The Tesla Strategy

Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
1,443
Location
Georgia
Tesla wants to primarily become a software company for cars, charging and energy storage devices, solar panels, pretty much everything to do with energy and transportation.

Will they make cars? Absolutely, but in due time it will be more about putting all the physical ingredients available elsewhere into an assembled product versus the heavily vertical integration they have now. EVs required a high level of vertical integration where the company designed and built most of the components in the beginning. Now that nearly every automaker is dedicating resources, and suppliers, towards the development of new EVs you will see this change.

Do they need the Supercharger network? No. There comes a point where a once emerging technology matures and experiences slower growth and reduced margins. Tesla was the first mover in this market. Now they dominate it. Now they can sell it at what he/they may think is its peak valuation. That money will be going to two areas...

Artificial Intelligence. Without digging too deep into the rabbit hole I'll just say that AI is to Silicon Valley what the Internet was to Silicon Valley 30 years ago.

Autonomous driving software. Tesla is making a huge bet that they can develop the software that makes autonomous driving possible. They will require enormous resources and cooperation with multiple partners (public and private) to make that a reality. The cost will likely be in the tens of billions over time and they will need to be, once again, subsidized.

Multiple governments will be involved with this along with many corporations that have resources that complement this push.

I wouldn't be surprised if you don't see another new model from Tesla for at least the next two years. Beyond that, they will take the 3/Y architecture and amortize it out to the greatest degree possible. No new models other than the semi-truck and others that are already works in progress. Whatever new model that comes out in terms of cars will be heavily based on the S/Y platform.

The Cybertruck for Tesla is a lot like what the Lisa was for Apple. An undertaking that had some merit in terms of technology but will eventually fizzle out. Gigcasting, 800V systems, and other engineering architectures that were focused on vehicle production will have most of their R&D funding re-directed towards AI and autonomy.

I am not long on Tesla. Mainly because I'm not convinced we have enough knowledge workers on this planet to make his goals a reality, given that so many others who are also heavily subsidized or have better technological advantages are pursuing the same exact thing. I may be wrong, but I think the Balkanization of the resources needed are eventually going to stagnate Tesla's ability to capitalize on AI or autonomy.

These fields are so new we just don't have the knowledge base quite yet. The money is getting ahead of the skill sets.
 
@macarose We can only speculate what Musk and the BOD are planning. I see your points; they are certainly possible. I also see all the arm chair CEOs who state Tesla is dead and Musk has to go.

I have seen so many brutal acquisitions and sell offs in Silicon Valley. Not to mention been part of them... This is all part of the game.
Interesting times ahead.
 
That's a popular opinion here on BITOG. I take it this means Tesla should be more of a traditional car company?
If so, then there is no more Tesla. Just my 2 cents, of course.

So, genuinely curious, you don’t think that at this point a more typical CEO (let’s say Mary Barra), could successfully lead Tesla? And probably lead to higher share prices?
 
So, genuinely curious, you don’t think that at this point a more typical CEO (let’s say Mary Barra), could successfully lead Tesla? And probably lead to higher share prices?
She and no prior CEO in many decades has successfully led GM. Her "paper success is soley on the back of full-sized trucks and full-sized SUVs. Those sales at current levels and profit margins are unlikely to continue forever.

No GM CEO in many decades has had the fortitude to exchange near term profits for investment into a world-class entry-level vehicle. Entry level Toyota and Honda buyers often become loyal owners of those brands for life. GM will be continual to be left out of sales to these buyers.

CEO at GM will be a success when GM manufactures in the U.S. an entry level vehicle that can compete with the Corolla/ RAV4/ Civic.

Until then, GM is a Harley Davidson in waiting.
 
She and no prior CEO in many decades has successfully led GM. Her "paper success is soley on the back of full-sized trucks and full-sized SUVs. Those sales at current levels and profit margins are unlikely to continue forever.

No GM CEO in many decades has had the fortitude to exchange near term profits for investment into a world-class entry-level vehicle. Entry level Toyota and Honda buyers often become loyal owners of those brands for life. GM will be continual to be left out of sales to these buyers.

CEO at GM will be a success when GM manufactures in the U.S. an entry level vehicle that can compete with the Corolla/ RAV4/ Civic.

Until then, GM is a Harley Davidson in waiting.
This is a little bizarre. ^^^
You really need to check your facts. It’s General Motors. That is the most successful car company in the United States.
You mention other companies and none of them have ever come close with a 60 year track record of selling the most amount of vehicles in this country.

Tesla would die to have the profits that General Motors has had for the last 10 years as an example

What are other car company sold more cars in the United States than General Motors for the past 60 years?
What other car company sold 2 million 705 thousand cars in the USA last year?

Also, your comment on Harley Davidson is based on nothingness. No competitor in the last four +decades have been able to get the market share of the heavyweight cruiser motorcycles. In fact, the foreign companies all failed and just about completely pulled out of the market.

I guess you think Porsche, Lamborghini, Maserati, Bugatti, heck even the Chevrolet Corvette are all failures stilI guess you think Porsche, Lamborghini, Maserati, Bugatti are all failures too?
 
This is a little bizarre. ^^^
You really need to check your facts. It’s General Motors. That is the most successful car company in the United States.
You mention other companies and none of them have ever come close with a 60 year track record of selling the most amount of vehicles in this country.

Tesla would die to have the profits that General Motors has had for the last 10 years as an example

What are other car company sold more cars in the United States than General Motors for the past 60 years?
What other car company sold 2 million 705 thousand cars in the USA last year?

