Is Tesla Positioning Itself To Be THE Trump Poster Child With The 95% Made In America Model 3?

Tesla’s new ‘2170’ battery cell is the most important product Tesla is bringing to market this year, even more so than the Model 3 which it is enabling. Batteries can be perceived as a boring commodity and it’s definitely not as exciting as Tesla’s consumer products, but the cost, energy density and other differentiating factors are the basis for those consumer products and therefore, its production is highly critical to the company’s short-term success.

Beyond significantly reducing the cost of li-ion batteries, Gigafactory batteries will also have a less obvious benefit of making Tesla’s vehicles “more American”.

The Kogod School of Business at American University in Washington, D.C. calculated the percentage of what makes a car “made in America” based on how many parts were made in the U.S., how much labor was done in the U.S., and how much research and development were done in America.
 

HenryN - 1/5/2017 11:51:23 AM

0 Boost

Regardless how the "Trump" card is being played, if I were Tesla I would stay true to the course. Everything Tesla has done to this day has been outlined in Musk's master plans (2006, 2016) - and it will continue to do so with or without Trump's interference.

The sustainable energy/transportation movement is much bigger than Trump or his inflated ego. There are many more companies and countries involved in this, not just Tesla or the US. There is no real value for Tesla to be associated with this con man.

MDarringer - 1/5/2017 12:02:25 PM

+2 Boost

Musk knows he has to kiss Trump's ass now given that Trump is highly unlikely to keep Tesla afloat with taxpayer money.

HenryN - 1/5/2017 12:09:45 PM

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I think it's the other way around. Trump invited Musk to his advisory council. Trump is an opportunist, and being a very "good" con man, he knows where opportunities are.

Your mention of taxpayer's money reminds me of teaching basic arithmetic to a retarded person - now matter how many times one has to explain, you still don't get it.

MDarringer - 1/5/2017 12:47:33 PM

+3 Boost

You're utterly delusional.

pentupnrgy69 - 1/5/2017 5:20:48 PM

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MDarringer, whenever I read your insipid comments about anything and everything, I get a much better understanding about how truly stupid our country is and how it fell for an inept con man clown like Trump.

pepito66 - 1/5/2017 6:33:58 PM

0 Boost

Thank you great answer.

MDarringer - 1/5/2017 7:16:46 PM

+4 Boost

It's so easy triggering Alt-Left morons like you, but I do find it most amusing, Mr. Moonbat.

pentupnrgy69 - 1/5/2017 9:09:51 PM

-1 Boost

..and yet the only person who sounds like a moron resides on the Right side of the aisle. Imagine that! Thanks for playing....

mre30 - 1/6/2017 10:32:35 AM

+1 Boost

The real business with potential here, is selling people high capacity litium-ion battery packs to install in their homes, so that their homes function as one big mobile phone or EV vehicle.

That will be revolutionary once the cost comes down. I live in a older coop apartment building in NYC which is landmarked, so virtually impossible to put in a generator (many newer NYC buildings have generators).

There will be a gigantic residential and commercial market for residential battery systems once the size and cost go down. This is the one market where Musk's ventures will have a strategic advantage. The solar-home battery connection is a good one.

SanJoseDriver - 1/11/2017 7:58:15 PM

+1 Boost

Agree, but if they figure out how to effectively mass-manufacture the Model 3 in a highly automated way, they could have a strong competitive advantage with cars as well. The concept is making the factory the real product: "the machine that builds the machine." If they can profitably sell a Model 3 for $20-25k in 6-8 years, it will be difficult for traditional manufacturers to compete.