Tag: Gail Alfar

Elon Musk: Discussion About Underpopulation

Gail Alfar27 Comments

With the hot weather we are having this summer, why not grab a cold beverage, and join me to soak in what I think might be Elon Musk’s “first principles” approach to addressing today’s declining birthrate?

A Model S Family in S. Korea. Credit: Tesla

Historically, Being Wealthy Has Led to Having Fewer Kids

Elon Musk was asked about the declining birthrate on Johnna Crider’s podcast. 

Elon said,

“The declining birthrate is somewhat counterintuitive, but generally, the wealthier someone is, the fewer kids they have. 

I’m an exception, but it’s quite rare.  Basically, the higher the education level and the wealthier people are, the fewer kids they have. 

So it’s not a money thing.  In fact, it seems the opposite, like the more money that someone has, the fewer kids they have. 

Somebody who is living as the 2022 standard for the poverty level would be really, I mean they have access to things that the richest person didn’t have 100 years ago.”  

Population COLLAPSE is Coming. Credit: After Skool, see https://youtu.be/zC1khWr7wg8

Elon’s approach: Correcting the false perception that there are too many people

Johnna asked, “Do you have any other thoughts or ideas on how to reverse population decline?”

“The population decline problem, I think is possibly the biggest risk to civilization or its certainly one of the biggest risks. 

First of all, a lot of people think that there’s too many humans on the planet and the planet can’t sustain this number of humans.  This is absolutely not true. 

We could double the population without any meaningful damage to the environment. You can put all the humans on earth in the city of New York.  That’s the cross-sectional area of humans. They could literally fit in the city of New York on one floor, you don’t even need high-rises.  And if you’re on a plane flight and you look down and you say, “what percentage of the time, if I were to drop a ball, would that ball hit a person?”  Basically zero.

Even in a city like LA, where we think, “oh, that’s a crowded city,” looking at it from above, what’s the cross-sectional area of humans relative to the rest of the ground?”  It’s much less than 1%, even in LA. 

So if you’re in a big city environment and you see a lot of people you sort of extrapolate that to everywhere, but it’s actually very rare to see a concentration of humans. 

Earth is very sparsely populated with humans.  There’s not enough humans, far from being too many.  I think people are still sort of operating on the assumption that the population is growing like crazy when in fact the opposite is occurring.  These numbers are easy to look up, they’re just on the internet.  We had the lowest birthrate in recorded history last year.” – Elon Musk

“Far too many people are under the illusion that Earth is overpopulated, even though birth rate trends are so obviously headed to population collapse” – Elon Musk

False perceptions persist that fewer kids are better for the earth’s environment. Credit: Elon Musk on After Skool’s video “Population COLLAPSE is Coming.”

Supporting Families at Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and The Boring Co.

In addition to being very vocal about underpopulation, Elon Musk is making sure families get needed financial support at all four of his companies. The Musk Foundation is also now tasked with donating directly to families.

“Kids are worth it if at all possible. I’m planning to increase childcare benefits at my companies significantly. Hopefully, other companies do same. Also, Musk Foundation plans to donate directly to families. Hopefully, details to be announced next month.” – Elon Musk

(article update, July 12) Elon Musk responded on Twitter to this article, saying “Children are essential to the future.” His comment led to over 2000 people giving their opinions on underpopulation.

Conclusion

Elon Musk carefully explains that wealthier people have fewer kids.  In a sense, even people living at the 2022 poverty level are better off than wealthier people in times past. 

Oddly, this counterintuitive situation has parallelled a lower overall birthrate.

There are hundreds of millions of people in the world who lack literacy and/or access to the internet, but for those who do have it, you can learn almost anything online.

When asked if he has any other thoughts or ideas on how to reverse population decline, Elon Musk uses the first-principles approach in correcting the false notion that there are too many humans on the planet for the earth to sustain, “I think people are still sort of operating on the assumption that the population is growing like crazy when in fact the opposite is occurring.”

Finally, Elon Musk has directed both the Musk Foundation and his companies to directly support families with children.

My thoughts

Most people are surprised to find out I have 5 kids. I do, and they are all amazing! After we had our 5th, my husband and I wanted more. My husband’s logic was that the USA is wealthier than most countries and he liked my parenting style. Kids really DO grow up fast, making parenting easier and less of a challenge than I once thought.

