Tesla is doing a lot of good in this world, much of which was shared in the Tesla Q2 2023 Update on July 19, 2023. I hope you enjoy this article, and that it leaves you with optimism & hope for the future!
(Austin, Texas) On Investor Day 2023, Elon Musk and the Tesla team explained how a global sustainable economy is within reach through these six actions:
1. Repower the Existing Grid with Renewables
2. Switch to Electric Vehicles
3. Switch to Heat Pumps in Residential, Business & Industry
4. Electrify High Temperature Heat Delivery and Hydrogen Production
5. Sustainably Fuel Planes & Boats
6. Manufacture the Sustainable Energy Economy
I’m confident that many companies around the world are making progress towards these actions and I believe Tesla is showing and leading the way!
REPOWER THE EXISTING GRID WITH RENEWABLES
Success is imminent in this arena. Thus far, ½ million Tesla Powerwalls have been installed on homes by customers. I personally installed 3 Powerwalls recently and am excited to be a part of what will make Texas become a strong force in the energy economy. I believe that being solid in energy, or defying the odds in these times of climate extremes, means Texas can lead. Last year, I spoke to the ERCOT board of directors in Texas, urging the leadership to do everything they can to promote Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) in Texas. I watched the Tesla Energy team spend years getting to the point where they are now in Texas. Tesla Electric started in Texas and will one day reach to all states.
VPP regulatory challenges are hard, as mentioned during the Tesla Q2 2023 Update, and that cannot and does not stop Tesla Energy from meeting the challenges. The best case for VPPs is they are much cheaper and much faster to respond to grid weakness than traditional fossil fuel peakers.
ENERGY AND SERVICES & OTHER BUSINESSES
Tesla has deployed 3653 MWh of energy storage Megapacks. This is an incredible 222% increase over last year, where 113 MWh were deployed. This is a testament to the incredible work of the Megapack manufacturing plant in Lathrop, California.
The current Tesla Electric pilot program for charging for Model 3 owners will expand to all Tesla owners in Texas later this year.
SWITCH TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Image Model Y credit Tesla, Inc.
When looking at the current business, Tesla’s number one priority is investment, and that includes investment AI and capacity expansion. The second top priority is to maximize volume in a way that can support expansion.
Has volume been expanding? Yes, Elon Musk thanked Tesla owners for making the Model Y become a best-seller over cars like the Toyota Corolla. This is important, given Tesla is just getting started with production at scale because Tesla will maximize volume in a way that can support even more expansion. Tesla had the best-ever vehicle production and deliveries in a single quarter, with a total of 466,140 deliveries, and they are just getting started!
— Remember, in Q2-2022 (just 12 months ago), there were a total of 254,695 vehicle deliveries.
To accelerate the switch to EVs, Tesla makes Full-Self driving (FSD) software and hardware available to other OEMs. It is now known that Tesla is in serious talks with another OEM to license their FSD software and hardware. This is exciting news as it means it will make that other carmaker an alluring competitor to other traditional gasoline cars.
SUPERCHARGING AND THE NACS
As you may know, Supercharging in the Tesla Network is a seamless experience. The Tesla Charging standard – or the “NACS” is part of Tesla’s way to help accelerate the EV revolution. Many other automakers have already announced they will adopt the NACS so that their EVs can supercharge in the Tesla Network. This includes Ford, Mercedes, Rivian, Volva, Polestar, and Nissan! You’ll see a level playing field, meaning all EVs will be welcomed.
Q3 is an important time for doing some critical upgrades to all of Tesla’s gigafactories. These upgrades will mean that production rates will improve dramatically.
Elon explained the real-time pulse updates he gets. He said there are challenges in increasing interest rates, making it important to therefore decrease the price of the car to make up for increased interest rates.
ROBOTAXI
Elon Musk carefully explained that “Every car may be worth 5X as much as today due to autonomy.” He compared Robotaxi to Airbnb and discussed a step-change in history.
Elon Musk on vehicle order intake: “Demand has roughly tracked production, which is what we aim for; we have real-time demand and real-time production data.”
Lars Moravy of Vehicle Engineering said there’s a misconception about giga castings, which are in Model 3 and Y. Giga casting is 3X faster and much cheaper. Collision repair is in a closed (in-house) loop so when collisions occur, inserts can be replaced in the castings and this is done often and easily.
Elon commented that the referral program is and will continue to be effective. He also said that many people (potential customers) are not breaking even every month, and macroeconomic conditions are impossible to control. He’s correct, I have spoken to many people who struggle every day to meet bills. Elon is well aware of this and thankfully is engineering solutions for people.
Giga Texas 4680 battery cell production increased by 80% in Q2 over Q1. The Giga Texas team produced over 10M cells, there was a beautiful image shared of the team by the Tesla X account.
Tesla is creating a unique Cybercell to bring energy density and cost improvements. Drew Baglino, SVP of Powertrain and Energy Engineering at Tesla, said Tesla is scaling their Cybercell 4680 battery for use in Cybertruck.
Elon Musk has been key to Cybertruck’s engineering and development, walking the production line and driving it around Austin, Texas. He said Cybertruck is the first truck that we’re aware of that will have four doors, over a 6-foot bed, and will fit into a 20-foot garage. So, it’s sort of biggest on the outside, but it’s even bigger on the inside.”
In more good news, Tesla has seen a reduction in pricing, across the across-the-board for all commodities, such as nickel, cobalt and graphite. This is good not only for Tesla but also for many other companies involved in the transition to a sustainable energy economy.
CONCLUSION
Finding ways to power our world with sustainable energy is necessary for maximum happiness for humanity.
While short-term stock fluctuations are fun to play with, that’s like candy in a candy shop. The serious meat is accelerating the transition to a world economy that is powered by sustainable energy. That’s why this article is about what progress is being made towards Master Plan 3, as communicated by Elon Musk and Tesla leadership at the Q2, 2023 Update.
I am rooting for a continued switch to heat pumps in residential, business & industry, the electrification of high-temperature heat delivery and hydrogen production, and sustainably fueled planes & boats.
Giga Texas Cybertruck Production Line, Image Credit Tesla, Inc.
