G. David Felt

Thank you, for understanding my thoughts, and yes, mixing up revenue with profit. In regards to your last statement, Tesla has stated they will never have it as a profit center but as a break even center that supports their auto industry products. Interesting read: https://www.tesla.com/support/supercharging Here is another discussion on it in the Tesla Motor Club forum asking if charging networks can ever be profitable and what is the cost. Seems $3,500 is the cost per month for a traditional charging station. I do wonder how they truly justify that cost. Yet, still an interesting read. https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/can-the-supercharger-network-be-profitable.154320/ Good read on Electrify America and if they are making money. https://technotes.seastrom.com/2020/03/01/electrify-america.html Plus a comparison with the Tesla network. Very interesting read.

Will say that Pierce county which is where Tacoma is located is now reporting deaths and increase in infections but no numbers on the news this morning. I suspect this afternoon we will see just how much it has increased down there. Clearly places that have more frequent travelers are more susceptible to getting infected faster.

Awesome Train, thanks for posting

Bigger question to ask is why is the power companies not jumping on this as it would increase their income potential. It is understandable why gas companies would not do this as they want EVs dead and just burn baby burn along with Drill baby Drill and Pump Baby Pump. For auto companies, there is the money making capabilities of having your own charging network. I would think local power companies would love to have a charging network as an additional source of income. That is why Tesla built there network of super chargers to support their auto's and it makes sense for an auto company to build a network so there is an income potential. A bigger question is how much income potential to cost is there. Once people can get the type of auto they want in EV format and change their thinking to plugging in at home or having a wireless pad they drive over to charge from, the income potential for chargers changes much lower I would think.

According to this story I found from last year :https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/jan/03/gm-now-top-automaker-in-mexico-as-it-idles-us-fact/ Chevrolet Trax, Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain, Chevrolet Blazer and Chevrolet Silverado

I would agree with you, but so many govs around the world are saying to flatten the curve, stop people from moving around especially those that have the virus and are in an incubation period and do not realize they are sick. Stopping them from moving around would limit their contact with others who will get sick. Sucks, I agree and I have not stopped living my life as common sense cleanliness is what keeps the healthy, healthy. Wash hands, sanitize, use tissues rather than your finger for your nose, etc. Seems common sense, but I guess not so common.

California has shut down the state and issued a first Stay at home / Stay in place order. Except for going out for food, no one is to travel. Transit shut down, state shut down. This is forcing Tesla to comply with a shutdown starting March 24th of their Fremont assembly line. https://www.newsweek.com/california-worlds-biggest-economy-lockdown-governor-orders-residents-stay-home-1493352 https://electrek.co/2020/03/19/tesla-factory-shutdown-starting-march-24/ California is the Worlds 5th largest economy. Now shutdown, WOW ?

Seems GM Mexico plants are now to be shutdown for Coronavirus concerns. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus/gm-mexico-to-halt-operations-at-san-luis-potosi-plant-from-march-20-april-13-idUSKBN21646Q

$3 dollar low cost virtual tour of the Peterson Automotive Museum to keep staff employed and keep the education virtual tours for schools free. https://www.thedrive.com/tech/32642/take-a-virtual-tour-of-the-petersen-automotive-museums-stunning-vault-from-your-couch Cool read, some amazing auto's. All from the safety of your home keeping you socially distant! Funny read for those interested in a little history of the Military and their search for the best hand gun. XM-10 or wiener gun as some call it. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/32663/hot-dog-gun-shows-how-someone-really-felt-about-the-armys-failed-xm10-pistol-competition BIG NEWS BIG NEWS BIG NEWS https://www.thedrive.com/news/32651/2020-chevrolet-corvette-c8-orders-closed-after-overwhelming-demand Yup, Corvette C8 orders are closed for 2020. Over whelming demand has this year all sold out. May 21st 2020 you can order your 2021 Corvette C8. First shipment of C8 Corvettes have left the building for delivery. https://www.thedrive.com/news/32478/get-ready-america-first-2020-chevrolet-corvette-c8-shipment-has-left-the-building C8 versus C7 comparison on the track. Very cool video with Pro's and Con's. https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/32486/c8-corvette-vs-c7-corvette-zr1-side-by-side-laps-show-mid-engine-pros-and-cons Seems the C8 might be getting Carbon Fiber rims just like the Mustang got. Pretty cool I think. https://www.thedrive.com/news/32337/these-might-be-the-chevrolet-c8-corvette-z06s-carbon-wheels Over all, excited to see the C8 out on the roads soon.

