# Massive Layoffs at Tesla Motors **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 23, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651 "2008-01-23T10:17:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651/41 "2008-01-27T13:07:24Z")
THe dean of American inventors, Thomas Edison, made a stab at producing an electric car (in the 1920’s). He failed-although his research resulted in the development of the nickel-iron alkaline storage battery (which is still used today). After spending millions, Edison came to the same conclusion (as Tesla engineers no doubt are concluding) “it can’t be done”! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651/42 "2008-01-27T19:55:14Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] Here’s something I just thought of: Electric motors would be controlled by software. Software would be controlled by DRM and, ultimately, the Massive Slavering Beast that is global copyright law (in America the DMCA, in other countries the equivalent laws already in force or coming soon). It would be trivial to make engines refuse to work in unapproved vehicles and make all efforts to force the issue illegal circumvention of the DRM involved, just like how it’s illegal to play DVDs in unapproved players because it’s illegal to break the encryption. _That_, not simple physical constraints, would be the major barrier to compatible engines. If you doubt it would happen that way, look at Sony and Microsoft, two leaders in their respective industries. [/QUOTE] That was a whoosh, right? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651/43 "2008-01-28T00:07:45Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] That was a whoosh, right? [/QUOTE] You poor, naïve person. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651/44 "2008-01-28T01:29:53Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] You poor, naïve person. [/QUOTE] Was that a yes? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651/45 "2008-02-22T22:39:07Z")
[Well, somebody still has faith in the cars.](http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/02/tesla-motors-co.html) > [@](#): > > Tesla Motors recently completed $40 million in bridge financing. The round was co-led by Valor Equity Partners and Elon Musk, Chairman of Tesla Motors. > > The financing will be used for the continued development of a 4-door, five-passenger sports sedan planned for introduction in 2010 (“White Star”), the establishment of company-owned sales and service infrastructure, and the continued production of the battery-electric Tesla Roadster. I don’t know about you, but when I hear “White Star” the first thing that pops into my mind is _Titanic_. (Which leads me to ask, if you hit something with the car, will it immediately start playing _Nearer My God to Thee_? ;)) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651/46 "2008-02-22T22:55:49Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] [Well, somebody still has faith in the cars.](http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/02/tesla-motors-co.html)I don’t know about you, but when I hear “White Star” the first thing that pops into my mind is _Titanic_. (Which leads me to ask, if you hit something with the car, will it immediately start playing _Nearer My God to Thee_? ;)) [/QUOTE] $40 million is chump change-I doubt that is enough to even set up a dealer network. Didn’t KAISER try to sell cars without a formal dealer network? I wonder if TESLA could sell cars on the internet. Like I say, I would’t rate their chances too highly! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651/47 "2008-02-22T23:23:33Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] $40 million is chump change-I doubt that is enough to even set up a dealer network. Didn’t KAISER try to sell cars without a formal dealer network? I wonder if TESLA could sell cars on the internet. Like I say, I would’t rate their chances too highly! [/QUOTE] You don’t need a network for tiny-volume vehicles. I’m pretty sure you can only buy a Maybach in person at 30 or so dealerships in the US, and only one in Britain. Plus there are lots of independent dealers whose whole \*raison d’etre \* is high-priced, low-volume exotica (Morgan, Saleen, Pagani, etc.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-layoffs-at-tesla-motors/434651.md?page=2)