I am dumbfounded by the Tesla Supercharger Team layoffs

I think they might have a chance, IF they got a CEO who's actually interested in running a car company -- which Musk is clearly bored with -- and has some idea how to do it.

 

Tesla's Supercharger network, when it was exclusively for Tesla cars, was the deal-maker for many Tesla customers. Opening up the Superchargers to other EVs makes the company's survival less likely.

Will Elon sell Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink to the Chinese?

 

Regardless, just voted my shares. Didn't't see anything about SuperChargers.

Bob Wilson

 

I believe Elon will sell at least part of supercharger network eventually. He might keep some it in large cities for the robo-taxis.

The sale to the Chinese of SpaceX and Starlink would probably get blocked by the government. So not likely.

 

There comes a point of diminishing returns where the expense does not return the same profits as the earlier expenditures. Begging the question, what is the best ratio of fast DC chargers and the size of the EV fleet?

In 2019, there were significant gaps in the SuperCharger network that were badly filled by slow L2 chargers, RV park plugs, and even L1 charging. In those pioneering days, a lot of lessons were learned. So my visit to my Mom:

• dog leg south to Tupelo MS
• Supercharger in Memphis TN
• dog leg to south side of Little Rock AR
• RV park or 'shore power', NEMA 14-50 plugs
• dog leg north to Joplin MO
• RV park NEMA 14-50 in Coffeyville KS

My last visit to Coffeyville in 2022:

• ChargePoint CCS-1, 65 kW in Tuscumbia AL
• Multiple Superchargers in Memphis TN
• Supercharger in Brinkly AR
• Multiple Superchargers in Little Rock AR
• Multiple Superchargers near Fort Smith AR
• Multiple Superchargers in Tulsa OK
• RV park NEMA 14-50 in Coffeyville KS

Tesla had to build out a SuperCharger network or suffer the horrible fate of the CCS-1 and CHAdeMO community. CCS-1 charging experiences were (and somewhat remain) dreadful enough to hurt sales (i.e., buy a Tesla.) Adding SuperCharger access to CCS-1 vehicles did Tesla less good than Tesla adding CCS-1 capability to their vehicles.

I too would like to see a Tesla charging station about 100 miles apart in truck stops along the Interstate highways and the edge where they approach the perimeter of large, towns and cities. But the urgency is not there today compared to 5 years ago. Last years solution to last years problem is not the best way to make a profit today with stock holder money.

Time to work on EV areas that have been sadly neglected.

Bob Wilson

 

It's not just superchargers. He is really cleaning house!
https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-executives-who-left-company-elon-musk-layoffs-2024-5#rohan-patel-vice-president-public-policy-and-business-development-6
The question is will this help the company get back on a stronger footing with costs and new product development. Or is it getting ready for a lot more pain on the ride down before a recovery can begin.

Tesla has a lot of investment and value with all their manufacturing facilities and intellectual property. Musk is not going to let that go down the tube.

 

He can always find a job at Lordstown, Fisker, Rivian, Lucid, or GM.

Bob Wilson

 

Hold your breath, Film at 11.

 

Executives and employees are no different from politicians. They get stale and sedentary. This could actually work to the advantage of the company. I predicted Tesla would never get off the ground in the first place. I did not think there was a market, and I did not think he could hope to compete with established auto-manufacturing. I refused to buy any of the stock. At this point I'm not going to be dumb enough to second guess anything the man might do. He assembled a team that figured out how to drop a spent rocket assembly on a floating platform returning from the edge of outer space. I'm sure he can put together a replacement team to manage rollout of the Supercharger network more to his liking and make it work.

Insulting someone who has managed to accomplish some of the things he has, seems a bit like extreme jealousy and envy. Sounds a bit like the over-charged political situation, perhaps one might take a step back, simply state any concerns with a rational voice, and wait and see how it plays out.