Elon Musk recommends people follow @fintwit_news on X and look at the analysis by ARK Invest. Article by Gail Alfar, please credit accordingly.
They do, and it’s on their website, and it features things like tire management, how best to pre-condition the interior so the cabin is cool when you enter the vehicle, and much more. I’ll link to it for you, and here are my fav hacks for handling the heat.
Sunshades!
Sunshades make a huge difference in the summer and I love installing them, Tesla says,
“Help prevent heat from entering the cabin by using sunshades. With sunshades installed, your vehicle’s cabin conditioning uses less energy to maintain a desired temperature. Sunshades are available for the glass roof and rear liftgate.”
In addition to sunshades, I always throw up a big front windshield sunshade that I keep in the backseat at all times. Mine was made for the Model Y. For all my sunshades, I choose them based on size and if they have a silver reflective surface to maximize effectiveness.
Windows Closed.
This seems like a no-brainer, and I am addicted to the wind, but keeping the windows up is pure physics, and here’s what Tesla says about it,
“When you want to maximize efficiency and range while keeping your cabin temperature comfortable, drive with the windows up and set climate to ‘Auto.’ This takes full advantage of your vehicle’s aerodynamics and allows your climate system to adjust settings automatically. In ‘Auto,’ climate will reach your desired temperature as quickly as possible and maintain it with minimal energy consumption.”
I never let my vehicle’s cabin reach over 100 °F. Tesla has two ways to protect your cabin from overheating. Tesla explains,
“ON uses air conditioning to prevent the cabin from exceeding 105° F / 40° C.
“NO A/C uses less energy while still providing some cooling by blowing outside air into the cabin.
“To activate, go to ‘Controls’ > ‘Safety’ > ‘Cabin Overheat Protection’ on your vehicle touchscreen, or expand the bottom drawer in the Climate section of the Tesla app.
This summer’s heat index here in Austin has reached over 100 °F for many days in a row now. I think all cars need protection.
Please check out Tesla’s awesome tips and pass them along as we experience one of the hottest summers yet.
Save with Gail's Referral. Order Tesla products with Gail's Referral Link to earn cash off your order plus exclusive referral benefits. ts.la/gail74884
Image Austin Frost Bank building at Sunset, courtesy Aerial Austin Drone Photographers
Transforming Energy Grids: Tesla’s Milestones in the ADER Pilot Project. Image Courtesy Tesla, Inc.
(Austin, Texas) In a world rapidly transitioning towards sustainable energy solutions, Tesla, Inc. has emerged as a pioneering force in reshaping the way we envision and utilize energy resources. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Aggregated Distributed Energy Resource (ADER) Pilot Project represents a significant step forward in this endeavor. In just under a year, Tesla has achieved remarkable milestones that are transforming the landscape of energy distribution and management. This article goes into some of the technical details and innovative strides taken by Tesla, Inc. in the first year of the ADER Pilot Project, highlighting the impact of this initiative on the future of all energy grids across the globe.
The ADER Pilot Project: A Groundbreaking Innovation
The ADER ERCOT Pilot Project is not just another energy initiative; it’s a groundbreaking innovation that challenges the norms of traditional energy generation and distribution. Unlike previous demand-side participation programs, the ADER Pilot Project introduces a population of distributed devices capable of being non-injectors of electricity during times of scarcity or grid need, with performance standards equivalent to conventional generation resources. This distinction marks a significant departure from the status quo in ERCOT.
Tesla’s Role in the Transformation
Tesla has played a pivotal role in driving this transformation. The company embarked on a journey to develop new processes that mirror the commercial and physical activity of traditional resources. This journey involved activities such as registration, telemetry, and asset/market operations for ADERs, which did not exist before the ADER Pilot Project. Tesla also developed an advanced ADER control system that anticipates availability and influences responses every five minutes. This control system ensures that the aggregated response aligns with customer expectations, surpassing the capabilities of traditional generation or storage resources.
Why the ADER Pilot Project Matters
The timing of the ADER Task Force’s work could not be more critical. Establishing the infrastructure and processes necessary for distributed devices to participate in grid operator dispatch is typically a multi-year endeavor. Texas stands ahead of the curve in laying the foundation for a future where grid-coordinated dispatch of distributed devices seamlessly integrates with traditional wholesale assets. This alignment is crucial for grid reliability and energy market competitiveness.
Key Milestones Achieved
Coordination with Transmission/Distribution Service Providers [TDSPs]: One of the primary objectives was to create a process to qualify DER customers for ADER participation. Distribution utilities played a crucial role in commissioning and operating ADERs, and a stable process has been established to identify potential participants, validate interconnections, maintain precise locations, and verify non-participation in overlapping demand response programs.
Communicating with Individual Devices: Tesla has been engaged in developing sophisticated communication protocols to verify ADER status in real-time and anticipate future capabilities to fulfill reserve obligations. This marks a significant step in improving the reliability and responsiveness of the grid.
Contribution to ERCOT’s Reliability Standard: Tesla has actively provided feedback on ERCOT’s development of a Reliability Standard. This standard includes metrics that consider the reliability contribution of ADERs and other DERs to the ERCOT grid, highlighting their importance in ensuring a stable energy supply.
Customer Engagement and Transparency: Transparency has been a key focus, with Tesla customers gaining a deep understanding of ERCOT prices, energy sellback rates, and grid conditions. Customers have been empowered with real-time data through the Tesla app, enhancing their awareness and engagement with the grid.
Measurement and Verification: The ADER Pilot Project tackled the challenge of measuring device response exclusive of other behind-the-meter activities. This achievement enhances the accuracy and reliability of ADERs’ participation in the grid.
Market Strategy: Tesla’s market strategy involves a dynamic approach, where customers are informed and engaged in real-time grid operations. Customers have the flexibility to provide grid services when needed, aligning with their preferences and needs.
Customer Incentives: Tesla introduced innovative incentives to encourage customer participation in ADERs. Customers receive monthly bill credits reflecting their participation, making the grid more accessible and economically beneficial.
