🚀 Tesla to Mars 🚀
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FSD Beta 10.5
Dirty Tesla preview. Beta Testers have to agree to the agreement again for the update.
Tesla Owners Silicon Valley first daytime drive.
Squeezing Through Tight Spots by folding the mirrors in.
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Texas Gigafactory Production Status
Joe Tegtmeyer does regular drone flyovers of the factory in Austin with details of the state of progress. His latest video on 26th November 2021 summarises the different areas of the factory.
The framework of the main factory building is now almost complete, with just some roof decking, wall panels and windows to fill in. Production of Model Y is already going ahead with small numbers of vehicles to test the production line.
The IDRA 6,000 tonne injection moulding “Gigapresses” have been producing castings for some time in the Casting 1 area. The 8,000 tonne presses in the Casting 2 area will later produce even larger castings for the Cybertruck front and rear sections.
The "High Bay" and Stamping Extension areas at the south end of the main building are now getting roofed.
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Cybertruck Update
4 Motor Variant with rear-wheel steering. My guess is that this improve towing ability, or perhaps just to generate more revenue to get production up and running.
A Cyberquad-bike for kids was also announced a few days ago but it has already sold-out. Some people have too much money! $1,900 for a toy for 8-years old up, that does 10mph, and 5 mph in reverse. Maximum payload is 150lbs.
FSD Beta 10.6 has been released
FSD Beta 10.6.1 has been released to fix some issues found in 10.6.
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Person of the Year
Elon Musk gets some recognition from Time Magazine for what he has achieved and the influence he has had.
The backdrop of the Interview at Boca Chica shows two Starships. The Interviewer focuses almost entirely on negative points, but Elon debunks these common myths.
- Autopilot Crashes. How many more times does the meaning of Autopilot need to be explained? It is not autonomous; the driver must always remain attentive and be ready to take over. Even FSD Beta is not autonomous driving software — though that is its goal, hence the name.
- Taxation. Elon pays a lot of tax (53%) on his capital gains.
- Tweets. Unlike most CEOs, Elon has a sense of humour.
- Covid-19 Response. He stood up to unjustified interference by local bureaucrats, and obeyed the Federal law to keep production running like other car-makers.
- Cryptocurrency. He knows more about the role of money than most people. He played a significant role in creating PayPal.
- Grimes. He has no time to find a new girlfriend, and Grimes has a career of her own. They remain on good terms.
His only way to pay taxes is to sell stock, which is why he is selling 17 million shares, driving down the price in the short term. Do not miss the latest bargains. Maybe more drops will come as the Federal Reserve limit the money supply, but with two new factories starting production soon, the price should go up. This is not financial advice, do your own research, etc.
FT Person of the Year
Dave Lee summarises an article by the Financial Times, which also gave Elon the Person of the Year Award.
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FSD Beta 10.8 & Christmas Updates
Dirty Tesla has a large display overlaid on his videos, which is bigger than the actual in-car display.
AI Addict is impressed by the significant improvements after just two week. The software is looking almost ready for a wider release to all FSD owners, though still as Beta software that requires the driver to be ready to take over at any time.
Extending the software to many thousands of users means more edge cases to improve the software, and more revenue for Tesla as more users want to try out the latest version.
On the negative side, it means that the first collisions with FSD Beta will be likely to attract more of the usual FUD from mainstream media. When drivers make a mistake they try to blame the software, but the data (at least until now) has always proved that the driver did something wrong.
There are many who want FSD to fail, because other auto-makers have no hope of catching up with Tesla.
Christmas Update. Tesla don't need to advertise. The latest update performs a light show dance. Two Model X cars dance together. Some may think it is pointless, but there is no doubt that it generates sales at almost zero cost to Tesla — just a bit of software code that is included in over the air updates for all Tesla owners.
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End of Year Results
Why have the last two months seen TSLA stock fall from a year high of $1,243.49?