I think first-principle thinking can be applied to population collapse.  Here are a few of my observations:

  • Raise awareness that population decline is a real problem, in the process people, will stop thinking that there are too many people
    • After Skool created a great education video featuring Elon Musk, Chamath Palihapitiya, Dr. Shanna Swan, Jodan B. Peterson, Chris Williamson, and Dave Chappelle, you can view it on Youtube
  • Change the fact that wealthier people have less kids.  As world literacy and education and internet connectivity rise, this will become more important
  • The Tesla Optimus Bot can help relieve the difficulty we will face with too few young people to care for older people
  • Optimus can also perform tedious jobs that people find unattractive

Though it may be inevitable that we will experience population collapse, we as a society can still work towards lessening the severity of it.  We can work towards correcting misunderstandings about it. Companies can increase childcare benefits, encouraging and supporting their families.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you agree with Elon Musk?

Downtown Austin, Texas at night. Credit: David Gallentino on Unsplash

In addition to solving the problem of underpopulation, Elon Musk said, “I want to do everything we can to maximize the use of technology to help achieve a better future for humanity. To that end, any area that contributes to a sustainable future is worthy of our investment.” You can read more about this in my article, “Read Elon Musk’s essay on technology for a better future.”

Gail Alfar. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – This blog post was created utilizing STARLINK satellite services. All Rights Reserved. July 9, 2022

Header photo by Tyler Nicks on Unsplash

A white Tesla charges up at Superchargers

Breaking down Tesla’s 6+ businesses, comparing them to a traditional car company

Gail Alfar7 Comments

Welcome back to my blog, I hope you’ll enjoy this week’s post. I am sharing part of Elon Musk‘s words from the All-In Summit on May 16, 2022. The reason I’m focusing on this in today’s post is that I believe Elon explains what Tesla is in an easy-to-understand way. We are all transitioning away from fossil fuels and into a clean energy future involving solar, wind, battery storage, and electric vehicles.

I believe that after reading this you will be inspired to see the future in a more positive way. So find a cool spot, grab an iced beverage, and enjoy!

A white Tesla charges up at Superchargers
Tesla Supercharging Network [Credit: Tesla]

When Elon Musk spoke at the All-In Summit on May 16, he detailed how Tesla is 6+ businesses. Below is Elon’s response to the question: Could you just explain to people all these companies inside this super-company just so folks have a sense of what had to be done to get here? 

"Okay, I mean this question requires thought and I’ll probably be leaving out quite a few things but if you look and see what does a typical car company do, what they do is they assemble vehicles and they send them to dealers and they manage the supply chain. They might make the engine, they typically will make the engine but most of the parts are made by suppliers and a lot of the actual technology development is done by suppliers, and most of the vehicle software is done by suppliers, so the actual amount of a real work done by car companies - what you think of as GM or Ford - is not actually that much. They don’t do sales, they don’t do service."  

Tesla Sales, Service, Supercharging Network

"So in the case of Tesla for example we do our own sales and service. We don’t have dealerships. Tesla also has by far the biggest network of superchargers, the electric equivalent of gas stations.  We built the entire global supercharger network, which is still the most advanced and by far the best way to charge your car when traveling long distances or if you live in a city and don’t have the ability to charge your car because of street parking or an apartment. We developed the Supercharger network, and we deployed it I think we have around 15,000 superchargers globally.  You can travel anywhere in America right now with the Tesla supercharger network."

Tesla Vertical Integration

"In terms of vertical integration, we make the battery pack, and the power electronics, the drive unit.  We are more integrated into the parts, we actually make so much of the car internally, we’re vertically integrated, not necessarily because we think that there is some religious reason to be vertically integrated, but because the pace we needed to move is much faster than the supply chain could move.  To the degree that you inherit the legacy supply chain, you inherit the legacy constraints including their speed, cost, and technology."

Tesla Software, Hardware, Artificial Intelligence

"Tesla is as much a software company as it is a hardware company.  The software that runs in a Tesla operates the car, operates the screen, does the charging, and all of that stuff is developed by Tesla. And so we have sort of a ‘Tesla OS’ in the car." 

“Very importantly, Tesla has built an autopilot AI team from scratch that is the best real-world AI team on earth and if anyone else has got a better one I’d like to see it demonstrated in a car.” 

"The full self-driving beta at this point very often can take you with zero interventions across the Bay Area from San Jose to Marin so through complex traffic it’s really quite sophisticated and I invite anyone to join the beta or look at the videos of those who are in the beta.  We’ve got like 100,000 people in the beta so it's not tiny.  We’ll be expanding the beta to about a million people or on that order by the end of the year."  

Tesla Chip Team

"We also built a chip team because there wasn’t the hardware that we could run the friggin AI on. We couldn’t just fill the trunk with a whole bunch of GPUs.  That would’ve been very expensive and take massive amounts of power and cooling just to do what Tesla designed full self-driving computer can do." 

“We started chip team from scratch and it was the best in the world and still is the best in the world several years later.”

