Hi, you On. Are you there? I am, UM. Hey,
So this is a cool Twitter spaces learning a lot about this platform.
Yeah, um, I mean it's a great way to talk directly to people,
um and have just a kind of a real time conversation. UM and
yeah, so uh uh yeah, thanks for doing this. So I guess
um, so would you like to make announcement? Thank you Elon UM and
you know, working with Elon as team, I'm really excited for for our
industry and for the Ford customers we're going to be We're announcing that in early
twenty twenty four, all of Fords existing customers and future customers would have access
to twelve thousand tests of superchargers, high speed superchargers across the US. We're
really excited about that. We're ramping production and we think this is a huge
move for our industry and for all electric customers. And then about a year
later, we're going to be equipping our forwards when when we go to our
second generation electric vehicles with the NACS interface. So it's really Elana want to
thank you and your team. It's been great working with you so far,
and I'm really excited about what this means for customers. How did you know
we've been talking about this for a while, you and I, uh,
what are your thoughts? Yeah, well, um, well, it's certainly
super exciting to be uh in partnership with Ford, UM to have a transfer
amount of respectful Forward as a company and makes great, great vehicles, So
UM yeah, this this this is uh you know, it's something where where
we're super happy to support um U UM for vehicles with that tells a supercharging
network UM and uh you know also provide UM API access so like uh you
know, so like a forward vehicle can charge at a tells a supercharger using
a forward app UM seamless essentially, like the the idea is that like we
don't want that tells the supercharger network to be like a world world garden,
you know, we want it to be something that is supportive of UM electrification
and and uh sustainable transport in general. So UM and we were very very
much appreciative of of Ford, uh you know, interested in partnering on this
front. So uh, it's it is uh in our intent to do everything
possible to support UM forward and and have Ford be on an equal footing.
Um AT tells the superchargers. Well, this is a really really big deal
for for our customers, UM, because opening we have about ten thousand fast
chargers now, but twelve thousand we and we love, we love the locations,
we love the reliability routing software UM, easy use of the connector,
UM, the reliability of it. UM. I think it's it's a pretty
amazing what what you and your team have have done for for the customers.
UM. How are you seeing things in Europe? Because I know that's a
little bit different, Well, the europe'spec UM. It's funny. UM actually
went to visit the EU UM Minister of Transport because I was several years ago,
UM, because I was actually pretty upset about the EU design And honestly,
it was it was it was. It was somewhat of Afica esque situation.
UM where where I was I told, well, you know it was
designed by a committee. I'm like, well, we didn't know this committee
existed. UM. It's like, well but you should have not. Like
I'm like, well, how are we supposed to provide input on something we
didn't know existed? This is not possible And I hadn't you become law or
anything. So I was like, well, how about it for those alternatives,
you know, like you can have two or you know, and but
but unfortunately the EU connector is very much a design by committee situation um and
um, but we're somewhat stuck with it. In fact, we're not even
allowed to have private networks in the in the in the EU to have the
North American connector so. Um. But but I think it is the you
know, the team has don't done a good job, and it's it's a
pretty great connector so um. And and if if we you know, working
with with Ford and perhaps others, can make it the North American standard,
I think the consumers will be all the better for it. UM. So
I know you and I've been you know, talking about what we can do
together to advance um. You know, the the industry and the customer experience
became clear to me. I was I was on vacation my family last year
in Lake taw I was driving back I think to Monterey and my kids kids
kept look look at me and going, hey, Dad, there's another supercharger.
Can you really stop there? How about how about there? How about
on the I five? Dad? I was like, no, you have
to go, you have to go over here behind this other building, so
it kind of became obvious to me, you know, the job your team
had done and what it means for customers absolutely so well, um, you
know, our goal really is to be helpful as helpful as possible in accelerating
towards sustainable transport. Um and you know that's that's also like why why we
open source our patents, um and and many of our designs are open sourced.
So, um, you're just glad to be as helpful as as possible
um and. Um And I think we I think you alluded to it,
but we should mention that there will be an adapter. Um. So I
think we're aiming for that adapter to be in production early next year. I
think, yes, yeah, yes, And that's a really big deal because
that you know, I mean, we're we don't we don't have as many
EVA customers as you do, but we still have plenty, and you know,
for them to be able to have this benefit early next year already and
not have to like buy a new cars, I think a real statement by
you and the Tesla team you know, to to to be really thinking prioritizing
the customers experience. UM. So you know that that's that's really a big
deal. And of course we're really we're totally committed that an acs UM interface
itself going forward. That's how great? UM, Well, should we maybe
take some we take some questions? Um perfect um. Let's see as far
as far as ad UM, I have one. I think that's pretty cool.
