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☆ Tesla board member says Musk doesn't mind bankruptcy if a rival builds a better car: 'That's his philosophy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk remarked that he wouldn't mind Tesla going bankrupt, if this means a rival company builds a better car, according to a member of the firm's board. "I think that's his philosophy and Tesla's philosophy," said Mizuno, who was chosen to join the company's board in April 2020. Musk has previously said that the automaker could have gone bankrupt multiple times in its almost 20-year history. Investors question whether Musk is getting distracted, at a time when Tesla faces increased competition, macroeconomic uncertainty and regulatory scrutiny. Nevertheless, Mizuno backed Musk and suggested that he admired the tech magnate's tenacity.

☆ Elon Musk plans to build hundreds of homes for workers in Texas on streets including Boring Boulevard
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Boring Company is working with a construction company to build housing near Austin, Texas. County documents show the subdivision has streets named Boring Boulevard, Cutterhead Crossing, Waterjet Way, and Porpoise Place. The land is owned by Gappes Bass LLC, a company affiliated with The Boring Company, according to online records. Adam Pashaian, a corporate controller for the Boring Company, is also registered as an agent for Gapped Bass. The Boring Company, Lennar, and Bastrop County didn't respond to requests for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

☆ Super Bowl ad slams Tesla’s ‘Full Self-Driving’ tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Electric carmaker Tesla will face a hit on Super Bowl Sunday, when an ad will play showing the alleged dangers of its Full Self-Driving technology. The ad is part of a multimillion dollar advertising campaign by The Dawn Project. The ad cost $598,000, a Dawn Project spokesperson told CNN. “Tesla’s Full Self-Driving is endangering the public,” the ad said. “Tesla’s reckless deployment of Full Self-Driving software on public roads is a major threat to public safety.

☆ Tesla owners reveal the best and worst features of their cars, and what they really think of Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Insider spoke with more than a dozen Tesla owners to learn what they like most and least about their cars. We talked to more than a dozen Tesla owners to find out what they like most about their cars — and what they think needs improvement. Since electric cars don't experience the same acceleration lag as gas vehicles, Teslas jolt forward the instant you put your foot down. Con: Stiff rideSome Model 3 and Y owners told Insider their cars are too stiff and jittery over bumpy pavement. Tim Levin/InsiderOver and over, Tesla owners praised the company's extensive network of fast chargers, which is exclusive to Tesla owners in the US.

[1/3] A Tesla is charged at an electric car supercharger station in Los Angeles, California, U.S. August 2, 2018. A dearth of chargers on U.S. roads has slowed the growth of EV sales and the positive environmental impact, advocates say. In January of last year, Tesla wrote the Federal Highway Administration, offering the Biden administration suggestions on how to shape the charging program. In Ohio, the company responded to a recent request that companies submit charging proposals, state officials told Reuters. The Department of Transportation next week will detail final requirements that all electric vehicle chargers must meet to be eligible for funding under the $7.5 billion effort to electrify highways and interstates across the nation.

☆ High-tech dashboards, driving assistants vex luxury vehicle owners -study
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Joseph White | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The gap in reliability scores between luxury brands and those for mass market brands such as Kia were the widest in the 34 years that J.D. Power sets Tesla aside from other brands in the rankings because the electric vehicle maker doesn't provide it with full access to information about owners. Other luxury brands fared poorly, too. Infotainment systems complaints, such as problems with wireless Bluetooth phone connections, dragged down scores from vehicle owners of several luxury brands, according to the report. Even as luxury brands compete to offer more advanced digital content and dashboard features, luxury vehicle owners are finding fault with the infotainment systems at about double the rate as owners of mass-market brands, Hanley said.

☆ Elon Musk says 'the future is bright' for Tesla as he gets ready to charm disgruntled shareholders at its investor day
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said Tesla's "Master Plan 3" will focus on a "fully sustainable energy future for Earth." Its "master plan", which will be unveiled on Tesla's Investor Day, comes at a time when shareholders are at odds with Musk. "Master Plan 3, the path to a fully sustainable energy future for Earth will be presented on March 1," he said. Musk first posted a master plan in 2006, that sought to outline ambitions to build an affordable electric sports car. News of the "Master Plan 3" comes as Tesla shareholders grow concerned of Musk being distracted by his acquisition of Twitter.

☆ From a road-trip disaster to a face-melting rip in the world's quickest supercar, these are my biggest lessons from driving 20 electric cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I've tested 20 electric cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks from Tesla, Ford, Porsche, Polestar, and more. But electric cars are quick, convenient, fun to drive, and quiet. Hours behind the wheel taught me some important lessons about range, charging, and our electric future. Charging can be more convenient than getting gasRecharging an electric car takes a whole lot longer than filling up on gas. The best ones offer spacious interiors and clever storageToday's electric cars typically use what's known as a skateboard platform, which is basically what it sounds like.

