Is Tesla Doomed?

This article from "Road and Track" nails it.

Tesla is nothing more than an over hyped, overpriced, federally subsidized, liberal social experiment.

Tesla is on life support. It’s about time we pull the plug on it.

Is Tesla Doomed?

 

I guess their counting on government subsidies

 

Of course they were doomed. The moment Musk was all, "Yeah I don't care about the cars anymore. I want to build trains," is his pronouncement that the car stuff had peaked. He never wants to be the one caught with his pants down when a company falls, so he has to stay ahead of it and be off on his next big government subsidized project to keep from being blamed for his bad business models.

 

I like the Tesla cars, however, I simply don't see them staying around once subsidies are cut off from them. Most people think a Prius is expensive as it is and with Tesla Model S being way over the Prius cost.

I want to own a Tesla but for now settle with my Prius. Love paying only $18-$20 to fill up the vehicle after going 450 miles.

 

Did anyone with a lick of common sense believe Tesla would be a viable alternative, I don't think so.
This is just another example of how the federal government screws up everything they get their nose into.

 

TSLA stock has done very well for me. I bought for less than $100 a couple of years ago, it's trading over $200 now. Maybe it's time to jump ship!

 

It's a darn shame. They're like the only company with full range electric cars (they can rival gas cars in terms of distance before refueling). But theyre simply too expensive.

 

And we have to subsidize the rich to buy them just like the Volt that only the rich can afford.

 

Obviously this is a failed concept, we have abundant oil supplies.

 

Don't know what is driving its stock price. It may not be the cars themselves but the intellectual property rights to the things that go into the cars. I recall the tesla batteries being discussed as a possible alternative energy component in residential housing to draw and store electric during off peak to be used during on-peak times to reduce costs.

 

I feel the same way. 46 MPG all day long, and I've been asked about my Prius more than I've was ever asked about all the other cars I ever owned put together! (and at 220K miles, it has required NO unscheduled maintenance!)

It's also obvious that Bob Lutz has never set foot in a Tesla store.

 

It's a shame since other EV's and Hybrids especially are butt ugly.

The Model S is a gorgeous car! But it's interior is lacking with the $100k competition (S-class, 7, and A

I've kind of wanted a Tesla in a few years, may have to see how they'll do.

 

the time to jump ship was when it crossed below the 50 day EMA/SMA around $260 a share... and then you wait until it gets back on track to buy back in... did you just buy it to buy it, or did you buy it as an investment... because if you bought it as an investment, why do you still own it when all the indicators told you to get out in august when it first cross that threshold... sure there was a buying opportunity back again in the beginning of september, but by the end of september it told you to sell again and you'd still be waiting... lets seeeeee from the time stamp on this message you'd have been up $50 a share compared to right this second...

what other stocks do you have so I can save you more money lol...

 

Tesla is still cheaper to power even with cheap gas (though cheap gas discourages people from doing the math, always the bane of hybrids and EVs). It recharges for free in the time it takes to stretch your feet at a rest stop and if you're willing to pay, you can be topped off in about a minute. The crossover will only cost $35k, about what you'd expect for a luxury car and future models will be even cheaper. Tesla's cars drive themselves. The stock is doing well and has done so consistently.

I could keep on listing things but I've made my point. This is just ICE makers throwing mud. It never sticks but they still try.

 

how many miles are you putting on the vehicle annually... I find it amazing how many folks buy it to save on gasoline or to save the environment, but could have bought a $15,000 toyota corolla to get 35mpg and saved themselves $10,000 to spend on gasoline and impact the environment less than the prius takes to build and maintain... I mean when we run the numbers, unless you're driving a TON of miles a year, you basically paid for the prestige of saving the earth, when you actually harmed it more than if you bought a corolla... unless you know, you plan to put 500,000 miles on that prius before you get rid of it... otherwise the numbers don't add up...

but hey who am I judge... I bought a 6x6 from the military surplus auction and rip up the ground in the wooded area behind my house for fun... clearly I'm saving nothing...

