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Blast from the past: Bob Lutz "Tesla is headed to the graveyard"

TruckElectric

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Tesla is ‘headed for the graveyard,’ predicts former GM exec Bob Lutz
PUBLISHED TUE, SEP 18 2018 5:56 PM EDT UPDATED TUE, SEP 18 2018 6:02 PM EDT

Michelle Fox@MFOXCNBC

KEY POINTS
  • Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a nice guy who doesn’t know how to run a car company, says Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors.
  • Tesla is an “automobile company that is headed for the graveyard,” he says.
  • Shareholder Ross Gerber called the federal investigation into Tesla an “annoying footnote.”

Lutz: "Tesla has no technological advantage, no software advantage, no battery advantage, no advantages whatsoever".



Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a nice guy who doesn’t know how to run a car company, Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors, told CNBC on Tuesday.

“They will never make money on the Model 3 because the cost is way too high. He’s got 9,000 people in that assembly plant producing less than 150,000 cars a year. The whole thing just doesn’t compute. It’s an automobile company that is headed for the graveyard,” he said on “Closing Bell.”

Lutz’s comments come after news of a criminal probe into Tesla, as well as a new competitor hitting the market in the form of Audi’s new electric car.

“The jaws are tightening and I think in another year or two we’ll see a movie called ‘Who Killed Tesla,’ a conspiracy movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio,” Lutz added.

Earlier in the day, Tesla said the Justice Department requested documents last month relating to Musk’s tweets about taking the company private. Tesla has since shelved such plans.

The acknowledgement followed a report by Bloomberg that the federal agency has opened a criminal investigation into Musk’s comments.

Telsa shares sank as much as 7.1 percent on the news, ultimately closing down more than 3 percent.

Lutz said Tesla is “hemorrhaging cash” and because of the federal investigation, the SEC will not let it make a capital raise.

He also said there is competition coming from not only Audi but Mercedes, BMW and Porsche. And those auto manufacturers can sell their cars at a loss and make up for it on sales of internal combustion vehicles.
“Tesla has no … tech advantage, no software advantage, no battery advantage. No advantages whatsoever,” he said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lutz’s remarks.
The former GM executive has been a frequent critic of Musk and has said the CEO should step aside. This also not the first time he has predicted the demise of Tesla.

Tesla shareholder Ross Gerber doesn’t think the Justice Department probe is anything to be concerned about.

“We all know what happened. I mean, Elon made a mistake,” the CEO and president of Gerber Kawasaki told “Closing Bell.” “I don’t know if that’s a crime.”

He admitted it has been a tough year for Tesla, but he thinks the worst is over.

“This is an exciting time for the company. So this just another annoying footnote in what will be the long-term track record of Tesla and we’re very confident over the next 12 months,” Gerber said.

Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch is also focusing on the fundamentals since there will likely not be a resolution anytime soon by the feds.

And he told “Closing Bell” those are looking good.

“If the fundamentals are going well we think the long-term story starts to feel intact, even if Elon Musk isn’t there,” he said, pointing to Apple’s success after Steve Jobs left as CEO.

He also disputed Lutz’s contention that the SEC will not allow Tesla to raise more money, calling it “purely speculation.”

Rusch has a buy rating and a $385 price target on Tesla.


https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/18/tes...aveyard-predicts-former-gm-exec-bob-lutz.html
 
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MEDICALJMP

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What did I just read?
A three year old news story.

My question, besides the obvious, “This didn’t age well” comment, is why it was placed here out of the blue? No tie in. No recent Tesla news connection. Nothing.
 
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jerhenderson

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A three year old news story.

My question, besides the obvious, “This didn’t age well” comment, is why it was placed her out of the blue? No tie in. No recent Tesla news connection. Nothing.
must be a slow day
 

JBee

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CT information vacuum.
 
OP
OP
TruckElectric

TruckElectric

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My question, besides the obvious, “This didn’t age well” comment, is why it was placed her out of the blue? No tie in. No recent Tesla news connection. Nothing.
My Question is....why does there need to be a tie in? A Tesla news connection?
 

braddibbnd

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At least Lutz hasn't gone down the Gordon Johnson route of still saying Tesla is doomed. He still has things he will nitpit about Tesla, but is now mostly is quite praising of what Tesla has done.
Maybe could have added a few links at the end to counterpoint his assessment 3 1/2 years ago.
 

