Elon Musk: If You Don't Make It at Tesla, You Go Work at Apple

[SteveW928]

It's not unpractical at all if you plug it in everynight, or even skip a night. No one drives more than 250 miles daily.

I drive, with some regularity, from Prince George, BC to Vancouver, BC, roughly 600 miles. I'd have to map it out, but I'm not sure it would even be possible in a Tesla (at least not w/o taking like 3 days and getting permission from slow-chargers at points along the way).

Don't get me wrong... it's an awesome car, but it's a city-car at present. Hopefully aluminum based batteries will solve that one day, at least in part, along with an expanded charging network.

 

[VMMan]

Musk would be an incredible CEO at Apple. He's currently probably the world's greatest innovator. Bezos doesn't even come close.

 

[Kajje]

Talking bad about others is never a good idea. For anybody but definitely if you're famous.
If only just a minuscule part of his bash can be used to prove he's wrong, he'll become the laughing stock in the press, charging him with loosing his vision for the future.

Mama always said - if you cannot talk nice about the people - just keep it shut. I understand that perhaps on corporate level things might be different though.

 

[z chamber]

In a new interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt (via Business Insider), Tesla CEO Elon Musk spoke about his thoughts on the much-rumored Apple Car. Additionally, Musk was asked what he thought about Apple hiring away some of Tesla's "most important engineers."
Musk was then asked whether he takes Apple's car ambitions seriously, to which he joked "did you ever take a look at the Apple Watch?" He went on to say that it was good Apple was moving toward and investing in a car, saying that it's the "next logical thing" for the company to offer "significant innovation."

The Tesla CEO went on to poke fun at the newly announced Apple Pencil and iPad Pro, saying that innovation in the form of a new pencil or a bigger iPad are "not relevant enough." However, Musk cautions that cars are far more complex than smartphones and smartwatches. "You can't just go to a supplier like Foxconn and say: Build me a car," Musk told the German newspaper.

Apple and Tesla have hired each other's employees over the course of the last year, with Musk saying that Apple has hired away "very few people" from the car company despite offering $250,000 signing bonuses and 60 percent salary increases to its employees. Tesla has hired nearly 150 Apple employees.

Article Link: Elon Musk: If You Don't Make It at Tesla, You Go Work at Apple

Hey guys, I don't know very much about California. Could someone please tell me where will the inevitable huge patent war between Tesla and Apple be decided? Cupertino or Palo Alto?

 

[SteveW928]

I'm about as big of a fan of apple products as anyone out there. But going up against Tesla is going to be a heck of a lot tougher than Blackberry. I think the idea of Apple building a car is a real stretch but who knows.

You should read about the startup of Tesla. It was certainly a complex road, but a lot of the early problems were about money, partnerships with talent/engineering/parts, etc. and the people who really did the work, having to properly managing a growing company. That's what Musk initially brought... money and startup knowhow.

But, unfortunately, it looks like ego and bravado might be getting in the way of him recognizing his own past. He's fooling himself big-time if he really believes Apple doesn't have the necessary skill-sets and cash to get the job done... much like what he brought to Tesla (only Apple has dozens of his types).

 

[hspace]

Hey guys, I don't know very much about California. Could someone please tell me where will the inevitable huge patent war between Tesla and Apple be decided? Cupertino or Palo Alto?

This may be news to you, but Tesla does not hold patents. They welcome competition.

Musk be be underestimating Apple, but I think Apple is seriously underestimating the difficulty of entering the car market.

 

[ScottishDuck]

Well, I can say I am yet to have one of my Apple products catch fire. So, yeah, there is that.

Magsafe chargers used to have major defects which included them setting on fire.

 

[dotnet]

But yet its ok when phil schiller gets on stage and says "Can't innovate my ass".

It is? Well, if you say so. I'm not sure what this has to do with Musk trash talking Apple, though.

I get that you like what Musk said, and that you dislike others not liking it. You still have to string your argument together logically. You can't just throw unrelated things out there and say "See?".

 

[robbyx]

Well, I can say I am yet to have one of my Apple products catch fire. So, yeah, there is that.

Oh please. Yours haven't. But there have been plenty of ones that have. A particular PowerBook comes to mind...

