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

[jerry33]

When Tesla owes money to a client they still use physical checks sent by US mail. Physical checks, for those who don't remember, are pieces of paper (a processed wood product) sent by an antiquated method once common that employs 'internal combustion engines' (look that up) topper vehicles that move that 'mail' from point of origin to small boxes that each person(s) have to access physically. Those then are transmitted the recipient's bank, luckily that normally can be done electronically. Tesla gets 'float' out of that. I'm still waiting for my 'check' for funds tesla owes me from my February purchase of a Model Y.

The last check I had before that was some years ago. In Brasil we do not even have check for our accounts. Every payment, even for pennies is electronic now.

I'm surprised Tesla gains enough float to justify all those paper processes.

Here even the grocery stores take checks (not that I use them unless forced to, so I end up writing three or four cheques a year). For Tesla I guess it's a balance between the cost of writing a cheque and the cost of verifying the direct deposit bank account number plus the cost of returning or abandoning the funds if someone makes a typo. With a cheque you only have to get the name and amount correct.

 

[Musskiah]

It occured to me: perhaps there was no traffic in the roundabout, but then I re-read the original report by @Musskiahand he said the car signaled (implying FSD was already engaged) and then a couple of cars passed in the roundabout, so FSD had both the sign and traffic it could evaluate. But it did indeed at least wait for traffic to pass...

This is true. At least 3 cars passed, and the left turn signal remained on the entire time.

 

[ggies07]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1779872449628426739

Ok...yeah, written as resignation too. Do not like.

Say it ain't so! Drew was my number 2 guy to look to after JB left....bah. WTF is going on with this company? 4680 problems? Chemistry complete we don't know about and so Drew is not needed anymore?

 

[cliff harris]

re: resignations.
I've worked for not one but TWO famously ambitious, famously ultra-obsessed workaholic bosses. I worked for 1 for 2 years, the other for 3 years. I wanted to run screaming at the end of both of those. I suspect Elon is the same. Someone incredibly talented, clever, ambitious and inspiring, but also exhuasting to work for.
Do you think Elon would be fine with someone like Drew taking a few weeks to go sit on a beach?
After 18 years...man, who actually would stay? ESPECIALLY given that anyone in his position is absolutely staggeringly wealthy through share options by now.
When you are young and ambitious...sure, but not everyone has Elon's tolerance for constant stress.

Those of us who invested a long time ago remember who critical J B Straubel was, and how shocking him leaving was. Also Karparthy leaving was shocking. I think the company has done pretty well since both those events?

I thought drew seemed a nice chill counterpoint to Elon, but I'm sure he will be replaced by someone more than capable. Any possible wobbles I would have about my stock are steadied by FSD12. We have waited SO LONG for proper FSD, its pretty much here now. Selling in panic might be a very bad move .

 

[Drumheller]

The cover came off the pedal in the ‘OMG it’s just the worse thing ever to happen on the planet TikTok. I have the same type of cover on my 3. It’s also not screwed on.

Regardless. It’s not a big deal. It’ll get fixed and then everyone can stop clutching their pearls.

The retired folks can clutch their pearls. The working class are clutching rice.

Rohan leaving sucks. He was possibly the best communicating Tesla employee actively on X interacting with customers and fans.

 

[Chunky Jr.]

So there it is - he has young kids he wants to spend more time with. What a shocking development.

OTOH that is what everyone says who leaves abruptly

 

[Mike Smith]

OTOH that is what everyone says who leaves abruptly

Everyone has young children?

 

[Knightshade]

So there it is - he has young kids he wants to spend more time with. What a shocking development.

Rohan left at the same time-less than 24 hours after having made posts about things he was still planning to do at Tesla in the near future- is it possible there's a different explanation for all this?

 

[Stretch2727]

Nice compliment for Drew from Elon.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1779885461290287117

 

[2daMoon]

Say it ain't so! Drew was my number 2 guy to look to after JB left....bah. WTF is going on with this company? 4680 problems? Chemistry complete we don't know about and so Drew is not needed anymore?

Perhaps it is more like Drew didn't need Tesla any more.

Like @Drax before, you seem to think that Drew was fired, just because he resigned on the same day the layoff was announced?

