Rumor: Apple buying Tesla

[NigelM]

I'm getting increasingly worried about the sanity of you all....:wink:

The OP refers to a post that cites "...articles and blogs alluding to the question of whether Apple would buy Tesla Motors". So try to find some:

*jrickard* points us to http://blog.evtv.me where the headline reads "APPLE Aquires Tesla Motors" but neither Apple nor Tesla is mentioned in the blog!

Well how about http://barryschuler.com - apple-should-buy-tesla-pronto...he has a disclaimer "This is simply an idea/opinion."

Would Apple Acquire Tesla? turns out not to answer that question, but to ponder that it would be better financially for Apple to enter the EV market than the TV market.

Should Apple buy Tesla because of the shortage of lithium for batteries? - "Not necessarily, but there are some other interesting overlaps between the companies.......But does this make Apple and Tesla a good fit because each are reliant on lithium batteries? No."

Forbes must be up on this right? Hey, it shows up on a Google search: Apple's Secret Plan For Its Cash Stash but....it's only mentioned in the reader comments. Darn!

So people, that was where I gave up after about 5 minutes. Do some research and it certainly looks like somebody had an idea and threw it out there and because it seems fun it gets repeated here and there but has no basis in fact whatsoever. Yawn.....

 

[bonnie]

The adult supervision has arrived.

Thanks, Nigel. Reality-checks are good.

 

[JRP3]

I didn't think anyone considered this more than a rumor, and Jack Rickard simply made an argument how it could make sense if it were to happen.

 

[NigelM]

I didn't think anyone considered this more than a rumor,....

Maybe. But reads to me like people were starting to think it could be true. I'm happy to be wrong.

...and Jack Rickard simply made an argument how it could make sense if it were to happen.

Well, he said....

It's all laid out here. .http://blog.evtv.me/2012/07/the-cold-weather-of-july-in-cape-girardeau/?goback=%2Egde_4107787_member_132193871.

....so I went to his blog and the headline states " APPLE Aquires Tesla Motors", but as I already said it doesn't mention either Apple or Tesla in the whole article, not even once! I'm not disparaging his blog and the technical stuff looks ok to me (what do I know?) but the headline is somewhat disingenuous. Caveat: there is a 132' video on the blog but (and nothing personal here) I don't have the time or the inclination to watch over 2 hours looking for a source that certainly isn't there.

 

[JRP3]

Yes he does lay it out in the video, basically the same as he laid it out here in this thread. The full title of his blog is Apple acquires Tesla Motors- On a cold day in July in Cape Girardeau. Since it's hot as hell in Cape Girardeau, as well as most places in the US, I'd say it was a bit of a tongue in cheek title, playing off many of the rumors we've seen.

 

[NigelM]

^ Doesn't gel if the title is tongue in cheek but he's arguing it makes sense. Waaay to subtle for my modest intellect. Let's leave it that if we can as I don't want to get into a back and forth with you about what somebody else might have meant. The whole point was to establish that this is a rumor that got more coverage in this thread than just about anywhere else you can find and actually it's no more than that...a rumor, and a rumor based on nothing other than the fact that a few people totally unconnected think it might be a good idea.

 

[VolkerP]

After watching the "fireside chat", my impression grew stronger that Elon is not about to dive into consumer electronics. He is focused on engineering problems that are relevant for future of humanity - in his opinion, which you might share, might not. That's up to you. Providing state of the art iPhones, iPads, iTVs, doesn't seem to be part of that in his view. Perhaps an iLifeSupportModule on Mars would be, but where is the legacy product to supersede?

The point mentioned in the article "both companies use lithium-ion batteries in their products" is just laughable. You could say "both use electricity", too.

 

[Citizen-T]

I had the same thought when watching the fireside chat. Elon doesn't want to run Apple, he's completely uninterested in making toys. While we have been able to find some good business reasons for Apple to acquire Elon (note I say 'Elon' not Tesla or SpaceX) we should all know by now that Elon doesn't do things because they make good business sense; he does things because people say they can't be done.

Apple and Elon are not a good fit.

 

[jrickard]

Apple would benefit Fisker a lot more than Tesla. I could see Apple wanting to purchase a company pre-ipo where they could get it for a low valuation. More value with this play than Tesla. Plus Fisker could use the help!

Why would they want to invest in a LOSER.

The whole point is that Apple very much NEEDS acquisitions, and acquisitions of a size to do any good in their own space leads to a jungle of anti competitive hearings. If they move OUT of their space, that goes away. The automotive market offers UNLIMITED revenue growth potential. And with the cash to deploy charging networks and solar installations, the Tesla starts to look very viable. With that kind of clout, even bringing the price down dramatically to prime the pump starts to make sense.

