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#1 Safest, Quickest, Techiest, Sexiest, Best Car for €50,000 to €60,000 — #Tesla Model 3 Now Invading Europe

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Cars Published on February 8th, 2019 | by Zachary Shahan
#1 Safest, Quickest, Techiest, Sexiest, Best Car for €50,000 to €60,000 — #Tesla Model 3 Now Invading EuropeTwitterLinkedInFacebookFebruary 8th, 2019 by Zachary Shahan

Safest: The Tesla Model 3 received the best safety score ever from the US NHTSA.
Why buy a Volvo when you can get a Model 3? …

Quickest: Tesla performance is unmatched in mass-market vehicles. The Tesla Model 3 Performance can go from 0–60 mph (0–100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds. The Model 3 Long Range does that in 4.5 seconds. The Model 3 Mid Range accelerates to that speed in 5.6 seconds. No matter which Model 3 trim you pick, it’s the quickest car for the price, and it’s genuinely quicker than anything you really need (though, the acceleration can be useful in many situations — like merging into traffic, passing big trucks, etc.).
Why buy a BMW when you can get a Model 3? …

Techiest: There is absolutely nothing like the tech in a Tesla. It seems all other automobiles are a decade or two behind. I feel like I’m in another era when using the old-school knobs, switches, and Mario Bros navigation screens of non-Tesla vehicles. Going backward from a smartphone seems illogical. Going backward from the touchscreen and advanced software of a Tesla seems equally illogical.
Why buy an Audi when you can get a Model 3? …

Sexiest: Okay, this is purely a matter of taste. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But seriously — jaws dropped and mouths watered when the Tesla Model 3 was first shown. The lady in front of me in line at 6:30 am on March 31, 2016, to make a reservation was in line simply because the Model S was so beautiful, but too expensive. The Model 3 looks like the more attractive offspring of an Aston Martin, a Porsche, and a Model S, imho. This is the car. It is like a 21st century Model T — with attitude.
Why buy a Mercedes when you can buy a Model 3? …

Best: Add all of that up, throw in some wicked total cost of ownership numbers, count the benefits of the zero emissions, remind yourself of the convenience of home charging and destination charging, consider the Full Self Driving potential if you didn’t do so in the “Techiest” section, make some space in the frunk for a puppy once in a while, and tell yourself the Model 3 isn’t now the best car for the price on the market. I personally don’t think it’s possible to objectively consider another €50,000–60,000 car the best value choice. And I imagine hundreds of thousands of European buyers agree with me.
Why buy a Lexus when you can buy a Model 3? …

As you may have noticed, the Tesla Model 3 arrived in Europe yesterday. The invasion begins. …
Note: If you ordered a Model 3, Model S, or Model X before February 2 but didn’t use a referral code in order to get 6–9 months of free Supercharging, you can still use my referral code — http://ts.la/tomasz7234 — in order to get that bonus/discount.
Just send an email to buildmy3EMEA@tesla.com with the word “Referral” in the subject line. Put your name, contact information, reservation number (starts with RN), and the referral code you’d like to use in the body of the email (for example, tomasz7234 if you’re using mine).
And enjoy!

Oh, by the way, it’s 4:20 am in Florida. Wake-up time.

About the AuthorZachary Shahan Zach is tryin' to help society help itself (and other species). He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its director and chief editor. He's also the president of Important Media and the director/founder of EV Obsession and Solar Love. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about cleantech at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, and Canada. Zach has long-term investments in TSLA, FSLR, SPWR, SEDG, & ABB — after years of covering solar and EVs, he simply has a lot of faith in these particular companies and feels like they are good cleantech companies to invest in. But he offers no professional investment advice and would rather not be responsible for you losing money, so don't jump to conclusions.

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Elon Musk’s Travel Itinerary Lambasted By The Washington Post

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Aviation Published on February 6th, 2019 | by Kyle Field
Elon Musk’s Travel Itinerary Lambasted By The Washington PostTwitterLinkedInFacebookFebruary 6th, 2019 by Kyle Field

tl;dr:Elon Musk runs several large companies operating in multiple locations around the world.
He also goes on vacation.

