G. David Felt

More Tesla News - Seems Tesla is looking at Central USA for building their CyberTruck and Semi. https://electrek.co/2020/03/10/tesla-build-cybertruck-central-usa-possibly-texas/ Even with Covad19 virus, Tesla is moving forward with expansion to meet demand and add Semi truck and cybertruck building to the Shanghai plant on top of added battery production capacity along with all power plant production and more. https://electrek.co/2020/03/11/tesla-gigafactory-shanghai-drone-video-massive-new-building/#more-125964 Seems that Motorcycle companies are getting into the electric bike business where they are reasonable in price, averaging $1,688 per bike. They can go 20 mph on throttle alone or 25 mph with pedal assist. Have to say, they are pretty cool bikes. https://electrek.co/2020/03/11/csc-ft750-electric-bicycle-review-csc-motorcycles/ First Mustang Mach e review https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/ford-mustang-mach-e-awd-suv-electric-ev-ridealong/ Have to say after reading this, I am more excited to see one in person and test drive it. I am really liking the looks of this EV! Seems 6 out of 10 buyers for the first year are conquest buyers from other EVs.

Seems some think the Covad19 virus will slow down the release and change to EVs. https://electrek.co/2020/03/10/coronavirus-threatens-momentum-for-electric-vehicles/

Escalade EV and Hummer EV are on our list now for the wife along with Rivian and Mustang Mach e. I know many of my coworkers are excited to see these coming as many are on 8 to 10 year old auto's awaiting CUV/SUV EVs that are bigger than a Leaf / Bolt. I truly believe we have pent up demand as people want what they have in current ICE auto's but in EV and as these come to market with much less maintenance, I suspect we will see a big change to EVs with a drop in value on used ICE auto's that should help folks get into first auto's. I think we are at a cusp point where over the next 2-3 years we will start to see a major change in type of auto's that are purchased.

With the amount of Investment capital being thrown around now, I think we have seen a change in long term investment and goals for tech. Tesla has changed how many start ups are run. Yes being profitable became a requirement 2 years ago, they clearly are finally able to make a profit as I do not think Tesla would be able to keep growing. Re-investing in themselves long term is more important than paying out a dividend and clearly investors are in agreement with this strategy.

WOW, Alaska Airlines and Southwest to cut scheduled flights and furlough employees as people flying has dropped majorly. Companies have also stated they have informed Boeing of delaying delivers of new planes. Economy will see a big hit this quarter. https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/alaska-southwest-battered-by-decline-in-air-travel-due-to-coronavirus-prepare-to-cut-flights/

Interesting, one local burger chain, yes their burgers are very yummy is asking for people to use plastic rather than cash over concerns that covad19 could be on the money. https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/dicks-drive-in-urges-customers-to-avoid-paying-with-cash-to-slow-spread-of-coronavirus/ This does make me think we could see a bigger push to go digital currency like Sweden has done with less than 5% of transactions cash now compared to plastic. Canada just surpassed Sweden in the use of cashless transactions. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-are-the-world-s-most-cashless-countries.html

Good read for those interested in the covad19, my local hospital is leading the efforts. Not a single patient to patient transfer nor has a single employee gotten sick. Very good practices at this outstanding hospital. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/how-a-team-of-seattle-area-doctors-discovered-the-nations-first-major-outbreak-of-coronavirus/ For those that like Engineering projects, the worlds longest pedestrain bridge is being built at SeaTac airport to connect the international arrival terminal to the main airport rather than have everything under ground. Pretty impressive on the web site. https://www.portseattle.org/blog/five-fast-facts-about-iaf-pedestrian-walkway The pictures and video are very cool to see the big planes taxing underneath it. To be completed and opened this coming fall. Interesting note is that Covad19 is not slowing down international travel as much as I would have thought here.

Very interesting that they, the various web sites constantly call it a truck. Still makes a mess that has to be cleaned up carefully if inside a CUV/SUV/Hatchback and is more expensive and then there is the waste of plastic bagging except for cement where they use paper bags. Easier and faster in a mini truck I think.

People want their nice warm cab, not a dusty mess of a car from having cement bags thrown in. Most that want a mini truck want that ease of just tossing anything / everything into the bed and hose it out. You cannot do that with a station wagon, suburban, suv/cuv/hatchback car. Plenty of valid reasons to have a mini truck. This does not take away that you can do much with a Hatchback car, but most hatchbacks are dead and cars have limited pass through access. CUVs/SUVs can do the truck job, but not all. Try going to your local dealer in mulch, bark, top soil etc. where you want a load and you cannot get that in any auto other than a truck and a mini truck does it just fine.

Many companies have started out the first 5 to 10 years loosing money before they become profitable and they survive due to the public believing in the company. Here I believe the public has spoken about Tesla, Hate it or love it, the public believes it is the future of where auto transportation has to move too no matter what the cost of gas, oil or ICE auto's. Clearly tech is moving it forward and companies that move forward will survive even while taking a loss in the short term compared to the long term. I honestly believe Tesla is at a tipping point where they will be able to survive and be profitable.

Chevy Luv truck Series 5 that I was given by my dad when he got a new truck was able to handle 1000 lbs and was a decent 2 person truck. A car or Hatchback cannot do what that mini Truck did and how well those size trucks serve many families and city dwellers. Not everyone want to live in the suburbs or rural thank goodness for that. let them have their mini trucks and cities.

