Tesla Inc (TSLA)

[RV1]

Fredman,
I am new here, but not to Tesla, so here goes.

Tesla knew way back when, before they had a car in production that no electric car could be made for the masses at a price point that would work with do-able range, performance, and looks.

All previous attempts have been urban 20 MPH geek mobiles with 25 mile range production cars that barely made it around, or had severe limits on speed. Then the EV1 came out that proved the premise with 60 mile ranges that could be increased to 100. In the film "Who Killed The Electric Car" the supplier of the batteries for the EV1 claimed he could have doubled the range. In that film Alan Cocconi, standing in front of his T zero 1 prototype, which was the inspiration for the TEsla Roadster, claimed that if using notebook batteries it could get 300 mile ranges. That straight from the wiki article.

Elon Musk and Tesla caught my attention long before they actually produced the first highway capable electric roadsters. At that tinme there were no highway capable all electric cars in production.

Realizing they could not produce a consumer priced car they did the opposite. They entered the markett in the super car class along with the cheaper Porsche 911s at the bottom end of the supercar scale at $110k or so, and outperformed many of the super cars that cost ten times that.

Their biz plan was to get a super car out, then produce a mid price car and get more out, then a consumer class car. So far they are on track.

They are going slow but sure, and have had few setbacks along the way remarkabley.

In reading this forum it appears there are a bunch of vistors that do not believe in the concept or company, and just come by to take potshots without owning any of the stock. Alas I misseed out on the IPO price because I am not a tock investor, and have had my ionvestments for the future in lower yield more secure instruments that have made out retirement secure.

However there have been two stocks I wanted to buy because of my interetsts in those technology arenas. When Apple announced that they were switching to Intel chipsets like PCs I wanted to buy $30k worth at $55. I chickened out. Because I don't gamble at the casinos either. I was determined to buy TEsla when it IPO'd but missed out and it went over 30 within a week. But this time I bought one share at 17, instead of the $10k I wanted to invest.

I invested the rest when they went back down to 22.5 and have another 10 ready for when they go below 20 which I am sure they will.

I do not use Apple computers but knew what impact that decision would have in the marketplace. I have the same strong feelings for Tesla.

There are paralells to Apple though. I know that Apple users are almost religious in their zeal and that Steve Jobs can do no wrong. Most of them don't know that Bill Gates bailed them out of bankruptcy, to avoid being targeted as a monopoly granted, but bailed them out nevertheless. I used to marvel at the seemingly illogical loyalty the Apple people had for a dang piece of hardware. I did not understand it until now.

You see, now I am just like they are about Apple in my feelings toward Tesla. And I am now like they are about Steve Jobs about Elon Musk.

I am holding my 446 shares and doubling that when they dip again as I am sure they will because of the volatility and the day traders making a buck here or there with them.

I do not do conspiracy theories. The simple fact of the matter is that the world has changed and the convergence of events points to finally paying serious attention to alternatives to fossil fuels, but especiallyy to dependence on foreign energy sources.

Elon Musk already has announced that they have two other vehicles at least in the pre planning stage. Those being a 4 WD and a consumer priced car.

They announced the Model S and are pretty much on schedule.

Toyota sold them their factory as part of a partnership that involved Tesla producing several RAV4 Tesla powered prototypes which they did and delivered early.

Daimler is using their technology for their all electric Smart car.

I am in this for the long run. I am not an investor, I am a beliver that the time has come and Tesla is the manufacturer using a silicon valley approach to the car biz.

The all electric cars from the big auto makers came about when Tesla was already in production, and so far I am not impressed with any of them.

Tesla did it first like their namesake, but naming themselves after Tesla means so much more. It means they know their history and are not going to get beat out like Tesla was.

Tesla isn't the only iron Mr. Musk has in the fire. He is really making boeing and other nervous in that he has developed and successfully launched the Falcon rocket to take advantage of the commercialization of our space program. MOst experienced contractors take a decade to come out with a successful launch of a new design. Musk did it in two years from scratch.
His company is Space X.
http://www.spacex.com/

Mr. Musk is a very busy man. He does not have the time to dawdle with pipe dreams. Any more than he did when he and two buddies invented Pay Pal where the money to change the world as we know it came from.

Tesla will not go bust, and I really don't believe it will be sold. Just shares to those of us that want some, and I'll just have to wait a year for the model S in my drivceway.
I guess the naysayers haven't factored in the economies of scale.

However my piddling amount as a keeper investment is nothing. But I am voting with my wallet. And having a blast.

So trot out your facts folks and come here making light. I trot out only one. Tesla had the only highway capable car two years before the others even thought about all electric, and has a waiting list for all of his cars.

Now that is . . . a fact! ;)