About the AuthorKyle Field I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. TSLA investor.

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Tesla Model 3 Price Inches Down To $43,000 — Or $35,000 With Estimated $8,000 In Incentives & Savings

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Cars Published on February 6th, 2019 | by Zachary Shahan
Tesla Model 3 Price Inches Down To $43,000 — Or $35,000 With Estimated $8,000 In Incentives & SavingsTwitterLinkedInFacebookFebruary 6th, 2019 by Zachary Shahan

It seems that one of Elon Musk’s most urgent tasks this quarter is to get the base price of the Tesla Model 3 down to a number much closer to $35,000. It is not lost on anyone that a key feature of the Model 3 has always been its planned base price of $35,000, and that even though the Model 3 has been on the market for approximately a year and a half, we’re still several thousand dollars away from that base price.
Due to lower operational and maintenance costs, the total cost of ownership of a Model 3 could be similar to a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, but that doesn’t change that many people simply don’t have the cash or credit capacity to get a $43,000 car — or just can’t swallow paying so much for a people mover.
$42,900 is now the base price for a Model 3, after the price dropped $1,100 in the past few hours. You can confirm that and configure a car here.
Interestingly, if you do go to that order page, you’ll see that the price of the car after estimated savings is now $34,850. Coincidence?

The price cut reportedly comes from Tesla nixing its referral program, which Elon Musk recently tweeted was “adding too much cost to the cars, especially Model 3.”
That $42,900 base price is for a rear-wheel drive version of the Model 3 with 264 miles of range on a full charge (EPA rating). It still includes the $5,000 premium package. If Tesla dropped that premium package (which comes with various goodies, including the wonderful glass roof, super soft vegan leather seats, a premium sound system, heated seating, and more), the base price could be down to $37,900.
As you can see, that would get Tesla mighty close to the targeted $35,000 base price, but it also means Tesla has to change up its manufacturing lines (which adds temporary costs and production delays). Tesla would have to get used to putting different seats, sound systems, and roofs in the cars. I imagine the production crew isn’t eager to change all those things up while it tries to get production to a steady 7,000 Model 3s per week.

If you want all-wheel drive and 310 miles of range, the base price is now $49,900, and the Performance trim ups the ante to $60,900 before savings. (Yes, that’s where Tesla really boosts its gross margin.) But hey, that’s the price of going from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds instead of 5.6 or 4.5 seconds — and getting some red calipers to go along with the speed bonus. If you’ve got the money, I’d say it’s worth it.
For those of you keeping score at home, as our own Tina Casey likes to say, Tesla already reduced the price of the Model 3 by $2,000 at the beginning of January. If Tesla cuts the price of the Model 3 another $3,100 in the next two months, then we’re down to $39,800, which would be cut to $34,800 if you dropped the $5,000 premium package.

Of course, there’s another matter we haven’t discussed at all yet. The current $42,900 price isn’t just the base model plus the premium package. It also has more battery capacity and range than you’re supposed to get in the base model. Aside from cutting $5,000 for the premium upgrades, you should theoretically cut something for the big drop in battery capacity planned for the Model 3 Standard Range. If the price cut for the 220 mile battery that replaces the 310 mile battery is $2,900, then it seems Tesla could already produce the $35,000 Model 3 and make money on it — if the company was ready for that.
Naturally, due to the tight financial situation Tesla is still in (in order to avoid taking any more money from Wall Street banks that haven’t been playing nice in the past year or two), the company’s going to produce and quickly sell as many Performance and Long Range models as it can before opening up the floodgates with the Model 3 Standard Range. The plan for months has been that Tesla will ship these higher-trim, higher-margin options to Europe and Asia before shipping the base Model 3 to US customers around the middle of this year.
Tesla’s pricing can change pretty frequently, and the price drop this week following the price drop just a month is a good example of that. Whether Tesla will keep stepping down the price in $1,000–2,000 increments remains to be seen. The other possibility is that the Silicon Valley company will stick with this price for the next few months before producing the base Model 3 and slashing the lowest possible cash price to $35,000.

