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You could get a job at a newspaper with dodgy statistics like that!
Its and entirely accurate observation and I was replying to the comment about the share price dropping through the floor which clearly it hasn't.
If Musk can't turn that around, the board will have to think about replacing him.
The handpicked board of Musk's yes men, that are trying to force through his 50 billion pay deal despite it being found illegal.
The handpicked board of Musk's yes men, that are trying to force through his 50 billion pay deal despite it being found illegal.
A deal that the Tesla shareholders voted twice in favour of.
The handpicked board of Musk's yes men, that are trying to force through his 50 billion pay deal despite it being found illegal.
A deal that the Tesla shareholders voted twice in favour of.
Says everything about the cult of Tesla
A deal that the Tesla shareholders voted twice in favour of.
I wonder if they are quite so keen now that the share price has dropped 28% in a month, Elon seems to be spending more time on DOGE than Tesla and his friend in the White House has added 25% to the cost of most of their imported components, and inevitably pushed up the cost US Exported cars too… it’s great to have friends in high places.
Elon seems to be spending more time on DOGE than Tesla
Which is probably a good thing, if you’re a Tesla engineer.
It's not in the car business, it's in the subsidy business.
As I’d understood it, Tesla makes most of its money selling carbon credits to the likes of Stellantis.
But… there are now other EV manufacturers to buy those from, legacy car makers are making their own EVs and I’d not be certain the carbon credits will survive Trump. And they’re left with not particularly good cars to sell, and a CEO who is a liability.
Sadly, it looks like the Royal Society has at least a percentage of cultists: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e44ge0xnwo
More cowards than cultists, I'd imagine.
I'm amazed he even got in. There would have had to be masses of misrepresentation as he's achieved exactly nothing. Just shouts at people.
In fact, reading his page on the Royal Society, it seems to have been written by someone in an alternative reality, or maybe just a PR specialist.
Bunch of Teslas burned in suspected arson.
Superchargers now too:
https://thedriven.io/2025/03/05/tesla-superchargers-set-on-fire-in-massachusetts-cars-in-toulouse/
I’ve read somewhere that this might be due to tax changes (EVs over £40k are liable for the luxury car charge). We’ll have to see what the April figures look like?
From that link:
The SMMT said that sales of full electric vehicles rose almost 42% year on year, accounting for a quarter of all new registrations, because buyers are seeking to beat a new tax on expensive cars that comes into force in April and will affect many EVs for the first time.
But Tesla sales were only up 20%. The key thing in a growing market is to expand market share. Growing slower than the overall market means that you will be buried by the faster growing companies.
The key thing in a growing market is to expand market share.
Eh? Gone are the days when Tesla, Hyundai/Kia and Nissan were the only manufacturers making decent EVs. Tesla's market share was always going to drop as new players piled in. However a smaller share of a growing market still means you can sell a lot of cars. For example in 2024 Tesla delivered 1.8 million vehicles which is more than than Audi delivered of any type.
1.8 million vehicles is a fairly niche car maker. The company with the largest market share can spend more on R&D, product development, and marketing and then further increase their market share. In an expanding market, this just squeezes the smaller companies out. To survive, you have to grow faster than the market is expanding so that you squeeze out the small fry. Apart from Musk's antics, the big concern with Tesla is that their full-self-drive technology has fallen behind. If other companies master FSD but Tesla doesn't, it will be game over.
1.8 million vehicles is a fairly niche car maker.
Mercedes sales 2024 2.4 million and BMW 2.5 million. They niche as well?
Tesla spent $4.5 billion on R&D in 2024 almost double what Mercedes spent.
Let's see what reciprocal tarrifs are placed on US cars.
I think most European Teslas are built in Germany though?
Mercedes sales 2024 2.4 million and BMW 2.5 million. They niche as well?
They are luxury car makers, they can survive on much smaller volumes. Companies like Mazda (1.2 million per year) don't have the huge margins that luxury makers do and may not survive as independent manufacturers. Tesla may survive as a manufacturer of premium EVs, but competing with the Chinese as a mainstream maker will require much more than a couple of million.
Tesla spent $4.5 billion on R&D in 2024 almost double what Mercedes spent.
And how much have Mercedes spent since they started? Tesla have a lot of catching up to do.
Tesla spent $4.5 billion on R&D in 2024 almost double what Mercedes spent.
That's because Tesla spent over 80% of that money on Robotics and AI, not on cars. You're not comparing Apples to Apples.