It seems more likely the timing was strategic to limit the hit to one news cycle.

 

[Zero CO2]

I have a crazy theory, here me out - maybe working somewhere for 18 years is a really long time and he wants to do something else.

correct Drew has been working hardcore for 18 years (which is like 50 years anywhere else )... not comparable to what most folks on this thread have experienced

 

[Mike Smith]

Did Rohan also want to spend more time with Drews kids--- or is it possible there's a different explanation for all this?

From Rohan Patel:

'My plans are to be a recess monitor for my 2nd grade daughter, practice my violin, go to a bunch of bucket list sporting events and take my very patient wife on some long intended travel. '

I highlighted the important bits for you.

 

[geometro]

Who is still on the bench? I’m sensing that there isn’t a “deep” bench anymore.
Rohan no longer there is a real shock to me.

 

[Joe F]

It occured to me: perhaps there was no traffic in the roundabout, but then I re-read the original report by @Musskiahand he said the car signaled (implying FSD was already engaged) and then a couple of cars passed in the roundabout, so FSD had both the sign and traffic it could evaluate. But it did indeed at least wait for traffic to pass...

But here he said FSD was engaged right before stopping at the circle.
"Good question. I engaged FSD right before stopping at the circle entrance."

Probably beat this horse to death in this (wrong) thread. Without exact details (there was no video offered) it's next to impossible to determine what really happened, IMHO. And my question of why didn't the car attempt to enter the earlier entrance? Well, street level shows a "do not enter" sign as it's an exit only. That detail was never offered when I questioned why it was passed up.

Now back to the sky is falling. /s

 

[AndrewZ]

Tough to say how the market is even interpreting the various pieces of news, feels like the moves in treasury yields alone this morning could produce a bigger negative hit than 3-4%

 

[alhounos]

These departures are not good news obviously, but not cause for serious concern without an ugly backstory. Instead they seem very reasonable and amicable.

Drew especially really deserves a nice long break. 18 years under Elon has to be like 81 years under a normal boss.

 

[Mike Smith]

Who is still on the bench? I’m sensing that there isn’t a “deep” bench anymore.
Rohan no longer there is a real shock to me.

Right, Tesla has barely any engineering talent. Maybe they can poach someone from GM.

 

[2daMoon]

Has anyone gone to the dedicated investor forums for other OEMs to see which key employees have left those companies over the years and what the forum participants have posted about that?

 

[EQC_]

Other vehicles have an entirely different pedal design.
CT is here, accelerator is its own assembly-

Parts Catalog

epc.tesla.com

Compared to say Model S here-where both are attached to a single pedal assembly-

Parts Catalog

epc.tesla.com

Though simply the fact the stop-ship is only on CT also tells us something is done differently there than on other vehicles.

Very informative diagrams! Thank you!

The Model S and most other vehicles (I think): the accelerator and brake both hinge ABOVE the pedal on a fairly long arm. The pedal also has a slight curve to it. As you push the pedal forward, it looks like the pedal will become slightly more vertical. The curvature of the pedal itself will probably shift the contact point with your shoe so that the angle of the pedal feels rather constant.

I've never sat in a Cybertruck to verify, but based on teh diagram: The Cybertruck design has the hinge at the bottom of the pedal itself. No arm to speak of between the hinge and the pedal. As shoe pushes pedal, the pedal looks to become increasingly horizontal. If your foot is pushing mostly forward as the pedal moves toward horizontal, there will be an increasing amount of force sliding along the pedal. Especially for people who like to "stomp" the pedal, this is going to stress whatever adhesive (or whatever) holds that pedal cover on, and try to make it slide forward. This seems to agree with what the guy demonstrated: if the attachment of the pedal cover gives way, the cover slides up/forward from the pedal itself.

Obviously something needs to be fixed...and there are many ways to do so. It may actually just be a problem with a batch of adhesive or a procedure change that didn't let the adhesive cure correctly. Could also be solved with a change in the shape of the part(s) to enhance mechanical mating of cover to pedal (adding a mechanical interface that will prevent sliding).

 

[Zero CO2]

limit ordered triggered on "news " today another 40 shares at $165.98... DCA continues