Tesla Dojo Supercomputer

"We’re also designing a dojo supercomputer to be able to process all video that's coming in from billions of miles of data, because, just sort of like the way that its critical to compete with Google because they have so much data and they have all the people doing searches all the time and humanity is training it.  The same is true of Tesla.  You really need billions of miles and ultimately tens of billions of miles of training data combined with sort of a vast training computer and then optimize inference hardware in the car and state of the art AI in training, and specialized software across-the-board to be able to achieve a full self-driving solution."  

Tesla Insurance

"Insurance is quite significant.  The car insurance thing is a bigger deal than it may seem.  A lot of people are paying 30% to 40% as much as their lease payment for the car in car insurance.  The car insurance industry is incredibly inefficient because to put it this way, you’ve got so many middle entities from the insurance agent all the way to the final set of reinsures each taking a cut."  

“The car insurance thing is a bigger deal than it may seem.”

"It's all very statistical so that even if you are a very good driver, you could be like 20 years old and a great driver but it's all statistical so you either can’t get insurance or it's extremely expensive.  Tesla allows for real-time insurance based on how you actually drive the car.  If you drive the car in a safer way you actually have lower insurance.  So our insurance is based on how you actually drive not how historically people fit your demographic drive and you close the loop around your insurance rate by simply driving better and looking at your score and lowering your insurance in real-time and people do it.   It actually promotes safer driving."

A Brief Summary

Elon Musk highlighted why Tesla is unlike any other company involved in vehicle production.  He spoke about the importance of Tesla Sales, Service, and the Global Supercharging Network.  Tesla’s vertical integration model, as well as Tesla Software, Tesla Hardware, Chip Team, and Tesla AI are unprecedented.  Tesla’s Dojo Supercomputer work will serve to usher in an age of vehicle autonomy.  Tesla Insurance is also an integral part of why Tesla is so unique.  The insurance allows for younger (and also older) drivers a rate based on how they actually drive.  The All-In Summit was a good opportunity for people to hear Elon speak, and to consider being “all-in” for Tesla!

The All-In Summit was hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya, jason@calacanis.com, David Sacks, and David Friedberg. You can follow Jason Calacanis on Twitter and be one of his Besties!

Elon Musk talks at All-In Summit. [Photo credit: Juilian Hosp]

When I bought my Model 3 in 2019, I joined a community of many people who love Tesla. Every time I drive my Tesla around my hometown Austin, Texas, I’m reminded of the extraordinary effort that is put into making Tesla succeed. In January 2022, I started this blog to write positive things about Tesla and Elon Musk. I’m thankful to Johnna Crider for supporting and encouraging me to start this blog. 

You can read more about Tesla Insurance here and you can read about how Tesla owners feel about full self-driving here. Thank you!  

Gail Alfar, [Edited by Sarah Alfar] Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved. May 21, 2022

Is a Tesla Worth it? Does Tesla Insurance and Maintenance Cost Less?

Gail Alfar10 Comments
Black Tesla Model 3 by Zack @BLKMDL3 [used with permission]

Every car looks promising when it is sitting on the dealer’s lot. It’s nice and clean, begging you to hop in and take a drive.

Getting started in life as a young person can seem like a vicious cycle when a car is involved.  There’s a circle of making payments and sinking money into insurance payments, not to mention the nightmare that happens when your car needs repairs. Since gasoline prices are spiking, combustion engine cars cost a lot to operate.  On the other hand, electric cars are becoming more common because they cost little to operate.

If you absolutely have to own a vehicle, then there is no better choice right now than a Tesla.  I’ll argue this statement in this blog today based on the low cost of Tesla insurance, the ease of charging the battery, and zero maintenance. 

Tesla Insurance is low cost

Tesla Insurance, which is based on real-time driving behavior, is available in Arizona, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas [Virginia and Oregon soon]. Real-time driving behavior means that the monthly rate you pay for insurance will drop lower if you drive safer, and will increase if you drive less safe. Tesla will help you drive safer, through their app and your usage of the vehicle’s autopilot software that comes with every car.

California has a different kind of Tesla Insurance, and it is not based on real-time driving [but this may change, each state has complicated laws].

Tesla insurance usually costs less than $100 a month, with the likely probability that it will decrease in price. Or, it could increase based on your driving habits.  

I am unsure what you expect to pay monthly, but I was paying about $250 a month before I got Tesla Insurance.  I thought I had a good rate until I experienced the kindness of Tesla.  

Old fashioned style insurance companies cannot compete with the low price of Tesla Insurance.  The antiquated way is to charge you more based on your age instead of your ability to drive carefully.

Charging a Tesla is low cost

Your Tesla, if you decide to get one, costs much less to charge than what you would pay to fill a combustion engine’s tank up with petrol.  