Challenges and Future Needs
While the ADER Pilot Project has achieved significant milestones, it also highlights future challenges and needs. Key areas of concern include:
Economic Viability: Maintaining the infrastructure for ADERs at a small scale poses economic challenges. Future phases must address these concerns to enable broader participation.
Dispatchable Reliability Reserve Service (DRRS): The introduction of DRRS could impact the performance and revenue potential of ADERs. It’s crucial to ensure that ADERs remain economically viable in the evolving market landscape.
Third-Party Participation: Expanding ADER capabilities to third parties is essential for sustainability and scalability. The project should focus on enabling non-Tesla Electric customers to participate effectively.
Dynamic MPC/LPC: Continuous monitoring and reporting of ADER data are essential for maintaining optimal performance. Developing systems that capture the dynamic nature of distributed devices is a priority.
Refining Dispatch Control Systems: Further refinements in control systems are needed to ensure that ADERs consistently perform at or above the level of traditional resources.
The ADER ERCOT Pilot Project represents a significant leap towards a future where distributed energy resources function as virtual power plants (VPPs) on par with conventional resources. Tesla’s remarkable achievements in the first year of the project have demonstrated the potential of ADERs to enhance grid reliability, offer economic benefits to customers, and revolutionize the energy market. As challenges and opportunities continue to unfold, the ADER Pilot Project paves the way for a more sustainable and responsive energy grid, where every participant, from individual customers to large aggregators like Tesla, contributes to a cleaner and more reliable energy future.
Elon Musk talked on a Twitter space on July 12, 2023. Here’s what he said about his new company, xAI, AI regulation, the importance of insight followed by oversight, China’s reasons to regulate AI, “Team Humanity.” He also gives advice for young people (or anyone for that matter) as we enter into a new era and then discusses the singularity. Elon ends the discussion on a positive note, explaining why we should be optimistic about the future.
xAI
“I think I have been banging the drum on AI safety now for a long time. If I could press pause on AI or advanced AI digital superintelligence, I would. It doesn’t seem like that is realistic.
“So xAI is essentially going to build an AI, you know, you’ve got to grow an AI in a good way, hopefully.
“The premise of an AI is to sort of have an AI that is maximally curious, maximally truth-seeking, and, this may get a little esoteric here, but I think that a curious AI, one that is trying to understand the universe, I think I want it to be pro-humanity from the standpoint that humanity is just so much more interesting than not-humanity.
“Obviously, I’m a big fan of Mars and that we should become a spacefaring, civilization, and a multi-planet species, but Mars is quite frankly boring relative to Earth. It’s a bunch of rocks, and there’s no life that we’ve detected, not even microbial life.
But Earth, with the vast complexity of life that exists, is vastly more interesting than Mars.
“You just learn a lot more with humanity being there, and, I think fostering humanity, if you are trying to understand the true nature of the universe, that’s the best thing that I can come up with from an AI safety standpoint.
“I think this is better than trying to explicitly program morality into AI. because if you program in a certain morality, you have to say well what morality are you programming? Who’s making those decisions? And even if you are extremely good with how you program morality, there’s still a morality, inversion problem. This is sometimes called the Waluigi problem, which is if you program Luigi, you inherently get Waluigi by inverting Luigi.
Haha, to use Super Mario metaphors. I mean this is starting to get quite esoteric, but hopefully, this makes some sense.
Who is Waluigi? For some background, Waluigi is a fictional character in the Mario franchise. He plays the role of Luigi’s arch-rival and accompanies Wario in spin-offs from the main Mario series, often for the sake of causing mischief and problems. Interestingly, Elon played the role of Wario in a SNL skit in May 2021. Wario, similar to Waluigi, was designed to be an arch-rival to Mario, an anti-hero or an antagonist.
Elon continued,
“So, I would be a little concerned about the way AI is programming the AI to say that this is good and that’s not good. xAI is really just kind of starting out here, it will be a while before it’s relevant on the scale of OpenAI Microsoft AI or Google Deep Mind AI. Those are really the two big gorillas in the Ai right now by far.
“I could talk about this for a long time, it’s something that I’ve thought about for a really long time and actually was somewhat reluctant to do anything in this space because I am concerned about the immense power of a digital superintelligence. It’s something that, I think is maybe hard for us to even comprehend.
“Even if AI is extremely benign, the question of relevance, perhaps, comes up. If it can do anything better than any human, what’s the point of existing? That is also an issue? Do we even have relevance in such a scenario? That’s the bad side of it. The good side, obviously, is that in an AI future where you really will have (in a benign scenario) an age of plenty where, really, there will be no shortage of goods and services. Any scarcity will be simply scarcity that we self-define as scarcity. It could be a unique piece of art or a house in a specific location. It’s artificially defined scarcity but goods and services will not be scarce in a positive AGI future.
But I think it’s also important for us to worry about a terminator future in order to avoid a terminator future.
AI REGULATION
Elon also spoke about the critical nature of AI regulation,
“And I am an advocate of having some sort of regulatory oversight and I’ve actually made this point throughout the world, meeting with world leaders including in China where there is actually strong agreement that there should be AI oversight, AI regulation.
“Just as we have regulations for nuclear technology, you can’t just go make a nuke in your garage, and everyone thinks that’s cool, we don’t think that’s cool. There’s a lot of regulation around things that we think are dangerous. And even if things are not dangerous at a civilizational level, we have the FDA, we have the FAA and the DOT. There are all these regulatory authorities that we put in place to ensure public safety at an individual level but AGI is just one of those things that is potentially dangerous at a civilizational level not just at an individual level. That’s why we want to have AI regulation.
“We want to be careful in how the AI regulation is implemented, not be precipitous or heavy-handed. But there has to be some kind of referee on the field here. One of the dangers is that companies race ahead to… I think it’s actually more dangerous for companies that are behind that might take shortcuts that could be dangerous.
“You know, the FAA came into being after lots of people died in aircraft crashes and they were like, If you want to make aircraft you cannot cut corners because people are going to die. So, that’s kind of how I see AI regulation. I know a lot of people are against it but I think its the kind of thing that we should do, we should do it carefully, we should do it thoughtfully.
