Disclaimer: I have been hesitating whether to write this article for some months now. I am not an engineer. I am an environmental advocate and avid cleantech follower. I had really hoped an engineer would cover this story, but I have not seen an article that covers this aspect of Tesla’s technology. (I could have missed it.)
To the average person, a picture of the Model Y probably looks like a sedan. Some of the wider markets have not responded well to the Model Y because it does not look like a traditional SUV. Let’s take a closer look.
82% of Tesla customers did not test drive a Model 3 before purchasing it. 82% of them! Why? First, the reputation and quality of Tesla precedes itself. Secondly, as I have written a few times before, Tesla is not just a company; it’s a movement. Some people are scoffing, “Who will buy a car without a test drive?” The answer: people who understand civilization could easily collapse if climate change is not addressed in a timely fashion, and people who want the best vehicle ever made by many accounts.
Currently, Tesla has a market capitalization of $62.71 billion, whereas GM is only valued at $48.58 billion. However, keep in mind that in 2009, GM fell to a value of $1.06 billion. Many economists are starting to predict another recession on the horizon. Moreover, self-driving taxis could take annual global demand for cars from 88 million to a notably smaller fraction of that. Even if that does not occur, the largest car market, China, is rapidly switching to electric. It appears that GM is flatfooted and not prepared for either scenario.
I have watched every single Elon Musk interview I can find. People often ask the same questions of him (which is unfortunate since there is so much more we would all like to know). One of those questions is, “how does one start a successful company?” Elon will essentially respond with two main simple pieces of advice. First, work 100 hours a week, and secondly, ask for as much constructive criticism as possible. It is within this spirit that this article is written.
Buying a Tesla is the most important thing you can do for the environment because it will help to dramatically lower the cost of batteries, making a 100% renewable grid affordable. Elon Musk recently said (and he is right!), “I think it’s probably fair to say that Tesla (our customers) has advanced sustainable energy by at least five years, conservatively, and maybe closer to 10, and then if we continue to make progress, we might advance it by 20 years. This could be all the difference in the world.”
New Mexico has elected US Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham to become its new governor by an impressive 14 point margin. The previous governor, Susan Martinez, was a climate change denier (she was not up for re-election). In her Clean Power, Clean Future plan, Grisham stated: “Inaction by the Martinez Administration has left us falling behind other states in pursuing renewable energy and clean tech industries.”
This article is a followup to another CleanTechnica article: Tesla’s Secret Weapon. The title of this one contains an asterisk, because a more accurate (but too long) title would be “How Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company Will Help Save the World and Reform Capitalism in the Process.” Apologies if the title is clickbaity or bombastic.
In November, the residents of the State of Washington will vote directly on proposition I-1631 which would establish a pollution fee. Proponents of the initiative have stated the difference between a “pollution fee” and a “carbon tax” is that the fee must go directly towards funding solutions.
China’s National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) has written a draft policy that would increase the renewable energy target from 20% to 35% by 2030.
