What the annual press conferences are for traditional automobile manufacturers, the “Day” is for Tesla. However, there are several of these events, one for investors, one dedicated to batteries and one dedicated to artificial intelligence. These events are eagerly awaited by the disciples of the American electronics brand. Finally, Elon Musk uses these opportunities to announce news with great fanfare. Just think back to the storm of enthusiasm for the Hyperloop or the Cybertruck (including the broken glass at the presentation).
Tesla recently invited to an “Investor Day” in Texas. The expectations were high. Finally, the master plan 3 should be announced. Full-bodied garnished with a good dash of muscular attitude: it was supposed to be “a message full of hope and optimism”. The Savior speaks to his disciples, who rightly expected answers to almost profane car manufacturer questions. What about new models? new platforms? And so on. After all, these are not entirely irrelevant aspects when it comes to the future of an automotive brand.
There weren’t always clear answers. Not this time either. Nevertheless, it must be said that Elon Musk has raised an automobile manufacturer from the baptismal font that has changed the world of mobility. The vehicles are selling well: In 2022, two Teslas took the first two places in the German registration statistics for electric cars: the Model Y was number one, the Model 3 second.
While the German car manufacturers complain about the lack of semiconductors, Tesla delivers its products comparatively quickly. And cheaper than before. Tesla has reduced the price of the Model Y by 9,100 euros. This shows that the Americans are also feeling the pressure of the competition on their necks. One reason American Stromers are sexy is the coolness factor. As a Tesla driver, you are considered hip and progressive. If such a car now mutates into mass-produced goods, other incentives are needed. But Elon Musk wouldn’t be Elon Musk if it didn’t include a little self-adulation. The Tesla boss first announced that his company had produced the four millionth vehicle and then immediately followed suit. “The demand for our cars could be endless,” he trumpeted. After all, according to the company’s Impact Report, he wants to sell around 20 million cars a year by 2030.
New products would have to be produced for this. What does Master Plan 3 or Elon Musk say? none. It’s too early for that. After all, two cars could be seen that were covered with tarpaulins. Later he let himself be tricked – certainly not without calculation – that the “small” Tesla would only be produced in a new gigafactory in Mexico. If that happens, the American government, which wants to keep the companies and thus the jobs in the country with the Inflation Reduction Act, will not like it.
New products would have to be produced for this. What does Master Plan 3 or Elon Musk say? none. It’s too early for that. After all, two cars could be seen that were covered with tarpaulins. Later he let himself be tricked – certainly not without calculation – that the “small” Tesla would only be produced in a new gigafactory in Mexico. If that happens, the American government, which wants to keep the companies and thus the jobs in the country with the Inflation Reduction Act, will not like it.
After all, Musk announced a new drive unit that can be combined with any form of battery chemistry, is around $1,000 cheaper, uses 75 percent fewer silicon carbide (SiC) chips and whose electric motors no longer require rare earths. But these are also technical details that come from Munich or Wolfsburg. Interesting, certainly, but not revolutionary. Even if Elon Musk doesn’t want to admit it, the big electric car news is currently coming from China, where manufacturers like Nio or Great Wall Motor are announcing innovations with a brisk staccato and also implementing them.
Otherwise, it was about the ecosystem around the electric car and how renewable energies can be used most efficiently. Tesla relies on local energy storage like its power choice and wants to develop cars by 2025 that can be connected to the power grid via Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G). “I don’t think very many people are going to use bi-directional charging unless they have a power wall, because if you unplug your car, your house stays dark. And that’s extremely inconvenient,” Musk points out in his direct manner . The possibility of earning money with the car by providing the battery does not seem to matter to the native South African.
