Tesla Customer Town Hall Meeting

That's pretty cool. Please take notes for us Tony, although I suspect the most important substance will be delivery dates of the Roadster and not so much the Whitestar and Tesla in general.

Very positive.

The two issues that directly affect waiting-list customers are advanced airbag exemption and gearbox reliability. Let's hope that the meeting can stay focussed on these and that they are well on the way to being resolved.

That's in three days, talk about short notice

... for an open discussion on recent changes at the company, the Roadster program, and any other issues" they wish to raise.

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I guess they've heared the outcry and listened. Good move.

Stemming the flow

Only for buyers, huh? What a surprise. Just like the access to the most recent owners' reports of test drives. Do you think they'll have the Advisory Board there to offer their "advice"? Yeah, right! My guess is that this is Edison Motors' attempt to stick a finger in the dike. They've spent the last week being inundated with demands for refunds.

It would be interesting to hear the status on the waiting list. Tony? :wink:

I'LL say Tesla is busy. I bet they didn't plan on this while trying to get the car built.

They are in full scamble damage control mode.

Let's home it works.

Yanquetino said:

Only for buyers, huh?

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I am not a buyer, and I fully support this idea of meeting with the buyers privately right now.
Those who put down full deposits have shown their commitment to the idea and the company, and I think they deserve to be given proper explanations for delays and other changes.

Yanquetino said:

They've spent the last week being inundated with demands for refunds.

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Do you have some sort of inside knowledge. You state this as fact, but I haven't heard this anywhere else.

What is your relationship to Tesla anyways?

I would seriously doubt they have seen any refunds. I wouldn't expect Tesla to tell anyone if there were refunds; that would be just stupid. Like Tony says, if there have been a few, we'll get our cars that much quicker.

It's too bad I won't be able to attend in person, I just happen to be flying there the very next day.

In addition to a status update on the Roadster, I expect that Ze'ev and Elon will have something to say about their vision of the company's strategic direction, without being too detailed.

I want so much to hear that the start of Roadster production is still on schedule. Is that too much to ask for, Santa?

The scents of my two-cents' worth of sense.

TEG: My relationship with the company? Nada. Zip. Only that of a once-potential customer. I am merely guessing about the finger-and-dike analogy, given what transpired a week ago. Maybe it's purely coincidence that Edison would call the first and only "town meeting" at this particular point in time...? Your guess is as good as mine. But I still opine that those who would be interested in an EV in the first place are the very kind of people who are turned off by a corporate mentality that would fire the original founder and visionary. To many of them, that same sort of so-what, tough-beans, who-cares business attitude is what led to crushing the EV1. That's my assessment, anyway. Of course, I could be flat-out wrong about other EV advocates. Nor would it be the first time, let me tell you!

Also, while I would concede that those who have already invested a down-payment in a product should indeed enjoy certain privileges, I likewise purport that it is in a company's best interest that potential customers also be...

TEG said:

...given proper explanations for delays and other changes.

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I am still trying hard to give Tesla the "benefit of doubt" at this point. We have all sorts of people coming out of the woodwork starting to write their epitaph as if everything is falling apart. Referring to them as "Edison motors" now seems flippant and disdainful. Come on folks... We know, and have known, that what they are trying to do is hard, and fraught with complications for such a small, new company.

I want them to succeed and I hope they don't get overcome by a bunch of nay-sayers.

Martin had a way of inspiring confidence. If they are having some growing pains we need to do what we can to offer support even with uncertainty.
Griping that the town hall meeting isn't open to the general public seems like a waste of time. It shouldn't take long for the rest of us to hear whatever news they wish to share. Tesla is right to focus on those who put down deposits. They are the ones who deserve to know first what is happening.

Go for it, folks...!

'Tis true that I deem the firing of an original founder and visionary disdainful --if not downright shameful. I have always been one to "call a spade a shovel," and can imagine poor Nikola turning over in his grave right now. I guess I'm outta here....

Yanquetino said:

My relationship with the company? Nada. Zip. Only that of a once-potential customer. I am merely guessing about the finger-and-dike analogy, given what transpired a week ago. Maybe it's purely coincidence that Edison would call the first and only "town meeting" at this particular point in time...? Your guess is as good as mine. But I still opine that those who would be interested in an EV in the first place are the very kind of people who are turned off by a corporate mentality that would fire the original founder and visionary. To many of them, that same sort of so-what, tough-beans, who-cares business attitude is what led to crushing the EV1. That's my assessment, anyway. Of course, I could be flat-out wrong about other EV advocates. Nor would it be the first time, let me tell you!

Also, while I would concede that those who have already invested a down-payment in a product should indeed enjoy certain privileges, I likewise purport that it is in a company's best interest that potential customers also be...

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There is something to be said here about Tesla's pride about their "openness." Let's face it, they boasted themselves as being completely open from the get-go. Now it's almost like they've learned from the Bush Administration.

DDB said:

Now it's almost like they've learned from the Bush Administration.

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I was in awe of this company, now I am in shock.
(Sorry - just had to say it!)

I would assert that the town hall meeting is part of that openness. I'm also glad that it's owners only, or I'm afraid that the S/N would be pretty bad. I once stood nearby while Martin got an earful for half an hour from some fanatic quibbling about the details of the MPG-equivalency calculation. It was crazy.

Do I want more information? Sure do. Do I think Martin's firing was fumbled? You betcha. Do I think the company is awful, awful busy prepping the Roadster to enter production? Yes, and I think they have their priorities straight, even if it means things have been quieter. Do I still want my Roadster yesterday? Duh.

C'mon, like the folks here don't know they'll get immediate reports from the owners who will be calling in or going to the meeting.

Might I suggest that someone record this meeting for podcast purposes? Would this violate some agreement?

I sure would be interested in hearing the discussion.

Brent said:

Might I suggest that someone record this meeting for podcast purposes? Would this violate some agreement?

I sure would be interested in hearing the discussion.

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Tesla knows everything will be leaked. I can almost guarantee there will be no penalty for recording.

The folks that have a deposit with Tesla are certainly entitled to hear directly from the "powers" at Tesla what delivery time frames they can expect, and what issues have been delaying the production, how and when these issues will be resolved.

Its the buzz on the Internet that has motivated Tesla to communicate directly with the folks that have a deposit.

It will be a positive meeting, with a positive outcome....if there is another delay it will be less positive.

Town Hall impressions

I think the customer call went pretty well. The Tesla spokespeople did a good job of keeping the discussion focused on the Roadster and on Tesla's vision - rather than on the issues surrounding my departure.

Elon's only comment about my departure was benign, noting that my "personality and attitude" are better suited to running startup-phase companies than larger companies. Generally I agree with with this assessment, though as I have stated before, I would have been happy to have continued to contribute to the growth of Tesla Motors and the delivery of the Roadster in another capacity besides as CEO.

Congratulations to the Tesla team for creating a very positive event that addressed many of the open concerns especially surrounding the Roadster shipment delays. It was a very good idea to make the Tesla executive staff available to answer questions directly from customers at this time and in this way.

Still looking forward to my Roadster #2!