As far as other pricing matters, remember that Tesla charges extra for any color other than black. Dark grey/silver and blue add $1,500 to the cost, white adds $2,000, and red adds $2,500 — for the time being.
The prettier rims also add $1,500. (Or, if you don’t like the aero rims, the wheels look pretty cool if you simply take the rims off.)
The beautiful and super soft vegan white interior adds another $1,000 if you don’t want the black seats.
The biggest add-on is Enhanced Autopilot at $5,000 (or $7,000 if you add it after you purchase the car).
If you just have to have all the most expensive things (red paint, white seats, prettier rims, Enhanced Autopilot) but you start with the current base version of the car, then you get up to $52,900 at the register, a full $10,000 more than if you stick with all the defaults (black paint, black seats, aero rims).
Just remember that the US federal tax credit could knock $3,750 off any of those prices (at the time that you file your 2019 taxes, and only if you have that much tax liability) and there are other state, province, and utility incentives out there. Also, as highlighted on the Tesla order pages, there are operational savings that lower the Model 3’s cost relative to gasoline cars. It’s logical to crunch the numbers yourself and see what that does for your pocketbook.
How long till we can buy the $35,000 Model 3 before incentives? Hopefully just a matter of months. Tesla’s working on it. In the meantime, check out some pics of beautiful Model 3s taken by CleanTechnica writers around the US and see if they don’t make you click the “Place Order” button.

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The Ultracapacitors, Electrodes, & Battery Manufacturing Tech Tesla Gets With Maxwell Technologies

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Batteries Published on February 4th, 2019 | by Dr. Maximilian Holland
The Ultracapacitors, Electrodes, & Battery Manufacturing Tech Tesla Gets With Maxwell TechnologiesTwitterLinkedInFacebookFebruary 4th, 2019 by Dr. Maximilian Holland

As reported earlier today, Tesla has nearly acquired Maxwell Technologies, a San Diego–based energy storage products and research business, for $218 million, with the transaction expected to complete in Q2 2019. Is this a stationary storage play or an EV play for Tesla … or both?Maxwell’s Durablue Ultracapacitor. Graphic from Maxwell’s Blog.
Maxwell is Best Known for its Ultracapacitors — What are They?Ultracapacitors store electrical energy, like batteries, but rather than electro-chemically (batteries), they store the energy electro-statically. There’s also a notable difference in balance between energy density and power density. Lithium-ion batteries have energy density typically in the 150–250 Wh/kg range, and power density in the 250–350 W/kg range. Maxwell’s current commercial ultracapacitors, such as the DuraBlue range pictured above, have much lower energy density of 8–10 Wh/kg (around 5% that of lithium-ion), yet much higher power density of 12–14 kW/kg (around 45× that of lithium-ion).
In the context of EV applications, this means that a 50 kg array of ultracapacitors could potentially input or output 650 kW of burst power (although, at 0.18 kWh, this would last just a second or so). Lower power levels would obviously be sustained for proportionately longer. For context, that’s about twice the power that the Tesla Model 3 Performance’s 480 kg battery pack is currently tuned to provide (331 kW).