Elon paused here while Ro Khanna, a U.S. representative from California and Mike Gallagher U.S. representative for Wisconsin spoke. In response to their conversation, Elon added,
“It’s difficult to think of, I can’t think of a good movie or TV example of Ai that’s the benign scenario. There are some books. The Ian Banks Culture books are the best imagining of a positive AI future that I’ve read. I think the Isaac Asimov Foundation series books have somewhat of a benign AI center (the TV series divulges quite far from the books). But the most sophisticated or perhaps the most accurate view of an AI future is the Ian Banks Culture books which I highly recommend. It would be helpful for Hollywood to articulate that vision in a way that the public can understand.
INSIGHT, FOLLOWED BY OVERSIGHT
Elon said
“I think the right sequence to go with here is insight, followed by oversight. At first, it’s really just for the government to try to understand what’s going on and I think there’s some merit to an industry group, like the Motion Picture Association that I think actually should be formed so I think we’ll try to take some steps in that direction because there’s some amount of self-regulation that I think can be good here.
CHINA WILL REGULATE AI
Elon Musk in China meeting with Qin Gang, foreign minister. May, 2023.
Elon Musk is generally pro-China, he thinks China is underrated and he truly agrees the people are China are really wonderful. When he was in China, he experienced a lot of positive energy there and he noticed the Chinese people generally want the same things that people in America want. He admits there are many political challenges. He praises China for how much they have accomplished to further the electrification of vehicles and implement solar and wind power. He spoke about his trip to China,
“When I was on my recent trip to China, I did spend a fair amount of time with the Senior leadership there, talking about AI safety and some other potential dangers and pointing out that if a digital superintelligence is created that that could very well be in charge of China instead of the Chinese communist party. I think that did resonate. No government wants to find itself unseated by a digital superintelligence. So I think they actually are taking action on the regulatory front and are concerned about this as a risk and I’ve seen some comments internally within China that the companies are a bit unhappy about the government wanting to put regulatory oversight on AI. So this is something that does actually resonate even in China because when I was in China I said one of the biggest obstacles to AI regulation outside of China is the concern that China will not regulate AI and then will get ahead and they took that point to heart, it’s a logical point, I think. And I highlighted that, if you make superintelligence, the superintelligence could actually run China and that also resonated.
“So I think, try to shed as much light on this subject. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Be as open about things as possible, going from insight for a few years to oversight with consultation with the industry, is the sensible approach.
“I think the public is starting to understand the potential of AI with ChatGPT, something the public can interact with. I’ve understood the power of AI for a while, and until you have some sort of easy to use interface it’s difficult for the public to understand. It’s also the case with stable diffusion and Midjourney, you can see the incredible art that AI can create, it’s really amazing.
“I’m actually somewhat of an optimist in general, but like I said, the best way to ensure a good future is to worry about a bad one. So I think that’s the sensible thing to do, and to have discussions like this, and continue to have discussions like this.
TEAM HUMANITY
Elon spoke about how easy it is to demonize an organization or a person if you have never met them in person, saying, “When you meet with them you’re like, well, there’s not that bad! You can understand where they’re coming from and at the end of the day, we’re all part of Team Humanity, hopefully! I think we should all aspire to be part of Team Humanity! We’ve got one planet only, so far, and we don’t want to lose it. There’s that famous quote – think it might be Einstein but could be one of those internet things where you think its Einstein but its not, where it says, it doesn’t matter how WW3 was fought except that WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones.” Haha, there’s not going to be anything left! So we really want to aspire to avoid global thermonuclear warfare. We really want to avoid that, Bigtime! Hopefully, we’ll focus on positive things like becoming a spacefaring civilization, becoming a multi-plantary species, hopefully going out there and visiting other star systems, but we may discover many long-dead one-planet civilizations that never got beyond their original planet.
“I do not know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” – Albert Einstein.
Elon continued,
“On the xAI front. If I speak to my personal motivations here, is that I’ve always just wondered what is really going on in reality. Are the aliens? Where are they? Like the Fermi paradox, I find to be intriguing and troubling if the standard model of physics is correct, the universe has been around for many billions of years, so why haven’t we seen aliens? Many members of the public are convinced the government is hiding evidence of aliens and I have not seen any evidence of aliens which is a concern. I might feel better if I saw some aliens. I have not seen one shred of evidence of aliens which is a problem. It means that life & consciousness might be incredibly rare. Maybe we are it, at least in this galaxy. The light of consciousness seems to be this tiny candle in a vast darkness and we should do our absolute best to make sure that candle does not go out.”
ELON’S THEORY ABOUT OUTCOMES RELATING TO CHINA – TAIWAN
“The most entertaining outcome is the most likely (as seen by a 3rd party, not the participants. Like, you could be watching a WW1 movie about getting blown to pieces while sipping a soda and eating popcorn. Not so great for those in the movie, but it is entertaining which does suggest it’s probably going to get hot in the Pacific. Hopefully not too hot. But it’s going to get hot. Hopefully, we can get past that and get to a positive situation for the world in the spirit of, aspirationally, we are all on Team Humanity. But it’s going to get spicey. But the most concerning thing is probably the Taiwan question over the next 3 years and the next 3 years after that I’d be surprised if there is not digital superintelligence in roughly the 5 or 6-year timeframe. If this was a Netflix Series, I’d say the season finale would be a showdown between the West and China and the Series finale will be AGI.”
ELON’S ADVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (AND ANYONE)
“If someone is able to contribute to building AI in a positive way, if someone has that technical ability, that is probably the right thing to work on. For your average citizen, I think the future is definitely going to be interesting. Things get very strange in a future where the AI can basically do everything. In the benign scenario, I guess we will look for personal fulfillment in some way. I think between now and then it’s just trying to be useful. On the manufacturing front, I do think we should place much greater weight on the importance of manufacturing. I think things are shifting in that direction. Generally, when somebody asks me for advice, my advice is to try to be as useful as possible. It’s actually quite hard to be useful. If you can be of use to your fellow humans and contribute more than you take then I think that’s a great thing! I have a lot of respect for those who work hard and do make goods, and provide services, in excess of what they take. That is just a fundamentally good thing.
