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Tesla and SolarCity: It’s all about the branding
Wall Street is heaping abuse on Elon Musk for suggesting Tesla should buy SolarCity for $2.8 billion in Tesla stock. Some have suggested that Musk is “deranged.” But he may be crazy like a fox, according to Bloomberg. Here’s why:
For starters, it’s all about branding. Customers who are potentially interested in a residential solar system are like people considering an electric car for the first time. They have a lot of questions. There are a lot of unknowns. There are too many players in the market no one has ever heard of. What is needed, Bloomberg suggests, is something like the an Apple store, a place where people can go to get answers to their questions and deal with a company they trust.
Education is the key, not salesmanship. Doesn’t that sound exactly like the experience customers have when they visit a Tesla store today? Bloomberg says, “What ties the cars-plus-solar Tesla store together is an implicit guarantee of good customer service and sophisticated technology that’s easy to use. That’s branding that can never quite come together so long as Tesla and SolarCity remain separate companies. But together, it just might expand the entire market for solar. A Tesla showroom finally answers that question asked by millions of homeowners: Where do I start?”
But residential solar is just the tip of the ice berg. Tesla is investing massively in battery storage. Keep in mind Elon Musk’s overarching goal, which is to show the world how to break its fossil fuel addiction. Once the Gigafactory is up and running and battery prices fall to $100 per kWh or less, as most observers predict they will, Tesla will be in a position to become not just a battery storage company, but a quasi-utility company in its own right.
A battery can respond instantaneously to a call for power, something generators cannot do. Tesla could become a major supplier of electrical power, even if that supply lasts for just a few minutes, a few seconds, or fractions of a second. Bloomberg expects upcoming regulatory changes will make it easier for Tesla to become a supplier of electricity to the grid, rather than just a battery company. “Musk’s intentions are larger than simply adding a third product category,” said BNEF analyst Hugh Bromley. “The future of Tesla Energy could be in energy services.”
Bloomberg concludes its analysis this way. “Is SolarCity a major distraction for Tesla? Probably. Does it add existential risk to both of these long, cash-torching bets? Most likely. Are the conflicts of interest messy? Definitely. But could the deal also result in the world’s first clean-energy juggernaut, a company that does for solar power, batteries, and electric cars what Apple did for computers, phones, and software apps? It’s worth considering.”
The stock analysts who are ripping Tesla for its plan to buy SolarCity all have valid points, but they may be missing the forest for the trees. For whatever reason, Elon Musk is like the chess master who thinks twelve moves ahead while mere mortals are focused on what to do next. His ability to peer into the future is uncanny. Once you realize Musk’s mission is nothing less than an end of a fossil fuel driven world, his ideas start to make a lot more sense.
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Tesla Semi lines up for $165M in California incentives ahead of mass production
The update was initially reported by The Los Angeles Times.
Tesla is reportedly positioned to receive roughly $165 million in California clean-truck incentives for its Semi.
The update was initially reported by The Los Angeles Times.
As per the Times, the Tesla Semi’s funding will come from California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Incentive Project (HVIP), which was designed to accelerate the adoption of cleaner medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Since its launch in 2009, the HVIP has distributed more than $1.6 billion to support zero-emission trucks and buses across the state.
In recent funding rounds, nearly 1,000 HVIP vouchers were provisionally reserved for the Tesla Semi, giving Tesla a far larger share of available funding than any other automaker. An analysis by the Times found that even after revisions to public data, Tesla still accounts for about $165 million in incentives. The next-largest recipient, Canadian bus manufacturer New Flyer, received roughly $68 million.
This is quite unsurprising, however, considering that the Tesla Semi does not have a lot of competition in the zero-emissions trucking segment.
To qualify for HVIP funding, vehicles must be approved by the California Air Resources Board and listed in the program catalog, as noted in an electrive report. When the Tesla Semi voucher applications were submitted, public certification records only showed eligibility for the 2024 model year, with later model years not yet listed.
State officials have stated that certification details often involve confidential business information and that funding will only be paid once vehicles are fully approved and delivered. Still, the first-come, first-served nature of HVIP means large voucher reservations can effectively crowd out competing electric trucks. Incentive amounts for the Semi reportedly ranged from about $84,000 to as much as $351,000 per vehicle after data adjustments.
Unveiled in 2017, the Tesla Semi has seen limited deliveries so far, though CEO Elon Musk has recently reiterated that the Class 8 all-electric truck will enter mass production this year.
Elon Musk
Tesla reveals major info about the Semi as it heads toward ‘mass production’
Some information, like trim levels and their specs were not revealed by Tesla, but now that the Semi is headed toward mass production this year, the company finally revealed those specifics.
Tesla has revealed some major information about the all-electric Semi as it heads toward “mass production,” according to CEO Elon Musk.
The Semi has been working toward a wider production phase after several years of development, pilot programs, and the construction of a dedicated production facility that is specifically catered to the manufacturing of the vehicle.
However, some information, like trim levels and their specs were not revealed by Tesla, but now that the Semi is headed toward mass production this year, the company finally revealed those specifics.
Tesla Semi undergoes major redesign as dedicated factory preps for deliveries
Tesla plans to build a Standard Range and Long Range Trim level of the Semi, and while the range is noted in the company’s newly-released spec list, there is no indication of what battery size will be equipped by them. However, there is a notable weight difference between the two of roughly 3,000 lbs, and the Long Range configuration has a lightning-fast peak charging speed of 1.2 MW.
This information is not available for the Standard Range quite yet.