If the economics made sense, a modest ultracapacitor array could work alongside the battery pack as a cache of energy, to reduce the load on (and/or work in parallel with) the main battery during short bursts of hard acceleration or strong regenerative braking. Since ultracapacitors can perform reliably over hundreds of thousands of cycles, this could also reduce the cycling load on the lithium-ion pack, and potentially allow it to have a chemistry that prioritizes energy density over power density. The round-trip energy efficiency of Maxwell’s ultracapacitors is in the 80% efficiency range, which is pretty decent (lithium-ion is 80 to 90%). In a mid-2018 conversation with the San Diego Business Journal, Maxwell reported having already sold 6.1 million ultracapacitors to automakers.
With their extremely fast response, high power density, and high cycle durability, ultracapacitors also have applications in fast-response stationary storage applications and grid load balancing (read more about Maxwell’s case studies of these).
Tesla Powerpacks
Dry Battery ElectrodesAnother interesting technology that Maxwell has developed is its dry battery electrode manufacturing process. Maxwell believes it has potential to lower traditional battery manufacturing costs:
“We believe that our patent-protected, proprietary manufacturing process, which has been utilized through many years of ultracapacitor production, can be applied to the manufacturing of battery electrode without the use of solvents to produce a highly reliable electrode material with uniform characteristics resulting in enhanced product performance, long-term durability, and lower manufacturing cost.” (Maxwell Annual Report, 2017)
Maxwell undertook proof of concept pilot testing between 2016 and 2017 with an automotive OEM and tier 1 supplier, which the company believes “has demonstrated the significant performance and cost advantages of our dry electrode manufacturing process compared with wet electrode manufacturing, while providing the required consistency and reproducibility in manufacturing a pilot-scale dry electrode roll.” (Maxwell Annual Report, 2017)

Image courtesy of Maxwell’s Technology Presentations
You can see Maxwell’s other claims for the technology in the above presentation slide, from the Needham investor conference in mid January this year. Maxwell’s 2017 annual report claims that, “The dry electrode can be further applied to advanced battery chemistries, offering well over 300 Wh/kg at the cell level.” It’s not clear whether these energy densities are enabled by their technology, or are simply compatible with the technology — the above slide appears to suggest the technology has a direct bearing on energy density. The claims of 2× durability improvement and 10–20% cost reduction will also no doubt have interested Tesla.
How will Tesla Leverage Maxwell’s TechnologiesThe ultracapacitor technologies and/or the dry battery electrode technologies could have been the attraction for Tesla. Given Tesla’s deep investment in lithium-ion battery production, for both EVs and stationary storage, the potential cost savings and performance benefits from the dry battery electrode process is clearly interesting.
The ultracapacitors also have potential for both stationary and mobile applications. The response speed, power density, and robustness would certainly make sense in heavy-duty grid applications, likely as a fast and powerful energy cache used alongside lithium-ion storage. Although it’s not so clear that there’s a significant need or benefit for ultracapacitors in Tesla’s passenger EV applications (beyond potentially enabling a different balance of lithium-ion cell characteristics, as mentioned above), the Tesla Semi’s heavy-duty use case may make more sense for employing an ultracapacitor cache. There even may be a case for using them in the Roadster for burst power.

It will be very interesting to see how Tesla leverages Maxwell Technologies. Readers will no doubt have many ideas about how Tesla will benefit from this acquisition. Please do jump in and share them in the comments.

About the AuthorDr. Maximilian Holland Max is an anthropologist, social theorist and international political economist, trying to ask questions and encourage critical thinking about social and environmental justice, sustainability and the human condition. He has lived and worked in Europe and Asia, and is currently based in Barcelona.

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First ~3,000 Tesla Model 3s For European Customers Arrive In European Port — Pictures!

Just after publishing Maarten's superb article on the electric vehicle explosion coming to Europe in 2019, I got word of the Glovis Captain arriving into Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium. I threw some tweets about this into the bottom of Maarten's article, but given how long Europeans have patiently waited for their Model 3s, it seemed the news deserved its own headline

Tesla Inks Deal To Acquire Maxwell Technologies In Stock Deal

Tesla and Maxwell Technologies have drafted a proposal that Maxwell executives have agreed to that, if shareholders agree, would result in Tesla acquiring the company in a stock deal. The deal is detailed in a letter from Maxwell and an 8-K Filing with the SEC filed by the company on February 4th,

Volkswagen USA CEO Talks Dieselgate, Tesla, & China

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Cars Published on February 2nd, 2019 | by Guest Contributor
Volkswagen USA CEO Talks Dieselgate, Tesla, & ChinaTwitterLinkedInFacebookFebruary 2nd, 2019 by Guest Contributor
Originally published on X Auto.
By Ian Pavelko

Volkswagen has a history of sending mixed messages when it comes to EV strategy, competition from Tesla, and the company’s murky ties to diesel. Motor Trend recently sat down with Volkswagen of America CEO Scott Keogh to get his feedback on a number of issues facing the automaker.