Elon explains the advent of AGI is often referred to as the singularity. A singularity is like a black hole. You just don’t know what happens after that. “We are on the event horizon of the singularity of digital superintelligence.”
One of the most interesting parts of all of history is the time we live in now, and Elon Musk is optimistic, he says,
“I think if I was to assign probabilities, I think it is more likely to be a positive scenario than a bad scenario, it’s just that the bad scenario is not 0% and we want to do everything we can to minimize the probability of a bad outcome with AI. I think it is maybe 70-80% likely to be a good future. Maybe a great future even! I think of the future in probabilities, nothing is for sure. The future is a set of branching probability streams.
What is the Turing Test? The Turing Test is a deceptively simple method of determining whether a machine can demonstrate human intelligence: If a machine can engage in a conversation with a human without being detected as a machine, it has demonstrated human intelligence.
Elon explains he thing we are well past The Turing Test with AI. He says,
“ChatGPT is well past the Turing Test so really we are on our way to digital superintelligence, I think it’s 5 or 6 years away. The definition of superintelligence is that it’s smarter than any human at anything. It’s not necessarily smarter than the sum of all humans, that’s a higher bar, to be smarter than the sum of all humans. Especially given that it’s the sum of all humans that are machine augmented in that we will have computers and phones and software applications. We are already defacto cyborgs, it’s just that the computer is not integrated with us. But one’s phone is already an extension of one’s self. If you leave your phone behind it feels like missing limb syndrome. You’re patting your pockets like -where did my phone go? It’s crazy the degree to which our phone is basically a supercomputer in your pocket. It is an extension of yourself. So there is a higher bar to be smarter than the sum of all humans that are computer augmented”
Elon explained this concept has caused him stress and many sleepless nights. He tries to figure out how we navigate through these facts to the best possible future for humanity as it may be the hardest problem humans have ever faced and it deserves, or rather, it demands our attention. He adds,
“I think ultimately the nation-state battles will seem parochial compared to digital superintelligence. Of all the risks that we face, there are ones that are dangerous at an individual level and dangerous at a state level and there are things dangerous at a civilizational level. Global thermonuclear warfare is dangerous at a civilizational level, some supervirus that has high mortality rates would be dangerous. I think it’s crazy to do gain-of-function research. Gain of function research is like saying – death maximization! Haha, like I don’t know who came up with this gain-of-function model!? Haha. AI is also a civilizational risk, but the thing about AI is that is has the potential to be amazing if it’s done right.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
The hour-long talk ended with Elon Musk reminding listeners that,
“We want to maximize the collective happiness of humanity and the freedom of action of humanity. You want to look forward to the future and say that is the future I want to be a part of! And I’m excited about the future. That’s actually incredibly important in general. I’m actually concerned that there’s a pervasive pessimism in the world about the future and that’s part of what’s leading to a low birthrate in many parts of the world. I advocate for optimism. I think it’s generally better to be optimistic and wrong than pessimistic and right!
“You look up at the night sky, and see all those stars, and I wonder what’s going on up there. Are there alien civilizations? Is there life up there? Hopefully one day we find out!”
Elon Musk
This article by Gail Alfar. Please credit accordingly. Since January 2022, I have been writing and recording many of Elon Musks’ talks on my blog and here in order to preserve his important words in writing. My blog link is on my Twitter bio and I thank you for reading and for your support. You rock and you are part of Team Humanity! Thank you!
Tesla Earth Day is entered with great enthusiasm by both owners of its beautiful vehicles and its amazing solar systems. Here, we share the winners with their permission. Enjoy.
Over the 4th of July holiday I took a road trip in my Model Y. This is one of many road trips I have enjoyed and yet it stands out as unique due to some wonderful people I met who love Tesla. Word of mouth travels fast, and this is how many people are aware of Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS). People like the idea that other EVs will charge at Tesla Superchargers.
TESLA’S SUPERCHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IS SOLID
Before I go into my experiences with Supercharging and my conversations with EV owners, I want to bring you back to Tesla Investor Day on March 1, 2023, which showcased how strong the Tesla Supercharging Network is. This Network is well prepared to provide charging to other electric vehicles.
Tesla’s leaders gathered at Gigafactory Texas to present this important showcase. Rebecca Tinucci of Tesla’s Charging Infrastructure team explained,
“We think a lot about what it means to charge at home, even if that home is an apartment or condo, and we spend a lot of time thinking about what it means to charge away from home, including if that’s for daily commuting or if you’re going on a road trip.”
Tinucci explained that in 2022 Tesla provided 9 Terawatt hours of charging across various charging methods and over 50% of that was supplied by convenient AC home charging.
Tesla owners have always been able to access over 80,000 charging points and that includes 40,000 of Tesla’s Superchargers. Now this flourishing charging network will be open to other EVs who adopt the NACS.
Tesla Model Y Charging at Home. Image Courtesy Tesla, Inc.
HOW DID TESLA GET SO GOOD AT SUPERCHARGING?
Only Tesla has dedicated countless hours and engineering talent to make electric vehicle charging an experience so delightful, that people love to talk about how good it is. Tinucci explains “Getting here has meant that we spent 10 years building charging infrastructure when basically no one else in the industry would do it, those 10 years have afforded us the opportunity to get pretty good at charging.”
For this reason, Tesla can depend on word-of-mouth advertising for its Supercharger Network. There are signs that other electric vehicle manufacturers may spend advertising dollars making their customers aware that their vehicles can access the Tesla Network however Tesla won’t have to spend a penny on advertising this. Instead, Tesla will invest every dollar into improving the Network.
LOWER COST PASSED TO THE CUSTOMER
Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, so naturally costs to power your EV will cost less than filling up a gas tank. Tesla uses less expensive renewable energy to power Superchargers. These cost savings also come from Tesla’s approach to finding the most efficient ways to deploy Superchargers and vertically integrate the supply chain.
Tinucci explained, “First, we have the industry’s lowest deployment cost, our costs are often 20% if not 70% lower than alternatives, and that goes for both our supercharging hardware and deployments and our AC charging product lines.”