- Elon Musk exercised stock options and sold 17 million shares to pay $11 billion in taxes
- The Build Back Better Bill, which would have seen substantial EV credits, did not pass
- Production at the Berlin Gigafactory is still being delayed by bureaucracy
Nevertheless, my investment has returned over 50% per annum. Long-term investors would have seen a multiple of 231.85 on their original investment. That means $10,000 invested in TSLA stock at the beginning of 2012, would now be worth $2,318,500.
Next year should see rapid growth when two new Gigafactories in Austin, Texas, and Berlin start producing the Model Y, which has high profit margins and huge demand. The Cybertruck is also due to start production at Austin later in 2022.
Texas Gigafactory
Great news from Joe Tegtmeyer
- Model Y production due to begin on January 2nd 2022
- High Quality Solar panels on the roof are ready for setting up
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Is Tesla FSD Dangerous?
AI Driver debunks the Full Page ad in the New York Crimes urging people: “Don’t Be A Tesla Crash Test Dummy.”
Tested in San Francisco using the latest FSD Beta 10.9 software.
TSLA stock falls again to $943.90 by market close at the end of the week. The US economy is struggling with 7% inflation, which has affected growth stocks in particular. Analysis by Rob Maurer on Tesla Daily.
Q4 Results on Wednesday 26th may halt or reverse the decline.
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Tesla HEPA Filter
My first ride in a Tesla was in a Model S. My supporter bought one because his wife had lung cancer, probably caused by breathing London’s polluted air on her daily commute to central London.
He drove me back to my place around London’s North Circular Road, through heavy traffic. Normally, when one drives in city traffic, one can smell the petrol and diesel fumes, but inside a Tesla with a HEPA filter, you don't get any of that odour.
On arriving at your destination and opening the door, you can hear a slight hiss as the air pressure is equalised. The slight cabin pressure ensures that no fumes can leak in through the doors and windows.
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Tesla Extreme Journey
Can a Tesla Take this Freezing Abuse?
Lars, of BestInTESLA drives his three-year-old Tesla to the north of Norway, the land of EVs. Heading for the Arctic Circle in Winter, up and down mountains, sleeping in the car.
His long range Tesla Model 3 is an older model without the heat pump. This is a severe test of the battery pack, driving range, and recharging, not to mention driving on icy roads.
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Tesla Conquers Ford
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Musk Donates $5.7 Billion
Elon Musk Sold 5 Million Shares and donated the proceeds to charity. No one knows which charities benefited, but from the dates of the SEC filings this may have been a response to the Tweet by the Executive Director of the World Food Program.
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Model Y Production
Below, you can see Tesla Model Y vehicles covered and ready for delivery at the south end of the Texas Austin Gigafactory. The concrete floor slab is for phase 2 of the factory, extending the 1.17 kilometre long main building by a further 150 metres. The new Model Y includes the 4680 battery cells (46 x 80 mm form factor) and structural battery pack, which will bring significant range, power, charging, and cost improvements.
All signs are pointing towards further rapid growth in deliveries and profits for the company, but due to fears over Ukraine, inflation, etc., the share price is now below $900 and liable to fall further next week. For long-term investors, this is just another great buying opportunity.
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No.1 Reason to Drive a Tesla
Kent was driving his Model 3 through an intersection when T-Boned at 80mph by a Dodge Ram truck on the driver’s side door.
The driver escaped with a broken collar-bone, a couple of broken teeth, some glass injuries, and severe bruising.
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Gigafactory Berlin Opening
Elon Musk talks to the workers.
Thirty Model Ys were delivered to customers. The positive news resulted in a big spike in the TSLA stock price — up 7.91% on yesterday’s close.
What goes up can also come down, but the opening festival for Gigafactory Texas is due to happen on 7th April (subject to planning approval).
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Berlin Production Line
Drone Fly-through of the production line at the Tesla Berlin Gigafactory. (Try @ 0.5 Speed Playback)
This is a real drone flight, with amazing pilot skills, not CGI.
