Tesla teases the Model Y
06-07-17, 12:39 PM
#1
Tesla teases the Model Y
At yesterday's Tesla shareholders' meeting, Elon Musk gave the world the first, albeit obfuscated, look at the upcoming Model Y crossover SUV. The photo doesn't reveal much, but it's clear that the Model Y will have the same, simple, organic lines of the Models S, X, and 3. It seems that the Y will have a rather prominent vestigial grille, as well, based on the bright line at the leading edge of the car. Perhaps this is a response to the mixed reaction to the Model 3's grille-less face.
In addition to the brief glimpse at the new SUV, Musk announced a few other details. The SUV likely won't share too much with the Model 3. He mentioned some criticism for not basing the Y on the 3, but explained that he felt it was a "mistake" to base the Model X on the Model S. He said, "It would have been better to design an SUV the way an SUV should be designed, and design a sedan the way a sedan should be designed." This is an interesting statement considering that the auto industry is beginning to move toward modular platforms. For example, Volvo has two modular platforms, one of which is currently in use, and Volkswagen is working on a modular system for future electric vehicles.
Musk also mentioned that the Model Y should show up in 2019, and Tesla is expecting more demand than for the Model 3. The Model Y will also be built in a new factory, since Musk says the Fremont facility is at capacity. Those were the only other details Musk provided, but he hinted that there would be more information at the unveiling of Tesla's semi-truck, which will happen at the end of September 2017.
In addition to the brief glimpse at the new SUV, Musk announced a few other details. The SUV likely won't share too much with the Model 3. He mentioned some criticism for not basing the Y on the 3, but explained that he felt it was a "mistake" to base the Model X on the Model S. He said, "It would have been better to design an SUV the way an SUV should be designed, and design a sedan the way a sedan should be designed." This is an interesting statement considering that the auto industry is beginning to move toward modular platforms. For example, Volvo has two modular platforms, one of which is currently in use, and Volkswagen is working on a modular system for future electric vehicles.
Musk also mentioned that the Model Y should show up in 2019, and Tesla is expecting more demand than for the Model 3. The Model Y will also be built in a new factory, since Musk says the Fremont facility is at capacity. Those were the only other details Musk provided, but he hinted that there would be more information at the unveiling of Tesla's semi-truck, which will happen at the end of September 2017.
06-07-17, 04:02 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
I could be wrong, but I don't see a very bright future for Tesla. True, they have come up with some innovative and advanced batteries/charging systems allowing both power and efficiency (by today's standards) in all-electric vehicles....one certainly has to give them credit for that. But they have also set up a system that has probably bitten off more in overhead than they can chew, from a system of company-owned stores and facilities. They are spending a lot of time and money on their lawyers, fighting laws in some states that keep them from operating without franchises. Their vehicles, though powerful and efficient, are starting to get a reputation for unreliability. They seem to lack the plants and resources they need to fill their customer-orders (the son of one of my colleagues, for instance, has been waiting a year for his new Model 3 on order....production may (?) finally start up next month). And, given the company's actual condition, the stock seems to be overpriced...the IPO was $17 a share, and today, it closed at $360. Sure, some investors made some quick money (if they sold), but is that bubble going to soon burst? MeThinks it's likely...but, we'll see. 
06-07-17, 04:41 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
Did you watch the video of the stockholders' meeting? Here is an abbreviated version (15 minutes instead of an hour). He comes out in an open collar and blue-denim jeans.
He does make one good point, though......would Tesla, today, be considered more of an automobile or high-tech company? There's some food for thought.
He does make one good point, though......would Tesla, today, be considered more of an automobile or high-tech company? There's some food for thought.
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-07-17 at 04:47 PM.
06-07-17, 05:30 PM
#7
Lead Lap
Americans love their SUVs and Musk knows that he has to have a Model Y in a more affordable price point to allow the masses to get into the car...similar to the model 3. I agree with fellow member "mmarshall" that much of Tesla is hype. They are a very risky company that doesn't make money but is always in the news. I've been watching the company since the stock price was closer to $100 and the initial reviews of the Model S indicated great promise.
