Trading Fans not into the Kool-Aid

[Stinger63]

I'm a big Tesla believer and have put a substantial amount of money where my mouth is. That doesn't mean Musk is without reproach. Yes, the Almighty makes bad decisions that ultimately affect the share price negatively.
I'm not talking about Musk blowing weed out if his butt or insulting those who challenge him or even when he drops that share price is too high... All that is stupid but forgiven because he is a genius.
What is far more concerning are more important issues, like Battery Day which all but the Kool-Aid drinking crowd recognize was just awful. And we learn that Musk has dismissed his PR department, leaving Tesla with possibly no marketing/image management team... That's just plain stupid and a fundamental concern with Tesla.

Musk is an engineer with a drive for creating efficiencies and doing a fantastic job of it with his car or his battery manufacturing plants. But a company of this ambition cannot simply be a temple of engineering geeks holding grudges against the marketing people who always seem to get the glory. When Tesla doesn't control its image or properly define the discourse of its ambition, it fails as a public company because Musk then has to spend too much of his precious time dealing with those people his PR and Marketing team should be addressing.
Who is working on addressing terrible stories of failed solar roof installations? Who is addressing abysmal quality controls? If anything, these show the limits of engineering prowess, and simply brushing recurring issues under the rug of "look how successful we are!" is the first sign of bigger problems ahead.
After so many years laughing off the lack of competition, I warn those still laughing that the competition is here, no joke! Tesla must compete not only on power train but also on overall quality, on price, on service... things Tesla doesn't lead. There will come a time soon enough when all EVs will reach 250-300 miles per charge. What will the differentiator be? 2 seconds to the next stop light? Gimme a break! Bragging rights does not a company make.
Tesla must do far more to resolve the quality issues of its cars and its solar roofs and not depend on YouTube groupies to dismiss the obvious. Musk needs to bring in good PR and Marketing teams to manage the message and he must remove himself from every aspect of his business. Tesla must be more than Musk and for the to happen he must take the lead and let others drive those functions he sucks at. Early adopters are not the right soundboard for Musk. They are now rich, complacent and drunk on the Kool-Aid. The new generation of believers -2020 and up- are spending far more and thus expect much more.
This thread is meant for those who may have great things to say about Tesla but who are also willing to voice issues and concerns to the forefront without instantly being insulted with cheerleader narrative about how great Musk is and oh so smart.

 

[HankLloydRight]

I'm not a Tesla fanboy by any stretch, I've been highly critical of their software development team who insist on making the driving experience as difficult and non-intuitive as possible. I'm also tired of Musk shooting off at the mouth about things he doesn't know (you know, because he's a billionaire and can), and/or otherwise acting like a 12 year old boy.

But I'm a little confused by your statement below. He showcased some really groundbreaking advances in battery tech and battery manufacturing. Why do you say that everyone but fanboys recognize is a "just awful"? Are you upset that he didn't announce any new models using this new tech with projected range and costs? I'd like to see how you came to that conclusion.

s, like Battery Day which all but the Kool-Aid drinking crowd recognize was just awful.

 

[HankLloydRight]

. What will the differentiator be?

For starters, the Supercharger Network.

 

[Stinger63]

I'm not a Tesla fanboy by any stretch, I've been highly critical of their software development team who insist on making the driving experience as difficult and non-intuitive as possible. I'm also tired of Musk shooting off at the mouth about things he doesn't know (you know, because he's a billionaire and can), and/or otherwise acting like a 12 year old boy.

But I'm a little confused by your statement below. He showcased some really groundbreaking advances in battery tech and battery manufacturing. Why do you say that everyone but fanboys recognize is a "just awful"? Are you upset that he didn't announce any new models using this new tech with projected range and costs? I'd like to see how you came to that conclusion.