I am not going to give specific overall dollar amount averages in my argument. Instead, I will explain what I pay. Since I charge at home, I do see a small increase in my electric bill.  I set the charge time to when electricity rates are low.  I don’t notice more than a $25 increase in my monthly bill since I got the Tesla.  Supercharging my Tesla away from home costs anywhere from $15 – $20 for a full charge.

Maintaining a Tesla is also low cost

My Tesla has an electric motor that requires no maintenance.  There’s a saying among Tesla owners, that annual maintenance costs are about $7 [cost of windshield wiper fluid].  Conversely, people pay a lot to maintain a combustion engine as there are so many moving parts, valves, and coolant needs.

My own view is that when you need to get your first car, there really is no better car to buy than a Tesla. Here is a brief comparison of Tesla versus combustion engine car:

TESLACOMBUSTION
insurance costs much less in some statesinsurance based on your age, costs are high
avoid the gas pumpsubject to high gas prices
no maintenancescheduled maintenance and constant repairs
A comparison of the costs of owning a Tesla versus a combustion engine car.

Overall, owning a Tesla is less expensive than owning a combustion car. This issue is important because your vehicle is one of the biggest purchases you will ever make so it needs to be one of the best you can get.  

Why I wrote this article and who I wrote it for

A few nights ago, I signed up for Tesla insurance.  I was really happy with the significant rate reduction Tesla gave me.  My teenage kid was also happy.  She explained to me that her friends are just starting out with jobs and their first cars.  She told me they have constant car expenses like insurance [big one], gasoline, and huge maintenance bills [one car needed a whole new engine].  She asked me to consider blogging in a “style that might help her friends believe they could afford a Tesla.” 

Interested in what people think about Tesla Autonomy? You can check that out here.

Red Tesla Model 3 by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash

Main header photo of Black Tesla Model 3 by Zack @BLKMDL3 [used with permission].

Love this article? You may also enjoy…

Have questions about Buying a Tesla? From fires to how to drive one, here are the answers this article is full of information about charging, costs, and even how to drive a Tesla.

Frunk Stories from Tesla Owners shares practical & fun things folks have done with their frunks!

Gail Alfar, Edited by Sarah Alfar. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved. March 19, 2022

Honoring SpaceX Raptor 2

Gail AlfarLeave a comment
Raptor 2 featured in Charro days parade [photo courtesy whataboutit ]

In this blogpost, you’ll see how SpaceX -the most successful rocket manufacturing company in the USA- is closely involved with local students. I also share a brief scenario of what it might feel like to be a spacefaring civilization. Find a nice comfy chair, sit down, relax, and enjoy!

Star of the Parade: Raptor 2

Charro Days is a week-long celebration of friendship between the citizens of Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Tamaulipas along the Rio Grande. It began in 1938 to boost the economy and the spirits of the community suffering from the Great Depression and aftermath of a category 5 hurricane. This year marks the first one that SpaceX has participated.

Employees of SpaceX donned traditional Mexican costumes, built a float and rolled the superbly engineered Raptor 2 engine down Elizabeth Street. Using a huge LED screen showing Starship, and passing out small white SpaceX maracas, they gave the engine a proper introduction. This matters because Raptor 2 will carry Starship into orbit soon, and bring humans to the moon!

Free rides to all kids were provided by SpaceX. According to local club spokesperson from ‘Space X Girls’ there were about eight rides and the spaceship ride was the one that stood out the most. ‘I did see them [the kids] have so much fun’ said Space X Girls.

Elon Musk was seen with his 21-month-old son, X, enjoying a delicious festival treat called Spiropapas or spiral potatoes [fried potato cut in a spiral and stacked on a long stick]. Fans hope this will become the official food for SpaceX and Tesla.

I caught up with Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa [Commissioner, District 2], after the festival. "Charro Days," she says, "is an intricate celebration between three organizations. SpaceX caught us by surprise and was a major sponsor of all three. We were very excited to see how willing they were to contribute to the festivities." 

She tells me that, "the best part was seeing how many children came to see the SpaceX float in the parade on Saturday. There were at least ten times as many children at Saturday’s parade than any year that I’ve participated in.  Mr. Musk has been incredibly generous to our students, so they really wanted to meet him and see him in person. It was very exciting that many kids did get to see and thank him personally." 

Also, she adds, "Mr. Musk distributed 20 million dollars to schools for our students in Cameron County, 10 million dollars to the City of Brownsville for downtown revitalization, and other significant donations throughout the community."

We talk about the generosity of Elon Musk. "Just last week," she says, "he donated a Starship prototype to the Brownsville airport." She continues, "It’s incredible to see that Brownsville ISD students are now able to have access to technology, math, and science programs."

"The city was finally able to install much-needed lighting that makes our downtown area feel safer. Community members are able to venture out as a family during the night hours because it’s cleaner and safer." 

