• Buffalox@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Nobody at Tesla headquarters voted to alienate their customer base. No board meeting decided to turn their electric car company into a political lightning rod.

    This is technically not true. The board keeps Elon Musk on as CEO of Tesla, and they granted him the biggest bonus package ever, while he was already very controversial and clearly was losing his mind, because they thought he would be able to make them money.

    • borth@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      You’re right, that’s not just technically untrue. The board voted with their wallet, by giving him even more money than ever, so he could continue doing what he is doing. The people on the board wouldn’t give a shit if only Nazis buy their cars, as long as there’s enough of them to keep buying.

      • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Well joke’s on them though, because it seems Musk has found a way to tap US citizens directly, so he probably doesn’t even care much about Tesla anymore now that it is failing.

    • scarabic@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      You are 100% correct. They knowingly doubled down on him. They can all ride his coattails straight to hell.

  • HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee
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    4 months ago

    One of the things that has continuously confounded me about Musk’s veneration by the modern American fascist is that one of the main accomplishments they hail him as a genius for are “his” advancements in electric cars.

    Which are necessitated by Global Warming.

    Which they do not believe in.

  • ALilOff@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    We all know what’s going to happen, Elon just going to get a “government contract”, where he can make it so that teslas will be the main vehicle manufacturer for government.

  • Blackmist@feddit.uk
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    4 months ago

    It is mental that a man worth billions in mostly electric car companyv shares is courting people who would run their cars on coal if they could.

  • FanciestPants@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Will he really need customers much longer? I mean it seems like he can just have any government agency replace their fleet with his trash in the name of “efficiency”.

    • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Apparently a big part of Tesla’s business is selling carbon credits to other automakers… Which relies on them having a certain number of EV sales. If they drop below a threshold, then they can’t sell those credits anymore.

      • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝@sopuli.xyz
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        4 months ago

        The thing is, if this follows the Hungary script, Musk is going to become replaceable.

        He doesn’t command votes like Trump does, but is rich enough to be a threat. Look up Simicska.

    • Pennomi@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Elon has always been a terrible person, but he was once focused on things that society actually needed, like electrifying transportation to avoid climate collapse.

      He seems to have gone sharply downhill into total insanity by taking ketamine while locking himself in a rightwing echo chamber. It’s the perfect storm of dissociating from reality.

      • schizo@forum.uncomfortable.business
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        4 months ago

        Elon has always been a terrible person

        The problem with Elon is he’s been provably an idiot for the past 25 years.

        The first thing I ever heard about Musky is that back in 2000-ish he wanted PayPal to take their infra, throw out all the Linux/BSD in use, and move everything to Windows NT.

        Anyone who was even remotely IT adjacent in that era can come along and tell you how utterly moronic that idea is.

        Anytime I’ve ever heard him blather on about some stupid shit that doesn’t exist except in his delusions or talk about, well, ANYTHING technical or specialized all I was ever able to think of is that he got lucky that Thiel didn’t drain all of his blood and leave his corpse in a ditch.

        • Redredme@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          From a musk pov it’s 100% logical. Money.

          Why? Win2k was quite stable. Stable enough to use it in warships.

          Linux/Bsd is not free. When you use it in your company you want pro support. That support comes free with windows enterprise licenses. So the cost difference there is almost non existent. And, MS being M$, they would’ve sweetened the deal. A lot. Just think of the marketing worth of this deal for MS.

          And lastly: Who is cheaper? A good linux admin or a windows guy?

          So 90% of the stability at 50% of the cost. That’s not a bad deal.

      • Flatfire@lemmy.ca
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        4 months ago

        Potential ketamine addiction aside, he’s just gravitated toward where he sees more money and unfluence for himself. He wanted the prestige of being a leader in tech, so he used his influence and money to build SpaceX. Then he bullied his way into the ownership of Tesla, desperately wanting to appear as a genius to libertarian and liberal minds alike, but he’s never been any less of an authoritarian. When Trump rose to power the first time, he sat and watched and along with the rest of the Silicon Valley Moguls, he began to move himself into positions of influence with populist politicians, borrowing the evangelical right’s playbooks and throwing himself into the spotlight no matter the reason. He pivoted off his falsified image as some kind of American self-starter into MAGA rhetoric.

        Musk doesn’t have lofty ideals or any real focus on the betterment of society. I don’t think he ever did. He just wanted to be a real life Tony Stark and command the influence that came with it. Now he doesn’t need to, because he’s got Trump in his back pocket and is mostly untouchable by any normal means.

