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Tesla Motors Hires Doug Field, Apple's VP of Mac Hardware Engineering, to Lead New Vehicle Development

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carlgo

macrumors 68000
Dec 29, 2006
1,806
17
Monterey CA
No reason Tesla cannot succeed. They are starting from scratch with no legacy old factories or decades of pensions and all that to pay. They make more per car than anyone (not sure about Ferrari and such) in margin.

They started from 0 and in a few years make what some call the best car in the world. Also the safest. No reason they can't tackle the range issue, one I think could easily be solved without any huge technological advances, though those will also come.

Everyone who drives one raves about it and says it makes even nice gas cars seem old fashioned.

They have months-long waiting lists here and overseas. And they are being marketed all over the world. Not a local sort of product. Making something more than 25K cars per year in the one )California plant, more as they process becomes quicker.

I believe that Tesla is the top selling super-luxury car now, ahead of similarly priced MBs, BMWs, etc. I see one about every time I drive anywhere now.

Tesla is going to produce different and also cheaper models in a year or two and the more affordable models likely will be in very high demand.

So, unless there is some terrible event Tesla should be a very viable company, possibly even a dominant one at some point. No reason why not.

Lots of parallels with Apple, but far more diversified (SolarCity and RocketX) and with a much grander vision.

What the heck, throw the Hyperloop into the conversation...

Yeah, I would work for Tesla if given the chance.
 
M

macUser2007

macrumors 68000
May 30, 2007
1,506
203
Cuban Missles said:
I love Tesla cars and would like to own one, one day. However, in this case please don't make them any smaller. I do not love those little smart cars.
Click to expand...

Lose some weight....:D

The current Tesla models are hardly small. Nor is the Prius.

Wish the US would tax large engines and gas a bit more, like the rest of the world.

Instead, we subsidize oversized yahoos buying oversized trucks.

Tesla is game-changer for the the auto industry and really the most exciting thing to happen to cars in at least a generation.
 
autrefois

autrefois

macrumors 65816
Oct 22, 2003
1,442
1,496
I’m autrefois+, the same as autrefois but with a +
2bikes said:
Looks like Tesla Gen3 is going to be smaller and lighter :p
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that this move will mean not only that, but also it will now be put together with custom nuts and bolts that require a Pentalobe tire iron, the motor will be glued together, and it will be incredibly difficult to service anything except through Tesla itself. This will annoy iFixit to no end. :p
 
lizurd

lizurd

macrumors newbie
Feb 5, 2013
26
13
macUser2007 said:
Lose some weight....:D

The current Tesla models are hardly small. Nor is the Prius.

Wish the US would tax large engines and gas a bit more, like the rest of the world.

Instead, we subsidize oversized yahoos buying oversized trucks.

Tesla is game-changer for the the auto industry and really the most exciting thing to happen to cars in at least a generation.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there's a great idea let's pay more punitive taxes. You're welcome to contribute extra if you'd like.

I don't know about the over-sized truck subsidies you refer to. but Tesla is a joke - a prime example of corporate welfare. Why is the US and any number of states subsidizing expensive luxury cars (purchased by the wealthy, of course) and thus propping up a company owned by a billionaire. Same goes for his ridiculous solar company. The taxpayers are being robbed - yet again.
 
C

carlgo

macrumors 68000
Dec 29, 2006
1,806
17
Monterey CA
lizurd said:
Yeah, there's a great idea let's pay more punitive taxes. You're welcome to contribute extra if you'd like.

I don't know about the over-sized truck subsidies you refer to. but Tesla is a joke - a prime example of corporate welfare. Why is the US and any number of states subsidizing expensive luxury cars (purchased by the wealthy, of course) and thus propping up a company owned by a billionaire. Same goes for his ridiculous solar company. The taxpayers are being robbed - yet again.[/QUOTE

You are correct on punitive taxes, something that has unintended consequences. Here is a cautionary example: Years ago a luxury tax was imposed on yachts built in Florida. Instead of rich people paying for their spendy ways, the boat building industry collapsed and thousands of skilled workers lost their jobs. It was a huge failure and in the end fewer tax dollars were collected anyway, not to mention having to pay benefits to suddenly poor workers who themselves were obviously no longer paying income tax.

Nobody will have to fret for long over big gas guzzling trucks when the electrics hit. A Tesla truck will drag a conventional trunk all over the place.

The Tea Party sort of responses to Tesla's success are puzzling. Don't understand them at all.
Click to expand...
 
J

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
lizurd said:
Yeah, there's a great idea let's pay more punitive taxes. You're welcome to contribute extra if you'd like.

