G. David Felt

So it seems without China, Daimler would have had a very bad 2020 year across the board on all models, especially in the car business. Daimler Global Media Site Worse yet is Daimler shows a 33% reduction in 2020 for global sales. Yes Page 30 of their annual report. OUCH. Now looking at Tesla, continual increase in debt, interesting that unlike other auto companies that like their spreadsheets to clarify the business for all to compare and understand, there are few charts and mostly written words in Tesla filing with the SEC as the business requires. This would make an investor naturally wonder, what is being hidden here? Tesla, Inc. 2020 Annual Report 10-K (sec.report) Not much in this report shows Tesla growing, clearly they have debt.

WOW, You really do not understand investing nor the finicky nature of the stock market. Past performance does not guarantee future returns. 2020 2021 As one can see here Tesla took off during 2020 pandemic and went to the stars. Then in 2021 they pretty much are flaming out back into the Atlantic. Yes still better at 600 per share than the 87.48 of where they started 2020, but from the high of over 900, the drop is still very big.

Way to go with missing the point again and going off on Tangent. Jim Farley and Mary Barra have both worked their way up, they are no over educated care taker of a major brand and both have worked in growing companies. Not everyone can be Elon, Steve, Bill or Jeff and they are the Exception, not the rule to starting a company and growing it into a monster company. As a High Tech worker that has worked at no less than 30 start ups, half having died or the technology was bought by bigger companies, the other half can be put into two groups, those that grew and those that are still small. Many start up visionaries lack the ability to grow a technology to a global size company and have stay small and known as a boutique company. The other 25% also had smart leadership but knew their limits and were bought by larger companies that could grow them. Example is I worked for Isilon, a network attached unstructured storage company. We grew to almost $500 million in Sales. It was stretching the ability of the executive team which had no experience with anything that big or bigger. In comes EMC and buys up the company. Most executive leadership team honored their corporate contract for a year, but then left with their money. The rest of us making a little bit, but not able to retire stayed on to grow the business and under EMC leadership we became a $1.5 billion a year product in 2yrs. Then Dell Technologies comes along and buys EMC merging it in and now we have doubled in size again in the last 2 years. There are those that can grow a small business into a monster enterprise and those that cannot. Tesla under Musk is struggling and while he has the Golden mouth to get people to pay crazy stock prices and finance his business, this is the biggest he has ever dealt with as he took the easy way out to riches but selling out his own tech startup as he was challenged with growing it to be even bigger. Two different skill sets between a CEO like Jim or Mary and Musk. Right now Tesla stock price is going down, sales are going down, ability to compete and grow in a very competitive business segment seems to be maxing out Musk's skill set. Who knows how long he will last before he takes his money and runs. He has done it before and I expect he will do it again.

Yes depending on the source, a few dollars difference: Average New-Vehicle Prices Drop 2.3% in Q1 Contributing to Improved Vehicle Affordability - Cox Automotive Inc. (coxautoinc.com) $40,472 up 4.3% from 2020 for March 2021. New Models entering the BEV segment are driving down prices and Tesla is having the largest price drop on ATP. Full report is here: Average New-Vehicle Prices Remain Above $40,000 Threshold, Increase More Than 4% Year-Over-Year, According to Kelley Blue Book - Apr 15, 2021 (kbb.com) A more accurate look is by segment: Very interesting assessment of the BEV segment. QUOTE: While electrified vehicle consideration increases, automakers have continued producing more affordable options. Ford has introduced the Mustang Mach-E, which is reasonably priced with an average transaction price of $56,000 in March 2021, just above the segment average. The new Volkswagen ID.4, which began sales in Q1, is transacting at $45,287. Additionally, because Tesla is the brand with the majority market share, the drop in price for the Model 3 (down 7% year-over-year) and the introduction of the Model Y (priced at $54,000) has shifted the average transaction price of the segment as a whole. Lower prices for the Porsche Taycan also helped drive down average pricing in the segment.