Solar City and SpaceX too offer unrelated areas of unlimited growth. They are hard pressed by this phenomenon of maintaining growth in the face of large numbers. They need huge amounts of new business.

Jack RIckard
EVTV Motor Verks | Electric Car Conversion Videos

 

[dsm363]

If Apple simply wanted to be a off-hands business partner/venture capitalist that may work but I don't see them ever doing that.

 

[jrickard]

He also said he would not be ceding control of Tesla anytime soon (which also means he would not sell to Apple)

Not necessarily. If he was the CEO, he would still maintain control. What's hard about this?

Jack RIckard

 

[jrickard]

I'm getting increasingly worried about the sanity of you all....:wink:

The OP refers to a post that cites "...articles and blogs alluding to the question of whether Apple would buy Tesla Motors". So try to find some:

*jrickard* points us to http://blog.evtv.me where the headline reads "APPLE Aquires Tesla Motors" but neither Apple nor Tesla is mentioned in the blog!

.

Actually we talk about it quite a bit in the video. This blog is largely extra information, charts and links to accompany a weekly video on electric vehicle construction. If you don't watch the video, it probably doesn't make much sense on its own.

Jack Rickard
EVTV Motor Verks | Electric Car Conversion Videos

 

[Steph]

Not necessarily. If he was the CEO, he would still maintain control. What's hard about this?

Jack RIckard

And he would have $100B in cash at his disposal. I would love to see what he would do with $100B as we did see what he's capable of with only spare change in comparaison.

 

[jrickard]

Maybe. But reads to me like people were starting to think it could be true. I'm happy to be wrong.




Well, he said....



....so I went to his blog and the headline states " APPLE Aquires Tesla Motors", but as I already said it doesn't mention either Apple or Tesla in the whole article, not even once! I'm not disparaging his blog and the technical stuff looks ok to me (what do I know?) but the headline is somewhat disingenuous. Caveat: there is a 132' video on the blog but (and nothing personal here) I don't have the time or the inclination to watch over 2 hours looking for a source that certainly isn't there.

Actually, it reads APPLE ACQUIRES TESLA MOTORS On a Cold Day in July in Cape Girardeau Missouri. A rather obvious play on "a cold day in hell." This is also a tie-in, for those unfamiliar with some cold temperature battery testing we did during a very HOT week in July. Apparently our viewers are a little more astute than the typical Tesla-oid. I'll try to speak plainly here on this forum so everyone can follow along....;-}

Jack Rickard
EVTV Motor Verks | Electric Car Conversion Videos

Jack Rikcard

 

[Doug_G]

Apparently our viewers are a little more astute than the typical Tesla-oid. I'll try to speak plainly here on this forum so everyone can follow along....;-}

Now now, let's not be insulting our gentle readers...

 

[Citizen-T]

Actually, it reads APPLE ACQUIRES TESLA MOTORS On a Cold Day in July in Cape Girardeau Missouri. A rather obvious play on "a cold day in hell."

I lol'ed out loud in my cube when I read this.

 

[JRP3]

Now now, let's not be insulting our gentle readers...

I guess you aren't familiar with Jack's style. Don't take anything he says personally. I've gone at it with him plenty, he's even thrown me off his blog, but I hold no ill will.

 

[Doug_G]

I guess you aren't familiar with Jack's style. Don't take anything he says personally. I've gone at it with him plenty, he's even thrown me off his blog, but I hold no ill will.

And that was just a gentle warning shot across the bow. The comment may have been made in jest, and was directed at the whole community not an individual, but nevertheless we moderators do not permit personal insults etc.

 

[NigelM]

Actually we talk about it quite a bit in the video. This blog is largely extra information, charts and links to accompany a weekly video on electric vehicle construction. If you don't watch the video, it probably doesn't make much sense on its own.

Sorry Jack, watching 2 hours of your (probably very intelligent) speculation won't make this a fact.

Actually, it reads APPLE ACQUIRES TESLA MOTORS On a Cold Day in July in Cape Girardeau Missouri. A rather obvious play on "a cold day in hell."

To be honest I have no idea where Cape Giradeau is or what the climate is like there. I take you at your word that it's a play on the phrase "a cold day in hell" but then it's very confusing...on the one hand you're implying it will never happen, while simultaneously saying that your video explains why it should.

 

[JRP3]

12:00 in is where he starts talking about APPL and TSLA