Posted on 12/10/2018 4:05:49 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Summary The 60 Minutes interview exposes some major red flags. Elon Musk has no regards for authority or consumers. Autopilot liability may be substantial moving forward.
On Sunday night, CBS show 60 Minutes aired a long interview with Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk. The piece covered a lot of topics, from the Model 3's part in the company's near death, to the autopilot feature many consumers want to rely on. In the end, I encourage everyone to watch this interview, because there are several major red flags that need to be discussed.
First of all, Elon Musk came right out and said "I do not respect the SEC". He admitted that nobody at Tesla is pre-approving his tweets, which seems to go against the settlement he agreed to that specifically says "Tesla will establish a new committee of independent directors and put in place additional controls and procedures to oversee Musk’s communications." I don't necessarily argue with his stance that he is protected by the First Amendment, because while he champions Free Speech, he himself has done a lot to shut down critics, like Montana Skeptic who was a prominent contributor to Seeking Alpha.
When asked about the new Chairman of the Board put in place, Elon Musk was very direct. He argued that Robyn Denholm was his personal choice, and that she is not there to watch over him. Elon went as so far to say "I am the largest shareholder in the company, and I can just call for a shareholder vote and get anything done that I want." Part of the SEC settlement was to bring in two new independent directors to reduce Elon Musk's power over the board, but we are still waiting to find out who those new entrants will be. Corporate governance remains a...
(Excerpt) Read more at seekingalpha.com ...
The consumer pays the true cost.
Dude is back on drugs.
If they are ending then they haven’t ended yet.
Here’s a peep at what might happen: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-11/its-confirmed-without-government-subsidies-tesla-sales-implode
I first head it in 1973 regarding a rich foreign exchange flight student at Pensacola.
You can see the environmental disaster real time in Beijing. There is millions of electric vehicles in China, everything from scooters to buses. China has built many coal fired power plants to keep up with the demand for electricity. I have been there several times, the air pollution is terrible.
I see an analogous situation play out almost every weekend with my neighbor. He uses a battery-powered weedwhacker to cut overgrown weeds in his yard. He does a small portion of the yard, and the batteries die. The next day, after recharging the batteries, he cuts a little more. He never really gets the job done without being frustrated.
Meanwhile, I'll use my gasoline-powered weedwacker, and cut everything neat in my back yard, side yards, front yard as well as my other neighbor's yard - in about the same time it took the battery-lover to do a small section. And I have plenty of fuel in the tank for several more weekends.
Gasoline-powered devices are very efficient and powerful. Battery-powered devices, not so much, and needs much improvement. They are useful for small gadgets like powered hand-drills, but not yet ready for heavy tasks (like a vehicle for moving cargo for extended periods).
No. The generating plants are far more efficient than automobile engines.
B.O.E. says about 25% overall for an electric car’s coal-to-wheel efficiency.
The efficiency of a chain of conversions of energy is the product of each of the efficiencies multiplied by the other (reliability is the same).
It would only take one component of 51.1% or less, if the battery, inverter and motor were 100% efficient (and they aren’t).
Also, the modern i.c. engine is a bit better than 20% nowadays, even the gas ones. Diesel turbos are around 35% efficiency. Gas engines achieve that at full throttle nowdays as well (with turbocharging). At partial throttle operation, efficiency does drop for gas motors, but with direct injection and well designed pistons, you can get close to diesel using “conventional” piston engine design.
Go to technologies like HCCI, and you can sit pretty close to a diesel in most conditions, and better!
Yes, and natural gas-steam combined cycle central power plants are up around 65%.
I’m well aware of how to calculate total conversion efficiency, but didn’t want to get into all that complexity. I picked “average” values reflecting the majority of instances.
“Autopilot liability may be substantial moving forward.”
REALLY??? I’m shocked! Shocked, I tellyaz ...
“If they are ending then they haven’t ended yet.”
Present. 7.500
Jan 2019 3.750
Jukes 2019 1.875
“Paved roads are a gigantic subsidy!”
No they’re not. They’re paid for with taxes on drivers who buy gas for their cars and pay registration fees. that’s not a subsidy.
Now of course those roads ARE a gigantic subsidy for EVs, which don’t pay gas taxes ...
As I said, not ended yet. You also have no rebuttal to these electric cars are free riders on the backs of all gas cars for roads (and you say the gas cars are subsidized?).
So without the unconstitutional government interference (no delegated power for these subsidies) do you think they’d be selling as well?
“No they’re not. They’re paid for with taxes on drivers who buy gas for their cars and pay registration fees. that’s not a subsidy.”
You are living in a dream world.
when my tax money is taken as a direct consequence of using a tax-funded service or infrastructure and goes to pay directly for that very same thing i use, it’s not a subsidy ... it’s a usage fee.
a subsidy is when the government takes my tax money and then gives it someone else, like when i as a very poor taxpayer have my taxes taken and given to very rich people to buy expensive Tesla EV toys ... THAT’S a subsidy.
I have a feeling the smart cars are programmed for heavily populated areas where mapping is quite accurate. And I can think of several snow scenarios that would be challenging to program or for the sensors to even realize. Our navigation system often wants to take us where there is no road, as we live in a very rural area.
But your Virginia driving, 6 hours of nothing. I’d be curious as to how the smart car would respond on an interstate, with a car on your left, a steep ravine on the right, and with a deer dashing out immediately in front of the car? (the correct reaction would be to brake and expect to hit the deer)
BTW, if you are talking Interstate 81, I’ve been there done that.
Yes, 81.
Presuming good weather, worst risk is from driver dozing off. I’m ok with going slower if I don’t have to focus on nothing intently for hours between charges.
As for deer, brake hard is acceptable.
Yesterday, I was "gassed-out" by a USPS postal truck.
Shouldn't Government require their minions to obey air pollution laws?
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