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I've read the hypothesis that Tesla is a battery company, thus is more interested in supplying other automakers with is technologies.

• SEJeff 10y ago
  And like calling them a car company, it is incorrect. Tesla is a clean energy company. Their products to date (including solar city merger): 1. Electric cars, released to be more affordable with each iteration, with the idea being for full level 4-5 autonomy 2. Solar panels 3. Battery Storage 4. Solar roof 5. Electric vehicle charging network The one thing all of those involve, is electricity. Solar panels (or roofs) are massively more attractive with battery backup, but batteries are too expensive, so they built a Gigafactory to make them cheaper. By doing that, and building their own solar panels (the smaller solar gigafactory in buffalo, ny) they bring the price of solar down, which encourages more people to buy solar with battery backup. It also encourages utilities to purchase large scale batteries which make large solar panel installs more viable, and the trend continues... Elon has been quite forthcoming in his master plan part one and deux that he wants other car companies to compete with him so that more electric cars are on the road. TL;DNR: Tesla is an energy company, and Elon wants more companies to "compete" with Tesla as it simply helps him realize his vision of a clean electric future faster.