Tesla achieves this lower cost through being vertically integrated with manufacturing, and through engineering all of their own charging equipment. Tesla shares components across their different product lines and installs and operates all of its own charging sites. In Tanucci’s words, this has led Tesla to be “obsessed with finding ways to innovate around installation.”
TESLA INNOVATES THE WAY SUPERCHARGERS ARE INSTALLED
Tesla applies manufacturing expertise to how they deploy Supercharger sites.
One example is that Tesla is pre-builds “Four post Supercharger units” at Gigafactory New York. Tinucci explained that Tesla ships these pre-built superchargers to the site and then uses a crane to put them into position, which saves 15% on deployment costs. A site can be installed in a matter of days, and once it’s operating, Tesla continues to manage it efficiently.
HOW DOES TESLA MANAGE SUPERCHARGER SITE UTILIZATION?
Tinucci explains how Tesla’s Trip Planner Software maximizes Supercharger site efficiency to lower cost,
“Over the last few years, we’ve been able to cut our per kilowatt hour cost by 40%, there are a lot of reasons for this but one of the top of the list is we focused on increasing our site utilization. Site utilization is just how many sessions or kilowatt hours can we push through a site or a post and basically doing that allows us to spread our cost over more sessions, thus, lower cost for kilowatt hour. But of course that’s easier said than done because when we push efficiency, of course, the risk is that we have a poor customer experience when we have a wait time at our sites.”
Tesla seeks the best customer experience possible and developed a solution for this with Trip Planner software.
Tinucci continued,
“This is where Trip Planner comes in. Trip Planner is our in-vehicle routing or navigation system. Other electric vehicle manufacturers, or some of them, have vehicle data. Other infrastructure providers have site data, but at Tesla we have both and what that allows us to do is to use Trip Planner to route vehicles towards available sites and away from congested sites so we can balance our utilization without risking wait time.”
Tinucci explained how the results of Tesla’s Trip Planner software speak for themselves since over the last few years Tesla has been able to drive up site utilization by 30% and that means lower per kilowatt hour cost while also cutting wait time in half.
Tinucci revealed that Tesla plans even more advancements with Trip Planner. Trip Planner will be moving to projecting site occupancy based on the understanding of what vehicles are currently routing to those sites. She explains that “Ultimately, the vision for Trip Planner is that it’s the air traffic controller for electric vehicle charging across all infrastructure on a global basis.” This will become more important in 2024 when other EVs start Supercharging in the Tesla Network.
QUICKER CHARGE TIMES
When I last Supercharged at Buc-ee’s in Waller, Texas, the 20 minutes went by so fast I did not have enough time to linger in the shops. It was enough to use the ladies’ room and buy lunch to avoid a $1/minute idle fee. I had to rush back to remove my Tesla from the post.
Tesla aims for even quicker charge times than this! Tunicci said, “We have shaved off 30% of our average supercharger sites time, or visit time, over the last few years. This is taking improvements on the hardware side with our software on our vehicles and on our infrastructure and we’re really excited to continue pushing this trend down.”
WHAT IT TAKES TO CHARGE A FULLY ELECTRIFIED FLEET
Do you know how much a Petawatt is? Petawatts is a unit of power equal to one quadrillion watts, and it’s used to estimate the immense amount of energy required in the future to charge all cars if they were electric.
Tesla aspires to a fully electrified, global fleet and that will take an enormous amount of energy. Nine Petawatt hours of charging will be needed on an annual basis. Tesla is preparing to meet that challenge by growing and maintaining a stellar charging experience.
Tinucci explains it this way, “While Tesla Charging certainly doesn’t have to supply all of that [9 Petawatts], it does require that for our part, we have a few new focuses in order to scale. First, if you want a fully electrified, global fleet, all of those vehicles have to have a great and reliable charging experience.”
In 2022, Tesla opened up its supercharging network on a global basis and now over 50% of Tesla’s superchargers in Europe are currently open to other electric vehicles. In 2024, get ready to see other EVs charging at Tesla Superchargers in the USA. Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Rivian, and Volvo will build EVs with Tesla’s easy-to-use and ergonomic North American Charging Standard (NACS). Expect to see most EVs built in 2025 to have the NACS. Until then, other EVs can access all Tesla Superchargers in the USA using an adapter.
TESLA CHARGING: RENEWABLE SOURCES & DAYTIME CHARGING
The second thing Tesla is doing is to ensure when they build out charging infrastructure, that it’s powered by renewable sources. Tanucci said,
“Over the last two years, we’ve procured enough renewable energy to offset the amount of charging we’ve provided to customers. As we look forward and we talk about this fully electrified fleet on a global basis, we want to make sure the demand for charging more closely follows when renewable sources are available.”
Tanucci continued, “We think the best way to go towards daytime charging is to install AC charging that is convenient and low-cost everywhere vehicles are typically parked throughout the day.” It comes as no surprise when Tanucci stated that Tesla Charging teams “are currently scaling to install AC charging everywhere vehicles charge during the day so we can power them from the new renewable sources.”
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
I’d like to leave you with my experiences with Supercharging and my conversations with EV owners on my recent 4th of July trip to Galveston Island, Texas.
“I would love to charge my EQS in the Tesla Network! I hope it happens as soon as possible!”
My friend Chris, from Louisiana, drove a Mercedes-Benz EQS to Galveston Island for the 4th and is very excited to access Tesla Superchargers.
“I had no problems at all with staying charged on my drive moving to Houston from New Jersey. Gas stations are smelly and I don’t miss them!”
Another friend, a Model Y owner, shared his enthusiasm for how easy it was to travel and stay charged. I share his sentiments, and one of the reasons I bought a Tesla was to avoid the gas pump. Gas pumps bugged me for being clunky and often leaky. I remember raising the nozzle in the air so gas would not fall on my shoes. Yes, flammable, toxic gasoline would often be left on my car, hands, and feet. Thankfully, the future is electric!
Tesla Supercharging is one part of Elon Musk’s Master Plan Part 3. There is a long road ahead and we can help by using renewable energy and speaking up to policymakers to promote policy that will help, not hinder, Tesla and the amazing work their teams are doing.
