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Sandy Munro Talks Tesla Cybertruck, Exoskeleton, SpaceX, Big 3, & More

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Published on December 19th, 2019 |

by Johnna Crider

Sandy Munro Talks Tesla Cybertruck, Exoskeleton, SpaceX, Big 3, & More

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December 19th, 2019 by Johnna Crider

In an interview with an advisor to some of the world’s top manufacturing executives, Sandy Munro, Sean Mitchell dives right in with this burning question: “Did you get one?” One, being a Cybertruck. This isn’t the only question Sean asked Sandy in the video, and Sandy, who was busy and didn’t see the live unveiling, confirmed that three of his guys at Munro did order a Tesla Cybertruck. Sandy explains that one of his guys told him to look at the pictures, and when he did he asked if they ordered one. The guy said yes, and Sandy said, “Okay, good.” That was it.

“I’m pretty keen on that look. It’s very masculine. To me, it looks like the ultimate in off-roading.”
—Sandy Murno.

Sandy also likes to go hunting and his Jeep isn’t quite like a Cybertruck would be, which answers Sean’s second question about stealth properties.

Body-on-Frame vs. Exoskeleton
Munro lists a few things that he likes about the Cybertruck, including the stainless steel exoskeleton. He compares the way the Model 3 is built with the Cybertruck and points out that the exoskeleton is definitely a good thing that will protect the inside or soft areas of the vehicle.

Sean Mitchell asked, “Why is the body-on-frame such a popular way to build trucks?” Body-on-frame refers to a type of auto construction method in which a separate body is attached to a rigid frame or chassis that carries the powertrain. This is the main method used to build pickup trucks and SUVs. Munro explains that the body-on-frame creates a ruggedness or toughness and points out how convenient it is. However, when it comes to high volumes, it becomes expensive.

One question that caught my interest was, “How can Tesla pull from SpaceX technology?” One reason this catches interest is because Tesla is pretty much the only automaker that has ties (meaning that Elon Musk is the CEO of both companies) to an aerospace company known for being on the cutting edge of aerospace technology.

Munro points out that NASA engineers that got laid off when Obama took over in 2008 didn’t “go sell shoes.” Elon Musk snatched up some of these “wicked smart” people. What Elon Musk does, is sees an opportunity, grabs it, and runs with it. “If you stack the deck with geniuses, you’re going to win.” Sean adds to the question by asking, in a material science aspect, is there some “cross-pollination there?” He points out that the exoskeleton appears to have been taken as an idea from SpaceX, and some of the materials are used to build a rocket. Has this ever been done before in the automotive industry?

“Not that I can think of,” Munro replies, while reminding us that he is making his own version of stainless steel.

Munro’s Thoughts on the Broken Windows

Munro also says that breaking the windows wasn’t a failure to him. Munro knows that it’s better than anything else and points out this is another one of Elon’s inventions.

“If I would have done that with a standard window with a ball that heavy made of steel, it would have gone right through and into the passenger seat.”
— Sandy Munro.

What are the Big 3 Talking about in Their Boardrooms Regarding the Cybertruck?
We all know the Big 3 (other US automakers) probably don’t like the Tesla Cybertruck — many people were scratching their heads while looking at it, thinking it might be a joke as it first rolled onto the stage that warm November night. Munro says he doesn’t know what they are saying but assumes that they don’t like it. (That makes sense — they are the competitors and their trucks have just been made a complete fool of by something new.)

Munro points out the big mistakes of these big three automakers. That mistake is their attitudes of “That’ll never go anywhere.”

Munro used to be at one of the OEMs and he attended quite a few board meetings. “It would be about a three-second conversation: ‘That’ll never go anywhere,’ and okay, fine, let’s go. And that’s how they lost the small car market, the luxury market, and now they are losing the pickup truck market.”

Sean Mitchell and Sandy Munro also cover other things, such as the magic behind a $40,000 Cybertruck, how well the Cybertruck would do in a crash, and the new manufacturing approach. You can view the full video here.

Prediction: Tesla Cybertruck Will Have 1 Million-Mile Battery
28,000 Tweets Helped Elon Musk Develop Tesla Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck: “Society can kiss my behind!”
Who Is *Actually* Going To Buy A Tesla Cybertruck?
The Tesla Cybertruck Isn’t A Pickup — It’s Much, Much More

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About the Author

Johnna Crider Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem and mineral collector, and Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to “Believe in Good.”

Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

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Tesla To Provide 93 MWh Grid-Scale Storage Battery For Electricity Co-Op In Alaska

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Published on December 18th, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Tesla To Provide 93 MWh Grid-Scale Storage Battery For Electricity Co-Op In Alaska

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December 18th, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Homer Electric Association is an energy cooperative that serves the needs of some 50,000 people living on the Kenai Peninsular south of Anchorage, Alaska. It announced this week that it has agreed to the purchase and installation of a 93 MWh battery energy storage system supplied by Tesla “to increase grid stability, electric power reliability and system efficiency for its members,” according to an online post on HEA’s website. Installation of the Tesla battery is expected to be completed by the fall of 2021. No information about the cost of the project is being released by HEA or Tesla at this time.

Soldatna Generating Plant. Credit: Homer Electric Association

The battery will be located at HEA’s Soldatna Generating Plant, a gas turbine facility with a capacity of 47 megawatts. It can normally power up in about 15 minutes to meet a surge in the demand for electricity but will be called upon to do so less frequently once the Tesla battery is in operation. 15 minutes is a pretty good response time for a turbine but a battery like the one Tesla is providing can react in milliseconds. That’s the difference between 20th and 21st century technology.

The new battery will allow HEA to meet its reliability requirements without having to burn additional fuel, resulting in greater system efficiencies, lower greenhouse gas production, and reduced power outages. But it will have an additional benefit as well. It will open the door for the co-op to include more solar or wind energy in its portfolio in the future. Without battery storage in place, the co-op’s thermal generation resources could be strained due to the intermittency of renewable energy.

HEA has a relatively modest renewable energy goal of 18% within the next few years. At the present time, it gets about 10% of its electricity from the Bradley Lake hydroelectric facility owned by the Alaska Energy Authority. It has recently committed to a new hydroelectric initiative known as the Battle Creek Diversion Project, which involves the installation of 9,100 feet of Steel Reinforced Poly Ethylene 6 feet in diameter. It will add about 36,160 MWh of electricity to HEA’s supply each year. Completion of that project is scheduled for the summer of next year.

It is encouraging that Alaska, which prides itself on its fossil fuel reserves, is beginning to look to battery storage and renewables to meet the demand for electricity in its future — further proof that lower costs are the best way to reduce reliance on fossil fuels for future energy needs.
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