At first, I thought they were going to stick with being a "High-End" brand keeping their cars at a higher price point for mostly wealthy individuals. A car for the masses means that the model Y and the model 3 will need to do well in ALL areas because this generation of buyers hates slow technology, poor design, and change their mind about things in a split second.
I think Tesla could make a lot of a progress by partnering with an existing, established car company but I don't think the CEO has that in his plans. The technology, patents and intellectual property are worth a whole lot. Look at a company like Nokia who pioneered some of the great mobile smartphone design and technology we've come to use over the last few decades...they made a huge splash but couldn't sustain their rise because of competition and innovation from Apple and Samsung. However, their patents and copyrights require companies like Apple and Samsung to pay hefty royalties for their use. Nokia survived not only because of their patents but they also branched out into other areas of technology, communication and networking...which is what I can see happening with Tesla as well.
Personally, I think it would be wise for Tesla to be that technology company that has their unique product line with cars like the Model S and Model X but use their prowess to begin selling, partnering and creating relationships with other car companies that are lagging behind. Tesla doesn't need to just be a car company...they can pioneer a lot of the technology that many of us will use in the years to come, but maybe stay incognito in a way that they make money while the masses never realize its actually the Tesla machine behind the scenes.
At first, I thought they were going to stick with being a "High-End" brand keeping their cars at a higher price point for mostly wealthy individuals. A car for the masses means that the model Y and the model 3 will need to do well in ALL areas because this generation of buyers hates slow technology, poor design, and change their mind about things in a split second.
I think Tesla could make a lot of a progress by partnering with an existing, established car company but I don't think the CEO has that in his plans. The technology, patents and intellectual property are worth a whole lot. Look at a company like Nokia who pioneered some of the great mobile smartphone design and technology we've come to use over the last few decades...they made a huge splash but couldn't sustain their rise because of competition and innovation from Apple and Samsung. However, their patents and copyrights require companies like Apple and Samsung to pay hefty royalties for their use. Nokia survived not only because of their patents but they also branched out into other areas of technology, communication and networking...which is what I can see happening with Tesla as well.
Personally, I think it would be wise for Tesla to be that technology company that has their unique product line with cars like the Model S and Model X but use their prowess to begin selling, partnering and creating relationships with other car companies that are lagging behind. Tesla doesn't need to just be a car company...they can pioneer a lot of the technology that many of us will use in the years to come, but maybe stay incognito in a way that they make money while the masses never realize its actually the Tesla machine behind the scenes.
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06-07-17, 05:49 PM
#8
He does make one good point, though......would Tesla, today, be considered more of an automobile or high-tech company? There's some food for thought.
06-07-17, 07:49 PM
#9
Lexus Champion
...
I think Tesla could make a lot of a progress by partnering with an existing, established car company but I don't think the CEO has that in his plans. The technology, patents and intellectual property are worth a whole lot. Look at a company like Nokia who pioneered some of the great mobile smartphone design and technology we've come to use over the last few decades...they made a huge splash but couldn't sustain their rise because of competition and innovation from Apple and Samsung. However, their patents and copyrights require companies like Apple and Samsung to pay hefty royalties for their use. Nokia survived not only because of their patents but they also branched out into other areas of technology, communication and networking...which is what I can see happening with Tesla as well.
Personally, I think it would be wise for Tesla to be that technology company that has their unique product line with cars like the Model S and Model X but use their prowess to begin selling, partnering and creating relationships with other car companies that are lagging behind. Tesla doesn't need to just be a car company...they can pioneer a lot of the technology that many of us will use in the years to come, but maybe stay incognito in a way that they make money while the masses never realize its actually the Tesla machine behind the scenes.
I think Tesla could make a lot of a progress by partnering with an existing, established car company but I don't think the CEO has that in his plans. The technology, patents and intellectual property are worth a whole lot. Look at a company like Nokia who pioneered some of the great mobile smartphone design and technology we've come to use over the last few decades...they made a huge splash but couldn't sustain their rise because of competition and innovation from Apple and Samsung. However, their patents and copyrights require companies like Apple and Samsung to pay hefty royalties for their use. Nokia survived not only because of their patents but they also branched out into other areas of technology, communication and networking...which is what I can see happening with Tesla as well.
