Ireland) are showing February delivery date for Model 3 SR+. LR AWD/P still show November.

MIC Model 3 SR+?

 

[Tslynk67]

But I don't see a heated steering wheel yet, which is a pitty. I know of two people who will not order a Model 3 because of this (and that's three if I include myself). In California it may not be an issue, but in many parts of Europa and Canada it's an important feature. It can't be very expensive to add.

Indeed, I was quite pissed-off when I bought my inventory P100DL+. I was told it "had every option", only when I'd committed to the purchase that I discovered it didn't have the winter pack, which is just stupid to have on every Tesla car ordered in north Europe.

 

[EinSV]

MIC Model 3 SR+?

I had the same question re the earlier delivery dates for RHD countries.

It's possible -- I guess we'll find out soon enough!

 

[Chocochip]

Unless the car has centre point steering, in which case power steering is pretty much moot.

MB Vision AVTR (read: avatar) has entered the chat:

 

[ev-enthusiast]

PT raised to $333 from $272 at Morgan Stanley.

 

[Chocochip]

PT raised to $333 from $272 at Morgan Stanley.

 

[Artful Dodger]

Here's today's Tech chart from 09:30 EDT:

Cheers!

 

[Tim S]

But I don't see a heated steering wheel yet, which is a pitty. I know of two people who will not order a Model 3 because of this (and that's three if I include myself). In California it may not be an issue, but in many parts of Europa and Canada it's an important feature. It can't be very expensive to add.

Electrek says this about the Model 3:

"The interior is seeing the bigger change with the new metallic finish steering wheel, which is now apparently heated, and the new center console"

Tesla officially launches Model 3 2021 refresh with more range and features - Electrek

 

[MP3Mike]

No, but I would have to think so. This is almost a 10% improvement in range. 322 to 353. Likely a combination of the battery chemistry and heatpump.

Also, black trim is shown on the website for Model 3 as well as the Uberturbine wheels for the performance.

Omar on Twitter confirmed it has the heat-pump.

A bit odd that they didn't add at GF3 during the September shutdown. I guess that's a lever they can pull next year.

I've heard rumor that the SR+ didn't get the heat pump. Of course it received a ~5% range increase...

 

[lafrisbee]

Fact: Peter was hired as Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering and Chief Engineer for Model S.

After being recruited away from Lotus by Elon.

Elon says that Peter didn't do very much for Model S. Elon also said Peter left Tesla in the lurch when he left.

If Peter didn't do very much how could he leave Tesla "in the lurch."

Lucid being granted patents on EV motors,inverters, and power electronics and Lucid Air lap times at Laguna Seca suggest Peter knows a thing or two about EVs.

How anyone can leave any company "in the lurch" without doing much work?
Falsely over-report the successes and productivity of your position all the while delay presenting the results, and then leave the company before they find out the work you said you did was not done.

 

[Chocochip]

Looking at the Yahoo! Finance TSLA page, I get to read about how Tesla cut the price of the Model S twice in one week, and two reports on how a Solar Roof customer is suing the company (the phrase "bait and switch" is used). Also, a story reported multiple times by several sources on LG Chem entering joint venture(s) with several automakers, and apparently (shock and awe!) Tesla isn't one of them.

Well... I guess this is all the relevant news on TSLA for today, I feel much better now that I'm up to date with what's going on... should probably sell some of my TSLA holdings, based on these stories.

I guess nothing else happened, like, say, some updated Model 3 offering, or anything like that. You'd think that if Tesla offered a 10% increase in range for their best-selling car while maintaining the price, that'd somehow be relevant for the increased demand this product update is likely to achieve, and consequently for the company's financials, so if that actually happened we'd read about it on that page. Right?

 

[TheTalkingMule]

Jonas raising "base case" for TSLA from $272 to $333 on "deliveries". What a tool.

Applying the standard Jonas math on this.....I get a SP of $580. Yikes!

 

[mrdoubleb]

Looking at the Yahoo! Finance TSLA page, I get to read about how Tesla cut the price of the Model S twice in one week, and two reports on how a Solar Roof customer is suing the company (the phrase "bait and switch" is used). Also, a story reported multiple times by several sources on LG Chem entering joint venture(s) with several automakers, and apparently (shock and awe!) Tesla isn't one of them.

Well... I guess this is all the relevant news on TSLA for today, I feel much better now that I'm up to date with what's going on... should probably sell some of my TSLA holdings, based on these stories.

I guess nothing else happened, like, say, some updated Model 3 offering, or anything like that. You'd think that if Tesla offered a 10% increase in range for their best-selling car while maintaining the price, that'd somehow be relevant for the increased demand this product update is likely to achieve, and consequently for the company's financials, so if that actually happened we'd read about it on that page. Right?

Yeah, I mean Tesla clearly does not need a PR department, does it? /s

PS: I was writing an article about these updates today. No blog post, no press release, I had to go through the entire Model 3 sub-site and try and find official confirmation on these changes. Still, no official word on heatpump, heated steering wheel, or updated headlights, just Electrek and Reddit rumors. Then I spent an hour with the Wayback Machine to confirm the official previous range data. They have got to do product launches/refreshes better.