Cool read on the thoughts and focus of GM's EV plans through 2025. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/automakers-note-general-motors-ev-154903848.html The above link talks about GM's plans, what other auto makers are doing and where they see the market going. https://electrek.co/2019/05/28/gm-ev-charging-network/ Interesting take on GM's own charging network and the lack of investing in it themselves and how it could end up hurting GM. Very interesting read as well. It will be interesting to see how the EV rollouts play out with the global pandemic of Coronavirus and how they get work done.

That would be so COOL to have a Suicide Crew Cab! The space you would have to get things into the back if you folded the seats down or removed them. Love the Idea, wonder if they could get a High Strength low Alloy steel into the doors and roof sections above the doors to support this and hold up during a roll over. ?

Right! This clearly needs more time in the kitchen before they bake it and serve it up to the public.

Love how you ignore posting any links to back yourself up. Let me help you with correcting your CONFUSED info. Daimler ended 2019 according to Yahoo finance with a NEGATIVE -$2,947,000 or negative 2.9 billion cash flow. https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DDAIF/cash-flow/ By Balance Sheet, Daimler has $26.775 billion cash on hand. Yet they are burning through it and before this year is out, much of this will disappear. https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DDAIF/balance-sheet?p=DDAIF Since you like Yahoo, lets look at the numbers of GM: Cash Flow - https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GM/cash-flow?p=GM GM is Negative $8.9 Billion Balance Sheet - https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GM/balance-sheet?p=GM GM is $23.2 billion in cash. So Yes, Daimler has $3 billion more cash than GM. Daimler has $74 billion more than GM in total Assets. That is a small amount in regards to GM NOT having to pay Diesel Gate where Daimler will and that is still Billions to come. Now with Coronavirus shutting the world down, get ready for Depression and the cost of it. I would not bet on Daimler doing any better than GM even with EVs in testing, Daimler has NOT delivered selling them yet where GM has been selling the Bolt for a few years. One Cannot call success when nothing has been delivered YET! 2020 is INTERESTING TIMES! There is a difference between Cash Flow and Cash on Hand and you need to be clear on that when discussing financials.

LOL, No problem, I was just curios to understand. Thank you for responding.

That would be true as it applies to Tesla and their mess of assembly line production. In regards to Rivian, where CEO RJ has stated that it is a mistake to attempt to re-invent the wheel when you can learn from the existing auto companies. I believe he is looking at what they do right, what they have done wrong in production to side step making the mistakes Tesla has and continue to make. We will know this fall when they go into full production and delivery and see how the quality is. I am actually interested to see the F150 EV and Rivian R1T compared side by side and how the reviewers write it up.

Would not be the first company to pay fees to deal with CO2. Plenty of companies have paid them including Daimler. Second, Daimler DOES NOT have more Cash on Hand than GM. You really need to check your FACTS before you state such Nonsense. GM - https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/GM/general-motors/cash-on-hand Daimler - https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/DDAIF/daimler-ag/cash-on-hand Daimler had break even in 2018 due to Diesel gate and is bleeding cash. Daimler has more assets than GM, but that is too be expected. Right now Daimler is working to increase cash. If ya DO NOT LIKE the chart above, here is another one that shows them with even more detail. Daimler - https://ycharts.com/companies/DDAIF/free_cash_flow You could say they have more cash and Equivalent when you look at their released report. https://annualreport.daimler.com/ar2019/financial-statements/cash-flow-statement That is all wiped out when you take into account their expenses of Fines which does wipe this out. THEY ARE BLEEDING MONEY! Wanna Compare it to GM's Cash on hand - Far more Money Than Daimler Compare the Positives from GM to all the negatives from Daimler from https://ycharts.com/companies/GM/cash_on_hand Here is GM's 2019 Yearly Report. I give ya the snapshot view. https://investor.gm.com/static-files/16cada71-8b97-4222-98b2-a8ddb685c402

Yes, true it did not mention Rivian. My mistake, I tend to think of Rivian since they do not have the legacy baggage to carry in comparison to the Detroit 3. I can see them still having a leg up since they do not have to deal with the past as an ICE builder. Thank you for that correction.