"More than anything," she continues, "we appreciate the kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity behind Mr. Musk's contributions to our community. He is a person that gives from his heart, and we are incredibly grateful to support and have him in our community."

Humans as a Spacefaring Civilization

When you were a kid, did you ever imagine autonomous flying cars, battles in space? I’d like to leave you thinking about a beautiful future, inspired by the Raptor 2 and Elon Musk. Here’s my updated vision of life for future humans,

Gathering in Spaceball City [Brownsville elected to be renamed in 2099] via supersonic rocket travel, are humans from all over earth.  There is a welcoming complex with as much or as little entertainment or information that anyone could want in order to learn about Mars, SpaceX and the glorious history of its founder, Elon Musk.  

At Starbase, families rally around their beloved Mars-bound astonauts as they watch Starships launch elegantly to space.  Boosters return to earth, landing gracefully, as Starships glide effortlesssly among the stars and past the moon to the red planet.

Every single human, upon arrival to Mars, stops at a memorial called Thrawn. Thrawn, a statue similar to the Thinker, inspires the Martians to continue their mission to travel beyond Mars, to other galaxies.

Traditional folk dress combined with a celebration of space travel [credit Space X Girls]

Gail Alfar, Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved, March 5, 2022

Breaking New Ground on the Racetrack: Plaid Model S at COTA

Gail Alfar6 Comments
Tesla Model S Plaid (credit: Tesla)

(Austin, Texas) A Tesla Plaid Model S will compete on the track at Circuit of the Americas in the 4th annual Super Lap Battle time attack event, held February 19-20. This is important because it is the first time a Plaid will compete in the event in Austin.

The Plaid is an example of great craftsmanship and superior technology. It is Tesla’s best vehicle. Being both a four-door family sedan and a vehicle that can compete on the racetrack is a huge achievement. It is the fastest production car in the world. It is also proudly made in the USA.

Brief Interview with Plaid Model S Owner, Mike Dusold

I spoke to racer Mike Dusold earlier this week while he was at his shop in Lewisville, Texas.

Gail Alfar: How long have you raced, how did you get your start?

Mike Dusold: I’ve competed for 9 years. I started racing motorcycles and switched to cars because I kept getting injured.

GA: Well now you are in one of the safest cars made. How does it feel to drive the Plaid?

MD: It is my first Tesla. I like it, it’s quick.

GA: Wow, your first Tesla, and you get a Plaid!

MD: Yes, It surprises all my friends!

GA: Tell me about the race, have you practiced?

MD: I am excited about this race. I took it to COTA for practice and it was raining. We did 163 mph in the rain. The car handles it well.

GA: Have you modified it in any way?

MD: The only changes we made to the car are new brakes and tires.

GA: So, you did not remove the backseat?

MD: No, the regulations are that if you do that you have to install a roll bar. We are not going to do that.

GA: So, you are going to race a stock production car, up against a lot of finely tuned combustion cars, how do you think it will do?

MD: I know there are other cars that may go faster, I am going because I want to compete with the Plaid. I think it is better on the track.

GA: I am so glad you are doing this, I’m rooting for you!

MD: Thank you, that’s great!

Mike Dusold is helping to break new ground. As more and more racers switch from combustion engines to electric, we can expect to see more drivers competing for first place in Teslas.

As Mike races his Plaid, Tesla Giga Texas, which lies just up the road from COTA, moves towards certification of the first Model Y vehicles made in Texas. It is a milestone for Tesla to begin mass production of the Model Y in Texas.

Tesla has also updated the Model S product page with some new beautiful videos, photos and animations, as reported by Sawyer Merritt on Twitter.

A Model 3 driven by Dai Toshihara will also participate in the Super Lap Battle.

Tesla Model S Plaid in Austin

Thanks for reading my blog, my goal is to support Tesla through a fresh approach where good thoughts are communicated quickly through both Twitter and here.

Interested in Battery life in a Tesla, traveling, or what people love about their Teslas?

Tesla Battery Life is an article highlighting what to expect from your vehicle’s battery.

Tesla Summer Travel Trip shares ideas that will help you plan your next trip
Frunk Stories From Tesla Owners shares how Tesla owners are an amazing group of people and very inventive regarding ways to use the frunk!
4 Families from the Southern USA tell what they love most about their Tesla is a great read if you are on the fence about if you should get a Tesla or if you know someone who is trying to decide if they should get one.

Downtown Austin by Chris Sharmin

Gail Alfar, Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla, February 18, 2022 – All Rights Reserved.