 

Hmm, I think Fisker and Lucid might make it. I'm still stunned, that GM can't get it's poopey in a bag. I think Hyundai/Kia took a great approach, and I'm also stunned Nissan, a pioneer in the EV industry never managed to turn LEAF into a brand like Hyundai has with IONIQ. I think too much short term thinking really keeps the big boys at bay. I also think the maintenance and reliability angle had something to do with it. If you can get batteries the original 2012-13 Leafs still run like new. Electric stuff just doesn't break down much, and when it does it's much simpler to repair. I think one of the big selling points for new vehicles is that after 10 or so years, small reliability things start affecting ICE vehicles, some which are expensive, at which point people that can afford it start buying newer vehicles, keeping a pipeline of vehicles flowing. I think this will slow somewhat with EV's, as people will generally keep them longer. I know I'm not thinking about preemptively replacing the timing belt, water pump, and serpentine on my EV.

 

Between allowing other brands to use Supercharging while simultaneously getting rid of the entire team, Elon may have finally gone too far.

First, Supercharging access was one of the big selling points for the cars. By opening them up, you lost that advantage.

Second, just at the moment when EV charging infrastructure is about to explode, you fire the team.

The combination of those two massive **** ups may combine to not only sink Tesla, but hamper the entire electric vehicle transition.

Cliff Notes: Elon is a moron, and is clearly out of his depth.


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs

 

The common practice is to steal first and then buy for cheap later. Take for example how LFP was stolen via industrial espionage.

 

They'd have the good sense not to hire him. Well, Fisker might be dumb enough.

 

If their sales are dropping now, this sure won't help. Why would anyone buy a car that you can't get serviced easily. I thought the no dealer model was another big "advantage' for Tesla. I can just hear the non-Tesla dealerships now all crowing "I told you so". And looks like they could be right.

This could mean wider ramifications to the EV transition, too, with more ammunition for the anti-EV crowd. While I have never been a Tesla fan, somehow I feel this is going to affect the rest of us, too.

 

It may not affect the rest of the EV market all that much. Hyundai and Kia, for example, are seeing their EV sales grow dramatically and have a steady stream of new models in the pipeline. Hyundai will soon have capacity to build 300K EVs a year in the U.S., and those vehicles will qualify for the federal tax credit. The EV market, at least in the U.S. (I know less about other countries), may be headed for a major realignment.

 

I hope you're right. But if superchargers and others (like our On the Run) supplier, stop the build-out or even worse, stop servicing what we do have and even shut them down, that will not be good for the rest of us. Don't forget that most car manufacturers were planning to switch to NACS. So CCS build-outs will probably stop.

I just don't like where the wind is blowing from these days... When I look at Plugshare I seem to see a lot more chargers out of service or under repair (and they are not getting fixed very fast). I have two BEVs, no ICE car, and with one of them, the Ioniq 6, I was planning to do a lot of trips.

 

What, is he going to let the current superchargers go down the tube, too??
https://futurism.com/the-byte/supercharger-maintenance-workers-network-disrepair
I sure would like to know what is he thinking. Sure doesn't make a lot of sense. But he might still surprise us further. Maybe there is method behind this madness... When will we find out?

 

I don't think we know whether he's kept enough of the maintenance staff to keep the network running well. Obviously, everyone in the EV world is better off if he does, and failing to at least keep the existing Supercharger network going reliably would be madness, even if he wants to curtail expansion. Despite what I said earlier, I actually hope Elon's not that crazy, but he just might be -- and it may not be clear for a while. It's not like they're going to announce that they're letting the Superchargers rot, but if they let it deteriorate, word will get around over time. In any case, if Ford, Rivian, GM, etc., thought Tesla's charging network was going to solve their customers' range anxiety worries, they might want to think of a Plan B, stat. If the majority of drivers are going to go electric, then charging has to be at least close to as easy and convenient as filling your gas tank, and -- at least in the U.S. -- we ain't there yet.

 

If Elon left the company, liberals might resume purchases.

Someone said earlier about the other folks affected when Musk cancelled the supercharger network buildout: "they also dont know how or when they will get paid (all the contractors)". Maybe another billionaire that we know, who also likes to stiff contractors (and lawyers), asked Elon to sour the EV marketplace...