Don’t Mess With Tesla Belt Buckle.
Notes: See Official Tesla Youtube LIVE “2023 Investor Day.”
Thanks to the entire Tesla team and especially to Elon Musk for his engineering and leadership.
An article by Gail Alfar For What’s Up Tesla & Twitter Publishing from July 8, 2023.
(Austin, Texas) In October 2008, Elon Musk became CEO of Tesla and on June 29, 2010, Tesla made history by going public at a share price of $17. This move not only garnered attention from investors but also served as a turning point for the company’s growth trajectory.
Let’s look at some major milestones in the history of Tesla. I’ll share my insight on what I think are the next big things for Tesla.
“The smartest money in the world is betting on Tesla. They must have a reason for doing so.” – Elon Musk, Tesla IPO day (2010)
Elon Musk is a wonderful Technoking of Tesla!
He’s optimistic, takes action daily to make the future good and lives with a sense of urgency. This sense of urgency was evident on one occasion when I had the rare opportunity to speak with him at Giga Texas in August 2022.
I can tell you that after meeting Elon Musk, what he shares on Twitter is essentially the same as what he talks about in person. He spoke about how important it is to get Starship into orbit and how important solving autonomy is. He is a highly technical and brilliant engineer.
“But I think what a lot of people don’t realize, is what I do 80% of the time in engineering. You know it’s actually quite rare for me to give a talk. My day-to-day work at SpaceX and Tesla is almost entirely engineering and design and also production. Production is key, although I consider that to be part of engineering.” – Elon Musk, Baron Conference ‘22
Battery Technology Advancements
Tesla’s expertise in battery technology has been a game-changer in the world of electric vehicles and energy storage. The company’s relentless focus on research and development has yielded remarkable results, with continuous improvements in battery efficiency, energy density, and longevity. I own a Model Y and never worry about the battery. Tesla’s software does the job of keeping the battery healthy by preconditioning it as I drive towards a Supercharger, or cooling it depending on hot weather, and making sure it conserves energy in a pinch.
Introduction of the Tesla Model S in 2012
I was very excited to see the Model S in Austin in 2012 and go on a test drive soon after! What an exciting time it was! The Model S showcased Tesla’s ability to create an electric vehicle that not only rivaled but surpassed its combustion-engine counterparts. With groundbreaking aerodynamics, innovative powertrain design, and advanced thermal management, the S demonstrated that electric cars could offer exhilarating acceleration, exceptional range, and luxurious comfort.
Recognizing The Importance Of A Robust Charging Infrastructure For All EVs
Tesla pioneered the development of the Supercharger network. These high-power charging stations, strategically placed along popular travel routes, offer Tesla owners and now other EVs a convenient and efficient way to recharge their vehicles, reducing range anxiety and promoting long-distance travel. The deployment of V3 Superchargers, capable of delivering up to 250 kW of power, further solidifies Tesla’s commitment to fast and seamless charging experiences.
Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capabilities
Tesla’s advancements in autonomous driving have been a focal point of the industry and my personal favorite feature of my beautiful Model Y. I use Tesla FSD beta for 90% of my driving. Through a combination of hardware and software innovations, including the neural network-based perception systems, and machine learning algorithms, Tesla has made significant strides towards achieving full self-driving capabilities. The Autopilot feature, which comes with every vehicle at no extra cost, has revolutionized the driving experience, paving the way for a future with safer and more efficient transportation including future Robotaxis.
Gigafactories
Tesla’s relentless pursuit of scalability led to the establishment of Gigafactories, massive production facilities designed to manufacture big batteries, electric drivetrains, and vehicles on an unprecedented scale. These state-of-the-art factories, strategically located around the globe, optimize production processes, reduce costs, and accelerate the adoption of sustainable transportation on a global scale. At least three of Tesla’s gigafactories are expanding in size as you are reading this article! This includes Gigafactory Nevada, Giga Berlin, and Giga Shanghai. I am familiar with Gigafactory New York, and Lathrop’s Megafactory for big batteries.
Under the big, blue Texas sky is Giga Texas, an achievement that inspires and produces a sense of awe. The gigafactory can be seen from space as it is huge, with solar panels on the roof that spell out “Tesla.” The gigafactory and its surroundings buzz with activity and even driving near it fills you with exhilaration knowing this is the home of both Model Y and Cybertruck!
“Giga Texas is a $10B+ investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs” – Elon Musk on Twitter
What is Next for Tesla?
This is not a full list, and there are likely many plans Tesla has which we do not know about. But here’s a few to get you excited!
Giga Mexico will build a next-gen (more affordable) vehicle. The gigafactory will likely attract the best of Mexico’s talent in automotive.
Tesla Lithium Refinery in Texas is being built and will strengthen the reliability and reduce the cost of Tesla’s batteries. The factory will bring needed jobs to the Corpus Christi area.
Production will scale for Cybertruck and Semi. The roads will change, bringing the future to the present. Tesla will hold a Cybertruck Event!
The delightful and reliable Optimus Bot will charm both owners and co-workers!
More Stores, Galleries and ServiceCenters will be opened.
Supercharging will expand and so will Destination and Home charging.
Tesla Electric will expand Virtual Power Plants and, working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) it will make sure all VPPs across the USA and Puerto Rico prove they can respond reliably and faster than traditional natural gas or oil power plants.
For more, study Tesla Masterplan Part 3, a framework that lays the foundation for a sustainable economy that will result in less mining and/or extraction than is currently done. People often worry about “rare earths.” In reality, zero rare earths are needed for the transition to sustainable energy. Have a great day and thank you for supporting my independent journalism!
Article written with pleasure by Gail aAfar, please credit accordingly. All images in article are Courtesy Tesla, Inc.
(Austin, Texas) Tesla announced today that Volvo will build EVs with the North American Charging Standard (NACS), joining Ford, General Motors, and Rivian in accessing all Tesla Superchargers in the USA.
This article is about the NACS and much more! I hope you’ll take a minute to read it. My goal is to inspire you, and put a smile on your face.