Tinker71

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Tesla is ‘headed for the graveyard,’ predicts former GM exec Bob Lutz
PUBLISHED TUE, SEP 18 2018 5:56 PM EDT UPDATED TUE, SEP 18 2018 6:02 PM EDT

Michelle Fox@MFOXCNBC

KEY POINTS
  • Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a nice guy who doesn’t know how to run a car company, says Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors.
  • Tesla is an “automobile company that is headed for the graveyard,” he says.
  • Shareholder Ross Gerber called the federal investigation into Tesla an “annoying footnote.”

Lutz: "Tesla has no technological advantage, no software advantage, no battery advantage, no advantages whatsoever".



Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a nice guy who doesn’t know how to run a car company, Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors, told CNBC on Tuesday.

“They will never make money on the Model 3 because the cost is way too high. He’s got 9,000 people in that assembly plant producing less than 150,000 cars a year. The whole thing just doesn’t compute. It’s an automobile company that is headed for the graveyard,” he said on “Closing Bell.”

Lutz’s comments come after news of a criminal probe into Tesla, as well as a new competitor hitting the market in the form of Audi’s new electric car.

“The jaws are tightening and I think in another year or two we’ll see a movie called ‘Who Killed Tesla,’ a conspiracy movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio,” Lutz added.

Earlier in the day, Tesla said the Justice Department requested documents last month relating to Musk’s tweets about taking the company private. Tesla has since shelved such plans.

The acknowledgement followed a report by Bloomberg that the federal agency has opened a criminal investigation into Musk’s comments.

Telsa shares sank as much as 7.1 percent on the news, ultimately closing down more than 3 percent.

Lutz said Tesla is “hemorrhaging cash” and because of the federal investigation, the SEC will not let it make a capital raise.

He also said there is competition coming from not only Audi but Mercedes, BMW and Porsche. And those auto manufacturers can sell their cars at a loss and make up for it on sales of internal combustion vehicles.
“Tesla has no … tech advantage, no software advantage, no battery advantage. No advantages whatsoever,” he said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lutz’s remarks.
The former GM executive has been a frequent critic of Musk and has said the CEO should step aside. This also not the first time he has predicted the demise of Tesla.

Tesla shareholder Ross Gerber doesn’t think the Justice Department probe is anything to be concerned about.

“We all know what happened. I mean, Elon made a mistake,” the CEO and president of Gerber Kawasaki told “Closing Bell.” “I don’t know if that’s a crime.”

He admitted it has been a tough year for Tesla, but he thinks the worst is over.

“This is an exciting time for the company. So this just another annoying footnote in what will be the long-term track record of Tesla and we’re very confident over the next 12 months,” Gerber said.

Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch is also focusing on the fundamentals since there will likely not be a resolution anytime soon by the feds.

And he told “Closing Bell” those are looking good.

“If the fundamentals are going well we think the long-term story starts to feel intact, even if Elon Musk isn’t there,” he said, pointing to Apple’s success after Steve Jobs left as CEO.

He also disputed Lutz’s contention that the SEC will not allow Tesla to raise more money, calling it “purely speculation.”

Rusch has a buy rating and a $385 price target on Tesla.


https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/18/tes...aveyard-predicts-former-gm-exec-bob-lutz.html
Well I figured it was old from the headline. I think we need to remember from time to time the richest guy in the world could have gone bankrupt a couple years ago. He had a vision, guts and perseverance. He deserves it. Along with the rest of the Tesla founders.

Thanks
 

JBee

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Who reads forums???
I thought this place was here so just I can have an audience? ?

(At least so it seems most of the time!)
 

firsttruck

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Tesla is ‘headed for the graveyard,’ predicts former GM exec Bob Lutz
PUBLISHED TUE, SEP 18 2018 5:56 PM EDT UPDATED TUE, SEP 18 2018 6:02 PM EDT

Michelle Fox@MFOXCNBC

KEY POINTS
  • Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a nice guy who doesn’t know how to run a car company, says Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors.
  • Tesla is an “automobile company that is headed for the graveyard,” he says.
  • Shareholder Ross Gerber called the federal investigation into Tesla an “annoying footnote.”

Lutz: "Tesla has no technological advantage, no software advantage, no battery advantage, no advantages whatsoever".



Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a nice guy who doesn’t know how to run a car company, Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors, told CNBC on Tuesday.

“They will never make money on the Model 3 because the cost is way too high. He’s got 9,000 people in that assembly plant producing less than 150,000 cars a year. The whole thing just doesn’t compute. It’s an automobile company that is headed for the graveyard,” he said on “Closing Bell.”

