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You seem to imply in your first paragraph that they have a real problem by relying entirely on something outside their control: the physics of storage batteries

You seem to imply in your first paragraph that they have a real problem by relying entirely on something outside their control: the physics of storage batteries. But then you end up your post saying that the room for improvement is -- huge [sic]. So which is it? If it's that huge, why should they be worried? Especially seen that they're apparently going to be profitable with "only" 20 000 cars this year...

lutusp 14y ago
> You seem to imply in your first paragraph that they have a real problem by relying entirely on something outside their control: the physics of storage batteries. Yes, for Tesla Motors, not a scientific research organization, it's out of their control. They are not a science laboratory, they are a car manufacturing company. They must wait for developments made by others. > But then you end up your post saying that the room for improvement is -- huge [sic]. That's true, it's huge, and the improvements will be made by scientists doing applied research, not building cars. > So which is it? You've posed a false dichotomy. > If it's that huge, why should they be worried? I don't think they're worried, and I didn't say there were. I think Mr. Musk is betting that battery technology will improve in a timely way, and his record for such judgments is rather good.
- ricardobeat 14y ago
  Tesla creates cars, not just manufactures them - that includes their battery packs.
  - lutusp 14y ago
    Yes, but they don't create battery technology, they use batteries designed by others.
    - ricardobeat 14y ago
      They don't manufacture their own cells (why would they?) but the battery pack is their own design [1] and what sets them apart from other EVs: The battery pack in the Tesla Roadster is the result of innovative systems engineering and 20 years of advances in Lithium-ion cell technology. Tesla's ingenious battery pack architecture enables world-class acceleration, safety, range, and reliability. The non-toxic pack is built at Tesla’s Headquarters in Northern California. [1] http://www.teslamotors.com/roadster/technology/battery http://www.teslamotors.com/roadster/technology/battery
      - ewang1 14y ago
        Exactly. But they are still limited by advances in the underlying battery technology, which they did not invent.

lutusp 14y ago

> You seem to imply in your first paragraph that they have a real problem by relying entirely on something outside their control: the physics of storage batteries. Yes, for Tesla Motors, not a scientific research organization, it's out of their control. They are not a science laboratory, they are a car manufacturing company. They must wait for developments made by others. > But then you end up your post saying that the room for improvement is -- huge [sic]. That's true, it's huge, and the improvements will be made by scientists doing applied research, not building cars. > So which is it? You've posed a false dichotomy. > If it's that huge, why should they be worried? I don't think they're worried, and I didn't say there were. I think Mr. Musk is betting that battery technology will improve in a timely way, and his record for such judgments is rather good.

ricardobeat 14y ago
Tesla creates cars, not just manufactures them - that includes their battery packs.
- lutusp 14y ago
  Yes, but they don't create battery technology, they use batteries designed by others.
  - ricardobeat 14y ago
    They don't manufacture their own cells (why would they?) but the battery pack is their own design [1] and what sets them apart from other EVs: The battery pack in the Tesla Roadster is the result of innovative systems engineering and 20 years of advances in Lithium-ion cell technology. Tesla's ingenious battery pack architecture enables world-class acceleration, safety, range, and reliability. The non-toxic pack is built at Tesla’s Headquarters in Northern California. [1] http://www.teslamotors.com/roadster/technology/battery http://www.teslamotors.com/roadster/technology/battery
    - ewang1 14y ago
      Exactly. But they are still limited by advances in the underlying battery technology, which they did not invent.