NEWS ALERT - NY Auto Show Originally scheduled for April 8th is now going to happen August 28th. https://jalopnik.com/coronavirus-pushes-new-york-auto-show-back-to-august-1842248799 Ford Raptor has Competition in the form of a Ram Rebel TRX with the 700hp Hellcat motor. https://jalopnik.com/new-ram-rebel-trx-get-glorious-700-hp-hellcat-engine-r-1842248106

@Robert Hall Thought you would enjoy this Green Machine. https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/03/rare-rides-a-stunning-1978-pontiac-bonneville-coupe/ Amazing pictures of the Geneva auto show that never happened. https://www.thedrive.com/news/32414/see-what-the-abandoned-geneva-motor-show-looks-like-thanks-to-coronavirus Uglies when you have too much tongue load compared to having the weight over the axle of the trailer your towing. https://www.thedrive.com/news/32511/this-is-what-couldve-gone-wrong-with-this-jeep-gladiators-bent-frame $200,000 and you can be the new owner of the Cheetah auto company. All molds, tools, etc. are included. https://www.thedrive.com/news/32502/nows-your-chance-to-keep-the-iconic-cheetah-muscle-car-alive Just have to sell some of these customer sports cars.

Gotta Say Lexus has this commercial Nailed for the LS500. Course the original was also good.

Today is Tesla Day due to all the news about their growth. First, Tesla produced their 1 millionth EV. https://electrek.co/2020/03/09/tesla-produces-1000000th-electric-car/ A 3rd party company called UnPlugged just showed that their modded Tesla 3 is beating the McLaren F1's at the track. https://electrek.co/2020/03/10/tesla-model-3-modded-unplugged-performance-beat-mclaren-f1-racetrack-video/#more-125818 Dealer Asscoiation banded Tesla from the KC autoshow, so the local owners put on their own show in the parking lot. https://electrek.co/2020/03/10/tesla-banned-kc-auto-show-owners-volunteer/ This next story I have to say is freaking funny. Local Texas Lexus Dealership spammed Tesla Owners saying the following: Pretty sure Lexus auto's are full of Toyota Compromises! ? https://electrek.co/2020/03/10/lexus-dealer-spams-tesla/#more-125882 BMW has killed the ix3 Electric CUV as the BMW Dealers said no one wants an Electric CUV that has such limited range. The CUV was planned to come with only a 74kW battery pack, good for a pathetic range of 200km equals 128 miles in the US. The only place the ix3 will be sold is in China. The US first full fledged BMW EV is the i4 sedan now that will come with an EPA of 373 miles, though many think real world use will be close to 300 miles. https://electrek.co/2020/03/10/who-killed-the-electric-bmw-ix3-us-dealers-wanting-longer-range/#more-125819

Glad you made it there and back and no bugs that you know of came home with you then? I hear all of Italy is under lock n key now till the coronavirus is over. So basic transportation, so was the interior just all hard plastics and basic cloth seats then?

Maybe FCA will bring this here then? Course, I could not find my post from 6 years ago about the Nissan Leaf Pickup project, but this could have a use case I believe for inner city use. https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1094509_worlds-first-nissan-leaf-electric-pickup-truck-for-shop-use-only

I can honestly say there is a market for a 2 person mini pickup like this. So many coworkers have bought old used Toyota, Datsuns, Chevy Luv trucks as space is tight and they want a small truck like this. Not everyone or everything needs a full size or mid size pickup.

@dwightlooi I would like your thoughts on this HET Electric motor. https://www.autoblog.com/2020/03/08/hunstable-electric-turbine/ I think this has great potential and it will be interesting to see who brings this to market first. American, European, Asian or Chinese. Yes I took Chinese out of the Asian group as they are bigger and very different than the others. So your Glass is half empty and leaking by the second. Got it, you see GM as dying and going away one day. Right...........

Bronco looks good, yet I have to wonder about quality as Ford has not been hitting that lately. https://www.thedrive.com/news/32517/this-is-the-2021-ford-bronco-sport-completely-uncovered https://www.thedrive.com/news/32493/here-are-the-2021-bronco-photos-ford-doesnt-want-you-to-see https://www.thedrive.com/news/32523/this-might-be-a-photo-of-the-real-2021-ford-bronco https://jalopnik.com/2021-ford-bronco-sport-this-is-it-1842211520 https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2021-ford-bronco-revealed-leaked/ Mini Pickups I believe have always had a spot in society especially in the inner city. https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/ford-ranger-pickup-truck-dealers/ Will be interesting that is for sure especially if gas hits $1 a gallon due to the global economy and the oil war between Russia, Saudi Arabia and the US.

I know I have seen this before. Is it a Graham Auto? Thinking on this, reminds me of the Dodge Graham hood ornament.

@oldshurst442 @balthazar I understand what you both are saying. Yet, now that we have Hummer by GMC, I honestly could see GM do a Legends by GMC where they do special edition autos from Oldmobile, Pontiac, and even throw in a new 21st century EV Grand National by Buick. From a marketing standpoint there is much they could do with and make money off some of the amazing bad ass rides from the past.

Thinking on this, GM could bring back a 21st century 442! 4 = 400 kW of power 4 = 4 Motors, AWD with Torque Vectoring 2 = 2 door sports EV that kicks Tesla Ludicrous Mode! I can envision many awesome driving machines with EV power trains on our Glorious Auto History. @oldshurst442 What cha think?

Very exciting to see what the end result becomes once on the dealership lot. I think a new auto will be in my future between 2021 to 2024 depending on release time.

Even Raptors love to play in the snow. Awesome big ass truck with the 6.2L V8 An American Legend!