Model Y Emerges from Giga Texas Today

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Austin Model Y Production (credit Jeff Roberts, February 17, 2022)

(Austin, Texas) 17 Feb 2022. Today was a very exciting day, as it marks the day when numerous made in the USA Model Y emerged directly from Giga Texas. Tesla employees parked rows of Model Y in a large parking area just south of Giga Texas, possibly because they have now run out of room to store them inside the gigafactory.

All of the Model Y were covered, for reasons unknown. This could possibly just be to protect them from weather exposure, or possibly because Tesla has not yet certified their vehicles for delivery to customers yet. Vehicles spotted today were of colors Solid Black and Deep Blue Metallic.

It is thought that Giga Texas has produced Model Y in all of their offered colors, as a car carrier truck was spotted recently loaded with all variants.

Jeff Roberts contacted me today after he photographed these beautiful American made vehicles. I asked him how he felt seeing these emerge straight out of Giga Texas for the first time. “I had seen new Model Y in the Westside parking lot, and that was cool, and I had seen a full load of Ys on a car carrier with Texas plates, but until you see them driving out of the factory, you always wonder in the back of your mind – are these production vehicles that were made at Giga Texas? – but now we know 100% and that felt so exhilarating! I’m on cloud nine!” stated Joe.

Currently, the paint colors that Tesla offers at no extra cost are Midnight Silver Metallic and Pearl White Multi-Coat. Tesla also provides the 21’’ Überturbine Wheels for no extra charge with the performance version. Model Y has two independent motors that digitally control torque to the front and rear wheels. The Performance Version of the Y goes from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Tesla’s website states: “Model Y is fully electric, so you never need to visit a gas station again. If you charge overnight at home, you can wake up to a full battery every morning. And when you’re on the road, it’s easy to plug in along the way—at any public station or with the Tesla charging network. We currently have over 30,000 Superchargers worldwide, with six new locations opening every week.”

Tesla Model Y Supercharging (Credit: Tesla)

Why I created this blog

I love to share good vibes about Tesla, Giga Texas, Tesla China & Tesla Solar. I really do believe our future is bright! “What’s Up Tesla” is one way that I support the mission of Tesla and Elon Musk. It is also my way of preserving what I consider major milestones for Giga Texas. There is truly a long road ahead for Tesla!

Having fun painting the Flying Model Y

Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – February 17, 2022. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.

Header Image Red Model Y Supercharging Credit: Tesla

Something Palpable Has Changed at Giga Texas

Gail AlfarLeave a comment

(Austin, Texas) by guest contributor Joe Tegtmeyer

Jow Tegtmeyer is a dedicated Tesla enthusiast and highly skilled drone operator. Today he shared observations of Tesla Giga Texas with me that I would like to pass along to anyone interested. Thankfully, Joe gave me his permission to do this.

Giga Texas South End

The morning started out with strong winds, low clouds but warm temperatures. Immediately noticeable when I arrived at Tesla Road is that something palpable has changed on the site.

Tesla Giga Texas North End

Most, if not all of the equipment, cranes, materials, and trash containers have been removed from the north and northeast sides of the casting, paint, and battery cell structure, and the stamping test part containers and other materials have been removed from the southeast corner of the stamping machine area. Other areas around the main factory building similarly look much cleaned up. Only one small crane was lifting drywall up onto the loading platforms which themselves look much more “clean” with all of the plastic and extraneous structures now removed.

As I said, it is immediately noticeable today!

Tesla Giga Texas 4680 battery production area

 We also get a good look into the 4680 battery production area on the 3rd floor of the battery cell structure this morning. We see quite a bit more has been installed and most appear operating. There was also activity of workers in this area tending to the machines, possibly doing tests or calibrations. It appears more “completed” for lack of a better word and more of the equipment appears to be operating. All great signs!

Here are some other highlights from around the site this windy morning:

Tesla Giga Texas South End

– On the south end, we see quite a bit of concrete has been poured and is well on it’s way to curing, while some of the remaining phase 2 area forms and rebar are in preparation to complete this area. The stormwater pipe install in this area also is nearing completion.

– The south end of the General assembly structure also is much cleaner with most equipment and materials relocated to the east side staging areas. We look briefly into the two large openings on this end (ground level) and see more materials moved inside here as well. Overall, the south end looks much “cleaner” and organized this morning.

– On the east side of the stamping area, most of the AIDA stamping press crates and parts are now gone, with just a few remaining near the disassembled gantry crane. The bins that were used for test parts in this area are also noticeably absent, which may mean they have moved to a different phase of operations.

– On the roof of the General Assembly structure, we see solar panel installation continuing, but also nearby, we see crews working on the HVAC large ducting over the body-white structure. The vents themselves were emitting quite a lot of vapor, but it was quickly blown away due to the strong winds.

– On the north end of the battery cell, we also see more wall panels have been added, almost finishing off this area (except where the temporary loading platforms are). Only three much smaller loading docks are now visible on the ground level.