    • ryedaft@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      Dr Dorothy Bishop resigned from the Royal Society back in November 2024 because of Musk. Everybody knew. And being an FRS is a huge, huge deal to a British scientist.

      • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        Not as big a deal as virtue signaling to that particular British scientist, naturally, but it’s quite important to the other ones I’m sure.

        • daddy32@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Of course the fascists invented a dismissive phrase to label anyone objecting against them.

    • jaschen@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      I would too, but you have to understand why the USA is blocking these cars from coming in. The cost of these cheap EVs are not based off of supply and demand. Its not even this cheap because of effectiveness or efficiencies. Its from the CCP subsidies. The CCP wants to dump on the competition in efforts to kill off anyone making a car, then start jacking up the price after they have market share.

      • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        My dude the US subsidizes the shit out of its electric car industry. When someone brings up “supply and demand” and just tries to pretend that the economy is exactly what they learned in their econ101 class.

        They are doing the tarrifs on Chinese EVS because (1) they can’t compete on price and (2) the Chinese EVS are just a superior product.

        You’re right on China though. They are just doing exactly what the US has done for decades. It’s just that the US doesn’t like having to actually compete with another country. So instead of actually making better and cheaper cars they instead just decide to tell the American people “nah, looks like you’re just being a shit Tesla”

        The US loves to say “free market” but notice how they don’t allow a free market to force their industry to actually innovate and compete.

        China is not “cheating” by subsidizing it’s industry. That’s literally just standard shit every government does. Thats just an excuse. America is subsidizing it’s EVs too. They just have worse EVs.

        • jaschen@lemm.ee
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          4 months ago

          So much to unpack here but I’ll do my best to address everything you’re saying here.

          1- Chinese cars can’t compete in price: yes because China has been dumping subsidies into the market, inflating the supply. China dumped 231 billion dollars into EVs from 2009 to 2023. Over 500 electric car brands were created due to this injection. There is only are less than 100 left after China stopped the subsidies.

          2- The Chinese EV are a superior product: which one of the 500 car companies are you referring to? outside ofthe top China brands (Geely, BYD), they all sorta suck.

          China is doing is state sponsored “dumping”. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy) which artificially reduces prices to gain market share and has a negative effect on the industry. Every country in the world, not just the US, has an anti dumping policy, including China.

          While we the consumer would love to spend pennies on the dollar for an electric cars, the effect is only temporary and when we start losing car companies due to this practice, prices always, ALWAYS, are higher after we lose competition.

          Anti dumping policies is not hindering free market. The second you inject 231 billion dollars of government subsidies into an industry, is the second it no longer becomes a free market.

          Yes, the USA has also has given subsidies. In total about 30 billion dollars. A drop in the bucket on the 231 billion the CCP has injected.

          • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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            4 months ago

            Would love to know where you’re getting your numbers from for the US and China. I surely hope it’s not just the AI response on top of Google. But that’s what it seems like. You’d literally have to write a whole research paper to get a good comparison because these are heavily consumer based subsidies within each country and China just has a much larger market it sells to heavily inflating the credit because of population. Also, you didn’t list a date range for your 30 Billion number.

            You also have to account for state level subsidies and tax credits in the US in addition to Federal programs, grants, loans, etc. Would love to read a paper on this if you have a source.

            But, even using your numbers 30 Billion (something I don’t think is accounting for State or EV infrastructure spending; but again, I’d like to see a source) is not a “drop in the bucket”. It’s 13% of what you listed for China over 14 years. Interestingly enough China also outselling the US in terms of market share. Comparing the subsidies of a country that owns the plurality of the market to one that does not is silly. Subsidies are going to increase WITH sales. China is selling significantly more cars. You’d have to compare the subsidies and adjust them based on units sold.

            Doing some “Google AI response results” myself China is selling about 8x more EVs than the US (in 2023).

            Hmmm. 8x30 = 240 billion. Weird. Again, I’m not taking my numbers seriously but I’m not taking your numbers seriously either because you didn’t sight a source, adjust for units sold, or give a date range for your US numbers.

            But you’re just not comparing this correctly. You HAVE to adjust for units sold. Which you are not.

    • dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      You can fellate Winnie the Pooh on your own time. It comes with its own whole set of problems.

      Edit: Come at me tankies. You’re morons for giving a single dollar to the CCP.

      • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        Nothing quite says “American Capitalist bootlicker” more than proudly paying more for an inferior product while complaining that it’s the Communists fault.

    • TeamAssimilation@infosec.pub
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      4 months ago

      I think he would be relieved to get rid of Tesla if someone would buy it. The full self-driving promise was always a matter of interpretation, and the cars they build are more expensive symbols of status than practical products. Tesla can’t compete with global EV manufacturers, that’s a Damocles sword waiting to fall.

