What questions should be asked during the Conference Call of ER Q1 on May 7th, 2014?

[pz1975]

Here is the email (from February 16, 2014) with names removed:

Hello ,



Thank you for your Model X reservation. I am your local Vancouver representative for all things Tesla.



I will be in touch late summer to schedule your Model X test drive for this Autumn. I expect Model X deliveries to begin in Canada in Q2 of 2015.



In the meantime, if you have never driven a Tesla Model S, it would be my pleasure to schedule your test drive here in Vancouver. The Model S and the X will be similar in many ways as they will share the same battery and chassis.



I have several clients who have purchased a Model S today, which they plan to drive and then trade-in for their Model X when it arrives in 2015. (we actually take trade-ins of all kinds, even now) This gives them a year to save on gas and oil changes, while learning what it feels like to “go electric” . Financing and leasing is also available at this time.



You may find this interesting:

Wall Street Journal: Things Increasing in Value: Tesla Stock, and Second-Hand Teslas

Consumer Reports: Best Car We've Ever Driven

Model S - Winter Performance

One Year with the Model S

Model S - Winter Driving



Any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. It is my pleasure to be at your service. Looking forward to staying in touch.



Regards,

Owner Advisor
Tesla Vancouver

-->follow-up email said: "I’ll be sure to contact you in the fall so that you can take the X for a spin!"

I took that to mean that test drives will be available in the fall but looking at it again it could just mean that they will be scheduling test drives in the fall and the actual test drives will be later.

 

[adiggs]

I have posted this before, but Tesla has emailed reservation holders of the X (including me and I live in Canada) saying that X test drives will be available in Q3 2014 with delivery anticipated in Q2 2015. This of course could get delayed but this is the company's current plan. As for the beta model, that has not been announced yet as far as I've ever seen.

I'm Sig #184 - I wished I'd received an email like that :|

 

[pz1975]

I'm #48 in Canada but not a signature.

 

[bonnie]

That email really looks like it was written by an overeager Vancouver sales advisor, hoping to sell you a Model S while you wait for an X. It definitely did not go out to the Model X reservation holder pool -- seems to have been a local thing.

I wouldn't take that as something okayed by Tesla Corporate, unfortunately.

(thanks for posting)

 

[pz1975]

That email really looks like it was written by an overeager Vancouver sales advisor, hoping to sell you a Model S while you wait for an X. It definitely did not go out to the Model X reservation holder pool -- seems to have been a local thing.

I wouldn't take that as something okayed by Tesla Corporate, unfortunately.

(thanks for posting)

I emailed him back for clarification (where did the info come from?) and this is his response:


We have received information from HQ that we should have a Model X demo at some point in the fall.



My coworker and myself decided to contact local X reservation holders to update them on the X timeline. Unfortunately this was not an initiative from HQ. I’m sure that the US X reservation holders will have the same option once their demo arrives as well.



In fact I would expect the US demos to arrive sooner than the ones in Canada.



I hope this makes sense and didn’t upset our friends to the south.

 

[pz1975]

I took a chance and asked him (since he seemed to know things about the X) when the beta version of Model X would be presented and his response was:

"Honestly we have no idea.


It can't come soon enough, believe me!"

It was worth a try!

 

[bonnie]

Honestly we have no idea.

And that ^^^ is why I wouldn't put a whole lot of faith in a letter that they decided, on their own, to send out to local reservation holders - a letter that suggested you might want to buy a Model S now, while you wait. It was a sales letter, pure and simple. Not something Tesla Corporate would have endorsed (timeline or sales pitch) as a separate activity.

- - - Updated - - -

If Tesla follows the same pattern as they did with the Model S, there will be demo vehicles shipped to the stores for display purposes, only. NOT for test drives. Those cars were the early ones off the production lines & had many alignment problems, were not cleared for road tests, etc. But were great to sit in the showroom so people could actually see one in person.

The guys in Toronto may have misunderstood what a demo car would mean and thought they would be able to offer test drives. I'd bet that won't be the case.

 

[Benz]

In less than two weeks from now (on May 7th, 2014) we shall be listening to the Conference Call of ER Q1 2014.

Somehow afterwards I always think that I could have asked a (more) important question than the analists did during the Conference Call.

And I think that more people on this forum must be thinking the same way too.

Therefore, I would like to start this thread to have the opportunity to gather all those questions of all of us, and of which each of us personally thinks that his/her question should be asked during the Conference Call on May 7th, 2014.