Supposedly Ford and GM are in talks with the White House on helping to build Ventilators for the Hospitals and world to help Coronavirus patients. https://www.autoblog.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-ford-gm-could-build-ventilators/

Have to say this had me laughing as to what a Kia pickup truck would look like. Two photoshop versions that give one a Chevrolet / Kia truck and another a clear old GMC Concept / Kia looking truck with suicide doors. The GMC /Kia looks so dated as I remember the GMC concept when it came out. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/kia-pickup-rendering-looks-like-a-silverado-optima-mix-141955.html# The GMC/Kia truck is an actual Kia Concept called the KCV-4.

Rivian responded to a question about production delay due to Coronavirus and said that they were not impacted in their schedule to begin production and delivery. Seems the Rivian forum based on a patent filed at the end of 2019 would lend belief to the Police department use of Rivian R1T and R1S in their fleets as they would have more than enough space inside especially with the custom seat that embraces the use by officers of all the equipment they wear. Also some pretty cool renderings of what the Police versions would look like. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/rivian-pickup-truck-suv-rendered-with-police-livery-off-road-mods-six-wheels-141969.html

FYI, Washington State just updated our numbers. 74 dead and 1,376 infected in isolation with Coronavirus. 15,819 people tested. https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-updates-washington-state/281-28696f19-ae8b-4a07-be1b-6306c3e6fc24 We also have a map of the state by county with the numbers of dead and infected. https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/tracking-coronavirus-outbreak-in-washington-state/281-087d2383-e25b-4c09-afdf-df526506cee9 Pandemic Craziness, but gotta work through this. We were warned in 2006 by the epidermologist doctor who helped defeat smallpox of a pandemic and sadly while the next two administrations listened which helped us avoid sars / mars, the medical advice fell on deaf ears. https://www.wired.com/story/coronavirus-interview-larry-brilliant-smallpox-epidemiologist/ Really good read for those interested from a medical standpoint and what to expect next.

@daves87rs So why the down vote on my service speed test? ? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Mercedes Benz Employees shut down the Spain plant as MB had no plans on how to keep the workers safe. MB has now stated 2020 warning for profits and possible losses due to the need to shut down assembly plants. This is not just a GM and Ford worry issue. But doing the right thing to protect humanity. MB will see a further delay in getting out their first EV for real time sales and NO I am not going to accept that the Compliance EV MB sold in select markets was their first. MB has NO EVs for sale. As such, they also are going to have reduced if not flat out no more sales of select models as they close plants and then cut models. Good chance you will not see many of the AMG models around by summer. https://www.al.com/business/2020/03/work-continues-at-mercedes-benz-plant-but-supply-chain-could-be-affected.html Per this story, Daimler has stopped work at all European plants and moved their US plant to a 6hr shift and admitted that parts are getting short, will probably have to stop production. Honda has stopped all work, as well as Hyundai. Daimler is going to be hurting for cash as they still have fines and fees to pay for their Diesel gate mess. I am thinking we will see MB have to push out by 1 if not 2 years their EVs coming to market.

Like the Energizer Bunny, I keep going, an going, an going................................. ?

Interesting video on the comparison of GM EVs to Tesla. Interesting read that GM has started the retooling of the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. https://electrek.co/2020/03/17/gm-starts-retooling-its-detroit-plant-for-electric-vehicles-despite-coronavirus/ Quote: I’d like to thank the membership of Local 22, who has been committed to building cars, whether it’s the end of the CT6 and the Impala, and definitely committed to building all-electric vehicles here. Every day, they come to work to do the right thing for General Motors and do the right thing for their families. I just want to thank that membership out there, that comes to work every day no matter what it is, with their heads held high to build quality vehicles for General Motors. We are going to do any and everything it takes to make this possible. This is an interesting read by Forbes on why Traditional auto makers will struggle with EVs compared to Tesla and up coming Rivian. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brookecrothers/2020/03/15/tesla-vs-everyone-else-why-electric-cars-from-traditional-carmakers-will-continue-to-struggle-against-the-model-3-model-y-in-the-us/#15afe50c9d3a