Was waiting for close of market to post, and was hoping for more than 2% gain today, but if it's green I'll take it!
Actually she is a very intelligent lady and a fantastic teacher. She just doesn't know any better and all she hears is the BS. The experience really kind of shocked me.
Dan
Note that somewhat counter-intuitively this kind of disinformation is the best kind of FUD, because it is so easy to falsify via real-life Tesla experience, which experience 95% of U.S. car buyers haven't had yet.
A new Tesla customer is literally just a friendly owner and a test drive away from being born, and if this kind of dumb disinformation is falsified then most of the other, harder to disprove or less clear-cut pieces of FUD get discredited as well, by association. (At least for the vast majority of people who don't have an emotional dislike of EVs. This is why arguing against ICE enthusiasts on their forums is so counter-productive. Let them stay ignorant of Tesla and let's not polarize them.)
These kinds of anecdotes are IMO actually a major piece of Tesla's long term growth story: if these people were banging on the doors of ICE-makers they'd be making more and better EVs. By spreading easily dispelled disinformation they are creating an easy to tap supply of demand for Tesla - who can grow unopposed into the vacuum of the new EV market at their own pace.
I'd suggest to be patient, positive and understanding when meeting such disinformation "in the field".
I have a somewhat unusual perspective on this as I have the unique perspective of literally having had hundreds of strangers ride in my car which is almost always a topic of conversation, many of whom it is their first ride in a Tesla. I started driving with Uber and Lyft as a side gig and on a whim 3 years ago, last July when I sold my trusty 2nd gen Chevy Volt I kept right on doing it with my Model 3, and have now completed hundreds of rides with it. (NOTE: In general, I wouldn't recommend this to most people, but I enjoy the interactions and the area I live in is conducive to it. PM if you want the gory details.)
I'm no bear by any means, but I'm dismayed to report that the FUD is working, to a degree. Probably more with the general public to stifle/slow demand than in the investment world even. Things I hear constantly:
"I wish Tesla was doing better."
"Elon is crazy!"
"Aren't they in financial dire straits?"
"Where do you charge? There aren't any where I live."
and my least favorite, which was the first time I almost got in a heated argument with a passenger:
"They just cut production way back and fired a bunch of people, I know because I know a manager who works there!"
Now, before you all start posting counters to all these things, you don't need to. I read this thread frequently (although it is a struggle to keep up as of late!) and could probably shame most Tesla salespeople with my response. The discouraging thing is HOW OFTEN I'm having to educate/counter FUD, and because of where I drive I have a disproportionate number of higher socioeconomic/education passengers. (Hence, more likely to be near future customers, young people are a different story, they love Tesla.
)
Probably the best counter to this is more cars in the hands of more happy customers (key component this) but at some point it will need to be taken on more directly as well. I'm not posting this to sound negative but to give my real world experience with a fairly large sample size is that the FUD does have more of an impact than we in the Tesla owner/investor community sometimes realize. I didn't bat an eye at Dan's story because I experience it every day.
If I take any comfort from it personally, it is that I'm probably having a bigger beneficial impact on the future as an impromptu educator/spokesperson than as a Tesla customer or investor!
Take any opportunity to get out and talk to people, patiently and positively as FC mentioned, as it's a war and the issue is more in doubt than some on this board believe.