 

It is simple, they're just too expensive for their travel and inconvenience limitations. People who have that kind of money don't care about the cost of gasoline. People who care about the cost of gasoline can't afford a Tesla.

Tesla has really tried. There is now a network of public charging stations here and there for distance traveling, usually at restaurants so people can eat while recharging. Saw a couple of Teslas on the road over the weekend. They are a great - but unaffordable - idea. Even the lesser electric-gasoline economy cars with that can travel far enough on electricity to commute and the gasoline engine for distance traveling are significantly more expensive to buy than their gasoline-only counter parts.

Unless and until mass production could reduce battery pack costs, electric cars will remain unviable. While it could be pointed out the fuel cost savings people may have over a 5 year period, most people have to deal with NOW, not long term savings guessing future fuel costs versus payments and interests on a car costing tens of thousands more.

Curiously, Tesla has never pursued 1.) small commercial trucks or 2.) less expensive lighter weight sedans. Less weight requires less battery power for range, thus lower costs. Instead, Tesla followed the path of ever higher techish cars, rather than affordable transportation. Instead, Tesla stuck with pricy sporty high tech cars, which is a small market. Despite claims of blazing acceleration, people who want blazingly fast cars want them to sound blazingly fast, plus Tesla limited top speed to 140 - which motorheads don't like.

If Tesla had come out somehow with a $25K economy 4 door box and a small delivery truck in might have a chance to make it in the market. Tesla's commitment not to have a gasoline/electric hybred in a devotion ONLY to electric philosophically also a mistake. No matter how long the range, the potential of running out of juice before finding the next charging station is a pain - as it HAVING to plug it in every day.

 

Fuel costs RARELY justify buying a different car for economy.

 

A socialist running a capitalist enterprise never works.

 

Well I have a 2010 Prius with 214K miles right now on it that I bought in 2012. So yeah, it helps a lot. You seem quite upset over others exercising their choice of vehicles, why is that?

 

True, but they do make a difference when choosing new cars.

 

I'm not upset at all, just pointing out a very clear summary of the majority of prius owners... I never said you won't be different, I just made the claim its unlikely you were any different... and I cited an example and we can work out the mathematics if you want... but we both know what the break even points are for cost and environment probably... but wouldn't you have to agree, most Prius owners in your own experience, never cross the threshold needed to justify the reasons they cite for purchase? or do you reject that claim?

do you assume anyone who challenges your statement, or adds information, is angry? do you often find a lot of angry people surrounding you? how does that make you feel?

 

I didn't realize you were funding Tesla.

Electric cars are here, and they will eventually take over the internal combustion.

 

I won't reject or affirm that claim because there are other factors involved as well. Gas mileage is not the only plus on the Prius. As pointed out from another owner I have not yet had to deal with unscheduled maintenance on the vehicle. The reliability is excellent and seeing taxis reaching 400-500k+ miles is additionally good news.

Just going by the tone of your comment at the very end that I quoted you sounded quite smug.

 

You made the important point, maintenance and efficiency will always win the long battle. Electric cars have the great advantage of life cycle. The only thing that will wear are tires and brakes, with some general fluids watch, those are the main issues for maintenance.

Jet engines went through the same scrutiny.

 

the only thing I would be smug about is if I mentioned by 6x6 could roll over your prius and crush it... but I never said anything like that... I simply pointed out, the average Prius driver who has good intentions of saving money or the environment, often fails at accomplishing that when a vehicle thats $10,000 less would accomplish those tow objectives quicker and easier... nothing smug about that...

even with your claim of hitting 200,000 miles... you're still not at the break even point before you're finally getting ahead of the toyota corolla... you're almost there though... then you can be smug... I'm not sure how that will work with your perceived anger of others though... that might be kind of destructive... a smug angry person is not good...