Only Stupid Questions

[ajdelange]

Recent blog posts from Seeking Alpha raised the knotty issue of Tesla's Capital Expense (CAPEX), burn rate in the face of Covid-19.

You'd think that after having been shown to be so consistently wrong for so long those guys would be ashamed to show their faces but I guess some people have no shame.

The Stupid Question is: Why can't Tesla see that it is self cannibalizing sales between model 3 and Y, and between the unnecessary X and Y?

Because either they aren't or don't care.

With model Y available, personally I would never buy a S, X, or the 3! With Cybertruck available, I would never buy an X!

Perhaps they understand the market and their position in it a little better than you do.'

To survive Tesla now needs to rapidly differentiate its products to the Y and CT almost exclusively.

I've never served as a CFO but common sense says that if things look dicey in the near term the last thing you want to do is change horses (in mid stream as the old saying goes). If it looks as if there may be a cash problem in building out the CT plant the smart thing to do would be to defer that.

Given that, there is no need for extensive CAPEX or long delays for a new CT plant,! Ergo: CT PRODUCTION NOW!

Where would the capital for the retooling come from if they lost their revenue stream. Common sense, PLEASE!

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[TyPope]

Recent blog posts from Seeking Alpha raised the knotty issue of Tesla's Capital Expense (CAPEX), burn rate in the face of Covid-19. To be brief, Tesla will soon hit the wall, if no cash flow accrues from Giga-Fremont and -Reno product restarts. The Stupid Question is: Why can't Tesla see that it is self cannibalizing sales between model 3 and Y, and between the unnecessary X and Y? With model Y available, personally I would never buy a S, X, or the 3! With Cybertruck available, I would never buy an X! To survive Tesla now needs to rapidly differentiate its products to the Y and CT almost exclusively. Given that, there is no need for extensive CAPEX or long delays for a new CT plant,! Ergo: CT PRODUCTION NOW!

The S and X have vastly different rides than the 3 for sure and probably the Y as well. Dynamic suspension makes quite a difference. Also, the X is so much bigger than the Y that there will always be someone wanting that. I mean, the Ford Excursion was huge and people bought them even though the Explorer is still a good sized vehicle.

However, we all know that sedans don't sell very well in the US so having a couple of SUV/CUVs is probably good marketing. It would be nice if they all looked different. From the perspective of someone who hasn't memorized the differences, it's hard to tell them apart from any kind of distance unless they are all together. Well, the Cybertruck will probably stand out a little... Like the Roadster...

 

[Cyber1qhorsey]

With COVID-19, there is zero production. Of anything, except, maybe, ventilators. My stupid question was to paraphrase myself; Why Not Cybertruck? To do that Tesla might consider phasing out S, X, and at sometime model 3, Focus only on Y and accelerating the CT. Your thoughts - STUPID or GENIUS?

 

[TyPope]

With COVID-19, there is zero production. Of anything, except, maybe, ventilators. My stupid question was to paraphrase myself; Why Not Cybertruck? To do that Tesla might consider phasing out S, X, and at sometime model 3, Focus only on Y and accelerating the CT. Your thoughts - STUPID or GENIUS?

Meh. I don't think COVID-19 will affect the CT timeline very much. They are still looking for a place for the factory. Current production of the other cars isn't progressing except in China right now so that'll hurt the country. I still expect Tesla to stick to their Fall 2021 build date for the Cybertruck. They'll make up the maybe 2 months they'll lose (they didn't shut down till mid-March and will probably open back up mid-May) somehow but still maintain timelines. They may even rescue their 2nd quarter a bit though it'll be lower than the 3rd/4th quarters.

 

[Cyber1qhorsey]

Retooling for more Y output is already ongoing at Fremont. And more importantly, it's better than the 3, according to Jalopnik, adding to its desirability.

Tesla Model Y Deep Dive Reveals A Much Better Engineered Car Than The Model 3
https://jalopnik.com/tesla-model-y-deep-dive-reveals-a-much-better-engineere-1842698386

 

[TyPope]

Here's my question to the Forum for today.
I've ordered a Cybertruck (of course).
I may be ordering a Model Y for my wife. She'll get hers first which is a bummer but whatever.
Do I need to set up separate Tesla accounts for each vehicle or order hers with my account and THAT then becomes OUR account for all intents and purposes?

