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Opinion: Now would be the time for Apple to buy Tesla, and kick Musk out of the driver's seat
Elon Musk has put an end to his idea to take Tesla private, but still has a tough road ahead to meet profitability and production projections, especially as Tesla handles expected investigations and lawsuits stemming from Musk's ridiculous "funding secured" misadventure. Apple, meanwhile, has billions in cash to burn, manufacturing prowess, obvious interests in entering the car market and finding new form factors beyond the smartphone — and the pull to tell Musk his services are no longer needed.
[...] Apple does have a lot more money than Tesla, which is running out of cash fast. It also has a chief executive in Tim Cook who knows about dealing with supply chains, mass manufacturing and all the other processes that sound easy when Musk describes them but are nearly impossible when Tesla attempts to perform them.
[...] On Monday, Loup Ventures analyst Gene Munster played down the theories that Apple might attempt some sort of deal, saying that if Tesla becomes profitable, the notion is just a fairy tale. "If we're wrong, and Tesla fails to reach profitability in the next year, Apple gains the upper hand and becomes the most likely investor or buyer," Munster wrote in a blog post.
[...] Apple knows a little something about building a strong profit margin with a premium product sold through its own retail outlets, and could handle many of the other issues that will continue to beset Musk and Tesla. In his now legendary tearful interview with the New York Times, Musk admitted that Tesla has sought another executive to handle operations, and even said that "anyone who can do a better job" could have the CEO role.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 28 2018, @05:31PM (5 children)
They already are viable, what kind of nonsense talk is this? Ten years ago they were viable, just a small market. There have been small shops converting cars to electric for longer than the Nissan Leaf was being produced.
I guess you're trying to say it isn't an extremely viable business until the mega-corps want to cash in?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 28 2018, @06:30PM (3 children)
They were viable when I was a kid several decades ago, they were just really expensive and had rather poor range. But, for in town they weren't bad as long as you had someplace to park them that had a power outlet.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 28 2018, @06:52PM (1 child)
I was going to mention that but they were still a niche market with no real manufacturer outside dinky non-cars for the most part. Mostly electric conversions. I think the Leaf was the first sign of electric becoming a viable market.
(Score: 3, Informative) by suburbanitemediocrity on Tuesday August 28 2018, @10:52PM
Go to the retirement community of Sun City, AZ. You'll probably see more electric golf carts than gasoline powered cars. About 20 years ago, AZ was giving some large incentive for electric cars, golf carts qualified and so a lot of people got free golf carts. A friend's dad got a really nice one before the state cancelled the program but not before blowing ~$5B.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssLdEfn9q9Q [youtube.com]
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Wednesday August 29 2018, @02:49AM
> They were viable when I was a kid several decades ago
The weak link is the power storage. All kinds of battery tech (lithium ion, NiCd, NiMH, lead, and aluminum, to name just a few), and fuel cells, direct diesel electric drive (hybrid), flywheel, even compressed air have been investigated, and all fall short of the humble gas tank full of liquid hydrocarbons. They are all so much worse than the gas tank that even an electric motor system with over 90% efficiency at turning energy into motion cannot compete with a crappy 30% efficient combustion engine. It's not just energy storage, there's also the lengthy recharge times and a short lifespan. However, it's getting close. The battery doesn't have to be better than the gas tank, it only has to be about 1/3 as good to compete.
> really expensive ... poor range
Yes, batteries are the biggest expense in an electric car, and a major reason for short ranges. Half the range = half the batteries = much lower cost.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 29 2018, @04:24PM
People forget, in 1914 there were a large number of electric cars in NYC. They had 84 mile range +/-, and there were charging stations all over the city. Why didn't it take off further? It was advertised as a lady's car, and customized to look like a parlor, with fake flowers even hanging on the wall. It was clean, easy to start, and steered with a tiller handle instead of a wheel. It was shaped like a phonebooth. Jay Leno owns one, and even still has the original motor and battery, which both still function just fine. In fact he's said it's the only vehicle he owns that has never required any work done to it. In case you wondered, he does drive it as well as all of his other vehicles, quite regularly.