Also, you comment on Harley Davidson is based on nothingness. No competitor in the last four decades have been able to get the mortgage chair of the heavyweight cruiser motorcycles. In fact, the foreign companies all failed and just about completely pulled out of the market.
Ag,

We won't concur on GM. I know you own a GM and are very happy with your Chevrolet. Kudos to you for buying a U.S. manufactured vehicle that is a unibody that you love.
 
Ag,

We won't concur on GM. I know you own a GM and are very happy with your Chevrolet. Kudos to you for buying a U.S. manufactured vehicle that is a unibody that you love.
It’s all good. I’m also a past Honda owner, Subaru owner, Nissan owner, Dodge Durango owner just off the top of my head.

We don’t have to concur you just have to look up the facts on sales and profits and compare them among the brands
it doesn’t matter what I own that doesn’t change the facts and figures

Another interesting aspect is General Motors electric vehicle sales have gone up double digits in 2024 It’s coincidence that Tesla went down?

this is a failed CEO as you put it? Mary is an incredible CEO.

https://news.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/news/us/en/2025/jan/0103-gmsales.html
 
So, genuinely curious, you don’t think that at this point a more typical CEO (let’s say Mary Barra), could successfully lead Tesla? And probably lead to higher share prices?
Because Tesla, win lose or draw, is not a traditional company. If you want to be better, by definition you have to be different. Now, is Tesla better? Better than who? That's up to each of us.

One more thing... My referenced post was last May. Let's just say it's a whole new world now. I have no idea where this thing goes. From a business standpoint, Musk has shot Tesla in the foot. My SWAG is, Tesla will recover but they should be on top of the world right now with the new Model Y Juniper. And they are not...

There's enough risk/reward for a Maverick car company; most fail. Musk's extracurricular activities are a hugely unnecessary distraction, and that's as nice as I can put it. Maybe Elon needs some Neuralink?

Just my 2 cents...

1741558239367.webp
 
Let’s hope Tesla plans on doing something other than build cars because their car plans has been in the toilet and not even close to their productions of just three years ago.

Their earnings in the toilet, market share in the toilet, profitd in the toliet and growth numbers in the toilet
I assume there’s a plan I mean someday they’ll have to make money so the stock doesn’t sell over 100 times earnings
 
Tesla needs to get body shops that will repair cars without a 3 to 8 month window before the vehicle is completed. I believe Tesla is spreading itself all over the place and it may come back to bite them.
Alot of insurance companies have a time limit on repairs for new vehicles. Many states require oem parts for two to three years on a new vehicle. Teslas are becoming the bic lighters of the automotive industry. They're way too easy to total and are disposable, which is counter to Elons original ideals. Their "Tesla insurance" has become a disaster due to not being cheaper as Musk promised and the repair times aren't getting shorter.
 
Let’s hope Tesla plans on doing something other than build cars because their car plans has been in the toilet and not even close to their productions of just three years ago.

Their earnings in the toilet, market share in the toilet and growth numbers in the toilet
They can't infinitely grow at 25-30% like Musk kept claiming. Recent hints are that musk wants Tesla to build an electric motorcycle and a bus. Electric motorcycles don't have dense enough batteries to make it feasible. Most electric motorcycle manufacturers have gone bankrupt. Only two or three are holding on but barely.
 
They can't infinitely grow at 25-30% like Musk kept claiming. Recent hints are that musk wants Tesla to build an electric motorcycle and a bus. Electric motorcycles don't have dense enough batteries to make it feasible. Most electric motorcycle manufacturers have gone bankrupt. Only two or three are holding on but barely.
As much as I wouldn't personally ever get on a motorcycle, I think an electric motorcycle could be done by Tesla and they'd sell fairly well. It might even get a younger audience interested in them. Previous electric motorcycles either had poor range or weren't able to use the Supercharger network or were very expensive... a motorcycle with decent range (which would be doable as Tesla makes VERY efficient EVs somehow - a Model Y AWD is like 50% more efficient than my Chonda Prologue AWD LOL) that could charge at the US's best charging network could be a hit, especially if priced competitively. My ex was intrigued by motorcycles for a bit, and we researched EV motorcycles for a while... they were all either expensive or not very good... basically how EV cars were before Tesla came along.

As for the bus, I know there is that Robovan thing, but I think it would be neat if Tesla started designing and building actual electric public transit buses. From my understanding, BYD is a leading supplier in the US. Wouldn't be it AWESOME if your tax dollars went to an American company building EV buses right here in the US instead of a Chinese company (that at least is building these in the US, which I do appreciate)...

If Tesla made:
-A boxier, more traditional looking SUV, with normal door handles, in 2.5 years when my Prologue lease is up, I'd buy one for sure.
-An electric motorcycle, it would sell, at least fairly well, IMO.
-An electric bus, people would be much more comfortable with electric buses if they weren't supplied by Chinese companies.
 
The difference with a wildly high stock who P/E ratio hit 150. As of right now still near 128
VS
GM a Company with profits and an P/E ratio of less than 8

Will Tesla one day be near the industry average or maybe a P/E of 10? I dont know but it can go a long way down to get there... but maybe not, choose your poison. I wouldnt own either except short term trades that I sometimes do with GM.

Granted right now GM looks like a knight in shining armor but I wouldnt play, then again, maybe after 40 years it may one day take off?

GM
Screenshot 2025-03-10 at 2.57.41 PM.webp


Tesla

Screenshot 2025-03-10 at 2.58.05 PM.webp
 
Back
Top Bottom