So let me rip apart this statement with my own knowledge of working in Tech since 1991! Tesla DOES NOT say Cool. If it was Cool, then every Introverted Tech Worker would sell everything they had to have a Tesla and that is not happening as Millions of millions of Tech Workers do not own a Tesla. Cutting Edge, yes in SOME areas! They lead in Battery and Electric drive train due to being out building them longer than everyone else. With that said, the Legacy OEMs have and will catch up and surpass them due to built in suppliers, manufacturing, Century plus of building auto's on a global scale of which Tesla does not have and has continued to show it fails at as they try to re-invent the wheel, rather than learn from the history of the auto industry what works. Cutting Edge? That is a very subjective statement as while there are millions that think Apple is the best and cutting edge, there are Billions that would rather own an Android based product and find they can do everything that Apple can do at a reduced price. So which company is more Cutting Edge. The one that sells in small volume at a mid-range price point with an Ass Hole for a marketing talking mouth piece as CEO or a Company that serves the masses, has some high end models, but also has a better grasp on mid range and low end models? Yes that last bit is personal opinion, but then you have not bothered to ever stick with facts as you make your own opinion based statements as facts with never actually posting factual info or links to stated trusted news sources to back up your opinion based statements. As such, Tesla will not go away in the next decade or two, but I doubt it will reach 2240 as the company it is today, a over priced independent stock trading company.

That statement is false according to the over all auto news segment. This is just one of many from 2019 when Audi and Jaguar entered with their first BEVs. How Tesla Model X And S Sales Numbers Were Savaged By Audi And Jaguar (NASDAQ:TSLA) | Seeking Alpha This is ACTUAL FINANACIAL REVIEW of LOST MARKET SHARE BY TESLA TO FORD here in 2021 and there are more BEV competition coming this year. Rivian is just one example of a superior truck and SUV so far based on the actual auto details. Tesla lost market share to the Ford Mustang Mach-E - ValueWalk Here is one of the numerous latest reviews which shows Tesla is lagging in the competition at the equal price points. 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs. Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model 3 - Roadshow (cnet.com) Yes Tesla has areas that are superior to the competition but they also have much that is behind the competition now and Tesla is moving at a Glacial pace to update their auto's where everyone else is moving much faster in refreshing every 2 to 3 years and major updates every 6 to 7 compared to Tesla on an average of 12 years, gonna be 13 by the time the Tesla S Plaid gets out, could even go 14 as Tesla has FAILED at delivering on time. Here is a comparison of 2021 models with some interesting facts. 2021 Tesla Model Y vs. 2021 Jaguar I-Pace Comparison | Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com) Here is the sum up of the comparison and I have to say the writer / tester hit this center on target! QUOTE: There’s no escaping that the 2021 Tesla Model Y starts $18,000 lower than the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace, with even the top Performance trim is still more than $5,000 lower. With more room for cargo and passengers, better MPGe, and a significantly longer range, it’s pretty much a walkover. Yes, the Jag is less practical. But it’s luxurious, elegant, great to drive, better looking, and its 234 miles of range is more than anyone will need 90-plus percent of the time. Your brain says Tesla, while your heart says Jaguar. Here is a current long time Tesla owner who did an indepth drive, 5hrs and traded in his Tesla for a Mach-E and he is very clear as to why! Five-Hour Search Converts Longtime Tesla Owner to Mustang Mach-E Owner By Lunchtime | Ford Mustang Mach-E Forum - MachEforum.com <snip> Chuong added that his Teslas couldn’t match the quality of his new Mach-E. “(It’s) so much better than Tesla,” the Ford convert said. “It felt more solid and more comfortable. You can tell it was built by a company that has experience and there’s attention to detail and making sure it was done right.” <snip>.”