– The electrical conduit installation on the northeast of the casting structure is now surrounded by concrete barriers and overall this area also presents a much cleaner appearance.

– On the east parking lot area, we see the earthwork nearest to the powerlines has moved farther north and now reaches the new Tesla Road. The parking lot also had a lot of cars parked on the eastern half, indicating lots of activity.

– The trailer area just south of the electrical sub-station also has much of the equipment and other vehicles formerly located on the north end of the main building, possibly indicating a shift in where this equipment will now be stored.

– The far northeast clearing area is buzzing with activity this early morning with many earthmovers and excavators at work removing hills, ponds and getting ready to improve the overall grade of the land area.

Overall, there is definitely something that has changed in the construction of Giga Texas, and it seems we may be moving into a new phase of operations, possibly related to Model Y production-ready to pick up soon.

Distinct Tesla T at the entrance to Giga Texas

Gail’s Thoughts on today:

Tesla Model Y production in Texas is going to move Tesla into a new and brighter phase that will put this factory on the global stage. Giga Texas will take center stage as it ramps up production. Currently, Giga Shanghai leads in production, and my take is that operations in Austin likely benefitted from talent from both Tesla China and talent from Giga Berlin Tesla team (as well as Tesla Fremont of course). This places Giga Texas in a position to serve as a flagship model for future operations.

Gail Alfar, Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – February 16, 2022 –  All Rights Reserved

TESLA: MADE IN TEXAS

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Giga Texas is built with an iconic Cybertruck look and is at once powerfully productive. Giga Texas’ attention to detail is evident the minute you see it for the first time. I see Tesla as wanting to celebrate engineering production at scale, not just churn out cars from a boring cement box. No one EXPECTS a vehicle factory to be aesthetically pleasing. Then again, when people ride in a Tesla it is also an unexpectedly pleasurable experience.

Cruising past Giga Texas at night you see the suspended Model Y soaring high amongst perfectly aligned and symmetrical steel beams, lighting, and conduits.

Austin Model Y Suspended in Giga Texas, credit, the author

The flying Austin Model Y is delightful and evokes Elon Musk’s sense of irony

Consider that Giga Texas is perfectly aligned true North, a mile long, and blends in with the Texas landscape. The lines of the Gigafactory also resemble the lines of the Cybertruck.  The front of the factory incorporates an abstract T for Tesla.  The solar panels on the roof will spell out TESLA for the enjoyment of all who fly over Austin.

It is a celebration to drive past the Gigafactory as an observer.  People smile when they see this large structure with angular glass. Giga Texas is designed so that you are invited to look inside, especially at night. I take you there in the video below.

This connection is taken so seriously that Elon Musk insisted Giga Texas will one day be open to the public, not closed and only for Tesla.

“It’s right on the Colorado River,
so there’s actually going to be a boardwalk where there’ll be a hiking and biking trail.
It’s going to basically be an ecological paradise,
birds in the trees, butterflies, fish in the stream,
and they will be open to the public as well.
So not closed and only Tesla.”
Elon Musk, Q2 2020 Earnings Call

Giga Berlin Celebrates German Precision and Local Art

It is notable that Giga Texas and Giga Berlin have both been designed to showcase incredible beauty on the outside while being a manufacturing powerhouse on the inside.

German Model Y is highly acclaimed for its luxury excellence. The factory also features local graffiti art, as seen below. This imaginative approach is appreciated because it creates an important connection with local talent.

GigaFactory Berlin Graffiti (Source: Tesla Q4 and FY2021 Update)
Gigafactory Berlin Graffiti (source @GF4Tesla/Twitter)
Giga Texas Model Y Flying High at Night. credit, the author
Note: Giga Texas and Giga Berlin are both currently under construction, hopefully, they will be open to the public when construction is completed.

CONCLUSION

  • Giga Texas is an artistic landmark that celebrates engineering production at scale
  • The factory is perfectly aligned true North, a mile long, and blends in with the Texas landscape
  • One day, the factory grounds will be open to the public, Elon Musk said it will be an “ecological paradise, birds in the trees, butterflies, fish in the stream.”
  • Giga Berlin is known for its manufacturing excellence and precision as well as being a showcase for local artistic talent.
Tesla Giga Texas. credit Joe Tegtmeyer. August 30, 2022

Here’s why I created this blog. In January 2022, I was frustrated over spending valuable energy on trivial matters. My friend Johnna Crider, suggested to start painting or start a blog. I did both (you can see my Giga Texas painting here). We tossed around different names. Johnna came up with “What’s Up Tesla.” I rented shared office space in order to work uninterrupted. I am thoroughly enjoying expressing creative energy in support of Tesla and Elon Musk in this way.