☆ Mercedes-Benz's new self-driving tech is turning up the heat on Tesla at the worst possible time
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Its Drive Pilot feature allows drivers to not pay attention to the road in certain situations. Drive Pilot is a "really big deal," Bryant Walker-Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina who specializes in autonomous vehicles, told Insider. But at one level higher, Mercedes' Drive Pilot allows a driver's attention to wander to other tasks in certain situations. There are some caveats: When Drive Pilot hits roads later in 2023, it will only work on certain freeways in Nevada and only at speeds under 40 mph. Still, Drive Pilot isn't sparking a revolution in the way people drive — or don't — just yet.

But Mr. Musk’s Twitter feed is often an echo chamber. 48 hours of Elon Musk’s tweets Circles representing Musk’s tweets are sized by the total retweets, likes, replies and quote tweets in response to what he posted. A chart of Mr. Musk’s original tweets, replies and quote tweets over a two-day period in November. A website tracking Mr. Musk’s private jet movement suggested that he traveled away from San Francisco around that time. Shareholders are now also seeking billions of dollars in damages in a lawsuit after Mr. Musk’s takeover proposal never materialized.

☆ Ford and Tesla slashed car prices — but only one is giving customers who missed out their money back
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ford is working to refund Mach-E owners after cutting prices. Ford, the first to hit back against Musk's price war, is taking a different approach with its price cuts. "We want our customers to know they made the right decision by choosing a Mustang Mach-E," Gaja said. Ford hitting back at Tesla's EV price war is the company's latest move to compete directly with Musk's electric car company. Are you a Mustang Mach-E owner or a Tesla owner impacted by price cuts?

☆ Elon Musk says his Twitter misadventure has only helped Tesla. Wall Street isn't buying it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Asia Martin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Wall Street analysts feel otherwise: They're bullish on Tesla, but think Musk is too distracted. Musk's tweets have gotten him in trouble with shareholders and the courts. Wall Street thinks Twitter is a costly distractionMusk is not wrong in that he and Tesla are reasonably popular on Twitter. But how many of Musk's and Tesla's followers converted to sales based on the content coming from those accounts? As in most things, there's always more to the story — but you can't deny the impact of Musk's Twitter habits, either.

☆ Tesla, insurers take different paths to deal with expensive repairs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) electric vehicles are expensive to repair - so much so that the automaker and insurers are addressing the issue in sharply different ways. Chief Executive Elon Musk says Tesla is making design and software changes to its vehicles to lower repair costs and insurance premiums. Insurance carriers, meanwhile, are writing off low-mileage Tesla Model Ys that have been in crashes, and sending them to salvage auctions after deeming many too expensive to repair. "It's remarkable how small changes in the design of the bumper (and) providing spare parts needed for collision repair have an enormous effect on the repair cost," he said. Insurance companies contacted by Reuters either declined to comment or did not respond immediately to requests.

☆ Tesla's aggressive price cuts may have angered some buyers — but they worked
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Orders for Tesla cars are at its strongest ever year-to-date, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on a Wednesday call. That's thanks to Tesla cutting prices for its electric vehicles earlier in January. I think there's just a vast number of people that want to buy a Tesla car, but can't afford it," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk at an earnings call with analysts on Wednesday, according to a transcript. In response, Tesla has raised the price of its Model Y. The Model Y now costs $500 more at $53,490 — after a price cut of $13,000 earlier this month.

☆ Elon Musk uses Tesla earnings call to brag about how popular he is on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk answered a question on Tesla's earnings call by saying how popular he is online. He talked up his 127 million Twitter followers and said his account might be the most interacted with across social media sites. On a Wednesday call with investors in his car company, Musk talked up how popular he is on his newly acquired social network. "Let me check my Twitter account. Musk, who now leads Twitter, Tesla, and several other ventures, praised Twitter's potential for driving sales and encouraged more companies to use the platform.

☆ Salesforce employees demand answers from execs about layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Salesforce employees demand answers. More than 500 employees wrote a letter to execs, demanding answers about the layoffs. Amazon employees told not to share confidential info with ChatGPT. Current and former employees told Insider that the social media company is shedding employees. This is what employees told us.

☆ Tesla owners are angry after paying full price before Elon Musk instituted big discounts. A YouTuber started a petition for free FSD or Supercharging.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla owners are angry after missing out on a deal that could have saved them up to $13,000. A YouTuber started a petition asking Tesla to offer owners who missed the price cuts free FSD. "I started the petition because I believe Tesla did an injustice," Wang told Insider. Tesla owners have been expressing their displeasure with the carmaker for weeks. Some people who claim to be Tesla owners have taken to social media to voice their anger with the electric-car maker.

☆ A Tesla buyer says he felt 'bullied' into taking delivery of his car, meaning he missed out on a price cut of almost $10,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Tesla buyer said he felt "bullied" into taking delivery of his car earlier than he wanted to. Tun Bhothinard told Insider he paid $62,440 for a Tesla Model Y, which now costs about $10,000 less. He said Tesla agents told him he'd lose his reservation if he tried to delay delivery until January. "We tried to talk to so many people on the delivery team and everyone was just very robotic about it," he told Insider, adding he felt "bullied" into taking delivery. After "begrudgingly" taking delivery in November, price cuts were announced in December.