I think Musk showed some great battery tech at Battery Day, except the presentation was absolutely awful, a "let's just wing it" kind of event that the world had been waiting for with great expectations since March! But did he talk about the misnamed million mile battery (should be called the million cycles battery)? No. Yet he is the one who brought it up for the last few months... He also sold us V2G a few months back but dismissed the tech in a couple sentences... "No one wants it" what?!? I think he realized it would cannibalize his PowerPacks and decided against it.
The market certainly hated the presentation and dumped the stock which hasn't recovered since then, settling in the low 400s.
He shows us a ridiculous slide with a covered car, only to tell us that a cheaper car is in the works... Again, wtf?!? No substance.
We're getting the Plaid though... 2 seconds to the next stop light! Yawn.
If Battery Day is to be presented annually, Tesla needs a good PR team to make it a true event because he is no longer addressing his adoring fan base or the tech and engineering geeks he is himself. The event must reflect both a more sophisticated audience of profit motivated investors and a less sophisticated audience of people wanting to know more about that Tesla thing.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

I think Musk showed some great battery tech at Battery Day, except the presentation was absolutely awful, a "let's just wing it" kind of event that the world had been waiting for with great expectations since March! But did he talk about the misnamed million mile battery (should be called the million cycles battery)? No. Yet he is the one who brought it up for the last few months... He also sold us V2G a few months back but dismissed the tech in a couple sentences... "No one wants it" what?!? I think he realized it would cannibalize his PowerPacks and decided against it.
The market certainly hated the presentation and dumped the stock which hasn't recovered since then, settling in the low 400s.
He shows us a ridiculous slide with a covered car, only to tell us that a cheaper car is in the works... Again, wtf?!? No substance.
We're getting the Plaid though... 2 seconds to the next stop light! Yawn.
If Battery Day is to be presented annually, Tesla needs a good PR team to make it a true event because he is no longer addressing his adoring fan base or the tech and engineering geeks he is himself. The event must reflect both a more sophisticated audience of profit motivated investors and a less sophisticated audience of people wanting to know more about that Tesla thing.

I think you're conflating media hype with Tesla hype.

You can't blame Tesla for not providing all the information people were salivating for, and their not meeting unrealistic expectations has no bearing on whether Battery Day was "awful."

 

[Stinger63]

For starters, the Supercharger Network.

What is the Supercharger Network? It's like GM having GM only gas stations... How long do you think before government steps in and tells Musk that his Supercharger Network must accommodate all EVs... It's already doing it in Europe. Is it a substantial source of revenue for Tesla? I don't know, because it's never spoken about. It's great that Musk has taken upon himself to build those or there would be no EV deployment in the world. Tesla should be richly rewarded for its investment in building them out, but the network won't be proprietary for long.

 

[Stinger63]

I think you're conflating media hype with Tesla hype.

You can't blame Tesla for not providing all the information people were salivating for, and their not meeting unrealistic expectations has no bearing on whether Battery Day was "awful."

Oh yes, you can certainly blame Tesla for the disappointment. The PR and marketing teams job is to ensure such events are on target, meaning they address what the fans, the investors and the larger public of potential buyers want to hear. The presentation should have addressed all the questions and subjects Musk dropped over the last year. Not too difficult to check the dozens of YouTube channels talking Tesla 24/7!

 

[HankLloydRight]

Ok, short seller detected.

Do not engage.

I'm out.

 

[Stinger63]

Ok, short seller detected.

Do not engage.

I'm out.

And what is that supposed to mean? What makes you thing I'm a short seller? I want to see Tsla at 500+ like anyone else, but not in 12 months or more and I'm sure the expectations at Battery Day was to see the share price at 500+. The split has brought in a lot of quick profit traders who sell as soon as the share price gains $2-3. As a consequence, the momentum has definitely slowed. Tesla is going to grow but I'm not sure the share price will grow as fast.

