GM Mary Barra Questioned by Loyal GM Owner About Tesla

Thanks for sharing. Gotta say though, she was treading water. Haha. Lots of key words to get around being dominated by the little new company in the industry. If they don't make the Bolt something special they've lost their minds. It's a make it or break it point for them to seem like they are interested in the next wave of transportation. Oh, and those eyes she gave at the end were hilarious. Like she gave the most badass answer and it was all the right things to say.....more like she knew it was a bunch of BS. Hahaha

Blah, blah, blah, blah.

Krugerrand said:

Blah, blah, blah, blah.

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+1 for every "blah" Krug

I would like to have asked the CEO this:

As the owner of four GM products, have you ever considered the backlash that will occur from people such as myself for the way you have been hating on Tesla by fully supporting the MI bill that is an outright ban on Tesla's business model or the way you sent GM corporate lawyers to MD to fight HB235 on 2/19/15 AFTER Tesla had ALREADY reached a compromise agreement with the MD dealers association?

mdevp said:

Oooo...Forgot about the Michigan bill, that question would've really made her squirm.

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Would it have? I think her can, from which the replies come from, is pretty deep. But I'd have loved to hear the question asked for my own personal feel good moment.

Most likely she would have responded that I jus' wanna a level playing field yada, yada...

but really thinking HOLY S... a run rate of 500,000/yr in 3 years at Fremont, Fiat collaboration, Superchargers, Powerwall (huh, what's that?), Giga II, Tilburg changeover to production, Model ☰ rear drive, Model ☰ dual motor, Model ☰ X-over, Texas truck plant, will I still get a multi-million $ pension that Wagoner recieves if we file for bankruptcy (again)?

linkster said:

Most likely she would have responded that I jus' wanna a level playing field yada, yada...

but really thinking HOLY S... a run rate of 500,000/yr in 3 years at Fremont, Fiat collaboration, Superchargers, Powerwall (huh, what's that?), Giga II, Tilburg changeover to production, Model ☰ rear drive, Model ☰ dual motor, Model ☰ X-over, Texas truck plant, will I still get a multi-million $ pension that Wagoner recieves if we file for bankruptcy (again)?

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This!

The underlying motivation makes all the difference. Really, how much do you think Elon worries about his pension? I'm sure he thinks a lot about money and making money, but not for the saking of money itself but only for what he can accomplish with it: make humanity a multiplanteray species, help save the earth. Now those are some truly great goals, as opposed to what: owning a nice beachhouse? Some expensive jewellery? Getting your back patted by other men and women of influence in a boardroom?

At the risk of attributing motives to someone, I suspect that Barra views her biggest career achievement as becoming the first female CEO of a major automobile OEM, rather than for what she will achieve in that role. By contrast, I believe that Elon is a CEO so that he can achieve goals; being the CEO is not a goal for him in and of itself.

linkster said:

+1 for every "blah" Krug

I would like to have asked the CEO this:

As the owner of four GM products, have you ever considered the backlash that will occur from people such as myself for the way you have been hating on Tesla by fully supporting the MI bill that is an outright ban on Tesla's business model or the way you sent GM corporate lawyers to MD to fight HB235 on 2/19/15 AFTER Tesla had ALREADY reached a compromise agreement with the MD dealers association?

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Not sure if GM considered it, but I did. That's why one of Tesla's Trade In Partners now owns my 2009 CTS-V and a CPO P85 sits in the garage now.

I have over $3000 in GM credits built up over the years from using my GM credit card, but it's unlikely I'll ever get to cash them in going forward since I don't intend to ever purchase from another MI based mfr. until MI changes their laws to allow Tesla to operate there. GM just seems to be the most vocal of the Big 3 in it's battles against Tesla's business model.