Tesla's profit was $12bn of which $3bn was credits, $0.9bn was tax writeoffs and $1.6bn which should have been paid but was paid by governments supporting establishment of new factories. It's still very profitable without all this and makes on average around $8k per car, which is a lot. BUT, their Q4 profits for last year, despite new models (facelift) were down to $2.3bn, which is believed to represent les than $6k per vehicle. The market is tightening.
Companies like Mazda (1.2 million per year) don't have the huge margins that luxury makers do
Tesla profit margin in 2024 was 7.3%. Mercedes profit margin for the same year was 8.1%. Please show me where these huge margins generated by luxury cars are.
Net profit as a company, yes. Gross Profit per vehicle was high. Between 10 and 24% dependent on model, spec and manufacturing location. Tesla also generate a decent profit from digital extras - I'm not sure how sustainable this is and it may be a reason why profit percentages have dropped. People aren't paying for FSD anymore as they have no confidence it will ever work or be allowed to.
Tesla also generate a decent profit from digital extras - I'm not sure how sustainable this is and it may be a reason why profit percentages have dropped.
£10 per month for premium connectivity. Can't see that adding too much to the bottom line.
People aren't paying for FSD anymore as they have no confidence it will ever work or be allowed to.
Maybe not in the UK and Europe but plenty use it in the USA and now in China.
Also Tesla's gross profit per vehicle was 18.4% in 2024 so right up there with Mercedes.
Given your posts I figure you are a Tesla owner?, what model?
Nothing quite like being overtaken on the motorway with the passenger leaning out of the window making a Nazi salute. Not sure if ironic or supportive. Curse of driving a Tesla. Nice cars, but Musk has ruined the brand. I’d be apoplectic if I was on the board.
Nice cars, but Musk has ruined the brand. I’d be apoplectic if I was on the board.
Problem is a)he owns the board and b)the market value of Tesla is extremely high compared to the various fair price algorithms.
Its somewhat of a meme stock (somewhat because unlike most of the meme stocks it does have something behind it) and that is heavily driven by Musk. It has an unusually high number of retail shareholders vs other similar companies.
So on the one hand he does seem to be destroying its value but on the other its still very high which is probably down to him.
Down 30% since 01 Jan, though…
The high retail shareholder thing is probably a factor - people don’t like admitting they’ve made a mistake and backing a dud, institutional investors will be more likely to offload.
Tesla stock taking a bath again this morning. I wonder if this is just reversion towards a more accurate value?
Tesla’s stock price was always part Musk and part Dream with the final 1/4 being reality. I think those two parts are starting to crumble. Coupled with the difficulties in EV sales in certain markets and the negative news cycle, the 3rd 1/3 is also suffering.
That was supposed to be 1/3rd.
Latest from our genius billionaire overlord.
Lets sanction the rich elites in Ukraine to stop the war... 🤔 I'm thinking he's upped his dose of ketamine.
Surely it is only a matter of time before he switches off StarLink for Ukaranian forces?
Surely it is only a matter of time before he switches off StarLink for Ukaranian forces?
I fear so - not sure what the rest of the sensible world can do to replace all the tech and Intel resources they are withdrawing.
He was openly threatening to do so, until he realised what an idiotic comment it was to make, at which point he rapidly backed down.
However, the damage is done. No-one can consider USA a reliable ally and partner any more, in any commercial or military sense.
What a smart move it was to leave the only major political and economic bloc that could rival them for power.
What a smart move it was to leave the only major political and economic bloc that could rival them for power
It sounds like you are implying we are not a world power by ourselves. Heresy! Heresy, I tell you!
And here I was today panicking that our ping rate to X was high and the bods had broken something at our end . At 2.30 today it was over 200mls
Good on ya whoever did it .
X is down or was .
Years to go yet. I’m afraid the Democrats were right. Anyone expecting USA democracy to survive this term should think again. And there’s no way we can help our friends across the pond get through this. We just need to stay aware that this problem will be (is being) exported to Europe. Voting for less democracy has lots of historical precedents. I think I’ll bring it up with my MEP… oh… ah…
Any government not now acting in taking oligarchy money out of politics and lobbying is actively supporting the dismantling of democracy. The threat is clear and obvious and to do nothing is either wilful ignorance or more likely a sign that they are taking the money.
Tesla Chainsaw Massacre continues.
Still, sales of tiny violins are up.