fredman,
You're welcome. I hope you don't think my answers to your last are in any way argumentative.
You wrote:
"The sole limiting factor in Electric Vehicles is Battery technology.
I don't understand. You speak as if you haven't yet wrapped your mind around the fact that Tesla did not go public until they had their cars in production for a year or more. I hear those kinds of statements all the time. It is as if people can't seem to get that it isn't a concept, it is a fact already. All the limits have already been smashed. Here's a quote from my last Tesla newsletter:
"Over 1,500 Tesla Roadsters around the world have now driven more than 10 million real-world miles, the greatest distance covered by any electric vehicle maker to date. Said Tesla CEO Elon Musk: "We owe this achievement to Roadster drivers around the world and their pioneering adoption of electric vehicles."
You wrote:
"Tesla has a great, lightweight platform, and robust technology to build upon."
I would reword that sentence to read that Tesla has a great , lightweight platform, and robust technology already on the road and proven. They will reap the rewards of being the "first in" with more than a poor performing and shorter range econo car.
You see the other auto makers are a full 5 years behind Tesla. Tesla had the roadster in production when Nissan et al announced they were going to produce electric cars two years before they, with all their experience, brought their cars to market.
The other manufacturers have to license their technology to even come close. Toyota all but gave Tesla their Fremont California factory in a deal that included a Tesla built electric Rav4. The Fremont factory is already nearly geared up for production of the Model S starting next year. You see Toyota and Daimler did not believe electrics would actually happen this time, and they were so far behind that they bought into Tesla to reap some of their experience to play catch up.
But here is the part that while it seems obvious to me, many haven't even mentioned. By partnering with two major manufacturers Tesla might also reap the benefits of having an existing global repair and dealer network that knows how to work on Tesla technology. But for profits it does not really matter to us investoprs if they say Tesla or Toyota or Daimler on them as long as we are the supplier. There is some irony in the reversal where the Japanese will be dependent on parts from us instead of us being dependent on them.
You wrote:
"I truly believe Super Capacitor technology is the key to EV's for the masses."
That very well may be. That may become the wave of a future time as part of the economies of scale. Hopwever the key to EVs for the masses is manufacturing them, and Tesla has been doing that longer than anybody. Electrics are here, and here to stay.
You wrote:
Oil and Gas prices it seems are ever - rising, and at some point, it will be more cost effective to drive an EV. 300 miles range seems to be the sweet spot for consumers. Quick-charge capability (5 - 15 minutes) is also important for consumers to buy into the new technology.
Tesla has been 300 miles range for awhile, and has overnight charging, three hour charging, and one hour charging already. All it would take is to have high capacity charging stations every 200 miles across the interstate networks, a transitional profit maker for truck stops, because after driving 200 miles most folks are ready for lunch or to stretch the legs and one hour is just about right for me. BTW the cost of fuel was high enough for GM to do the EV1 and I don't think the oil interests liked that then, and not now either.
You wrote:
"I believe TSLA will be bought out (or spun apart) by a larger car manufacturer. How about TSLA and TATA merger. I am waiting until TSLA trades lower than IPO levels, imo."
I don't know where that came from but I believe that if sold it would be a good thing for investors. Good luck waiting for them to drop to IPO levels. Most non-investors in Tesla are doing a lot of predicting and very little trading in the company.
I wasn't being contrary but it is as if many people can't grasp that this is not a future thing. It is a done deal, on the road, owners smiling, and many of us investing and waiting for the model S just like we waited for the roadster. I don't know if you are one of those or not. But you might want to attend a Tesla demo sometime. They are coming soon near you somewhere.