Keogh calls Dieselgate “the ultimate betrayal.” He admits, “we made VW un-matter to people. When companies get into crisis mode, they climb into a bunker, and they lose their mojo.” In response, Keogh says VW recently changed its advertising agency.
Moving forward, Keogh says, “We’re going to operate as a company that matters and is ethical, and we’re moving into EVs, and hopefully we’ll get that redemption. Our German uniqueness and quirkiness, depending on its application, is 100 percent good and necessary because it’s a distinguishing factor.”
When asked, specifically, about VW’s electrification strategy, Keogh remarks, “We are arriving with a proper VW at a VW price, at a time when market sentiment and reaction and consumer sentiment is building.” Nevertheless, as head of North America for Volkswagen, Keogh sees the real opportunity for electric cars in China.
“There is no debate China will be the explosive EV market. And they need a lot of EVs due to congestion, smog, and autonomy. They missed 20th-century auto. They want to win ‘new auto’—EV, autonomous, connected,” says Keogh. He adds that China’s EV policies help, “Sometimes policy needs to give innovation a leg up. … When you have policies, and particularly (China’s) policies, it can stimulate consumers to follow those policies.”

What about Tesla? Keogh says, “Right now market share is 50 percent Tesla and 50 percent everyone else. Who is going to win the other 50 percent? That breakthrough product has not arrived yet.”
Note:For more information on Navigational Rallying in Quebec, check out Club Autosport La Licorne’s Facebook page (in French).

About the AuthorGuest Contributor is many, many people. We publish a number of guest posts from experts in a large variety of fields. This is our contributor account for those special people. 😀

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All Your Cell Are Belong To Us? Any High Energy Density 2170 Will Do For Tesla

One of Elon Musk's most interesting comments on the recent Tesla Q4 earnings call was his statement that Tesla's battery modules and packs “can essentially use any high energy density 2170 chemistry.” As the world's biggest user of battery cells by a significant margin, this may have other international automakers worried that Tesla will suck up a big portion of independent battery supply in China over the next few years

Tesla Model 3 Has Arrived In Europe — Thoughts From Our Test Drive

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Cars Published on February 2nd, 2019 | by Jos Olijve
Tesla Model 3 Has Arrived In Europe — Thoughts From Our Test DriveTwitterLinkedInFacebookFebruary 2nd, 2019 by Jos Olijve
Photos by Jos Olijve and text by both Jos Olijve & Maarten Vinkhuyzen
It was 6 weeks ago, early December 2018, that European reservation holders were asked to configure their Tesla Model 3’s. The expectation was deliveries would begin somewhere in second half of the first quarter of 2019, but many were also doubtful of that timeline.
Last week, reservation holders received an invitation to experience the Model 3 at a local showroom. I was one of those reservation holders, and after years of reading and writing about the Model 3, after just sitting in it at the Paris Motor Show, we could not wait for the change to drive it.
A small number of Model 3 Performance cars for test driving were sent ahead of the first shipload of customer Model 3’s that will arrive in early February in Zeebrugge, Belgium. Those cars arriving soon are for those who did not wait and ordered their cars untested, as will be the case for the next 2 or 3 shiploads of cars. (And as many a Wall Street analyst can explain, selling thousands of the highest trim levels sight unseen is clear proof that there is no demand for the Model 3 in Europe, but that is for another article. )
Let us state that it is not fair to have the Long Range Performance with the Premium Upgrade Package for a test drive when your budget would really like a Standard Range basic version. Now, there are serious questions. For example: Is the Standard Range with rear-wheel drive just as sticky to the road as the all-wheel drive? Is the cornering just as effortless as in this Performance model? Is the Performance chill mode comparable to the Standard Range normal mode?
Maarten inspecting the Model 3 before the test drive.
This is what others have called the best car for the money. That is not only about lack of experience with all the competitors below €100,000. A 25 minute test drive on a predefined route with a co-pilot handling the touchscreen is not enough to get even a little understanding of the car
This Model 3 has so much more potential than the average city car. Whereas an hour in the city cars we drive now or two hours in a Renault Zoe or Nissan Leaf was enough to confirm that they would suffice as daily drivers, one needs a week road tripping through Europe and perhaps two days on a circuit to get to know this car and what it can do.
We can try to play the role of car reviewer, but there are many far better reviews from professional reviewers. What we can give you are a few first impressions from common people. For this test drive and review, Maarten is driving the car, and Jos is a passenger at the backseat.