 

[Stinger63]

So Q3 came and went... Stellar results, great media feedback. And yet, the share price is stuck in the 400-450 bracket.
And the groupies whine that Tesla is so misunderstood.
One point for me to make: those who bitch the most are the Originals, a sizeable chunk of shareholders, who bought 2+ years ago at 27-50 a share and are now paper millionaires. So, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and sell your shares, become a real millionaire for a fleeting minute, and buy back Tsla at 430, you know, because that tat on your shoulder says "Tesla For Life"?
Otherwise, you're like an armchair general, sending troops to the fodder so you can have your glory in the history books.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

So Q3 came and went... Stellar results, great media feedback. And yet, the share price is stuck in the 400-450 bracket.
And the groupies whine that Tesla is so misunderstood.
One point for me to make: those who bitch the most are the Originals, a sizeable chunk of shareholders, who bought 2+ years ago at 27-50 a share and are now paper millionaires. So, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and sell your shares, become a real millionaire for a fleeting minute, and buy back Tsla at 430, you know, because that tat on your shoulder says "Tesla For Life"?
Otherwise, you're like an armchair general, sending troops to the fodder so you can have your glory in the history books.

You seem angry.

 

[Spacep0d]

What is the Supercharger Network? It's like GM having GM only gas stations... How long do you think before government steps in and tells Musk that his Supercharger Network must accommodate all EVs... It's already doing it in Europe. Is it a substantial source of revenue for Tesla? I don't know, because it's never spoken about. It's great that Musk has taken upon himself to build those or there would be no EV deployment in the world. Tesla should be richly rewarded for its investment in building them out, but the network won't be proprietary for long.

Well not exactly. It's like GM having the only modern gas station network for GM cars, but is quick and reliable, and every other ICE manufacturer has old fashioned gas pumps that are few and far between, with some destination chargers that almost everyone can use (including GM cars), and a ramshackle network of helpful people who might give you a can of gas if you're lucky.

I'm a former LEAF owner, so ask me how I know! Charging with EVGo or Chargepoint for DC-3 charging was okay, but nowhere near as fast or as plentiful as the amazing Supercharger network. And, our Teslas know where the Superchargers are and will pre-condition the battery on the way. Plus, more are being added every day, not just all over North America but the world.

The Supercharger is an enormous 'killer app' for Tesla, on top of being the best EV in full production going and this will likely be true for some time. Even if Tesla opens them up to other manufacturers, it was a huge boon for Tesla because it sold a whole lot of vehicles.

If for some reason the Supercharger network is open to all EVs, then that helps the EV movement as a whole and that helps all of us. If the Supercharger network becomes the defacto standard, that again helps all of us, Tesla-owners included. I would much rather have one common standard (Tesla Superchargers or Tesla connectors) than a bunch of competing proprietary standards.

 

[Stinger63]

Well not exactly. It's like GM having the only modern gas station network for GM cars, but is quick and reliable, and every other ICE manufacturer has old fashioned gas pumps that are few and far between, with some destination chargers that almost everyone can use (including GM cars), and a ramshackle network of helpful people who might give you a can of gas if you're lucky.

I'm a former LEAF owner, so ask me how I know! Charging with EVGo or Chargepoint for DC-3 charging was okay, but nowhere near as fast or as plentiful as the amazing Supercharger network. And, our Teslas know where the Superchargers are and will pre-condition the battery on the way. Plus, more are being added every day, not just all over North America but the world.

The Supercharger is an enormous 'killer app' for Tesla, on top of being the best EV in full production going and this will likely be true for some time. Even if Tesla opens them up to other manufacturers, it was a huge boon for Tesla because it sold a whole lot of vehicles.

If for some reason the Supercharger network is open to all EVs, then that helps the EV movement as a whole and that helps all of us. If the Supercharger network becomes the defacto standard, that again helps all of us, Tesla-owners included. I would much rather have one common standard (Tesla Superchargers or Tesla connectors) than a bunch of competing proprietary standards.

I agree with the need for standardization, which is coming, so that's not even in question anymore outside the US. But the same governments who will mandate standards will also make electric outlets ubiquitous with standardized delivery parameters and even perhaps prices. Remember that in Europe within a dozen years nearly all vehicles will be EVs. Tesla's delivery systems will have the same regulations. What Tesla might do is offer value added services to Tesla owners as long as the standards are respected.