I don't know about the over-sized truck subsidies you refer to. but Tesla is a joke - a prime example of corporate welfare. Why is the US and any number of states subsidizing expensive luxury cars (purchased by the wealthy, of course) and thus propping up a company owned by a billionaire. Same goes for his ridiculous solar company. The taxpayers are being robbed - yet again.
Click to expand...

You clearly know nothing about Tesla and their relationship to the govt. What you just described sounds like Chevy and what they have received. Tesla is paying their LOAN back, faster than planned.
 
K

KFREX

macrumors newbie
Sep 17, 2012
9
1
lizurd said:
Yeah, there's a great idea let's pay more punitive taxes. You're welcome to contribute extra if you'd like.

I don't know about the over-sized truck subsidies you refer to. but Tesla is a joke - a prime example of corporate welfare. Why is the US and any number of states subsidizing expensive luxury cars (purchased by the wealthy, of course) and thus propping up a company owned by a billionaire. Same goes for his ridiculous solar company. The taxpayers are being robbed - yet again.
Click to expand...

Haters gonna hate, but let me just say that of all the automotive companies who borrowed money from the Feds, Tesla is 1 of 2 to actually pay back their ENTIRE loan. That loan was to the tune of $500 Million.. ALREADY PAID BACK IN FULL.

PS. That loan came from the department of energy, NOT bailout funds.
 
lizurd

lizurd

macrumors newbie
Feb 5, 2013
26
13
KFREX said:
Haters gonna hate, but let me just say that of all the automotive companies who borrowed money from the Feds, Tesla is 1 of 2 to actually pay back their ENTIRE loan. That loan was to the tune of $500 Million.. ALREADY PAID BACK IN FULL.

PS. That loan came from the department of energy, NOT bailout funds.
Click to expand...

Good for them, they made good on the loan. However, who said anything about bailout funds. The subsidies are in the form of tax credits, to the tune of $7,500 - $10,000 per car depending on the state. There are other issues with their business model as well.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/patrick...ld-stop-selling-cars-wed-all-save-some-money/
 
M

macUser2007

macrumors 68000
May 30, 2007
1,506
203
lizurd said:
Yeah, there's a great idea let's pay more punitive taxes. You're welcome to contribute extra if you'd like.

I don't know about the over-sized truck subsidies you refer to. but Tesla is a joke ....
Click to expand...

LOL, didn't know the TP crowd was into Apple stuff.

But yeah, the prices in the US are considerably lower (because of a subsidy/tax combination) than in most of the rest of the world, including natural resources rich countries like Russia (where the average monthly salary is less than $800):

http://www.mytravelcost.com/Russia/gas-prices/

Tesla is also become one of the very rare American car export success stories.

So no joke, not at all. However it may seem to the oversized truck crowd. :cool:
 
M

MacLC

macrumors 6502
Oct 18, 2013
414
272
DPazdanISU said:
He can have a much larger impact at Tesla. What do you want to do, make computers all day or transition human kind from oil to sustainable energy transport? :)
Click to expand...

Minor correction: Considering the pillaging of earth necessary to get rare earth metals for Tesla's batteries, it'll be at least 5 years for electric to truly be more efficient. I will take Cheap Hybrids for $24000, Alex.

The previous poster had a good point. Which would be better for the planet**?
For everybody to drive a hybrid at 1/3 the price of a Tesla
putting $20k more into a solar panel roof system
putting more money into energy efficient home lighting/heating system
getting a Macbook air, iPad, and iPhone
and putting more money in savings

Or,
For everybody to get a Tesla while
charging from a coal-power plant-fueled home outlet
and having no money for solar panels or energy efficient home lighting/heating system
having to get a Dell Chromebook and Windows Phone
and having no savings left...

The environmental value proposition for Tesla is really quite bad. I'd rather have really awesome VPs stay at Apple or work for another company that will positively change the world.
** Assuming the world could afford that stuff and I personally cannot
 
C

carlgo

macrumors 68000
Dec 29, 2006
1,806
17
Monterey CA
Yeah, making anything requires plundering the earth. The answer is to plunder responsibly.

Yes, Teslas are plugged into power plants, but more and more plants are being converted to natural gas. Clean enough for now.

Wind and solar unfortunately require subsidies, but the result is that they are now contributing a big percentage of our electrical power and the percentage is growing fast. This is huge in a geopolitical sense, not to mention environmentally.

These subsidies will end when when subsidies to agriculture, oil, nuclear, Saudi Arabia, the Dept of Defense, ethanol, etc end. Which is to say don't hold your breath. Doesn't make it right, but there it is.
 
