On the earnings call one of the 'analysts' implied through asking that Tesla must either be willing to sacrifice earnings for volume or volume for earnings. Musk denied either was the case but said that in a pinch earnings would be sacrificed. Musk also said that even in a deep global recession Tesla would be fine. But I do see a third strategy forming to accelerate Telsa's primary mission which is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy: simply introduce models quicker even without volume production. After all Tesla is 3 models into a 7 model global domination of ground transport. And so far in a short time they have dominated both the foreign and domestic side of the full spectrum of the luxury end of the US auto market (said to be the most difficult in the world) and demonstrated a profit and did it with electrics and in the face of massive headwinds. There is no way to short shrift this when Tesla also has the highest brand loyalty, highest resale value and highest customer satisfaction. Also best charging network by far and best updates- really redefining the automobile and really if you're serious best self driving in a POV and a vision more aggressive than Waymos. And some of this showed in the 3rd highest auto maker market cap- does anyone think Tesla can't just do a Model Y unveil or something similar before the end of March and get over the threshold to do a stock split vice cash for the debt payment?
Lets not forget Tesla did all this without bribing sponsored media with sponsorship (buying unneeded ads) for surely Musk knows a sponsored model of media turns law into bribery and people into property (need something better than the fairness doctrine.) Tesla has simply beat every legacy and ICE maker on Earth and they are radically changing the automotive industry. They've also done this in the face of huge adversity and corruption (e.g. SEC corruption) while retaining a massive goodwill advantage relative to the competition. Part of this is a mission focus aligned with people's interests instead of running counter to their interests in ways that are criminal and backwards in the most blatant way.
Just take a look at the 300,000 lbs towing capacity (per Musk) of the Tesla Pickup, that is 14.3x the tow capacity of the 2018 F-450 limited (which runs 90K) then throw in the Tesla's 4 wheel steer (presumed rotate in place) surely being at least 3 seconds faster than the F-450 from 0-60. Think people are are going to want Ford trucks after this- even the unveiling will tank Ford. Can you imagine Ford pandering on jobs to the USG over this when its selling out jobs for ridiculous wasted 6% per year 'owner' dividends? Tesla by the end of 2019 should have the Gigafactory 1 fully covered in solar cells- Tesla is only becoming more efficient.
Lets get into the Tesla effect and the trade off for ICE makers and how Tesla is very much forcing ICE makers hands just as it intended and forcing them on production. You see the trade off the ICE makers face is they can either transition to superior electric products as demonstrated by Tesla and now expected by their customers or they can have their customers hold out on them delaying next purchases or straight up leave them for whatever brand will best approximate Telsa. But for the sake of example lets say because the legacy makes are part of the terroristic fossil fuel industry and its retail chain that legacy ICE tries a supplier strike. This is of course unlikely given China and global state pressures, but if tried this they would simply find all their good will drained away by Tesla creating a situation where Tesla can charge anything it wants with unlimited access to capital. And lets say by some act of corruption or miracle or both they managed to rid themselves of Tesla, there is still China and the pent of emboldening that any delay (e.g. Trump) creates- any claimed gain by fossil fuel goes quickly retrograde and only accelerates the forward march , it can't lie its way out of what is coming and worse what it has done is ever more apparent with each passing day.
Lets not forget Tesla did all this without bribing sponsored media with sponsorship (buying unneeded ads) for surely Musk knows a sponsored model of media turns law into bribery and people into property (need something better than the fairness doctrine.) Tesla has simply beat every legacy and ICE maker on Earth and they are radically changing the automotive industry. They've also done this in the face of huge adversity and corruption (e.g. SEC corruption) while retaining a massive goodwill advantage relative to the competition. Part of this is a mission focus aligned with people's interests instead of running counter to their interests in ways that are criminal and backwards in the most blatant way.
Just take a look at the 300,000 lbs towing capacity (per Musk) of the Tesla Pickup, that is 14.3x the tow capacity of the 2018 F-450 limited (which runs 90K) then throw in the Tesla's 4 wheel steer (presumed rotate in place) surely being at least 3 seconds faster than the F-450 from 0-60. Think people are are going to want Ford trucks after this- even the unveiling will tank Ford. Can you imagine Ford pandering on jobs to the USG over this when its selling out jobs for ridiculous wasted 6% per year 'owner' dividends? Tesla by the end of 2019 should have the Gigafactory 1 fully covered in solar cells- Tesla is only becoming more efficient.
Lets get into the Tesla effect and the trade off for ICE makers and how Tesla is very much forcing ICE makers hands just as it intended and forcing them on production. You see the trade off the ICE makers face is they can either transition to superior electric products as demonstrated by Tesla and now expected by their customers or they can have their customers hold out on them delaying next purchases or straight up leave them for whatever brand will best approximate Telsa. But for the sake of example lets say because the legacy makes are part of the terroristic fossil fuel industry and its retail chain that legacy ICE tries a supplier strike. This is of course unlikely given China and global state pressures, but if tried this they would simply find all their good will drained away by Tesla creating a situation where Tesla can charge anything it wants with unlimited access to capital. And lets say by some act of corruption or miracle or both they managed to rid themselves of Tesla, there is still China and the pent of emboldening that any delay (e.g. Trump) creates- any claimed gain by fossil fuel goes quickly retrograde and only accelerates the forward march , it can't lie its way out of what is coming and worse what it has done is ever more apparent with each passing day.