 

[Stinger63]

Now that Tesla is without a PR team, Musk is left to tweet about everything Tesla, much like Trump does with government.
Like everyone else, I was really interested in his new mega machine used to mold the entire front or rear of Tesla vehicles. To eliminate dozens of parts is a manufacturing breakthrough and not an easy one because a special alloy had to be developed to be able to achieve consistency in high volume operations.
However, I do have a simple consumer concern... What happens after a fender bender? You know, not a major accident where the car is totaled, but an accident in which that part is damaged? Do I have to go to a special shop? Will my Tesla be considered totaled? Will my insurance premium reflect that a slightly damaged Tesla is automatically totaled? Who at Tesla is able to answer such basic customer questions?

 

[Stinger63]

So we learn that, again, Tesla is having problems securing timely permits for its German Gigafactory. Frankly, I don't know who suggested building a factory in Germany in the first place (they ought to be fired), but at the end of the day Musk had to approve the project and thus owns the debacle.
From the first time I heard of that project earlier this year (I realize I'm not in the know), I thought it was a terrible idea and it confirmed my concerns that Musk doesn't always know what the hell he's doing, driven at times by his outsized ego instead of rational thought. Building a Gigafactory in Germany, smack in the middle of his fiercest German competitors, showed a profound misunderstanding of the impact it would have locally. I will skip the psycho babble for his motivation, only to focus on the results and consequences.

Anyone who knows Germany knows how intertwined government, unions and the automobile sector are. They're all married to each other, literally and figuratively. Germans are extremely proud of their engineering skills, which they've demonstrated decades over decades by producing some of the finest mechanical products in the world, cars in particular. So when a cocky foreigner decides to come to their house with his market capital funded business to disrupt their comfortable lives, they were going to teach him a lesson.
Lesson number 1:. Welcome! Yes, yes you can build whatever you want here, we are business friendly. You have our support.
Permit delays you say? Nein! not possible if you follow strict procedures. We are very meticulous people, you must understand... You are not? I see, no problem, we will resolve, I'm sure.
The joke will go on for some time, I can assure you. Today it's government, tomorrow it will be labor, mark my words. Tesla will be required to work with unions, something Musk has never done, and his autocratic style is not well suited for that relationship. I give Musk 10 years in Germany to turn the relationship around or he will leave.
Importing cars from China is Musk's first concrete response to German foot dragging. He wants to show he has leverage and also he needs to deliver cars to customers. But Europe as an entity will make it difficult for Tesla to import cars from China by slapping tariffs and forcing volume limits, as part of larger Europe/China trade fights.
The months and years ahead will be froth with challenges in Germany. It doesn't mean that things will end badly, but that Musk specifically will need to be very careful with how he manages German sensibilities, something he is notoriously bad at doing. On the other hand, Germany doesn't want to lose a large employer and also has something to learn about how Tesla does things, which other manufacturers may adopt along the way. A win-win arrangement is possible, but getting there may be too much work for either side to bare.

 

[Stinger63]

So we learn that, again, Tesla is having problems securing timely permits for its German Gigafactory. Frankly, I don't know who suggested building a factory in Germany in the first place (they ought to be fired), but at the end of the day Musk had to approve the project and thus owns the debacle.
From the first time I heard of that project earlier this year (I realize I'm not in the know), I thought it was a terrible idea and it confirmed my concerns that Musk doesn't always know what the hell he's doing, driven at times by his outsized ego instead of rational thought. Building a Gigafactory in Germany, smack in the middle of his fiercest German competitors, showed a profound misunderstanding of the impact it would have locally. I will skip the psycho babble for his motivation, only to focus on the results and consequences.

