[Lotus Fury]

San Jose, Tesla Suffer Huge Setback Over Stalled Plant | NBC Bay Area

The San Jose Business Times reported Thursday afternoon that the car company could not get the $100 million in venture capital it needed to build the plant.

 

[sleeprfocus]

Beginning of the end.

 

[kestrel74]

Their "representative" at the Detroit Auto Show couldn't care about anything but typing away on his blackberry all day long. I walked over a few times and he didn't even look up. I looked over at their exhibit quite a few times and never saw him talking to anyone. Who cares when you don't need the business ?? :shrug:

 

[...m...]

...if tesla focuses on creating actual value for revenue they may stand a reasonable chance of building a substantial legacy, but as long as they continue managing themselves like just another silicon valley VC ponzi scheme, they'll never amount to more than an ephemeral footnote...

 

[Vampyre]

No surprise...

 

[IamBatman]

weird... I had a friend call me regarding a consulting job there last night.

 

[ivan1]

If someone wants to make some money, start working on a Tesla to Lotus/2zz conversion kit
so when Tesla is no more and noone is interested in maintaining/servicing them the owners can keep their cars from being worthless...

 

[IamBatman]

there's not much maintenance with electric motors. Maybe some kind of cheap battery replacement solution make more sense.

 

[shinoo]

I think building a fresh new plant seems silly when so many old ones are soon to be sold or idled. I hope they can find a space to build their sedan.

 

[ivan1]

there's not much maintenance with electric motors. Maybe some kind of cheap battery replacement solution make more sense.

I was kidding..kind of...I would love to see Tesla succeed... I just don't see it happening unfortunately...

 

[rob13572468]

I think building a fresh new plant seems silly when so many old ones are soon to be sold or idled. I hope they can find a space to build their sedan.

agreed... they should be partnering with one of the big three.. they could use any one of GM's truck plants and convert it to build the model S.

 

[Bavarian Motorist]

The Governator wants them to build a plant in Northern Cal -poke-

 

[rob13572468]

I was kidding..kind of...I would love to see Tesla succeed... I just don't see it happening unfortunately...

Ive always thought that the *idea* behind tesla was actually a really good one... too bad it has been poorly executed and mismanaged to the point of incompetance...

 

[ishmael]

Really wanted to see them succeed. Hate to speak in the past tense regarding Tesla but arrogance was their downfall.

 

[SweetDaddyD]

I think building a fresh new plant seems silly when so many old ones are soon to be sold or idled. I hope they can find a space to build their sedan.

Seems more green too. Isn't that their gimmick after all?

 

[SweetDaddyD]

Their "representative" at the Detroit Auto Show couldn't care about anything but typing away on his blackberry all day long. I walked over a few times and he didn't even look up. I looked over at their exhibit quite a few times and never saw him talking to anyone. Who cares when you don't need the business ?? :shrug:

After what they did in Detroit I was amazed they showed their face at all there. I'm not surprised he didn't want to talk to anybody, I'm sure he didn't want to be there either.

You think when they fold they'll announce it by blog post like how they handled firing the entire Detroit office (that was supposed to be working on the Model S. Seems harder to make a car when don't have a plant, can't raise money, and fired everyone working on it :shrug?

If they ever do start to make the model S I'll run a pool. (I mean Tesla actually making a car themselves, not just marketing a car built by someone else with some other parts slapped in from another company) On how many years behind schedule it is, how far behind their production targets they are (Roadster was supposed to be 800 cars in the first year, - have they hit 20% of that yet?), how far off they were off on their estimate to produce and how much the price increases, and finally how much they raise the price on the deposit holders that they have been holding the money of for years before they let them have a car. Oh heck, I'll through real range vs claimed range into the pool as well, and if Top Gear gives it a good review.

 

[rob13572468]

here is an article that makes the amazingly similar comparison between musk and preston tucker... interesting stuff...

Deathwatch: Why Tesla's Elon Musk Could Be the New Preston Tucker