☆ A Tesla buyer says he got a $12,000 discount after asking for a reduction on his order following big price cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

One buyer told Insider he got a $12,000 reduction after asking Tesla to adjust the cost of his order. Other Tesla customers have voiced their disappointment about missing out on big price cuts. After Tesla announced significant price cuts earlier this month, he told Insider he contacted Tesla by online chat to ask for a reduction to his order. Marianne Simmons, who paid more than $77,000 in September for a Model Y, told Bloomberg: "I feel like I got duped. The price cuts contrast Tesla's approach in 2022 when it raised prices several times amid supply chain disruptions despite concerns about the broader economy.

☆ Google isn't just afraid of competition from ChatGPT — the giant is scared ChatGPT will kill AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A perfect example of this is the viral technology ChatGPT. ChatGPT makes a lot of people nervous (here's everything you need to know about it, BTW). Or maybe one day ChatGPT will just teach the class — that's probably part of Google's AI nightmare. If ChatGPT runs rampant, the search giant fears it could ruin AI adoption for everyone. My colleague Hasan Chowdhury breaks down how so-called generative AI — not just ChatGPT — could derail an entire sector of emerging technology.

☆ China tightens media control with tiny stakes in two Alibaba units
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesBEIJING — State-backed entities have taken tiny stakes in parts of two Alibaba subsidiaries that oversee a video platform and web browser. The state-backed stakes reflect a progression of government directives over the last decade to increase control of media in China. "So far most of the stakes announced (including in other Chinese companies) seem to be highly concentrated on media companies and media subsidiaries." watch nowSince 2020, business records show state-backed entities have taken 1% stakes in popular social media or short-video apps Weibo , ByteDance's Douyin and Kuaishou . A provincial state media group completed a 1% investment in September, leaving Alibaba's media arm with 99% ownership.

☆ A Tesla buyer says she feels 'duped' and 'taken advantage of' after missing out on a $13,000 price cut: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla owners are venting their frustration after missing out on steep price cuts this week. One buyer told Bloomberg she had missed out on a $13,000 reduction and wouldn't buy another Tesla. I feel like I got taken advantage of as a consumer," Marianne Simmons told Bloomberg after paying more than $77,000 in September for a Model Y. Jack Bradham told Bloomberg that the black Model Y long-range edition Tesla now cost $12,000 less than the $69,000 he paid in December. The Model Y and Model 3 were the two best-selling cars in the UK in December even before the price cuts.

☆ Protesting Tesla China buyers vow more pressure over price cuts they missed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/4] Tesla owners unhappy with the U.S. carmaker's price cuts discuss their situation at a Tesla delivery centre in Shanghai, China January 10, 2023. Similar protests by Tesla owners have sprung up in cities including Henan, Wuxi and Hangzhou in recent days, according to owners and social media posts. Tesla has faced online backlash over previous price cuts in China before but nothing as widespread as the current spontaneous protests. "We trusted the brand so much that we cancelled our orders for other brands for Tesla," said Yu, who stayed with a group of about 25 protesters at the Tesla Shanghai facility late into Tuesday evening. Analysts have said Tesla's price cuts were almost certain to boost China sales, which tumbled in December, and force other EV makers to cut prices too.

☆ Tesla plans to spend more than $770 million on Texas factory expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A giant cowboy boot is on display outside the Tesla Giga Texas manufacturing facility during the "Cyber Rodeo" grand opening party on April 7, 2022 in Austin, Texas. Tesla has registered with the state of Texas to expand its electric vehicle factory in Austin this year. January filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration reveal that Tesla plans to spend upwards of $770 million on the construction of facilities there, including for battery cell testing and manufacturing, cathode and drive unit manufacturing, and a die shop, among other things. The Elon Musk-led automaker officially opened its Texas electric vehicle and battery factory in April 2022, hosting a "cyber rodeo" party for shareholders and fans there. Today, Tesla manufactures some of its Model Y crossover utility vehicles in Austin, and plans to mass-manufacture its science fiction inspired Cybertruck, an unconventional pickup, there as well.

☆ China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-Covid policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Travelers began streaming into mainland China by air, land and sea on Sunday, many eager for long-awaited reunions, as Beijing opened borders that have been all but shut since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the abrupt policy reversal has triggered a massive wave of infections that is overwhelming some hospitals and causing business disruptions. China on Sunday also resumed issuing passports and travel visas for mainland residents, and ordinary visas and residence permits for foreigners. Beijing has quotas on the number of people who can travel between Hong Kong and China each day. I’m thrilled, I can’t believe it’s happening,” said a business woman surnamed Shen, 55, who flew in from Hong Kong.

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