Anyone who knows Germany knows how intertwined government, unions and the automobile sector are. They're all married to each other, literally and figuratively. Germans are extremely proud of their engineering skills, which they've demonstrated decades over decades by producing some of the finest mechanical products in the world, cars in particular. So when a cocky foreigner decides to come to their house with his market capital funded business to disrupt their comfortable lives, they were going to teach him a lesson.
Lesson number 1:. Welcome! Yes, yes you can build whatever you want here, we are business friendly. You have our support.
Permit delays you say? Nein! not possible if you follow strict procedures. We are very meticulous people, you must understand... You are not? I see, no problem, we will resolve, I'm sure.
The joke will go on for some time, I can assure you. Today it's government, tomorrow it will be labor, mark my words. Tesla will be required to work with unions, something Musk has never done, and his autocratic style is not well suited for that relationship. I give Musk 10 years in Germany to turn the relationship around or he will leave.
Importing cars from China is Musk's first concrete response to German foot dragging. He wants to show he has leverage and also he needs to deliver cars to customers. But Europe as an entity will make it difficult for Tesla to import cars from China by slapping tariffs and forcing volume limits, as part of larger Europe/China trade fights.
The months and years ahead will be froth with challenges in Germany. It doesn't mean that things will end badly, but that Musk specifically will need to be very careful with how he manages German sensibilities, something he is notoriously bad at doing. On the other hand, Germany doesn't want to lose a large employer and also has something to learn about how Tesla does things, which other manufacturers may adopt along the way. A win-win arrangement is possible, but getting there may be too much work for either side to bare.

Wow! How a propos was my point above...

Article: Tesla hires head of Mercedes-Benz factory, German union gets weirdly mad about it - Electrek
Tesla hires the former head of a Mercedes-Benz factory near Berlin just after having fired the head of its Gigafactory Berlin project. The local union behind the Daimler factory is getting weirdly mad about it. René Reif was the head of the Mercedes-Benz factory in Marienfelde near Berlin until O...

View the article.
Tesla hires head of Mercedes-Benz factory, German union gets weirdly mad about it - Electrek

 

[HankLloydRight]

So is this just your Tesla (short seller) blog now?

 

[Stinger63]

So is this just your Tesla (short seller) blog now?

1. I'm not a short seller
2. I don't want to start a new thread every time I want to write about Tesla.
3. I have nothing to hide and anyone willing to read my posts can argue my various issues/concerns.
4. I want Tesla to succeed and its stock price to continue rising, my retirement depends on it. But I'll be damned if I'm going to pretend there are no issues with Tesla's products or its management when I see it. It's by pointing them out that hopefully the issues get fixed, not by pretending that all is well in lala land and anyone critical is a short seller or hater...

 

[jeewee3000]

@Stinger63 , regarding your opening post: my issues with Musk are mainly his sometimes doubtful Tweets, doubtful by being either too impulsive ("funding secured") or too war-mongering (Thai cave diver incident).

You dispell these as forgiven, I don't really. Of course the reality is that I have to accept the flaws (which are few) with the strengths (which are many).

That said, the rest of your argument is quite thin and based on either lack of doing enough homework on Tesla, or on ill-intent. That is why some choose to dispel you as a short seller.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, since I agree TMC can sometimes feel like an echo chamber where all is forgiven due to Musk's holy status.

However, to adress some of your points:

- battery day presented amazing tech, just like Autonomy day. That the market doesn't realize this and that the stock price has not soared after these tech reveals is not Tesla's/Elon's fault, but the market's. Also it does not indicate whatsoever the true value of battery day.

- the presentation style of battery day (as you say "wingin' it") is how Tesla presents stuff. We all know this and there is no real need for change in this regard. Why do they present like this? Because 1) Tesla/Elon does not want to waste too much time on just PR. The resultst will speak for themselves. 2) This approach is (or at least seems to be) more truthful and honest than streamlined presentations.

If you're not on board with Tesla's presentation style, you might wanna invest in another stock. It won't change.