Bonus question: If my local utility is offering $500 off a BEV charger and $2,500 credit if I purchase a vehicle AND their charger this year, should I get the car charger from my utility? (It'll be free but I have to let them see my vehicle charge patterns. I'm not anti-big brother so I don't care if they know when I'm charging)
Yet another bonus question: Is it worth paying $500 for a Tesla charger vs. the on I'd get for free?

 

[SSonnentag]

Here's my question to the Forum for today.
I've ordered a Cybertruck (of course).
I may be ordering a Model Y for my wife. She'll get hers first which is a bummer but whatever.
Do I need to set up separate Tesla accounts for each vehicle or order hers with my account and THAT then becomes OUR account for all intents and purposes?

Bonus question: If my local utility is offering $500 off a BEV charger and $2,500 credit if I purchase a vehicle AND their charger this year, should I get the car charger from my utility? (It'll be free but I have to let them see my vehicle charge patterns. I'm not anti-big brother so I don't care if they know when I'm charging)
Yet another bonus question: Is it worth paying $500 for a Tesla charger vs. the on I'd get for free?

Use a single account to order both, otherwise you'll have to constantly log out and in via your phone app to manage the separate vehicles. With both on the same account you simply swipe left or right to change between vehicles (or powerwall).

 

[Cyber1qhorsey]

Is wrapping stupid or genius? What is it? How does it hold up? Can wraps be removed if it sucks or fails? I like the notion for a artistic design or business logo. Remember the Delorean. Its beauty defied wrapping. Can the 30x ss be delivered buffed, vs flat matte?

 

[SalisburySam]

Recent blog posts from Seeking Alpha raised the knotty issue of Tesla's Capital Expense (CAPEX), burn rate in the face of Covid-19. To be brief, Tesla will soon hit the wall, if no cash flow accrues from Giga-Fremont and -Reno product restarts. The Stupid Question is: Why can't Tesla see that it is self cannibalizing sales between model 3 and Y, and between the unnecessary X and Y? With model Y available, personally I would never buy a S, X, or the 3! With Cybertruck available, I would never buy an X! To survive Tesla now needs to rapidly differentiate its products to the Y and CT almost exclusively. Given that, there is no need for extensive CAPEX or long delays for a new CT plant,! Ergo: CT PRODUCTION NOW!

Yeah, no. If there is a real public need, it is for the Semi. Getting these on the road in large numbers with appropriate SuperDuperCharging infrastructure would be paramount to me. So many logistics companies are lining up to get their hands on these for the extreme cost savings over diesel tractors, even wanting to partner with Tesla to get them live faster. And the Semi will do far more for “The Mission” than any number of S3XY/CT’s.

 

[Crissa]

'Sedans don't sell well in the US'

...Why is that believed? There are loads of sedans available in the US. Half the Mazdas are sedans. Import cars are nearly all sedans. (The vast majority of foreign-badge US-market SUVs are assembled in the US.) And several of these sedans still outsell the Model 3. Well, did until COVID19.

Isn't it more, 'US car makers (aside Tesla) can't seem to make sedans people want to buy'?

-Crissa

 

[alan auerbach]

Is wrapping stupid or genius? What is it? How does it hold up? Can wraps be removed if it sucks or fails? I like the notion for a artistic design or business logo. Remember the Delorean. Its beauty defied wrapping. Can the 30x ss be delivered buffed, vs flat matte?

Don't you hear those flat exterior panels and straight lines chanting, "Wrap me, wrap me"?

 

[alan auerbach]

Can a anticorrosion under treatment be applied to a Tesla?

I was going to say, "If you have a floor jack (or ramps), air compressor, spray gun, and something to spray (various options), of course you can do it." Then I realized I'd have to ask whether there are central lifting points for a jack to raise the front- and the back-end.

 

[alan auerbach]

'Sedans don't sell well in the US'

...Why is that believed? There are loads of sedans available in the US. Half the Mazdas are sedans. Import cars are nearly all sedans. (The vast majority of foreign-badge US-market SUVs are assembled in the US.) And several of these sedans still outsell the Model 3. Well, did until COVID19.

Isn't it more, 'US car makers (aside Tesla) can't seem to make sedans people want to buy'?

-Crissa

I rarely disagree with Crissa, but have to here.

 

[Crissa]

I rarely disagree with Crissa, but have to here.

Without evidence?

-Crissa

 

[FutureBoy]

Without evidence?

-Crissa

Evidently so....

?