Want to read more excellent articles? I suggest…

Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – February 5, 2022. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.

Tesla Q4 2021 Earnings Call and the Long Road Ahead

Gail Alfar18 Comments

Hello, I’m Gail Alfar, a Tesla owner in Austin, Texas. I love to share good vibes about Tesla, Giga Texas, Tesla China & Tesla Solar. I really do believe our future is bright! I recently rented a shared office space to start “What’s Up Tesla,” and a funny thing happened to me.

Have you ever been locked out? I went into a secret room that was filled with beautiful art. The door locked behind me and I was forced to exit the area. Outside, the hallway was empty, except for a Pepsi someone had left sitting on the floor. Eventually a stranger came along and unlocked the door. “You need to get back in, there’s lots of work to do.”

His words reminded me of why I am writing this blog. I have to do more to support the mission of Tesla and Elon Musk, as there is still a very long road ahead.

“While 2021 was a defining year for our company, we believe we are just at the very early stages of our journey. Thank you for being part of it.”  Tesla
Tesla Giga Texas (Source: Tesla Q4 and FY2021 Update)

October 7, 2021: Tesla Headquarters is officially Austin, Texas. Elon Musk announced this historic move at the Tesla 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

January 26, 2022: Tesla Q4 and Full Year 2021 Financial Results are a game-changer, revealing that making electric cars is actually more profitable than making combustion engine cars!

“2021 was a breakthrough year for Tesla. There should no longer be doubt about the viability and profitability of electric vehicles. With our deliveries up 87% in 2021, we achieved the highest quarterly operating margin among all volume OEMs, based on the latest available data, demonstrating that EVs can be more profitable than combustion engine vehicles.”  Tesla

My view is that 2021 was the year for Giga Shanghai and the Fremont Factory to shine! The two factories had a combined record number of vehicle deliveries of 0.94 million in 2021. For comparison, these same two factories produced and delivered 0.5 million vehicles in 2020. 

Elon Musk acknowledged Tesla will build more Gigafactories in addition to Giga Texas and Giga Berlin-Brandenburg [locations may be announced by the end of the year]. On the one hand factories should ideally be close to customers. On the other hand, it is so critical to build gigafactories, that I argue there should be a second ultra fast and efficient gigafactory in China.

Tesla allowed us a view into the assembly line in Giga Texas. We see Austin Model Y seats being mounted on a structural battery pack. This shift in manufacturing means all Tesla Gigafactories can produce vehicles even faster [and more profitable] with less parts. This is part of Tesla’s winning plan to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. Make no mistake though, this was and still is a painfully difficult journey for Tesla!

“Prototypes are easy, production is hard.” 
Elon Musk
Gigafactory Texas- Attaching Seats to a Structural Battery Pack (Source: Tesla Q4 and FY2021 Update)

I used to think that a “Financial Result” meeting should only be about Tesla’s hardcore production and profitability. Now I wholeheartedly endorse allowing Elon Musk to speak in order to draw listeners into imagining a wonderful world of the future. 

Allow me to share a futuristic scenario I envisioned after listening to Elon Musk speak at the “Full Year 2021 Financial Results” meeting:

Here, all vehicles are fully autonomous, so imagine for a moment a world filled with  Cybertrucks, Model Y and many other EVs in their most durable forms, all capable of driving almost 24/7. The cost to get from one place to another is low, and people prefer to use entertaining Robotaxis. Its rare to see anyone owning a personal vehicle. 

In crowded places, there are tunnels beckoning people underground, and away from the traffic up above. Many tunnel entrances are repurposed parking lots or garages. People wonder why there were so many of these strange things built. 

Everywhere, we see friendly Optimus humanoid robots. Optimus are doing almost any kind of menial task, or any task that takes place in uncomfortable situations or temperatures. 

As news headlines proclaim a human labor shortage, Tesla Gigafactories roll out large numbers of Optimus. These kind, sentient humanoid robots help to ease the labor shortage, and propel the economy into a stable place. Optimus helps build Tesla HVAC and hot water systems. They even help install systems in homes. 

"I've designed your home now for maximum efficiency and comfort, test it out and let me know what you think, see you tomorrow as I must go get recharged at the local solar-port Megapack," declares Optimus while climbing into a Robotaxi that has gently pulled up playing Sandstorm on the boombox.

Thanks for reading my first blog post. I’m looking forward to creating interesting takes on Tesla to share with YOU most Saturdays! Listen to the entire Tesla Q4 and Full Year 2021 Financial Results here. 

By the way, I drank that Pepsi and I still have the bottle, just to remind myself not to get locked out again.

Photo by Tomek Baginski on Unsplash

Want to read more excellent articles? I suggest…

Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – January 29, 2022. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.