I see which is um, which is um? How will how much
it will cost? And so I was thinking that that's a good one.
I. You know, we'll obviously trying to make it as affordable and competitive
as possible early next year. UM, and we'll have different kinds of payment
options like subscriptions, et cetera. Yeah, it's I think it will not
be cost prohibitive. It'll be you know, something's quite quite affordable, you
know, and in the in the hundreds of dollars range, you know,
it's it's it's it's an adapter, so it's not it's not super expensive.
Yeah. UM. See. So as far as said, did you have
a question, sure, yeah, no, thank you for bringing me up
high elon high Jim, congrats on the announcement. UM. Yeah, Jim,
I just want to give you props. I think, um, out
of all the legacy automakers, I really like the leadership that you've sort of
driven for Ford, having the guts and the bravery of you know, really
allowing the public seeing the financials for all your business units. I think is
is quite a leadership standpoint that I think should be noticed by the rest of
the industry. How how do you view that decision within the context of sort
of this decision here today and what are some of the I guess challenges or
things that you've been able to learn from going through this transition sort of this
next generation of board and sort of just high level how are you thinking about
forward where it stands today. I think it's just it's just very impressive how
you all decided to do that. I think it's really really cool. Well,
I think you know obviously tests you know, stormed through the train station
like three hundred kilometer per hour Hinkins, and so it's like, um,
you know, we're learning a lot. I'd say splitting out the business really
has been a game changer for us because it's given us a lot, like
we really are focused on, like this decision on trying to work on behalf
of the customer and maybe when it was not broken out, we didn't have
that laser focus. I think some of the things that we learned, frankly
a lot of a lot of them from Elana's team is, you know,
our our industry is kind of obsessed with these huge batteries, and I think
that's maybe not the right approach. You know, we should make the battery
as small as possible actually with a really competitive user experience range, but have
like really great fast charging experience combined with that, you know, so we
don't have to be driving around, you know, twenty thousand dollars of extra
batteries for customers. Um, exactly. Yeah, So I think I've learned
that. And also you embedded electric architects, you know, fully updateable vehicle.
Like it's super hard what Tesla's done, and I totally respect them,
you know, to do that, um, to make a fully software updateable
vehicle. And we're in the process of doing. But it's super hard,
super already. Um well, I mean we're happy to be helpful, and
you know in other respects with you know, on the software front, um
that there may be you know, um some you know something where we can
be helpful there, you know, in the same way that like maybe Android
is you know, helpful to the phone industry as sort of a general statard,
like we could potentially open you know, I think open source more code,
and you know, we would just would love to be helpful in any
way that we can. Yeah, um, I think that's super important.
It shouldn't stop now. I'm I'm at she really interested. Ion and your
experience so far on Corpus Christie and processing row materials. It seems like you're
really learning a lot. Yeah. I mean, our actual goal is to
do the least amount uh possible. But but but then we end up hitting
these choke points, or we inticipate hitting choke points. UM. So a
lot of the vertical integration is really out of necessity. UM. And uh,
you know, if we find that there are suppliers that are solving the
problem and there's a there's good visibility into the future output roadmap, then uh,
you know, there may be cases where we would you know, um,
redirect those resources from what what they're doing to something else, because we
got we got a triage list of problems a mile long. So but but
the you know, we we did see a pretty serious issue with lithium refining.
UM that there's a lot of lithium or in the world. UM,
like when one looks at the sort of lithium reserves that that's actually a tiny
fraction of the amount of lithium that that that is that exists UM. But
but the the processing and lithium UM, it's just it seems to be a
significant choke point. So that's that's the reason for althium refinery that we just
UM brokeground on in Corpus Christie. And then we've got a cathode refinery that's
UM on the same piece of land as our factory in Austin. UM.
That's that's where a nickel based cathode. And then we're just trying to figure
out like, man, do we need to do the ano too? Hopefully
not, but if someone else could please do that, that would be also.
UM. It's a synthetic graphite. There's a big market for it.
I recommend entrepreneurs. I mean I see so many entrepreneurs. It's like you
know in Silicon Valley doing like a software startup or you know, sort of
chasing the latest, greatest, latest thing, but but not enough of UM.
The talent in North America I think goes into heavy industry UM and the
crazy thing is like the opportunity and heavy industry is tremendous. Um and so
I just would really like to encourage entrepreneurs to to think about things that that
don't have both you know, adapt on a phone basically, um, so
app on a phone, we need them, but like you know, just
an over allocation of talent coming from Ford. I totally agree, totally totally
agree. It is super hardmaking cars, so yeah, well it's super hardmaking
and better electric architectures too, right back at you, Yeah yeah, um.