You never know that those analists may be reading this thread as well.

Let me start with my question first:

Battery cells are the most important component of an EV. And Tesla Motors is still supply constrained on this item. Therefore, I think that we would like to get some more clarification regarding Panasonic. It's been about six months now since the new 1.8 billion battery cell agreement between Tesla Motors and Panasonic was signed.

• I would like to know more about the supply numbers of those 18650 battery cells from Panasonic. How frequent those shipments take place (daily/weekly/monthly), and the quantity of the battery cells per shipment. It would be nice if they would reveal the numbers regarding the frequency and quantity of the shipments of those battery cells.

• Furthermore, I would like to know from Elon Musk (his personal view) what Panasonic actually already has done in the past six months to increase their production capacity of those battery cells. He must know what the latest info is on this topic. Some clarification on when exactly (in which month?) those 18650 battery cells will be shipped to Fremont in higher frequencies/quantities would be really nice.

I would appreciate it if others would add their personal questions to this thread as well.

Cheers

A few more questions related to Panasonic:

Before the 1.8B 18650 battery cells contract there was a 200M 18650 battery cells contract between Panasonic and Tesla Motors.
- Has Panasonic delivered (accumulated up to now) those 200M 18650 battery cells?
- Or is there still a certain portion left to be delivered?
- And when (in which month) will the final portion of those 200M 18650 battery cells then actually be delivered?

About the expected/projected quantity of delivery per year of the 1.8B 18650 battery cells:
- How many 18650 battery cells will be delivered in each year (2014/2015/2016/2017)?

 

[Gwgan]

I would like to know why the supercharger rollout slowed so dramatically. What are all those employees doing now?

 

[ggr]

I would like to know why the supercharger rollout slowed so dramatically. What are all those employees doing now?

They're mostly (somewhat) local contractors, not employees. I met a couple of them at the launch of the west coast supercharger tour last year, they were doing everything south of Hawthorne and out to Yuma.

 

[AlMc]

I would like to know why the supercharger rollout slowed so dramatically. What are all those employees doing now?

There was a real push to get the east/west cross country route finished (Elon's trip?) and to make sure that most people could drive north/south on the coasts (sorry, I know destinations north of Boston are not accessible by SCs). Now, with sales/production focused on China, it appears that the TM internal SC team may be more focused there as well?

 

[anticitizen13.7]

I would like to ask: (1) What's the latest on development of the Model X? When does the company expect to reveal an Alpha or Beta? (2) Are there any more details on location of the Gigafactory and partnerships with LiIon cell manufacturers?

I don't know how much info the company will give away on these subjects, but that's what I want to know!

 

[TSLAopt]

In less than two weeks from now (on May 7th, 2014) we shall be listening to the Conference Call of ER Q1 2014.

Somehow afterwards I always think that I could have asked a (more) important question than the analists did during the Conference Call.

And I think that more people on this forum must be thinking the same way too.

Therefore, I would like to start this thread to have the opportunity to gather all those questions of all of us, and of which each of us personally thinks that his/her question should be asked during the Conference Call on May 7th, 2014.

You never know that those analists may be reading this thread as well.

Let me start with my question first:

Battery cells are the most important component of an EV. And Tesla Motors is still supply constrained on this item. Therefore, I think that we would like to get some more clarification regarding Panasonic. It's been about six months now since the new 1.8 billion battery cell agreement between Tesla Motors and Panasonic was signed.

• I would like to know more about the supply numbers of those 18650 battery cells from Panasonic. How frequent those shipments take place (daily/weekly/monthly), and the quantity of the battery cells per shipment. It would be nice if they would reveal the numbers regarding the frequency and quantity of the shipments of those battery cells.

• Furthermore, I would like to know from Elon Musk (his personal view) what Panasonic actually already has done in the past six months to increase their production capacity of those battery cells. He must know what the latest info is on this topic. Some clarification on when exactly (in which month?) those 18650 battery cells will be shipped to Fremont in higher frequencies/quantities would be really nice.

I would appreciate it if others would add their personal questions to this thread as well.

Cheers

i think an important question shouod be:

"have you stepped up the security team around you given how many forces there are who are getting very desperate for either Tesla or SpaceX to fail?"

 

[dirkhh]

i think an important question shouod be:

"have you stepped up the security team around you given how many forces there are who are getting very desperate for either Tesla or SpaceX to fail?"

What would the value to the investor community be to know the answer? Actually, what do you expect he might say? Yes? No? No comment? Marc over there is my bodyguard?
Besides idle curiosity, fanboy-ism or sensationalism... what would motivate such a question?

