Surprise - Tesla earns a surprise profit in Q3

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Tesla Q3 Results

The company has a looong way to go, but a win is a win.
The China GigaFactory and Model Y production are ahead of schedule.

This is good news for the Bay Area as Tesla is the #1 or #2 employer in Fremont, located at the old GM and NUMMI plant.
The tax base is huge, the jobs pay well (not everyone is gonna be a lowly programmer like me).

All good.
 
Would it be too much to ask for Renault to set Nissan free and for them to partner with Tesla. Imagine the top Tesla drive system with the suspension tuning, dynamics and braking of an R35 Nismo GTR.
 
That is amazing. Anybody know if production is more robotic than other makers? I've heard they tried to automate like crazy, and that would help profits as production numbers go up. Yet we also know the Model 3 in particular had to back off some of the robot tasks.
 
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
Tesla Q3 Results

This is good news for the Bay Area as Tesla is the #1 or #2 employer in Fremont, located at the old GM and NUMMI plant.
The tax base is huge, the jobs pay well (not everyone is gonna be a lowly programmer like me).


The assembly jobs pay $17-$21 per hour in California. Even ignoring the higher cost of living, this is less than the industry average of $25 and far less than the UAW, not to mention difference in benefits.

I suspect that likewise Tesla is getting significant property tax breaks.

I wish them well, but something seems a little fishy. Last quarter they trumpeted the fact that they were cash positive. Days later it came out that this was due to sell down of inventory and other one-time accounting factors, not from continuing operations. Sale revenue is down, product mix is less profitable, but profits are up. Something fishy here.
 
Originally Posted by paoester
That is amazing. Anybody know if production is more robotic than other makers? I've heard they tried to automate like crazy, and that would help profits as production numbers go up. Yet we also know the Model 3 in particular had to back off some of the robot tasks.


They're pushing robots even more for the upcoming Model Y. It'll have an estimated 100 meters of wiring compared to 1,500 meters in the Model 3. Robots are terrible at wiring harnesses, so this will help that a ton on the Y.

https://electrek.co/2019/07/22/tesla-revolutionary-wiring-architecture-robots-model-y/
 
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Awesome to see American tech leading the world stage again.

Model 3 now outsells ALL BMW passenger cars combined.

Elon exceeded his 5K a week number on existing infrastructure punching past 6 on occasions.

After hours stock jump is past 300

most amazing of all - elon Managed to keep his mouth shut for a quarter - must be larry ellison mentoring...

UD
 
Originally Posted by MrHorspwer
In other Tesla news:

Door Handles Blamed For Driver's Death In Tesla Model S Fire: Lawsuit

Apparently, your weird Tesla door handles can delay a first-responder long enough that you die trapped in a burning car.


Since when dont first responder break a window if they need to?

When you drive 75-90 MHP and sail off the road into a tree you've pretty much lost the right to complain what a door handle might do or not in any car.
When people run out of talent they always want to blame the vehicle.

UD
 
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Originally Posted by UncleDave

Since when dont first responder break a window if they need to?

When you drive 75-90 MHP and sail off the road into a tree you've pretty much lost the right to complain what a door handle might do or not in any car.
When people run out of talent they always want to blame the vehicle.

UD


Quote
A police officer couldn't open the doors because the handles were retracted


You honestly don't see any problem with an officer being unable to perform the simple act of opening a door?
 
Originally Posted by paoester
That is amazing. Anybody know if production is more robotic than other makers? I've heard they tried to automate like crazy, and that would help profits as production numbers go up. Yet we also know the Model 3 in particular had to back off some of the robot tasks.


It depends. The Model 3 line was originally going to be extremely automated. But that was a total failure. To get the line running, most of the automation was pulled. Now, robotics on the M3 line is very similar to other manufacturers, such as Toyota. Then there is what Tesla likes to call the manual assembly line, also known as "the tent". Totally manual. It was originally assembled to supplement the M3 automated line, so they could get enough capacity because the automated line was choking so bad. I'm not sure that they are still using it to build M3. Last thing I heard, it is used for development. That may include building pre-production Model Y cars.

Then there is the final adjustment area. This is where all kinds of adjustments are made to fix fit and finish issues after the cars come off the assembly lines. This area is entirely manual. Picture a independent auto repair shop in the factory. Tesla has a very, very high percent of "finished" cars that go through this process. Significantly higher than other auto manufacturers. Not even in the same league.
 
Originally Posted by MrHorspwer
Originally Posted by UncleDave

Since when dont first responder break a window if they need to?

When you drive 75-90 MHP and sail off the road into a tree you've pretty much lost the right to complain what a door handle might do or not in any car.
When people run out of talent they always want to blame the vehicle.