So then the fact that ATP for Tesla is Higher than the Germans is acceptable especially since they outdo Mercedes-Benz. How Tesla's Deliveries Compare With Luxury Rivals Audi, BMW, Mercedes (forbes.com) Quoting from this 2019 story: Tesla delivered 145k Model 3s in 2018, luxury market leader Mercedes delivered 2.4 million vehicles, with BMW delivering 2.1 million. Model 3 average selling prices are higher compared to Audi, BMW, and Mercedes So then your saying that a auto company that sells 145K auto's is better than one that sells 2.4 million? So then the EQS is truly not as good as the Plaid Tesla S. SO then HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN Global LOST Market Share, Dropping Stock price and pretty much every market looking at other auto companies BEVs in comparison to Tesla if they are the Golden standard?

TOXIC

FORD NEWS - Next Week is the reveal of the production Pickup Maverick! JUNE 8th 2021 Yes, it’s True. An All-New Compact Pickup is Coming to the Built Ford Tough Lineup: The All-New 2022 Ford Maverick | Ford Media Center Yes if you do not recognize her, this is Gabrielle Union. Actress / Singer

WOW, Seems Tesla is going cheaper after downgrading chips and parts in China made auto's but not lower costs in relation to the cheaper parts per China Government. Tesla's Terrible Year In China Is Not Getting Any Better (jalopnik.com) Tesla Is in Trouble With the Chinese Government After It Surreptitiously Downgraded the Chips in Some of Its Model 3s (businessinsider.com) Now sales have tanked for China almost 50% drop in orders. Tesla Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) - Tesla's China Orders Fall Almost 50% in May | Benzinga Stock taking the hit. Tesla Stock Price Dip After Chinese Sales Decline | HYPEBEAST Sales of alternative auto EVs are exploding, seems Tesla has a Problem.

Interesting speed video.

Seems the Hits keep coming to Tesla, per Musk, people who buy Tesla 3 & Y are not using their lumbar supports so bye bye they go but no price cut for the lost feature. Tesla has also removed all the radars in their auto's saying they can do full self driving with cameras only. So another safety feature Tesla talked about having Radar and Cameras in the past are gone and no you do not pay less. Seems for a luxury auto company, they are discontenting their auto's fast and rising prices with the blame on suppliers. Tesla Model 3 and Y Lose Adjustable Lumbar Due to "Almost no Usage" (motortrend.com) Interesting how as pointed out by the writer, Lumbar is one of those things you usually set and forget as it is not going to be tweaked daily so of course not much reporting in the logs. Tesla is starting to equal cheapness! ?

The Global Ocean has the largest amount of Lithium compared to other sources. Problem is that it is in extremely low concentrations. Scientists have cost-effectively harvested lithium from seawater - Electrek According to this story, seems scientists have come up with a way to harvest the lithium as well as a few other benefits. Is it too good to be true? That is a valid question, but seems the reviews of their science have been backed with positive reviews from peers. Scaling is now the next phase. If they can do this removing it from the oceans, getting other benefits also from filtering the ocean water, that would be a boon to lithium supplies.

Based on solid financial reviews, seems Tesla and the rest of the EV only companies are hurting. During the change over period, ICE will help finance BEV development and future growth. Ford and GM is both a recommended investment of $1,000 by Motley Fool for future growth that will be better than any of the EV startups. Tesla lost their biggest customer FCA that was buying Half a Billion a quarter in CO2 credits to offset the Ram, Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler lines. With the recent merge, they are now balanced by all the rest of the world tiny fuel efficient products. Hard for any company to replace $500,000,000 million a quarter loss like that and it was the bulk that gave Tesla a Profit. Next Quarter could be a red blood bath at Tesla as Sales are NOT going up as you have stated. Seems lots of people are interested in buying EV's but would rather have an established company with dealerships, service centers and a known history compared to Tesla. I do not see Tesla dying now, but as both Ford and GM roll out so many EV options over the next couple of years, this is going to hurt Tesla and we have all the other established auto makers also rolling out EVs. End result is Tesla is going to have to really step up and compete otherwise alternative things happen. GM and Ford Are Leaving Electric Vehicle Stocks in the Dust | The Motley Fool

Has a Glitch in the Matrix been found? Newsweek had this story on a reddit post, very interesting. Glitch in the Matrix' Found After People Spot 'CGI Water' Coming Out of Faucet (newsweek.com) The comments are amusing.