The spec list is as follows:
- Standard Range:
- 325 miles of range (at 82,000 lbs gross combination weight
- Curb Weight: <20,000
- Energy Consumption: 1.7 kWh per mile
- Powertrain: 3 independent motors on rear axles
- Charging: Up to 60% of range in 30 minutes
- Charge Type: MCS 3.2
- Drive Power: Up to 800 kW
- ePTO (Electric Power Take Off): Up to 25 kW
- Long Range:
- Range: 500 miles (at 82,000 lbs gross combination weight)
- Curb Weight: 23,000 lbs
- Energy Consumption: 1.7 kWh per mile
- Powertrain: 3 independent motors on rear axles
- Charging: Up to 60% of range in 30 minutes
- Charge Type: MCS 3.2
- Peak charging speed: 1.2MW (1,200kW)
- Drive Power: Up to 800 kW
- ePTO (Electric Power Take Off): Up to 25 kW
It is important to keep in mind that the Semi is currently spec’d for local runs, and Tesla has not yet released or developed a sleeper cabin that would be more suitable for longer trips, cross-country hauls, and overnight travel.
Tesla Semi sleeper section and large side storage teased in new video
Instead, the vehicle will be initially used for regional deliveries, as it has in the pilot programs for Pepsi Co. and Frito-Lay for the past several years.
It will enter mass production this year, Musk confirmed on X over the weekend.
Now that the company’s dedicated Semi production facility in Sparks, Nevada, is standing, the timeline seems much more realistic as the vehicle has had its mass manufacturing date adjusted on several occasions.
Ferrari, the Italian supercar maker, has revealed the name, interior, and interface design of its first-ever electric vehicle project, the Luce, initiating a new chapter in the rich history of the company’s automotive books.
This is the first time Ferrari has revealed such intimate details regarding its introductory EV offering, which has been in the realm of possibility for several years.
As more companies continue to take on EV projects, and some recede from them, supercar companies like Ferrari and Lamborghini are preparing to offer electric powertrains, offering super-fast performance and a new era of speed and acceleration.
Luce – a New Chapter in Ferrari
The company said that the name Luce is “more than a name. It is a vision.” Instead of looking at its first EV offering as a means to enter a new era of design, engineering, and imagination. The company did not want to compromise any of its reputation, high standards, or performance with this new project. It sees it as simply a page turn, and not the closing of a book:
“This new naming strategy reflects how the Ferrari Luce marks a significant addition to the Prancing Horse’s line-up, embodying the seamless expression of tradition and innovation. With its cutting-edge technology, unique design, and best-in-class driving thrills, it unites Ferrari’s racing heritage, the timeless spirit of its sports cars, and the evolving reality of contemporary lifestyles. It testifies to Ferrari’s determination to go beyond expectations: to imagine the future, and to dare. Because leading means illuminating the path ahead – and Luce embodies that mindset.”
Ferrari Luce Design
Ferrari collaborated with LoveFrom, a creative collective founded by Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson. The pair has been working with Ferrari for five years on the Luce design; everything from materials, ergonomics, interface, and user experience has been designed by the two entities.
The big focus with the interior was to offer “a first, tangible insight into the design philosophy…where innovation meets craftsmanship and cutting-edge design. The team focused on perfecting and refining every solution to its purest form — not to reinvent what already works, but to create a new, carefully considered expression of Ferrari.”
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The company also said:
“Ultimately, the design of the Ferrari Luce’s interior is a synthesis of meticulous craftsmanship, respect for tradition, and thoughtful innovation. It offers a new choice for Ferrari enthusiasts – one that honours the past while embracing the future, and exemplifies the brand’s enduring commitment to quality, performance, and cultural significance.”
The appearance of the elements that make up the interior are both an ode to past designs, like the steering wheel, which is a reinterpretation of the iconic 1950s and 1960s wooden three-spoke Nardi wheel, and fresh, new designs, which aim to show the innovation Ferrari is adopting with this new project.
Interior Highlights
Steering Wheel
The Ferrari Luce is a shout-out to the Nardi wheel from the 1950s and 60s. It is constructed of 100% recycled aluminum, and the alloy was developed specifically for the vehicle to “ensure mechanical resistance and a superb surface quality for the anodisation process.”
It weighs 400 grams less than a standard Ferrari steering wheel:
Credit: Ferrari
It features two analogue control modules, ensuring both functionality and clarity, Ferrari said. The carmaker drew inspiration from Formula One single-seaters, and every button has been developed to provide “the most harmonious combination of mechanical and acoustic feedback based on more than 20 evaluation tests with Ferrari test drivers.”
Instrument Cluster and Displays
There are three displays in the Luce — a driver binnacle, control panel, and rear control panel, which have all been “meticulously designed for clarity and purpose.”
The binnacle moves with the steering wheel and is optimized for the driver’s view of the instrumentation and supporting driver performance.
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- Credit: Ferrari
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- Credit: Ferrari
Displays are crafted by Samsung and were specifically designed for the car, using a “world first – three large cutouts strategically reveal the information generated by a second display behind the top panel, creating a fascinating visual depth that captures the eye.”
Samsung Display engineers created an ultra-light, ultra-thin OLED panel for the vehicle.
Credit: Ferrari
Pricing is still what remains a mystery within the Luce project. Past reports have speculated that the price could be at least €500,000, or $535,000.
Tesla Semi lines up for $165M in California incentives ahead of mass production
Tesla reveals major info about the Semi as it heads toward ‘mass production’
