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Interesting info. My take aways:
- Eberhard's program will use commodity Li-on cell form factor
- There are competing EV programs within Audi/VW.
Note that Eberhard is working in a corporate research division. He isn't actually making an EV for them. You know, I think this is THE problem with traditional car manufacturers. They still seem to think that you can build a car out of pieces - use the battery from supplier A, motor from internal team B, cooling system from team C and slap them together. This is what Eberhard was doing before Elon fired him and took over. Tesla appears to have a much more holistic approach to engineering design and development. All design and development is done concurrently, with the ability of different teams to interact with each other in real time. This allows continual refinement with the ability to squeeze as much efficiency out of a design as possible.
Elon has also done this at SpaceX with the result that SpaceX is by far the cheapest space lift company out there.
Tesla is also by far the cheapest EV (by range) out there too. Which is why no one else has come up with a 300 mile range car - they can't do it profitably, whereas Tesla can.
- Eberhard's program will use commodity Li-on cell form factor
- There are competing EV programs within Audi/VW.
Note that Eberhard is working in a corporate research division. He isn't actually making an EV for them. You know, I think this is THE problem with traditional car manufacturers. They still seem to think that you can build a car out of pieces - use the battery from supplier A, motor from internal team B, cooling system from team C and slap them together. This is what Eberhard was doing before Elon fired him and took over. Tesla appears to have a much more holistic approach to engineering design and development. All design and development is done concurrently, with the ability of different teams to interact with each other in real time. This allows continual refinement with the ability to squeeze as much efficiency out of a design as possible.
Elon has also done this at SpaceX with the result that SpaceX is by far the cheapest space lift company out there.
Tesla is also by far the cheapest EV (by range) out there too. Which is why no one else has come up with a 300 mile range car - they can't do it profitably, whereas Tesla can.
Sparky
Member
Totally agree with your comment on Eberhard's role appearing to be very submissive w.r.t. VW's EV manufacturing. Off-topic. While I agree that SpaceX is great, it has competition:
Full disclosure; I've been an OSC rider and expect to be a F-9H rider in 2015 (no, not me personally, my gear).
I think that is a somewhat old video, perhaps from 2010.
See this reference:
Co-founder Tesla working for Volkswagen ERL | Driving the Nation
"Posted on Sunday, July 25th, 2010"
See this reference:
Co-founder Tesla working for Volkswagen ERL | Driving the Nation
"Posted on Sunday, July 25th, 2010"
Benz
Active Member
Krugerrand
Meow
You say that like it's a bad thing. Competition is not a dirty word and for the most part it means positive things for everyone. There's no way SpaceX can take all the satelittes and all the cargo to and from the ISS on its own. They don't need to be the only one doing that. There's plenty of business to go around for SpaceX and Orbital. We must also remember that what SpaceX is doing now is so that they can learn what they need to and pay for the R&D etc... to get to Mars.
Adm
Active Member
Volkswagen is so schizophrenic on EVs! When Martin left it looked like VW would kill the E-Tron. (oh wait yeah, they did). But it's a halo car for IronMan and now VW says they will have a whole line of EVs. What!?
Is there a business name or war term for what Microsoft did (chronicled in another thread) like GM and VW to announce a "me too" future product to slow purchases from the upstart?
Is there a business name or war term for what Microsoft did (chronicled in another thread) like GM and VW to announce a "me too" future product to slow purchases from the upstart?
Sparky
Member
Not at all. Just responding to CosmacElf's inference that SpaceX has no one competing on price and provided the OSC link.
A small constellation of satellites to process radio signals from a larger constellation (GPS+other) to do real-time weather forecasting. Yes, Falcon 9 Heavy, currently scheduled to be the first 9H out of VAFB. Visited the launch pad a little while ago, stood in the flame bucket and tried to imagine 27 of those Merlin engines firing at the same time over my head.Cosmacelf said:
Ok. now we're off topic.
Back on topic; I think Martin Eberhard has a lot to contribute to the right EV program at any auto company. I appreciate what has been accomplished by both him and Musk. VW has the same problem as others, how do you promote a competitive EV without denigrating and diminishing the value of your other, currently profitable, cars?
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Of course I knew the term vaporware but did not know that the pejorative was used as to describe a corporate battle tactic. I suppose other techniques like those of Jasper Maskelyne and his complex ruses would be similar in a combat context.
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