Tesla loses $100 million after Chinese problems Elon Musk was expecting it, but a little trouble in big China has hit Tesla's bottom line hard. The company lost $107.6m in Q4 2014, up from a loss of $74.7m for the previous quarter. Musk blames this on a weak market in China and delays with getting the new P85D to customers “We built 11,627 vehicles in Q4, thus achieving …
"Indulged in an S. Very satisfied....." Have to agree, the S is actually exactly what the leccy car market needs, an electric car that actually not only is electric but also a very nice looking luxury car. I have zero interest in the usual butt-ugly, hair-shirt electric cars but the Tesla S is actually comparable with proper luxury cars like those from Mercedes or BMW.
Personally I think electric cars are a joke and I expect him to lose his shirt on this particular venture. Fortunately for him, he has several so he can afford to lose a few.
BUT
I don't begrudge him the effort to make it work. It's HIS money, not mine. He earned it. Who knows, he might be right, I might be wrong. If he is, and he makes it truly economical (not workable because politicians have fiddled with electric car economics) we all win.
Except it's not his money; it's mine. Tesla benefits from loans, subsidies, and tax credits in the United States. Pick your politically-biased news source:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/10/tesla-motors-free-ride-elon-musk-government-subsidies
http://www.nationalreview.com/agenda/388127/tesla-and-interstate-subsidy-chase-reihan-salam
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2013/06/03/teslas-success-is-the-result-of-political-favoritism
Or get it from the source:
http://my.teslamotors.com/incentives/US
I note the anon. Says much.
No, they *aren't* like the cheap tat in dollar stores. You might not like what they suggest, but when Tesla does get their prices down to levels where JQP can rationalize buying one, they *will* sell - sadly, even the "Big Three" in north america make cars that are more like the dollar store crap to which you refer. BMW and Audi/VW/Porche are following down the same path, and its all coming out crap. Having just allowed them to lie about yet MORE fuel consumption values, expect to hear about 80Mpg highway ratings from that lot soon. Not that you'll ever see a 300 mile, downhill, tailwind assisted drive.
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