Paul John:
Hi all, I have been following Tesla since they first started. In all fairness their products do exactly what they promise.
Their main problem is Elon Musk’s over enthusiastic production dead lines. The model S is currently way behind on delivery dead lines, and now they want to build a roadster and semi truck (artic).
Elon owns 20.5% of a company that I believe is over extending itself. If you look at their employment vacancy page their expectations of growth are spectacular.
A few weeks ago I was doing a live chat with Tesla about the launch of the semi, but failed to get anywhere when asking transport related questions, it was all high tech jargon. If the figures of 20% savings over the current diesel are true all well and good, but no hard figures about purchase price/lease cost or length of contracts etc. Is he just quoting operating costs?
They have to set up a production facility, along with dealerships and support for this truck, so it will be a while before we are all driving them!
Personally, I would not want Wal- Mart or J.B.Hunt to have seed vehicles and they should really control who gets them and put them through their paces before putting them on the market. Do they really understand what is expected of these trucks?, do they understand anything about road transport period.
I would like to see them succeed, but its going to take time.It reminds me of Modec. They had a great launch in the U.K. had a factory in Coventry and great potential but ran out of cash. They had a bigger presence in the U.K. than here in the States, mainly due to the grants and incentives for electric vehicles.
About 10 years ago I spoke regularly with the main man for Modec here and he just didn’t understand what was expected of the vehicle. Its one thing to design a vehicle or concept, another to build it and another to market it and provide support!
I spoke to him about a week before it was announced with President Obama being present that International Harvester/Navistar were going to buy Modec.
When I saw it on TV I was so disappointed as I new it was a bad choice as was proven when the deal failed to materialise.
The intention was to have access to a production facility, sales and service outlets, he just choose the wrong partner!
Basically, Navistar were just looking for good press after its major problems with their MASS,EGR engine. A total failure.
Ollie Dixon done a number of negative articles on Navistar at that time.Paul
hi paul,
I hope your well mate.its interesting to hear your views on this from an american perspective.A good mate of mine works for FORD in bridgend.He told me that he had read in their in house employee FORD newspaper,that FORD had bought TESLA? If thats right? surely,they’d have no shortage of funding and manpower.
regards Andrew.