UD


Quote
A police officer couldn't open the doors because the handles were retracted


You honestly don't see any problem with an officer being unable to perform the simple act of opening a door?


retracted or not do you honestly think a door isn't going to jam when you slam into a tree at 75MPH?

When you slam into a tree you crumple metal.

Crumpled doors can be impossible to open which is why first responders always bring axes and crow bars to the scene.




UD
 
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Originally Posted by perfect_oil
Originally Posted by UncleDave
Model 3 now outsells ALL BMW passenger cars combined.


That's mind blowing.


Yes it is.

it was Also " impossible" according to many " experts".

Ive heard it all since 2010

cant build them fast enough
no one wants them
cant mak ethe batteries fast enough
tax credit reduction will kill demand
Elons an idiot
they are runnig out of money
they cannot make money


and on and on and on...


UD
 
Originally Posted by perfect_oil
Originally Posted by UncleDave
Model 3 now outsells ALL BMW passenger cars combined.


That's mind blowing.


Whoa! Slow down a minute. The truth is worldwide sales of Model 3 are more than US-only sales of BMW. But a large portion of Model 3 is sold outside the US and BMW still outsells Model 3 worldwide by 8 to 1!


While a major accomplishment for a California based company to go head-to-head with the majors and it may be the first successful start up a a new automobile company in 90 years, but lets not get carried away.
 
Great insight BHopkins! That is what I was wondering about, whether this profit and productivity is due to high-tech robots. Yet I don't see that, at least any more than other older car makers are doing. I honestly don't konw why they are profitable now. Those batteries must still cost an arm and a leg, right?

For the future, "manufacturing could get a whole lot easier" according to some who analyze the cool innovative massive body casting machine Tesla recently patented:
https://www.motortrend.com/news/tesla-manufacturing-patents/
So whatever normal amount of automation they have now, they really want to pop these machines out like candy in the future!

Originally Posted by BHopkins
Originally Posted by paoester
That is amazing. Anybody know if production is more robotic than other makers? I've heard they tried to automate like crazy, and that would help profits as production numbers go up. Yet we also know the Model 3 in particular had to back off some of the robot tasks.


It depends. The Model 3 line was originally going to be extremely automated. But that was a total failure. To get the line running, most of the automation was pulled. Now, robotics on the M3 line is very similar to other manufacturers, such as Toyota. Then there is what Tesla likes to call the manual assembly line, also known as "the tent". Totally manual. It was originally assembled to supplement the M3 automated line, so they could get enough capacity because the automated line was choking so bad. I'm not sure that they are still using it to build M3. Last thing I heard, it is used for development. That may include building pre-production Model Y cars.

Then there is the final adjustment area. This is where all kinds of adjustments are made to fix fit and finish issues after the cars come off the assembly lines. This area is entirely manual. Picture a independent auto repair shop in the factory. Tesla has a very, very high percent of "finished" cars that go through this process. Significantly higher than other auto manufacturers. Not even in the same league.
 
Musk was big on automation in the design of the Model 3 assembly lines; during production the robots kept breaking down stopping the line.
Tesla was dying..
In desperation, they put up 2 huge tents in the Tesla parking lot.
This was last year. The production numbers soared.
It saved the company.
I do not know what the tents are being used for, or the amount of automation in use today.
I toured NUMMI twice; people always had questions regarding automation.
Surprisingly, Toyota's position on automation was to use robots for dangerous jobs or jobs people did not like.
They said robots can only do 1 thing; we can train people to do many things.
 
"Great insight BHopkins! That is what I was wondering about, whether this profit and productivity is due to high-tech robots. Yet I don't see that, at least any more than other older car makers are doing. I honestly don't konw why they are profitable now. Those batteries must still cost an arm and a leg, right?"



It depends. First, you have to pay for them. The biggest reason Panasonic shifted away from Tesla and allied with Toyota was that Tesla wasn't paying their debts to them.
 
Originally Posted by Burt
Originally Posted by perfect_oil
Originally Posted by UncleDave
Model 3 now outsells ALL BMW passenger cars combined.


That's mind blowing.


Whoa! Slow down a minute. The truth is worldwide sales of Model 3 are more than US-only sales of BMW. But a large portion of Model 3 is sold outside the US and BMW still outsells Model 3 worldwide by 8 to 1!


While a major accomplishment for a California based company to go head-to-head with the majors and it may be the first successful start up a a new automobile company in 90 years, but lets not get carried away.



I didn't say world wide- I was referring to the US market (should have been more specific) but its absolutely true.

Source is goodbadcar.


UD
 
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