Personally, I think it would be wise for Tesla to be that technology company that has their unique product line with cars like the Model S and Model X but use their prowess to begin selling, partnering and creating relationships with other car companies that are lagging behind. Tesla doesn't need to just be a car company...they can pioneer a lot of the technology that many of us will use in the years to come, but maybe stay incognito in a way that they make money while the masses never realize its actually the Tesla machine behind the scenes.
Daimler bought shares in Tesla and in turn, Tesla provided its drivetrain technology, including battery, for some small Mercedes-Benz EV models. If I remember correctly, Daimler has since sold off its Tesla shares. The technology partnership is probably gone also.
Tesla and Toyota did the same. Toyota invested in Tesla and sold its surplus NUMMI plant to Tesla at a discount. Tesla provided its drivetrain technology, including battery, for the 2nd-generation RAV4 EV. Toyota has since sold its shares and ended the technology partnership.
What is special about the Tesla battery is that it uses commercially-available lithium-ion battery cells (the cylindrical cells used in laptop computers) and packages them together with a special heat-management system instead of designing its own cells and its own battery chemistry. So, in a technological sense, there is nothing special about its battery pack; what makes it special is that no other automaker tried packaging commercial cells before in production for automotive use. And no other automaker is using the Tesla battery now, deciding to design their own batteries.
What is special about Tesla is the amount of hype surrounding the company. There is so much hype that the value of all of the company's shares is worth more than Ford Motor Company (an automaker with 100+ years of history and real cars that make money for Ford's shareholders), despite the fact that Tesla has never made a profit building and selling cars. The 2 times it did make money was by selling carbon credits.
06-07-17, 08:01 PM
#10
Lexus Champion
A high-tech company absolutely. Elon hates 'automobiles'. He wants to convert the world to use autonomous people movers. A Tesla vehicle (I don't refer to them as cars or automobiles personally), is like a giant appliance albeit a premium one. I applaud the innovations, but they're less an less a car everyday. The initial Model S had a 'grill' to mimic a normal ICE car, but it wasn't needed and has since adopted the nose it has today.
But, as an engineer, I do not trust Tesla's Autopilot autonomous driving system. I would trust Mercedes-Benz' and Google's autonomous driving systems but not Tesla's, because I am not convinced that Autopilot has been developed with the due diligence required for safety-critical systems, and because I am not convinced that Autopilot has been properly and completely tested prior to release. Elon Musk said of the Autopilot cars that were involved in those crashes last year as systems in "beta test" (unstructured testing done by real-world users rather than qualified engineers). Safety-critical systems should not be released to the public until they have been properly tested.
06-07-17, 09:01 PM
#11
...and the new Model 3 will have only one instrumentation display -- in the centre stack -- because autonomous vehicles do not have to display much data to their "drivers".
But, as an engineer, I do not trust Tesla's Autopilot autonomous driving system. I would trust Mercedes-Benz' and Google's autonomous driving systems but not Tesla's, because I am not convinced that Autopilot has been developed with the due diligence required for safety-critical systems, and because I am not convinced that Autopilot has been properly and completely tested prior to release. Elon Musk said of the Autopilot cars that were involved in those crashes last year as systems in "beta test" (unstructured testing done by real-world users rather than qualified engineers). Safety-critical systems should not be released to the public until they have been properly tested.
But, as an engineer, I do not trust Tesla's Autopilot autonomous driving system. I would trust Mercedes-Benz' and Google's autonomous driving systems but not Tesla's, because I am not convinced that Autopilot has been developed with the due diligence required for safety-critical systems, and because I am not convinced that Autopilot has been properly and completely tested prior to release. Elon Musk said of the Autopilot cars that were involved in those crashes last year as systems in "beta test" (unstructured testing done by real-world users rather than qualified engineers). Safety-critical systems should not be released to the public until they have been properly tested.
Yeah seems Musk and his team of lawyers are really good at paperwork and skirting conventional processes. His factory owned dealers/stores are another example.
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