And it's it's like you know, I guess you know, uh,
California gets a lot of flat but but I have to say, like the
Tesla SpaceX teams in California are work like how um, you know, we
run the Fremont plant twenty four seven in the Bay Area, um and uh
and the output at sort of on a Sunday morning is about the same as
on a Monday afternoon. UM. And then I was like, well,
do we have quality issues maybe that are differential because like who really wants to
work at for you I'm on a Sunday um right, But but actually no,
no, no, it's it's it's slightly counterintuitive. We actually I mean,
look, you know, quality is always a challenge. It's always a
challenge. But um, but but actually the quality uh is slightly worse on
a on a Monday than it is on a Sunday night shift, which is
counterintuitive. Uh that's interesting. UM, I know. Yeah, yeah,
I'm getting some questions about, um, all the existing four chargers. Yeah,
the everything will still work. So so we're good with that. Um
should should we enable car dealership? Guida? I don't know him right?
Oh yes, Oh my god? Is that Mike Sullivan? It might be
Oh yeah, there we go. Yep, we'llon't enable Okay car dealer?
Okay, Mike? Is that is that you calling from Santa Monica? Working
to me? Mike? I'm Mike, Mike. Check your Mike. Hey,
how are you guys doing. I'm definitely not a Mike, uh,
but but I have a Mike. So Hey, thank you, appreciate you
bring me off Elon. Jim, Hey for zad uh Jim. I have
a question for you regarding and I did miss the whole beginning part of this,
so you already spoke about this, But how do you reconcile how do
you reconcile the shift electrification um and and specifically with you know, the standards
that you know you have a massive dealer network throughout the country. Um so,
so that entire shift with the fact that you know, at the end
of the day, if we're just being objective, your your customer or a
one of your customers, is the dealer still and of course the dealer network,
and you know, how do you reconcile all of that. And I'm
coming from a position where you know, I don't know how much you know
about my mission, but I'm really trying to deliver transparent insights into into the
car market and unbiased way. I'm a used car dealer, so I don't
have a horse in this race per se. So I'll leave it at that.
I'll take a pause, but go ahead. Thanks. Yeah, I
think you know, I had the opportunity to lead science and I learned a
lot from that experience. I think when you look at the net promoter score
of people who buy vehicles, you know they really want transparency in the pricing.
So early next year we're going to be going to non negotiate a pricing
and more and more people want to do business remotely, so we want to
offer that but you know, when you get an accident or you have questions,
I mean, people are going to want to talk to someone. So
I think I think there's an answer out there. If I look at markets
like Norway that are very you know, that have really adopted electrification, there's
some combination that I think we're moving to that is good for the customer.
And I don't think it's it's odds with you know, the system has been
there for one hundred and twenty years. But of course, like commercial vehicles
is a little different. You know that network has to do a lot of
repair vehicles. They're heavily used, and so you know, physical services like
super important for commercial customers. But I think I think we're moving to a
different experience and that will be from my experience, that will be a good
thing. Look, I don't necessarily disagree on I think that, you know,
I'm I love the business and I think Tesla's an enigma in the sense
that you know, it's been D two CUM since very early on, and
that's how the company was built. I think, you know, speaking I
get tons of dms and every day and so it's very I'm a very interesting
position where I have a very strong pulse on the market. And you know,
you're the CEO of the company, so I'm sure you do too clearly.
But I'm constantly seeing stuff like you know, blue Sky multiples, and
for anyone in the audience that doesn't know what that means, just means the
multiple that Forward stores are selling now they keep declining. And the reason that's
important, the reason I pay attention to that in what I do, is
because that just tells me that's a has a direct correlation to dealer sentiment and
what dealers think that you know, the future hold for a specific brand,
And so I think you know that, That's where my head is at,
thinking how how does that work itself out? I understand you're right that you
know, there's different reasons why DDC can be better for a customer or a
dealer network or anything in between. Like we can argue that all day,
Um, And I think execute it really does come down to execution in a
sense. But I still wonder how how does it all play out given that
there is a dealer network and you know that is the reality of how the
company structure, you know, going through that transition. Yeah, it's awful.
Yeah, I think, Um, I think it is a transition and
we're learning. Yeah, what how I kind of think of it is like
we're going into a second inning of a nine inning game, so you know,
we're gonna make adjustments a long way. I just don't see it as
an either or UM, I just don't. I think we need physical outlets
here and there. Yeah, I'd agree with that. Um, we should
probably not just great too, just because it'll it could easily you know,
be like a several hour long um Q and A about Tesla and forward.