More to the point, how many gasoline powered vehicles catch fire in accidents??? But Tesla has a freak accident (where no one is injured and the car's safety features functioned as desired), and that's reason to make snide remarks?

 

[dotnet]

every sentence you the grammar.

Yes, every verb not.

 

[Lesser Evets]

That CEO should drive one of his combustible cars, then we could see a weenie roast.

 

[flottenheimer]

I'd love to own a Tesla (model S or X).
What they've done in a very short period of years is simply amazing: product, design, innovation and branding-wise.

Hope I'll be able to say the same about an Apple car.
I'm fearing this (the Marc Newson car):

 

[chr1s60]

Oh please. Yours haven't. But there have been plenty of ones that have. A particular PowerBook comes to mind...

More to the point, how many gasoline powered vehicles catch fire in accidents??? But Tesla has a freak accident (where no one is injured and the car's safety features functioned as desired), and that's reason to make snide remarks?

It's called sarcasm. Every product ever invented has had defects and issues along the way. Why people are so worked up over what an overpriced car manufacturer has to say about a company that is yet to actually enter the automotive field is beyond me. Tesla and Apple both have good things going in their respective fields. Should they enter into actual competition down the line perhaps this will be more than just someone throwing out comments about another company in an attempt to gain some extra news coverage. Until then, that is all this is.

 

[AnonMac50]

*grabs popcorn to watch next 10 years unfold*
This should be fun.

That must be a large supply of popcorn...share some?

 

[diogenis]

Guys, I don't really understand why you like Teslas so much. The guy took some lithium batteries, 4 motors some dubious car designs one can call them as they like nice or ugly, and made his company. Yes he sells and yea he might go well, but his car tech. is nothing new or revolutionary. Why?
Simply because he has based his technology in... batteries.
His cars are fast yes, but at what cost?
His cars are very very heavy: everyone can make a heavy car. You just add all the batteries you need to produce the highest of power (like 500bhp...) and you make a behemoth in the road weighing 2.5 tonnes. Great engineering... Just imagine the kinetic energy that **** needs, is this what Ecology needs?
They are expensive
They need charging stations every 200miles, and one needs to wait 70+mins to charge.
Of course they are worried about Apple.
Apple has the engineering force AND the cash reserve they need to produce something revolutionary. The problem is in the battery itself. And it's not just Apple. So is BMW and Mercedes etc. Actually, I am very sure these companies already have plans laid down for the next decade to make real electric cars and advance car technology. I am afraid, Tesla is not there yet.

 

[Jimrod]

This somehow really sounds familiar. Only, last time I heard such words it was about a obscure devices called "iPhone" and they were spoken by a guy called Steve Ballmer…

The thing is, that's when Apple also had a driven, egomaniacal, perfectionist CEO. Since he's gone Apple seems to be running out of ideas and the execution of both hardware and software seems to be lacking the innovation and relentless obsessionism of the past. All Ive can do on his own is try to make everything thinner (and less ergonomic) and Tim Cook doesn't seem to be a "product guy", they're now just trying to become a fashion brand rather than the serious tech one they once were.

 

[Ballis]

Gotta love Elon. Awesome guy and funny comment. Reminds me of Steve.

 

[SteveW928]

I'm just going to leave this link here now:
http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/05/elon-musk-the-worlds-raddest-man.html

He's an impressive person, for sure (in some regards)... but there are a few major flaws in his thinking from that article I could get into. Also, before you get too high on the guy, read up a bit on his first marriage.

The car receives over the air updates just like a phone...

I just hope that goes better for them than Nest. A car isn't a phone... something maybe Musk still needs to learn?

whats tesla really done thats really so great? as a die hard auto enthusiast, the cars are ass-ugly, and the enormous touch screen is gimmicky and a hindrance to use while driving. all theyve done is create the first electric car that most people (myself excepted) dont think looks like total ******* and gets decent range. they do catch on fire occasionally though?

they have some nice battery technology, but its just another electric car with poor styling that screams upcoming facelift built right in that wont age well at all.

id hate to see apple make a car, but apple turns a profit while tesla doesnt and never has and wont for the forseeable future. as someone else said, you cant hemhorrage VC cash forever, eventually you have to turn a real profit, and writing endless checks to make the biggest factory on the planet when you have virtually no market share isnt how you get rich. you dont get rich by writin' checks after a certain point.

