Cross Company Development

[Steph]

In a twitter chat yesterday, Elon was answering questions from twits like me

My question:

@elonmusk Any tech developed by Tesla used by @SpaceX or vice versa? #APSpaceChat

His reply was:

SpaceX is great at making things very light and Tesla is very good at mass production.

I don't know why most of is replies from this little space chat are gone...

At first, it seemed like a non-answer to me but when i think about it, is he telling us Tesla is helping SpaceX with mass-production and SpaceX is helping Tesla making lighter batteries and other components?

[TEG]

Both companies are very advanced in terms of aluminum fabrication.

[tdelta1000]

It's possible... SpaceX techniques can be use at TM to develop smaller wire connector, other weight saving materials to increase range, better methods of heating and cooling the cabin & the batteries. If the Model S came from a clean sheet of paper then anything would be possible if both companies jointed forces.

[Larry Chanin]

It's possible... SpaceX techniques can be use at TM to develop smaller wire connector, other weight saving materials to increase range, better methods of heating and cooling the cabin & the batteries. If the Model S came from a clean sheet of paper then anything would be possible if both companies jointed forces.

True it's possible, but it's my understanding that Tesla is using its strategic partnership with Toyota, rather than SpaceX, to supply Tesla with their heat-pump, presumably developed for the Prius.

Larry

[tdelta1000]

True it's possible, but it's my understanding that Tesla is using its strategic partnership with Toyota, rather than SpaceX, to supply Tesla with their heat-pump, presumably developed for the Prius.

Larry

Larry please pardon my confusion... I was thinking along the lines of something like high tech fluids for heating and cooling, high viscosity grease to reduce friction, lighter and quieter sound dampening materials and other product that would ultimately increase range.

[Larry Chanin]

Larry please pardon my confusion... I was thinking along the lines of something like high tech fluids for heating and cooling, high viscosity grease to reduce friction, lighter and quieter sound dampening materials and other product that would ultimately increase range.

Hi,

Sure, as I said it is possible, but I was thinking this would be down the road for Tesla to benefit from techniques used at SpaceX. (If SpaceX goes public there may be some constraints to the degree that they can share intellectual property, research, etc.) I was merely pointing out in response to your comment about "better methods of heating and cooling the cabin" that in the short term Tesla's approach to conditioning the cabin is going to rely on Toyota technology for now. That, of course, doesn't preclude changes in the heating-A/C in the future.

Larry