- you seem to have concerns regarding PR. Short rebuttal: as long as Tesla sells every vehicle they produce, there is no need for PR. Those "horror stories" you seem to be afraid of are the minority and won't impact future growth much. I hear way more "Tesla is great" stories.

- you state the competition is here. There are other BEV's on the market, yes, but again: as long as Tesla sells every vehicle they make, there is no issue. None.

- I'll play along: what if Tesla by 2022 makes 2 million cars a year and CAN'T sell them all because of competitors? What is the differentiator?

Not the 2 seconds of acceleration, no. Value for money. Tesla has the lead in creating BEV's at low cost, therefore they can just drop margins and take out the competition that scares you so much at any time.

Just today I read an article (on a local website in dutch, won't share) that BMW will name their iNeXt the iX and it will be available in 2022 with "around" 600 km of range per charge. (=375 miles)

By that time, 400 miles on a Tesla costing less will be easy.

So to sum up: why will Tesla keep selling all vehicles produced? :
- low cost; (many reasons)
- best batteries, long cycle life;
- improving FSD;
- supercharge network (this is not 'nothing' as you imply. This is huge. Tesla does not have to give this up for any reason. If they do make it available for other brands you can be sure Tesla will charge X$ per charge/minute/Watt for Tesla vehicles and X +50% or more for non-Tesla vehicles. This way the lines kan be kept free for Tesla's and Tesla earns money off all customers.)


Regarding service, I don't know so I won't talk out of my a$$, but what I do know is that Tesla is ramping their service fleet which also is something unique. Done are the days of having to make an appointment to drive to a service garage once or twice a year just to have your brakes checked and whatnot. I really believe in the mobile service fleet.

Regarding lower insurance, this might turn out to be in favour of Tesla also but again: in this post I just mentioned things we know today.


I am open for further discussion with you if you answer me on this one question:

"Which competing BEV which is currently available generates more demand than Tesla vehicles?"

That's right.

 

[Stinger63]

@Stinger63 , regarding your opening post: my issues with Musk are mainly his sometimes doubtful Tweets, doubtful by being either too impulsive ("funding secured") or too war-mongering (Thai cave diver incident).

You dispell these as forgiven, I don't really. Of course the reality is that I have to accept the flaws (which are few) with the strengths (which are many).

That said, the rest of your argument is quite thin and based on either lack of doing enough homework on Tesla, or on ill-intent. That is why some choose to dispel you as a short seller.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, since I agree TMC can sometimes feel like an echo chamber where all is forgiven due to Musk's holy status.

However, to adress some of your points:

- battery day presented amazing tech, just like Autonomy day. That the market doesn't realize this and that the stock price has not soared after these tech reveals is not Tesla's/Elon's fault, but the market's. Also it does not indicate whatsoever the true value of battery day.

- the presentation style of battery day (as you say "wingin' it") is how Tesla presents stuff. We all know this and there is no real need for change in this regard. Why do they present like this? Because 1) Tesla/Elon does not want to waste too much time on just PR. The resultst will speak for themselves. 2) This approach is (or at least seems to be) more truthful and honest than streamlined presentations.

If you're not on board with Tesla's presentation style, you might wanna invest in another stock. It won't change.

- you seem to have concerns regarding PR. Short rebuttal: as long as Tesla sells every vehicle they produce, there is no need for PR. Those "horror stories" you seem to be afraid of are the minority and won't impact future growth much. I hear way more "Tesla is great" stories.

- you state the competition is here. There are other BEV's on the market, yes, but again: as long as Tesla sells every vehicle they make, there is no issue. None.

- I'll play along: what if Tesla by 2022 makes 2 million cars a year and CAN'T sell them all because of competitors? What is the differentiator?

Not the 2 seconds of acceleration, no. Value for money. Tesla has the lead in creating BEV's at low cost, therefore they can just drop margins and take out the competition that scares you so much at any time.

Just today I read an article (on a local website in dutch, won't share) that BMW will name their iNeXt the iX and it will be available in 2022 with "around" 600 km of range per charge. (=375 miles)

By that time, 400 miles on a Tesla costing less will be easy.