G

G4er?

macrumors 6502a
Jan 6, 2009
634
29
Temple, TX
Tesla will remove items that people use from their cars, not offer them as options and make the cars smaller. People will have to pull a trailer in order to carry externally what used to fit inside. :)
 
Lycanthrope

Lycanthrope

macrumors 6502a
Nov 1, 2005
566
92
Brussels, Belgium, Europe
erthquake said:
Ah. I guess I mis-interpreted the Cars.com review :eek:. You got to test-drive one?! Lucky!
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Well only lucky because I contacted them and asked for one :)

I do intend to buy one - OK they are way more expensive than I would ever consider, but the company tax incentives are so favourable that it makes the total cost of ownership less than my current Volvo.

I'm just waiting for them to put in place some Supercharging stations in Germany, Belgium, Holland and Denmark, so probably will order mid next year.
 
T

ToomeyND

macrumors 6502a
Sep 14, 2011
563
378
Mac-Pro_2013_Mac-Pro_2013.jpg

2014 Tesla
disassembled-prius.jpg


Can you power wheels with Thunderbolt 2.0?
 
D

DOSNET

macrumors member
Aug 21, 2013
58
0
carlgo said:
Yeah, making anything requires plundering the earth. The answer is to plunder responsibly.

Yes, Teslas are plugged into power plants, but more and more plants are being converted to natural gas. Clean enough for now.

Wind and solar unfortunately require subsidies, but the result is that they are now contributing a big percentage of our electrical power and the percentage is growing fast. This is huge in a geopolitical sense, not to mention environmentally.

These subsidies will end when when subsidies to agriculture, oil, nuclear, Saudi Arabia, the Dept of Defense, ethanol, etc end. Which is to say don't hold your breath. Doesn't make it right, but there it is.
Click to expand...

Wind power is disastrous to the local wildlife population. What we really need is more storage on the grid. Our power plants waste tons of fuel producing excess power.
 
I

iKrivetko

macrumors 6502a
May 28, 2010
652
551
carlgo said:
Yeah, making anything requires plundering the earth. The answer is to plunder responsibly.

Yes, Teslas are plugged into power plants, but more and more plants are being converted to natural gas. Clean enough for now.

Wind and solar unfortunately require subsidies, but the result is that they are now contributing a big percentage of our electrical power and the percentage is growing fast. This is huge in a geopolitical sense, not to mention environmentally.

These subsidies will end when when subsidies to agriculture, oil, nuclear, Saudi Arabia, the Dept of Defense, ethanol, etc end. Which is to say don't hold your breath. Doesn't make it right, but there it is.
Click to expand...

Actually, Tesla itself is building solar-powered charging stations, and the network is growing at quite an impressive rate.
 
C

carlgo

macrumors 68000
Dec 29, 2006
1,806
17
Monterey CA
DOSNET said:
Wind power is disastrous to the local wildlife population. What we really need is more storage on the grid. Our power plants waste tons of fuel producing excess power.
Click to expand...

Don't like windmills either. Where is geothermal? You would think the oil companies with their awesome drilling technology would tap this.

Yes, storage is the key and would make solar vastly more cost efficient. Some propose flywheels for this. Weights on pulleys, water storage, vast underground chambers of compressed air, small compressed air devices all do work to store energy, but for various reasons haven't been put into use on a large scale.
 
C

carlgo

macrumors 68000
Dec 29, 2006
1,806
17
Monterey CA
iKrivetko said:
Actually, Tesla itself is building solar-powered charging stations, and the network is growing at quite an impressive rate.
Click to expand...

For those who may not know, Tesla is building a network of charging stations called "Superchargers" along major routes, close enough together to allow for endless driving, free to S owners. It takes around an hour for a full charge.

Note that the panels on the charging station are not nearly enough to charge up a Tesla.

Testla has also demonstrated robotic battery swapping technology that allows you to get back on the road in 90 seconds.

Most Teslas are charged up at home via home overnight. Easily enough range for typical commutes, shopping, picking up the kids, etc.

Teslas have battery technology that accepts lots of amps, so charging the big batteries is relatively fast with the proprietary chargers.

There are always magical batteries and such "just around the corner" but they never seem to materialize. We can reasonably expect shorter charging times and perhaps 35% or so more range in the near future. That with charging and swapping stations as easy to access as gas stations should make Teslas an extremely practical choice when the cheaper models come out.

More range is required at prevailing highway speeds. All the Teslas I see on the freeways are hauling a*s.
 
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