Why I’m in love with Tesla Supercharging
Nostalgia. As a kid, I liked going to gas stations. My favorite one was Sinclair Oil. I begged to go to Sinclair. Our family’s Oldsmobile used a lot of gas. We paid cash, and my father would pick up a pack of Camel cigarettes, buy us candy, and we would get a free small plastic dinosaur toy!
When Sinclair Oil went out of business, I stopped enjoying fueling up my car. Over the years the fun was removed from “gas stations,” and Tesla is making powering up your car fun again! How?
Tesla has created Superchargers that are easy to use in two main ways
The payment system is integrated into the Tesla App and the vehicle. When you plug in your EV, the payment is automatically integrated, so you never need to pull out a credit card or push any buttons on a screen. There is no screen, it’s just that simple.
Tesla built the NACS so that you, with your hands full, can plug in the car. The handle is small, ergonomic, and as it gets close to the charge port, it opens up the charger door.
Tesla, Ford, General Motors, Volvo, And Rivian, Are All Part Of A New Movement
Tesla has grown a robust Supercharging Network in the USA and there is plenty of room for other EVs to join in the fun. Soon, most EVs in the USA can be expected to either be assembled with the NACS charge port or to have an adapter.
Today the current lineup includes Ford, General Motors, Volvo And Rivian. (see addendum at end of the article for more automakers that have adopted NACS). These automakers have an agreement with Tesla so that their vehicles can access Tesla Superchargers. To emphasize the scope and scale of Tesla’s Supercharger Network, see the current map of Superchargers below. It keeps growing every day. How can it grow so fast?
Tesla builds Superchargers that are pre-fabricated at Giga New York, then ships them to a site, and they are installed within just a few days.
This fast installation process using the NACS, is the biggest indicator to me that it will be quicker than most realize that we will transition to all electric vehicles in the USA.
Superchargers in North America. Image Courtesy Tesla, Inc. (accessed on June 27, 2023)
Texas and Washington Lead The Way In Making Charging Easier
Texas is the first state in the USA to guarantee all state-funded fast charging will offer the NACS. Washington is the second state and I’m ready to add most states to the list!
I encourage you to make your next car electric. If you have not driven an electric car, I urge you to test drive one.
You’re going to laugh when I tell you that I own two Teslas, yet I still take test drives! I loved testing the Tesla Model X. I’ve never been this excited, since that day when my father pulled into the Sinclair gas station and I started collecting those little dinosaurs!
If you drive a Tesla and see other EVs at the Supercharger, be sure to give a smile and a thumbs up to the new people you’ll be seeing soon at the Superchargers!
Addendum/Update:
(June 29, 2023) Polestar joins General Motors, Ford, and Rivian in adopting the North American Charging Standard (NACS) which will enable access to Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network for all Polestar drivers in the United States and Canada. On June 29, 2023, Polestar stated“From 2025, new Polestar vehicles sold in North America will be equipped with the NACS charging port by default. Adapters to help allow existing Polestar drivers to access the network in a convenient way are expected in mid-2024.”
Addendum/Update:
Mercedes-Benz becomes the first German automaker to adopt NACS, enabling access to Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network.
(July 7, 2023) Mercedes-Benz drivers in the USA and Canada are delighted with this announcement!
A press release by Mercedes-Benz from July 7, 2023 states,
“Mercedes-Benz will be the first German OEM to implement NACS ports into its new electric vehicles starting in 2025. As part of a phased transition, Mercedes-Benz will initially offer an adapter that enables the company’s existing CCS BEVs to charge seamlessly on the NACS network from 2024 onwards.”
Mercedes-Benz joins Ford, General Motors, Volvo, Rivian, and Polestar in making the Supercharging experience seamless and pleasant for EV drivers.
Mercedes-Benz has adopted the NACS. Image Courtesy Mercedes-Benz.Supercharging, Image Courtesy Tesla, Inc.
Article is by Gail Alfar please credit accordingly.
(Austin, Texas) There are moments in life when you know it is time to make big changes that will alter the course of your life forever. Purchasing a new Tesla Vehicle is one of those moments. When I bought my Model 3 with FSD beta, it opened up a whole new chapter in my life. How did this happen?
The all-electric Model 3 was clean, fast, and drove itself (with my supervision) and it inspired me to start learning about electric powertrain engineering. This led to me to research the creation of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas. I followed the development of Giga Texas from before Day 1.
Elon Musk Interview/Meeting
This passion eventually led to me writing this blog, making incredible friendships, and meeting these friends in real life. One such encounter was on June 25, 2022, at the completed Gigafactory Texas. I had the pleasure of meeting Elon Musk and asking him about battery storage and Distributed Energy Resources [DERs].
I asked Elon Musk if he could talk a little about DERs and if Gigafactory Texas could be protected in the event of an emergency, Elon replied,
“Well, I think this is going to be in terms of batteries, a combination of large batteries, sort of utility-scale batteries with very big installations. Like we just did a big thing with PG&E at Moss Landing in California which is going to be very important for maintaining power in California. There is a number of other installations happening. And then at the local level, you’ve got the Powerwalls that collectively can stabilize the grid within a neighborhood. So, the combination of centralized batteries with Megapack and distributed batteries at homes and businesses with powerwall working together can have a very positive effect in making sure the power stays on.” – Elon Musk
Save With Tesla Referral Link
When you purchase your first electric vehicle, you’ll want to make a wise choice. Tesla offers four variants: Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y. You can save money when you use a referral link. Any referral link is valuable, and if you would like, I will share mine https://www.tesla.com/referral/gail74884
This link also helps you receive savings on Tesla Solar Panels, Solar Roof, as well as can provide you with a free Demo Drive. Enjoy!
Let’s take a quick look at how cars.com came up with Tesla as most-American made car. All four made top of the list: Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y.
It was their analysis of 5 criteria:
assembly location,
parts content,
motor origin,
transmission origin &
U.S. mfg workforce.
Ultimately, they vetted 388 cars to arrive at 100 which made the index. Tesla made the top 4 – simply Amazing!
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author and podcaster 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. If you liked this article, comment your opinion! Your feedback informs me, helps me write better, and helps me understand you the reader better.
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