Martin Eberhard sues Elon Musk and Tesla Motors - Page 7

DaveD · 06-13-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NUAETIUS

Martin Eberhand = Tim Paterson (programmer of DOS)

Off-topic.

Interesting that you mention Tim Paterson. He test drove the Roadster when Tesla visited Seattle last year. I don't know if he ended up buying one. AFAIK, Bill Gates doesn't own a Tesla, though Paul Allen does.

AnOutsider · 06-13-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vfx

Other more subtle ways Elon takes credit are his answers in interviews when asked about things that were decided before he arrived. (from memory) Q: Why the name Tesla? A: Well I suppose we could have called it Marconi. Q: Why a sports car? Well we thought a sports car would be a better way to go.

Subtle yes but making it sound like he was there when these decisions were made is misleading.

I disagree. He is representing a company. If a company gets a new CEO and has to discuss things that happened with the company prior to them signing on, should he always differentiate: "Well, they decided to..."?

I mean heck, for all that, how about the actors and voice over artists in commercials? They certainly weren't there when decisions were made but they're quick to say "after years of tests, we've put the best XYZ into our product"

JRP3 · 06-13-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NUAETIUS

Without Mr. Musk having put up his personal fortune, and time, Telsa would be just another low run electric conversion company like Advanced Mechanical Products with it's Saturn Sky.

That assumes that no other investor could have been found. Quite possibly another investor with more of a "hands off" attitude would not have made all the costly changes that Musk did which drove up the cost and delayed production. Point being we don't really know what might have happened.

James · 06-13-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRP3

That assumes that no other investor could have been found. Quite possibly another investor with more of a "hands off" attitude would not have made all the costly changes that Musk did which drove up the cost and delayed production. Point being we don't really know what might have happened.

Martin Eberhard has said that. There were other large investors interested at the same time as Elon Musk. Elon was merely the first person to say that he would write the check.

Also, during one of the early rounds of fundraising, after Elon was already a major investor, Martin wanted to bring in new investors. Supposedly Elon convinced then CEO Eberhard to keep the inventment within exisiting investors. Thus allowing Elon and his allies to accumulate a larger share of ownership. If Eberhard has expaned the list of investors at that time, Elon would not have had as dominant of a position.

gkinsey · 06-14-2009, 11:01 AM

Funny, but, in my eyes, with only a few years of history & only a few hundred cars on the road, Tesla is still being founded. If they succeed, these will still be the "early days". In this sense, ME and EM are both founders, albeit with different skill sets.

Which is the "real" founder? Neither: it's Alan Cocconi of AC Propulsion.

(But then, I'm an engineer - not a lawyer.)

xcelero.ii · 06-14-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRP3

That assumes that no other investor could have been found. Quite possibly another investor with more of a "hands off" attitude would not have made all the costly changes that Musk did which drove up the cost and delayed production. Point being we don't really know what might have happened.

True. However, The so-called "costly changes" that Musk made, where what many feel were necessary refinements, and ultimately helped the end product greatly.

Apple also does this same sort of refinement and we see how the public embraces that!

eg: Seats 1 and Seats 2 for the Roadster. 2 is considerably more comfortable. A change at the behest of EM.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkinsey

Funny, but, in my eyes, with only a few years of history & only a few hundred cars on the road, Tesla is still being founded. If they succeed, these will still be the "early days". In this sense, ME and EM are both founders, albeit with different skill sets.

Which is the "real" founder? Neither: it's Alan Cocconi of AC Propulsion.

(But then, I'm an engineer - not a lawyer.)

Agreed! They are still a fledgling.

AnOutsider · 06-14-2009, 03:56 PM

I, too, never got the complaining over the changes. I'd much rather them come to market with an amazing product vs something rushed out just to say it's complete. final touches can make a world of difference -- and while I don't always agree with some of Elon's actions (based on what we hear anyway), I'm all for his vision.

TEG · 06-14-2009, 04:14 PM

At some point when your project is behind schedule, and costs are too high you start to wonder if further enhancements are really appropriate.

James · 06-14-2009, 04:22 PM

I have actually managed to get into a Lotus Elise with the hardtop on.

If you thought the Tesla Roadster was tough, the Lotus Elise is almost impossible.
You would manage to get in one time for your test drive, then promise yourself NEVER AGAIN.

Lowering the door sill was something that was absolutely required. Elon Musk was right to make that call. It certainly broadened the potential appeal of the Tesla Roadster to middle aged (or older) wealthy guys.

vfx · 06-14-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James

...I have actually managed to get into a Lotus Elise with the hardtop on.

Hmm, I have a friend with an Exige with a racing rollbar to climb over. Even harder ingress than a stock Elise. It's all relative. It's tough getting in and out of the Roadster and it's tough getting in an out of a lot of cars. It's not easy and that's all anyone remembers.