Yeah. So, UM, you know, we want to say reasonably on
topic. UM. So uh you know, if if there are additional speaker
requests, uh please, that's that's that's totally cool. But um, we
want to stay reasonably on topic. So uh, with that in mind,
do you still have a question. I appreciate, Like I said, I
Apodi did I missed the beginning it? But I think you know that all
when I think about the acceleration EV and I've had I've spoken with several guests
that are you know, very active in EV space, not not Tesla,
But you know, I just think it's I think through that as you know,
what does the world look like in five ten years, where is EVY
adoption and what what does that percentage look like? So look, guys,
I think it's really cool to see that the two of you on this platform
doing this together. So kudos to you for um really teaming up on that.
This is good to see and UM yeah that's all for me for now,
thank you. Okay, So it's good. Hey, Jim hate Elon,
this is ser Joe Rodriguez out here in Monterey, California. So I
am absolutely shocked to see this partnership go down. I am impressed as all
can be. I mean, if everybody anybody knows me, they know that
I'm completely shocked right now. I don't even I don't know where north south
east west is right now. But I appreciate the fact that there's going to
be a movement forward in as far as it's electrification and that way we can
get these naysayers that are out there that you know, feel that range anxiety
is limiting and people can't do this and people can't do that. My question
goes to, how is the charging speed going to be for us? For
us on your network? Are we going to be able to charge at our
full capacity? Because I know that with the Magic doc. When I tested
it, it was throttled back a bit. It'll really be at whatever the
physical limit is of the wiring, and so we'll make sure that the adapter
is not the living factor, so it will and and the the super charge
will not be the living factor, so it would really be UM, you
know, and anything that's on the vehicle side wiring. But well we'll certainly
get go as as as fast as the vehicle battery will allow. UM.
So you know it is it's certainly the Tesla intent to make this a UM.
You know, I seem listen positive experience for for owners perfect it's crazy.
Thank you, Elan. I know we're getting the end of our uh
end of our time, but I have to ask you. I UM from
my podcast, I talked to Neil and Tyson and and and we were both
UM the gross Tyson and we were both wondering where is the Tesla roaster in
the universe right now? Because I have a few well we have to say
everyone out there who has a reservation on Tesla roaster, I'd just like to
say thank you for your patients, UM, because and we're certainly testing the
patients of of of the new Tesla Roaster customers. I'm actually in the studio
here um uh with our head of design actually and our head of Vicole engineering.
Um so Lars and France Fronts are here. Lars and Franz are here
here. Um so we're actually just looking at the h there. We're hoping
to finish the design of the engineering of the new roads to this year and
hopefully reach production towards the end of next year. I mean, I do
want to emphasize that this is financially sort of a small, small potatoes situation.
Um. You know, it's not going to move the needle in a
major way financially. So I've characterized it as the it's not even the icing
on the cake, it's the cherry on the icing on the cake. Um.
But it's it's still it's you know, will be a really really cool
thing, and and and and and there's some something you know, poetic about
We started roll with the roadster, and we're not gonna end with the roadster.
But but it's nice to have it rhyme and come back with with a
new versions. So where's the one, where's the one in space? Like,
yeah, how far out is it? Well, there's actually somebody maintains
a website called where is roadster dot com. Oh really yeah, so at
any given point you can uh see where it is. Um. But we
ran the sort of orbital calculations forward about ten million years and it did not
appear to hit anything for the next ten million years. So it's uh,
you know, never know when something that come out of nowhere, but it'll
it'll be there in theory, it will be there, um after the even
after the remids have eroded. So it's it's a long term. You know,
the aliens, if aliens come in the future, they were like,
hey, what's this thing? Um? And then we have we have a
we have a tiny roaster like a matchbox car roadster on the dashboard of the
roads or so they'd be like maybe they'll think they must they must have worshiped
these things. This must be like the religious symbol of something you know.
Um, I don't know, um, but uh yeah that's cool. I
just want to thank Elan to you and your team for for you know,
working together on behalf of all of our customers and for all the customers calling
in. Just want to thank you for doing so. We're really pumped up
about working with with you to you know, make our customers lives better,
and uh, we're really thankful for your partnership. Likewise, um, it's
to be working with a great company like Ford and so yeah, it's a
look looking forward to doing paths more in the future. So well, yeah,
and let's do this again. It's been I've learned a lot and uh
yeah it's a great platform. All right, cool, sounds good. Thank
you, Okay, thank you. Bye.