Jos
Maarten was not alone on his trip to Tilburg on this misty, rainy day. He invited me to join him as a photographer and because he was interested in my experience and opinion as a passenger in the backseat.
When we arrived, we were heartily welcomed by the Tesla employees. The agenda was fully booked during the days of this Test Drive Event, they told us. All was on schedule and a Deep Blue Metallic Model 3 stood waiting for us.
Maarten
The spartan interior was great. I never liked the intimidating plethora of knobs and dials that is considered luxury. It only tells me that I need to spent a day with the manual to learn most of them, and I know that I will have forgotten how to switch to daylight savings time when the days get longer. I have worked 30 years in IT, and I have learned that the simpler the user interface, the better. The Model 3 has a brilliant user interface — it is just a pity that touchscreens hate my fingers and mostly ignore them. But that’s nothing that can’t be solved with a trackball or a velvet-tipped pencil.
No unnecessary knobs and dials, simple and elegant.
Jos
My first impression was a spacious car with a plain, spartan interior. However, I was disappointed by the synthetic leather upholstery.
Maarten
“That is Tesla special vegan leather. You can spoil a glass of wine on it and there is no problem.”
Jos
“I have no intention of drinking wine in the car, but it is good to know. … For me I like the upholstery a bit more cuddly.”
The safety glass roof is amazing. On this rainy day the grey clouds formed a great panorama. The roof also functions as a sun blocker. I had that funny thought that I would like to see the exterior of the car while riding in it. Okay, we can go to the moon and I understand that my wish might be too much…
When you don’t know it is Tesla special vegan leather, it looks like cheap synthetics.
Maarten
I am getting stiff in the joints. I also tend to doze off once in a while. So, the most important feature of the Model 3 for me is the Full Self Driving option, which won’t be available in the foreseeable future. Another consequence of those joints is that I needed help getting the driver seat in the right position.
Few things are as easy as driving an EV, though. Carefully press the accelerator and point the nose where you want to go.
Jos
The car produced more noise than I expected for an electric car. The noise is due to the winter tires, our co-pilot explained.
Meanwhile, the pre-defined route brought us through a new housing estate from one rotary intersection to the next. In the backseat, I was uncomfortably shuttled from one end to the other. What is really missing is a handgrip you can hold onto during accelerations and when going around a corner. Most cars have one and I think in an electric car it is indispensable, especially in sport mode.
Maarten
I tried to get the famous Tesla smile on Jos’s face. Thirty years ago, making a wheelie after a traffic light did give a positive reaction. I don’t know whether it was the front wheels staying on the road or just getting a bit mature, but it was not appreciated this time. If eyes could kill, I would be at least severely wounded.
I decided to drive very carefully, like a limo driver.
Jos
I suppose that the heart of the biker that Maarten used to be was ticking again. Our Tesla co-pilot was so empathic that he changed the chill mode into sport mode, all to please grumpy old man Maarten. A few minutes later, we arrived at a traffic light, followed by a straight road. And as you can guess, Maarten could not resist pressing the accelerator deeply. … Unlike the front tire of the motorbike of times past, the Tesla car did not start prancing. Instead, it caused an immense g-force on me in the backseat. Not very comfortable.
Maarten
One last attempt at putting the Tesla smile on Jos’s face. It failed. Only chill mode with Jos aboard.
Jos
This example shows that the capacities of a car can have great effects on the behavior of the driver. It is something to keep in mind for safety and comfort of other people in the car and on the road. The position of the driver is very different from the one on the backseat. The driver has everything under control and the g-forces are less felt in the front.
Both together
The car is big but not too big for most of Europe. The heated seats are not just heated — they get hot, perfect for Maarten’s back.
Leg room in the back depends on the one in the front seat.
Jos prefers real suede leather, Maarten fancies cloth.
Of course, we checked the trunk — enough room, with extra space for tools and other items underneath.
A really deep trunk.
With its range and charging capabilities, there is nothing you cannot do with this car. For those in Europe who think that the Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class, or BMW 3 Series is the car for them, the Tesla Model 3 is likely a better car for their interests.
This year, the number of Tesla cars on European roads will more than double. This time, not only in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the UK, but all over Europe. There is no telling what the enhanced visibility will do to demand. With better price/performance and availability of the S, 3, and X models than the competing Jaguar, Audi, Porsche, or Mercedes offerings, Tesla will again prove Wall Street wrong.
Tesla has prepared for this with a decent expansion of its superfast charging network in Southern Europe and the beginning of it in Eastern Europe. What is missing is a sales and service network in the larger European countries. Interesting times ahead.
What a surprise — today, Jos passed a Deep Blue Metallic Model 3 in the wild, in my own village/town of Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Was it the same one or another?