So to sum up: why will Tesla keep selling all vehicles produced? :
- low cost; (many reasons)
- best batteries, long cycle life;
- improving FSD;
- supercharge network (this is not 'nothing' as you imply. This is huge. Tesla does not have to give this up for any reason. If they do make it available for other brands you can be sure Tesla will charge X$ per charge/minute/Watt for Tesla vehicles and X +50% or more for non-Tesla vehicles. This way the lines kan be kept free for Tesla's and Tesla earns money off all customers.)


Regarding service, I don't know so I won't talk out of my a$$, but what I do know is that Tesla is ramping their service fleet which also is something unique. Done are the days of having to make an appointment to drive to a service garage once or twice a year just to have your brakes checked and whatnot. I really believe in the mobile service fleet.

Regarding lower insurance, this might turn out to be in favour of Tesla also but again: in this post I just mentioned things we know today.


I am open for further discussion with you if you answer me on this one question:

"Which competing BEV which is currently available generates more demand than Tesla vehicles?"

That's right.

Thanks for the long and thoughtful reply.

First, to answer your question, no BEV currently generates more demand than Tesla vehicles. That's a great thing and it's even better if it translates into higher stock price; that's why I'm invested in Tesla after all. But we know that sales volume is not an indicator of stock value or the traditional manufacturers wouldn't be trading at a fraction of Tesla, right? That in itself is an anomaly, but as long as I benefit from it, I won't complain and continue to laugh off those who do complain that Tesla is "not real".
Tesla is experiencing phenomenal growth, it will sell half a million cars in 2020, which is huge by new car company standard but insignificant by traditional manufacturer numbers. Thanks to European, Asian and some US states directives on replacing ICE with BEV, artificial demand has been formalized for traditional car makers to replace their fleets. Which means Tesla's first mover advantage will disappear within 10 years. The fact that BEVs from VW, Renault, Nissan or Hyundai are selling well are testaments that competition is already here.
The point is, Tesla's success is tightly linked to its early adopters, who are also early share buyers or vice versa. But the next stage of its success will depend on adoption by traditional car buyers, not geeks hanging on Musk's every syllables.
That's where I come in with my concerns.
1. QC is a BIG issue.
For Musk and his geek squad to circle jerk over their engineering achievements is commendable, up until it's pointed out to them that Tesla has the lowest quality rating in the US and in Europe. No amount of engineering cleverness erases the fact that, 10 years on, the cars are still poorly finished! That's disgrace hidden behind sales figures, bound to consequences when traditional buyers look for their next car. Please understand I'm not wishing for the stock price to drop, I'm looking for better finished vehicles today.
2. Service is appalling
Wait what? You mean All Mighty didn't quite think about a repair network? Tesla sold half a million cars this year but it can take several weeks to get QC issues fixes?!? How much forgiveness do you think Tesla is going to enjoy when buyers aren't Tesla die-hards? I commend Tesla looking for non traditional solutions;. I just wish they would already be implemented, so that not only Tesla cars are amazing, but any issue is fixed within a week and I don't need to go to the shop.
3. Tesla is NOT customer centric
At this time, Tesla is ego centric. It's about Elon Musk's achievements and the adoration of his followers. The unique designs, the batteries, the casted parts... All of it makes for great PR and solves important issues for sure. But car buyers care more about the mundane issues that Tesla is notoriously bad at resolving, which I detailed above. Because those are details in Musk's mind, they aren't addressed with the sense of urgency they deserve.

At the end of the day, if we believe in Tesla's ultimate goal of a cleaner future, we should welcome all other EVs and support the ultimate total replacement of ICE to BEV vehicles. Elon Musk spearheaded that transformatio, he deserves the credit, and Tesla is a testament of some people's support for his vision (stock value not withstanding). The car company needs to spend far more time listening to its customers and potential customers and address the glaring issues that its fans want to disregard and doing disservice to the company by doing so.