Pictures Please

Electric auto updates for the day. BYD, one of North America's largest school bus builders has announced their electric bus product line. The buses have a 155 mile range, more than enough for a typical bus route. They come in 35, 38 & 40 foot lengths with seating up to 84 kids and can be equipped with ADA liftgates. The buses much like what BYD sells in Europe will have bi-directional charging and BYD says that the electric school buses cut fuel cost and maintenance cost by 60% when compared to Diesel versions. I will say they are very nice compared to the school buses of the 80 I rode in growing up. BYD to Revolutionize Electric School Buses - BYD USA BMW has revealed their all-new I4 BEV sedan for North America with deliveries starting Autumn 2021. The first-ever BMW i4. (bmwgroup.com) You can find a very long list of firsts that BMW is claiming at the press release link above. There are also a ton of high res pictures and videos also. Just included two here of the HUGE kidney front end that is a Love Hate relationship I suspect for many. Tesla 3 was clearly the yard stick to measure by as this is a BMW clone pretty much of what Tesla Built. Interior dash Interior back with rear seats folded down. Not very flat for sure. Final news is from 7-Eleven. They had over the last couple decades moved away from having gas stations with their stores though one can find many around still. 7-Eleven has announced that by the end of 2021, they will have 500 Fast DC charging stations installed at select 7-Eleven stores. 7-Eleven has also stated that they are pushing to reduce their own CO2 emission by 50% by 2030 and this starts by having all Texas and Illinois stores powered by 100% wind energy. Florida stores will be powered by Solar energy. Other states will come online to support green energy as solutions are presented in each state joining their original state of Washington using 100% hydro power. Tuesday, June 01, 2021 PR: 7-Eleven Charges Forward with Installation of 500 Electric Vehicle Ports by End of 2022, Providing Convenient Charging Options that Drive a More Sustainable Future

The hey days of Tesla are behind them as more auto makers join the BEV market. Way superior options over Tesla. That is not to say that I am not grateful for Tesla pushing the EV market and they do have pretty solid powertrains, but that is where it ends. You can buy Tesla Power Trains and battery packs from various EV parts sellers like EVwest and use them in your own conversions, but the rest of Tesla Auto's seem to have found no market beyond his fanatic fans. Amazing the amount of parts from Tesla new, for sale. EV West - Electric Vehicle Parts, Components, EVSE Charging Stations, Electric Car Conversion Kits

@ocnblu is still around he was on here at 5:32pm on Sunday looking over things. Probably all the BEV stuff is making him a little upset in his tender tummy.

What else would you expect from a company that does not believe in BEV as they think the world should be Hydrogen.

Run Away

? Looking around and Tesla is NOT SAYING 750,000 miles of maintenance free driving. Cybertruck | Tesla Finally found the only places that mention that crazy figure and NO They do not quote Tesla, more of a Tesla Fanatic thinking Tesla can outlast everyone, but we have seen past and current quality and that is not happening with Tesla auto's. The Tesla Cybertruck Isn’t A Pickup — It's Much, Much More | CleanTechnica This is probably one of the best REALISTIC posts about Cybertruck. The person clearly states that the Heat Pump and Air Bladder system on the air suspension even if commercial grade will have to be replaced at 100,000 miles or at least rebuilt / serviced. Also an overall decent list of the service / replacement parts that would be needed on the Cybertruck. CyberTruck longevity | Tesla Motors Club Best part of this is that someone on the channel was stupid enough to say that Tesla's outlast all ICE. Another person posted a nice long list of competition trucks all between 461,000 and 872,000 miles on the odometer, verified via carfax listed for sale on autotrader at dealerships. Hard to have a GM or Ford that clearly has outlasted any current Tesla and for sale.

Key Lime Pie

Toyota has brought their First BEV that will go into production to the US for feedback from the public. BZ4X is their awd CUV with an estimated 250-300 miles of battery range.

German Car Watching