      SpaceX is where the money is now, and all the electric innovation Tesla did can be used for something else.

      • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Musk is getting $8 million each day from the US government to destroy the US government. He was given $44 billion to destroy Twitter. He’s not worried about money.

      • OutlierBlue@lemmy.ca
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        4 months ago

        The full self-driving promise was always a matter of interpretation

        There’s nothing to interpret. It does not fully drive itself.

      • Laurel Raven@lemmy.zip
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        4 months ago

        I’m sure he already calls his lawyers every day at 3 AM while half blitzed on K to pitch exactly that

      • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        My buddy messed up and spilled a drink in his model X. When pulling up the carpet and panels to clean up he found a bunch of blue painter’s tape where there were supposed to be wiring harnesses and screws. You’ll note that blue painters tape is designed to be temporary, and will not last more than a year or two.

        • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          German TUV Reliability Report

          Those numbers are very misleading, as it includes rust on the brakes.

          EVs don’t use their brakes as often due to regen, and vehicles with one pedal driving where you can come to a complete stop without using the brakes, use it even less.

          A large portion of these failures are from some rust appearing from lack of using the brakes. Using the brakes more frequently, or intentional aggressive braking would clear the rust, but it’s a fail if it’s there when you take it in.

          That’s not to say there aren’t other problems, but it’s not as bad as the dead last 14.7% makes it look, and it’s not wholly about poor quality as the report implies, as that isn’t a quality problem.

          Tesla has some of the better one pedal driving and more aggressive regen set ups as well, so the brakes are used less.

            • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              Sure, but a little rust because they weren’t used isn’t a problem, comes off when you use them, but is an instant fail. The brakes are not damaged or broken.

              All brakes rust when not used. If you drove around in the rain today, then didn’t drive for a few days, you’ll probably have a little rust on your brakes. You go for a drive and then it’s gone.

              If you take your car in for a pre-inspection report, and they see some rust on the brakes, they will tell you to drive it around a bit using the brakes a lot before taking it in to be inspected.

              it’s not an actual problem, and not indicative of a poor quality vehicle.

              Edit: To be clear - the drivers should be using the brakes more to clear them so it doesn’t build up to excessive amounts which may be a problem at some point, but the test fails them well before it’s an actual problem.

              Edit: Also, where the model 3 failed a lot outside of the brakes was the front suspension. There are legitimate problems with the front suspension on the older Model 3s. Those are legitimate fails and are a quality issue (there’s even a service bulletin for at least one of the problems)

                • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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                  4 months ago

                  Oh it’s more than just someone, that post has -3 and the other one is -6.

                  Talking about Tesla against the narritive/hivemind always results in this, especially when it’s truthful things.

  • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Remember 2015? A Tesla parked in your driveway told your neighbours that you valued innovation, that you possessed an environmental conscience, that you had a stake in the future of the planet. The cars weren’t perfect, but they meant something. They represented hope - for clean energy, EVs, and a world beyond fossil fuels.

    This was me years go. I knew climate change was real and an imminent threat. I wanted to vote with my wallet for a cleaner future. I also wanted to strike a blow against the National Automotive Dealers Association for their regressive practices that hurt consumers and drive prices for cars higher for everyone. Buying a Tesla did those things. I charge the car on sunlight from my house. I don’t have to support the petroleum industry’s damage to environment and people around the world. I was proud to be doing something rather than just talking about needs for changes against climate change.

    Musk doesn’t get any of my money from this car. I don’t pay for any of the Tesla monthly services. I’m don’t want to be seen driving with a Tesla logo on the car. I’m ashamed that my good intentions funded a fascist.

  • doodledup@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    For the Americans that don’t know the word Nazism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazism?wprov=sfla1

    Although he has right-wing ideologies, there is no evidence of Elon Musk being a Nazi. A car can’t be a Nazi either…

    I’m tired of all of the populism and strong headlines on Lemmy. Actual factual journalism gets burried deep in the feed.

    • cynar@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Musk isn’t a member of the Nazi party. He does hold a lot of important views in common with them, however. He also associates with people who fit most of the rest.

      What percentage do you think is needed before calling someone a Nazi?

    • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      In the same sense that the kubelwagen was a nazi car. Now that I think about it, the kubelwagen kinda has similar lines to the cybertruck.

      • doodledup@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I’m voicing my opinion about titles like that. They are posted here to invoke a reaction. 99% of commenters here haven’t read the article. The title is the whole reason why it’s posted.