TSLA up another 9.76% to $1091 (after hours) since close on March 22nd at $993.98. The legacy companies are falling farther behind with deliveries.
- Toyota - 510,348 - down 15%
- GM - 485,330 - down 24%
- Ford - 431,123 - down 17%
- Stellantis - 411,174 - down 13%
- Honda - 252,205 - down 27%
- Tesla (global) - 310,048 - up 68%
Longer Version from March 23rd.
- AIDA Stamping Press • Awesome drone piloting skills
- IDRA Gigapress Casting machine creating the front and back castings by injecting a customised aluminium alloy under 6,000 tonnes of pressure.
- Robot Assembly
- Anti-corrosion Coating
- Paint Shop
- Assembly Line
- Final Inspection
- Toyota - 510,348 - down 15%
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Cyber Rodeo
Supercut - Gigafactory Texas is just getting started with the first Model Y deliveries to customers.
The Cybertruck and Semi-truck are delayed until next year. The top priority is to make the new Model Y with the structural battery pack in large numbers. The Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi-truck need lots of 4680 battery cells.
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Q1 Earnings
Some Key Points
- Beat Wall Street Estimates by a huge margin. Operating margin up to 19.2%
- Working on dedicated Robo-taxi (no pedals or steering-wheel). Volume production by 2024.
- Cybertruck on track to reach volume production next year.
- Shanghai factory to reopen after shutdown, with 8,000 workers living at the factory and working 72 hours a week.
- Pricing likely to increase more because waiting lists remain long, inflation is high, and raw material prices are increasing fast. Pricing needs to anticipate rising prices of raw materials.
- New 4680 battery needed one fifth of the capital expenditure for the production line.
- Tesla to take action on mining and refining lithium. Already recycling 50 tons/week, and this will grow substantially.
- Berlin and Texas factories to reach 5,000 units/week in 9-12 months. New factories use 30% fewer robots due to single-piece castings,¹ and the body shop is 60% smaller.
- Profits will be invested in new factories, FSD, Robo-taxis, and Optimus humanoid robot when appropriate.
- Super-charging network opening up to non-Tesla vehicles, and accelerated investment in super-charging network.
- Tesla Insurance launched in Virginia, Colorado, and Oregon. Risk is underwritten by Tesla, premiums depend on driving data, and lower premiums based on data encourage safer driving.
¹ Model 3 and Model Y Body
The two castings highlighted in blue for the Model Y replace 171 castings highlighted for the older Model 3 body structure, resulting in 1,600 fewer welds.
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Climate Change Philanthropy
Elon Musk declined a meeting to discuss climate change philanthropy with Bill Gates because Gates admitted he still holds a short position on Tesla stock, the automaker and sustainably energy company Musk has been CEO of since 2008.
In a series of leaked text messages, Gates was proposing a potential meeting with Musk “to discuss philanthropy possibilities,” but Musk was not willing to do so after Gates admitted he still has not closed out his short position on Tesla.
“Sorry, but I cannot take your philanthropy on climate change seriously when you have a massive short position against Tesla, the company doing the most to solve climate change,” Musk replied to Gates, declining the invitation.
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Elon Musk to Buy Twitter
Elon sold about 5.5 million Tesla shares on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to help finance his takeover of Twitter.
Twitter has grown by about 8% in the last ten years, less than the rate of inflation, while Tesla has grown by 13,814% from $6.45 to $891 in the same ten-year period.
For Elon, it is not about making money, but bringing benefit to humanity.
- For Twitter to deserve public trust, it must be politically neutral, which effectively means upsetting the far right and the far left equally.
- By “free speech”, I simply mean that which matches the law.
- I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law.
- If people want less free speech, they will ask government to pass laws to that effect.
- Therefore, going beyond the law is contrary to the will of the people.
- I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means
- If our twitter bid succeeds, we will defeat the spam bots or die trying!