I'm also a die-hard auto enthusiast (guess what the 928 is for in my handle)... but if you really believe what you're saying there, I think you're kinda being silly. Yes, Tesla has some hurdles to overcome, but is already incredibly successful given the current state of things. Changes in battery tech, better grid of chargers... it ain't over yet for ICE, but we're getting close.

 

[RockSpider]

Oh God no, I suppose we all hate Tesla now, just when I was thinking about buying an Electric car.

 

[SteveW928]

No it's not. But setting up dealer show rooms, a dealer network, technicians to learn the vehicles, facilities to build said cars, r&d of vehicles... Is.

You might want to consider Apple's history there... ever heard of Apple Stores?

And, if you have as much cash and connections as Apple, what's the big deal about rocket science?

Doesn't Tesla also have a partnership with Google? IIRC, Google's self driving cars have already driven over a million miles and they have over 70 self driving vehicles on the road today.

Apple has its work cut out for them.

Gosh, I sure hope not. If there is one way to ruin this whole thing (Tesla or Apple's potential car), it would be to get involved in the autonomous car baloney.

 

[diogenis]

Oh God no, I suppose we all hate Tesla now, just when I was thinking about buying an Electric car.

No man. Wait. Wait until fuel cell technology advances and wait until you hear, someone managed to make the first real car with specs, that is 500kilos of weigh, 100-150bhp, 500km autonomy. Thats a real car the rest, Tesla included are lemons

 

[Jess13]

Elon's scurred.

 

[SteveW928]

Guys, I don't really understand why you like Teslas so much. ...
Apple has the engineering force AND the cash reserve they need to produce something revolutionary. The problem is in the battery itself.

I think you seriously underestimate the work Tesla put in and the nature of the product they've pulled off, but I totally agree on the battery. And, it might well be that Apple is ahead on that front, as their ace-card... we'll have to wait and see. But you're certainly right... the idea that a company with Apple's knowledge and cash couldn't make a serious entry into the auto industry is just plain daffy. What I'm not sure about, is whether that's a nervous Musk, or an ego-blinded one. (probably the latter... I've worked for people kind of like him, so recognize that weakness well)

The thing is, that's when Apple also had a driven, egomaniacal, perfectionist CEO. Since he's gone Apple seems to be running out of ideas and the execution of both hardware and software seems to be lacking the innovation and relentless obsessionism of the past. All Ive can do on his own is try to make everything thinner (and less ergonomic) and Tim Cook doesn't seem to be a "product guy", they're now just trying to become a fashion brand rather than the serious tech one they once were.

I think there are some valid criticisms in there... but the way I sum it up lately is to say that Apple has been transitioning from a company obsessively driven by user-experience (sometimes to their own detriment) to a consumer/fashion focus, being run more like a typical big company (remember all the 'industry expert' Apple CEOs during the 90s?... and that's where they'll go if they don't change course too. They just have a HECK of a lot of cash and brand strength to burn through this time on the way down).

 

[diogenis]

I think you seriously underestimate the work Tesla put in and the nature of the product they've pulled off, but I totally agree on the battery. And, it might well be that Apple is ahead on that front, as their ace-card... we'll have to wait and see. But you're certainly right... the idea that a company with Apple's knowledge and cash couldn't make a serious entry into the auto industry is just plain daffy. What I'm not sure about, is whether that's a nervous Musk, or an ego-blinded one. (probably the latter... I've worked for people kind of like him, so recognize that weakness well)

No, I am really not underestimating his efforts in the technology, not at all. All I am saying is that it's still very early to spit out a purely electric vehicle with existing technology. The real automobile giants are not naive. And they will certainly not waiting until some messiah like Elon shows up and tell them what to do. That being said, Elon may make some progress with his company and make money and make him and his shareholders rich, but he will not make a revolutionary product like this ever. Simply said, battery technology is not there yet. And his other project the home battery thing is even worse: his dream is to cover the world in lithium batteries... that will charge using the most inefficient tech that exists, PV cells efficient at a max 15% of solar radiation.... Jeez the man is a hill billy

 

[Sharkey311]

But yet its ok when phil schiller gets on stage and says "Can't innovate my ass". Cue the double standards..

How is that a double standard? People were saying Apple couldn't innovate. He proved them wrong. You're so wrong it hurts.