Lutz’s comments come after news of a criminal probe into Tesla, as well as a new competitor hitting the market in the form of Audi’s new electric car.

“The jaws are tightening and I think in another year or two we’ll see a movie called ‘Who Killed Tesla,’ a conspiracy movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio,” Lutz added.

Earlier in the day, Tesla said the Justice Department requested documents last month relating to Musk’s tweets about taking the company private. Tesla has since shelved such plans.

The acknowledgement followed a report by Bloomberg that the federal agency has opened a criminal investigation into Musk’s comments.

Telsa shares sank as much as 7.1 percent on the news, ultimately closing down more than 3 percent.

Lutz said Tesla is “hemorrhaging cash” and because of the federal investigation, the SEC will not let it make a capital raise.

He also said there is competition coming from not only Audi but Mercedes, BMW and Porsche. And those auto manufacturers can sell their cars at a loss and make up for it on sales of internal combustion vehicles.
“Tesla has no … tech advantage, no software advantage, no battery advantage. No advantages whatsoever,” he said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lutz’s remarks.
The former GM executive has been a frequent critic of Musk and has said the CEO should step aside. This also not the first time he has predicted the demise of Tesla.

Tesla shareholder Ross Gerber doesn’t think the Justice Department probe is anything to be concerned about.

“We all know what happened. I mean, Elon made a mistake,” the CEO and president of Gerber Kawasaki told “Closing Bell.” “I don’t know if that’s a crime.”

He admitted it has been a tough year for Tesla, but he thinks the worst is over.

“This is an exciting time for the company. So this just another annoying footnote in what will be the long-term track record of Tesla and we’re very confident over the next 12 months,” Gerber said.

Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch is also focusing on the fundamentals since there will likely not be a resolution anytime soon by the feds.

And he told “Closing Bell” those are looking good.

“If the fundamentals are going well we think the long-term story starts to feel intact, even if Elon Musk isn’t there,” he said, pointing to Apple’s success after Steve Jobs left as CEO.

He also disputed Lutz’s contention that the SEC will not allow Tesla to raise more money, calling it “purely speculation.”

Rusch has a buy rating and a $385 price target on Tesla.


https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/18/tes...aveyard-predicts-former-gm-exec-bob-lutz.html
Even at that time, 2018 Sept, Bob Lutz's statements where completely clueless.

Tesla had already survived the Model 3 initial ramp production hell.
By Aug 2018, Tesla might have been shipping more vehicles monthly than any new western based car company in last 50 years (since 1970s). Only other one I see is Lamborghini (Italy, 1963) which even now only produces about 8,500 cars a year..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_motor_vehicle_brands#Post-war_years

The failed DMC DeLorean only produced a total 9,000 units in 22 months.

By mid 2018, Lutz should have known that Tesla was producing over 15K vehicles per month with gross margins slightly positive.

-------
Tesla Second Quarter 2018 Update (2018 Aug)
* Q2 Automotive gross margin increased to 20.6% GAAP and 21.0% non-GAAP
* Model 3 gross margin turned slightly positive in Q2, expecting roughly 15% in Q3
* Expecting to produce 50-55k Model 3s in Q3; deliveries should exceed that
* Major cost restructuring executed in Q2
* $2.2B of cash and cash equivalents at Q2-end, expected to grow in Q3 and Q4
* Capex projection in 2018 adjusted to <$2.5
We produced 53,339 vehicles in Q2 and delivered 22,319 Model S and Model X vehicles and 18,449 Model 3 vehicles, totaling 40,768
https://web.archive.org/web/2018080...ic-files/7235e525-db16-470c-8dce-9ecac0ad7712
--------

Based on public info available, Lutz's prediction were not based on evidence.
Lutz's prediction might have been reasonable in 2016 but not in Sept 2018.

GM former executive Lutz has said almost nothing about GM's misses.

----------
GM announces serious electric car plan: 2 new EVs within 18 months, 20
within 5 years
By Fred Lambert
2017 Oct 2
https://electrek.co/2017/10/02/gm-electric-car-commitment-new-models/
-----------

In 2017, GM said in 18 months it would have 2 new EVs. Chevy Bolt EV
does not count because it existed before 2017.

So two years later (Oct 2019) how many new EV models did GM have? Zero Nada NONE.
Five years later GM had only one new model, (Hummer EV) and as of 2022Mar was barely shipping. Supposed to have Lyriq later in 2022.
Looks like GM is 18 models short and also practically shipped no EVs at all in last 6 months (fewer EVs than Tesla makes in one day).
 
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