About the AuthorJos Olijve Jos Olijve graduated in clinical psychology in that special period of the 20th century when unemployment was at its highest ever among young academics. She retrained and worked as an information analyst before switching to general and educational journalism. She made her own photo illustrations for her articles, and got appreciated for her photography besides her writing. Later on, website management gave her the opportunity of combining her writing, visual, and technological skills. Meanwhile, she raised two fantastic kids. She is now supporting her colleague Maarten in editing his articles and making beautiful photo shoots.

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My First Tesla Shareholder Call As A Tesla Investor

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Cars Published on February 1st, 2019 | by Carolyn Fortuna
My First Tesla Shareholder Call As A Tesla InvestorTwitterLinkedInFacebookFebruary 1st, 2019 by Carolyn Fortuna
For most people, you buy a stock because someone you know is excited about it. Maybe that person is a day trader or has a track record of choosing a solid portfolio of growth stocks. That person’s energy and enthusiasm is contagious: you want to jump in and take a teeny portion of your net worth, just a snip of your meager life savings, to a whole new level. And, if that stock is Tesla [TSLA], the thought of becoming a Tesla investor is doubly thrilling, as you’ll be joining a group of visionaries who feel a positive shift toward the future.

I’m one of those new Tesla investors. A longtime educator who apportioned a small amount of my biweekly paycheck into a 403(b) account, I saw my first Tesla in 2013 while traveling through an upscale hippie town in western Connecticut on the way to Lime Rock Raceway. I thought of Tesla at the time as little more than another new car on the market.
Tesla, as the first EV with long enough range to serve as a replacement for a gasoline car, was soon seen as different. It was an EV that was also a practical everyday car. The company created a Supercharger network that had been missing with prior EVs (and other non-Tesla EVs since), making charging options fast and convenient. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, took good ideas and made them a reality — “the point of all this was, and remains, accelerating the advent of sustainable energy, so that we can imagine far into the future and life is still good.”
Since then, I’ve been writing about environmental issues for CleanTechnica and other EV websites, and I’ve come to understand the special place that Tesla holds in the marketplace. It’s more than an automobile company: it’s a movement, a mission, a disruptor. It’s leading the energy industry toward advanced technologies for a sustainable economy.

