Editor's Opinion
Tesla's Pace of Innovation
I've had my Model S (P85) for over 3 1/2 years now, and I still marvel at what an amazing car it is. However, even more impressive is how fast Tesla has innovated to make my car relatively obsolete. Sure, my P85 is still a great car but it doesn't have Autopilot 2.0 or AWD. And while it was the fastest Model S available when I got it, now even Tesla's base model S is almost as quick (0-60 mph).
When I think about what's driving this aggressive pace of innovation, I find myself attributing much of the source to Tesla's management. Elon and his team are pushing the envelope on innovation, and are constantly challenging the status quo and what people think is not possible. There are definitely certain risks in pushing the envelope too fast, but so far Tesla has navigating that balancing act rather well.
When compared to the competition, Tesla is in a pack by itself. There is no other auto maker that I'm aware of that's innovating as fast as Tesla or pushing the envelope as aggressively. Sure there are startups that are innovating quickly, but once a company starts delivering cars at scale most companies tend to err on being overly conservative. But in Tesla's case, even with thousands and thousands of cars delivered, they keep iterating and keep pushing out better technology.
This is the reason why I think that Tesla's biggest risks are not competition from existing auto makers. Rather, the biggest risks to Tesla lie in their own execution and supply chain. What if a major supplier has a plant burn down and it delays critical parts for 6 months? Or what if there's a major earthquake that hits Tesla's Fremont factory and Tesla is unable to produce cars for 3 months? Tesla still has bills to pay and it could cause a cash crisis.
Overall, I think Tesla can and will overcome the challenges ahead. And I don't think the future of Tesla has ever looked brighter. Just reflect on the pace of innovation... and enjoy the ride as Tesla releases more and more amazing products that delight their customers.
ps., if you enjoy my newsletter please consider helping out by passing along my referral code for $1000 off a new Model S/X and free supercharging, http://ts.la/david7556.
Model 3
Supercharging Cities
Supercharger stations in urban areas will be installed in convenient locations, including supermarkets, shopping centers and downtown districts, so it’s easy for customers to charge their car in the time it takes to grocery shop or run errands. They also have the same pricing as our existing Superchargers, which is far cheaper than the cost of gasoline. Superchargers in urban areas have a new post design that occupies less space and is easier to install, making them ideal for dense, highly populated areas. To increase efficiency and support a high volume of cars, these Superchargers have a new architecture that delivers a rapid 72 kilowatts of dedicated power to each car. This means charging speeds are unaffected by Tesla vehicles plugging into adjacent Superchargers, and results in consistent charging times around 45 to 50 minutes for most drivers.
Ahead of the Model 3 release Tesla is releasing a new kind of urban Supercharger that has 72kWh of power and is easier to install. Smart move to speed up Supercharger rollout even quicker.
Tesla Model 3: Removing and attaching the aero wheel covers
Here's a video demonstrating the removing and attaching of the 18" aero wheel covers on a Model 3. I think the bare 18" wheels look great and that's going to be what I'm choosing for my Model 3.
How the Tesla Model 3 Works without a Key or a Fob
The Model 3 uses a technology called Bluetooth Low Energy (or LE) that is built into most smartphones made in the past few years (and every iPhone since the iPhone 4S). It allows for a low-power, always-on connection between the phone and the car. When you walk toward the Model 3 with your phone, the car and the phone talk to each other and authenticate, and the car unlocks the doors. The Model 3 comes with a credit-card-size backup key—handy for valet parking—that uses a relatively new technology called near-field communication or NFC; it’s the same tech that allows tap-to-pay iPhone and Android transactions at retailers. If the phone doesn’t work for any reason, the card can be tapped against a spot on the car’s B-pillar to unlock the car. Then, there’s a spot on the center console where the key can be stored, just behind the cupholders, allowing the car to be driven as normal.
I was able to see the credit card key for the Model 3 at the delivery event, and I was surprised it's even thinner than the typical credit card.
Tesla Semi
Thoughts on the Tesla Semi Reveal
Doug Whitehead on Google+:
Platooning can allow a few drivers to control a large platoon. If drivers in slave mode can sleep, one could imagine it would not be long before truck companies start using trucks that ONLY work in slave mode. Like cowboys herding long horns; modern "wranglers" would drive a herd of long haul trucks and thereby amortize the cost of the drivers over the entire platoon.
Smart post about the potential of the Tesla Semi announcement next month.
Tesla semi truck unveil event ‘tentatively’ set for October 26
Tesla had previously set September as the timeframe for their big unveiling of an all-electric semi truck created by the company. The big rig is now set to be shown off for the first time on October 26, however, in Hawthorne, California (which is where the SpaceX HQ is located). Elon Musk tweeted the revised date on Wednesday, noting also that it would include a “test ride,” meaning it’ll be operational when it’s first revealed to the public. "Tesla Semi truck unveil & test ride tentatively scheduled for Oct 26th in Hawthorne. Worth seeing this beast in person. It's unreal. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 13, 2017".
Now I can't wait to see this beast. The reveal is delayed by a month, but no big deal in the bigger picture of things.
TSLA
Tesla veteran exec Diarmuid O’Connell leaves following launch of Model 3
“For more than 11 years, Diarmuid has played an important role in helping Tesla grow from a small startup to a company with a presence around the world. He started with Tesla before the rollout of Roadster, and now that we’ve reached the launch of Model 3, he felt the time was right to move on and spend more time with his family. We wish him the best. Diarmuid’s team and responsibilities will now roll up to Jon McNeill, Tesla’s President of Global Sales and Service.”
I met Diarmuid O'Connell a few times and he was one of my favorite Tesla execs. A really nice and classy guy, and I wish him the best.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk Releases an Explosive Mega-Collection of His Greatest Rocket Failures
Elon Musk has been sitting on a trove of spectacular fail videos from the SpaceX archives, and on August 31st he promised to release a blooper reel with “some epic explosion footage.” This morning, he made good on that promise. Now you can watch many millions of dollars go kaboom in just over two minutes.
Such a demonstration of confidence by Elon and SpaceX to release a video of such failures.
Promotion
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