 

[AlMc]

i think an important question shouod be:

"have you stepped up the security team around you given how many forces there are who are getting very desperate for either Tesla or SpaceX to fail?"

While it might not be a question I would ask, it is a worry that I have!

 

[TSLAopt]

While it might not be a question I would ask, it is a worry that I have!

It is a major worry I have as well as an investor.
If something happens to Elon I would guess TSLA stock gets cut in half. I would hope/expect the answer is something like "yes we are aware of the potential for threats with the increased success of both Tesla and SpaceX and as a result my security team is quite a bit more extensive than a single bodyguard which I had a year ago"

if the answer is something like "we don't really believe there are any serious threats are out there in today's society and do not feel the need for even a security guard except when traveling to some foreign countries" then I would be worried and might start making an exit plan for perhaps half of my holdings.

 

[Auzie]

It is a major worry I have as well as an investor.
If something happens to Elon I would guess TSLA stock gets cut in half. I would hope/expect the answer is something like "yes we are aware of the potential for threats with the increased success of both Tesla and SpaceX and as a result my security team is quite a bit more extensive than a single bodyguard which I had a year ago"

if the answer is something like "we don't really believe there are any serious threats are out there in today's society and do not feel the need for even a security guard except when traveling to some foreign countries" then I would be worried and might start making an exit plan for perhaps half of my holdings.

We all share the same worry, not just as investors. I would easily survive the loss of my money, but the psychological blow if something happens to Elon would be much worse. Life is so much better if I know that people like him exist.

Having said that, I think the question on security might be redundant. Such question might come across as second guessing his ability to handle his affairs.

 

[TSLAopt]

We all share the same worry, not just as investors. I would easily survive the loss of my money, but the psychological blow if something happens to Elon would be much worse. Life is so much better if I know that people like him exist.

Having said that, I think the question on security might be redundant. Such question might come across as second guessing his ability to handle his affairs.

The question itself I agree is redundant or silly and would not be asked for any other company's conference call. However, just incase they are not taking security more seriously now then a year ago, then the ACT OF ASKING this unheard of question (as opposed to the question itself) actually serves an important purpose. It COMMUNICATES that investors are getting increasingly concerned about his safety, enough to ask such a specific unheard of question about it.

On the other hand, if they have been stepping up security significantly for Mr. Musk then no harm done, just a silly question that was asked as there are lots of silly questions they get asked all the time.

 

[Auzie]

The question itself I agree is redundant or silly and would not be asked for any other company's conference call. However, just incase they are not taking security more seriously now then a year ago, then the ACT OF ASKING this unheard of question (as opposed to the question itself) actually serves an important purpose. It COMMUNICATES that investors are getting increasingly concerned about his safety, enough to ask such a specific unheard of question about it.

On the other hand, if they have been stepping up security significantly for Mr. Musk then no harm done, just a silly question that was asked as there are lots of silly questions they get asked all the time.

I understand your concern, I share it 100%. It is important how such question is phrased, in order to avoid having a question that might come across as undermining or second guessing someone. Such question might be perceived as disrespectful.

Perhaps a better way to convey our concern might be just to state it in a positive statement, no questions asked about his security. Then he has a choice if he wishes to elaborate on the issue or not talk about it. I personally would not raise the issue. EM is putting his life on the line in so many ways and I would not second guess him publicly.

If a CEO chooses to have low or no security, that is his/her personal choice. In my view, just because I invested money in a business does not give me the right to question a CEO on his/her security.

 

[AlMc]

The question itself I agree is redundant or silly and would not be asked for any other company's conference call. However, just incase they are not taking security more seriously now then a year ago, then the ACT OF ASKING this unheard of question (as opposed to the question itself) actually serves an important purpose. It COMMUNICATES that investors are getting increasingly concerned about his safety, enough to ask such a specific unheard of question about it.

On the other hand, if they have been stepping up security significantly for Mr. Musk then no harm done, just a silly question that was asked as there are lots of silly questions they get asked all the time.

May not be as silly if asked at the annual stockholder's meeting coming up. Heck, last year people were asking for jobs, etc. :wink:

I do worry more for his safety in regards to SpaceX. I don't want this to get too political but I think the competition between SpaceX and everyone else for satellite launches and International Space Station crews/supplies is more of immediate threat to the powers that be than the EV revolution.

Sorry mods: You can move this if you like but is my last 'safety comment'