No, I don’t own a Tesla automobile. I’d love to own a Model 3, of course! But I’m one of those people to whom Musk referred to in the Q4 2018 earnings call:
“The demand for — the demand for Model 3 is insanely high. The inhibitor is affordability. It’s just like people literally don’t have the money to buy the car. It’s got nothing to do with desire. They just don’t have enough money in their bank account. If the car can be made more affordable, the demand is extraordinary.”
But what I could do was buy Tesla stock. The climate crisis and related growth had already led me to divest from fossil fuel stocks in my existing portfolio. Like many others, I lean toward mission-driven investment strategies, and the trend seems to be pointing in that direction for many others similarly.
In late summer 2018, after Musk announced via Twitter that he had secured enough funding for a massive private buyout of Tesla, the SEC stepped in with sanctions. When Tesla stock dropped in value, I saw an opportunity and made my first purchase. Since then, the stock has risen and, while it is fluctuating, I’m pleased with my decision. I do plan on staying “long,” putting my money into the Tesla movement and feeling like I’m part of something important and rare.
I’ve bet on the future, after all.

Listening to the Investor’s Call with a New PerspectiveAs a writer for CleanTechnica, I generally tune into the quarterly Tesla shareholder communications. I take notes, read the shareholder letter, listen to the earnings call, and study the subsequent transcript. The late January 2019 communications felt different to me, however. I was one of the people to whom Tesla was speaking!
Several points during the earnings call caught my attention and confirmed my confidence in my Tesla stock.
Tesla achieved an 80% market share of US EV sales last year.The company began construction of the Gigafactory in Shanghai, and by the end of this year, they expect to be producing Model 3s using a complete vehicle production line. Musk acknowledged that the company is getting a lot of support from the Shanghai government as well as the national government.With the combination of cells produced at the Gigafactory in Nevada, cells produced in Japan, and cells produced locally in China, Tesla is confident it has a sufficient supply to hit its productions targets there.Tesla predicts strong growth in its battery and stationary storage businesses.With concern about a 2019 recession looming and possible scenarios of lower volumes and tight pricing, Tesla anticipates a good shot of being profitable and generating free cash flow nonetheless. If such a recession does come, Elon plans to manage the business adequately through frugality.Elon continued to refer to Tesla’s relevance in regard to the acceleration of sustainable energy, which is absolutely fundamental due to its importance for humanity.Yes, I realize that Tesla stock was off a bit at the beginning of January, partially due to total sales numbers not being what some shareholders expected and partly due to the 50% cut in the federal tax credit for buying a Tesla. But the Tesla board is more robust than ever, with the addition of 2 veteran business people: Oracle founder Larry Ellison and Walgreens’ executive vice-president and global chief human resources officer Kathleen Wilson-Thompson. And lots of investor advisors are telling their clients that they believe Tesla is on track to post one of the market’s most robust year-over-year earnings increases in 2019.

Final ThoughtsLike many others, I will likely add to my shares of the company over time as I have more free capital to invest.
After all, Tesla is on the frontlines of climate action. One of the best things I can do for the environment is support the company. As more people end up buying a share of Tesla, or 2+, we can show how are investing in the company as another way to do our part in climate action. I do intend to stick with the stock through most anything, because I see its survival and growth as critical to getting the climate under control. This is a narrative that we should see playing out more and more, which makes Tesla stock a rather unique case.
I feel that Tesla will continue to see massive sales growth in the coming years, as Teslas become more common on the streets around us. As other people outside the sustainability community begin to gain awareness as to the role Tesla has taken in the push toward renewable energy, and as more people start to recognize Teslas in their own neighborhoods, the stock will certainly rise in value.

About the AuthorCarolyn Fortuna Carolyn Fortuna, Ph.D. is a writer, researcher, and educator with a lifelong dedication to ecojustice. She's won awards from the Anti-Defamation League, The International Literacy Association, and The Leavy Foundation. She’s molds scholarship into digital media literacy and learning to spread the word about sustainability issues. Please follow me on Twitter and Facebook and Google+

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