In my opinion, no single person today, is doing for humanity what Elon Musk is doing all by himself. Take a look at his many undertakings and you will understand just how important the things he is working on are.
From making solar power affordable and mainstream and building electric cars to even trying his hand at making humanity an interplanetary species, Musk is working for a better future for all of us.
Of course, he is not doing it all alone. He has amazingly talented teams that he works with on these separate projects. But without a leader like him, I doubt the same people could achieve the same feats as they have done in the past decade.
Also consider the fact that his ventures are so futuristic that he has faced criticism, skepticism and many, many failures. But every time, he has come on top of all that and managed to taste victory. They don’t call him the real world Iron Man for nothing.
Today, let’s talk about one such impressive feat that he is trying to achieve, one car at a time.
The Master Plan
Musk sees a world with electric cars that drive themselves and do not cause any pollution. Seems like a pretty big vision, doesn’t it? It really is. For that to happen, so many cutting edge technology has to come together to work perfectly, that one would think it might just be impossible.
That didn’t stop him though. To bring this dream into reality, he started Tesla Motors, which was a very small company with very limited resources. But he had a master plan and he had it in 2006!
The plan was to build a high end electric sports car, then use the money from that to develop a medium volume car at a lower price and then use the money from that to build a mass market, affordable electric car.
A lot of people have been very skeptical about Musk’s EV plans and considered them as a passing fad. They failed to see how EVs could possibly compete against gasoline cars in terms of range, power, ease of refuelling, utility, among other things.
Musk proved them all wrong and his master plan is now in its final stages of completion with the launch of Tesla Model 3 last year which is just now starting to get rolled out.
Tesla Model 3
Musk announced the Model 3 last year to much speculation and fanfare. After all, it was being touted as THE electric car to mark the beginning of an end of gasoline cars.
There are two versions of the Model 3. The first one is the Standard model which comes with a range of 220 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 130 mph. It can also go from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. This standard model is priced at $35,000.
The second model is the Long Range model which comes with a range of 310 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 140 mph. This model goes from 0 to 60 in just 5.1 seconds and costs $44,000.
These are not where the features end though. The Model 3 has a 5 star safety rating in all categories and also comes standard with the autopilot feature meaning that not only can it drive itself today on highways, it is already equipped for full autonomy once the software becomes advanced enough.
Now, those are cars you would want to buy and replace your gasoline cars with. Almost all the woes that consumers have about electric cars in general have been addressed and with a growing network of Tesla Superchargers, owning a Model 3 is a no brainer.
After the announcement of last year, it was only recently that the first reviewers got their hands on one of these cars and they are all unanimous in their reviews. This is it!
Let me quickly list some of these reviews.
“The Tesla Model 3 is here, and it is the most important vehicle of the century. Yes, the hyperbole is necessary,” Kim Reynolds, Motor Trend.
“There isn’t anybody who’s going to sit in the driver’s seat of this car and not want it,” Matthew Debord, Business Insider.
“While the Roadster put Tesla on the map, the Model 3 really feels like the car that will bring electric vehicles as a whole into the mainstream.” Andrew Taratola, Engadget
So, there you have it folks! Electric cars are finally here in the way we all wanted them to and they are here to stay. This might just mark the beginning of the era of EVs and also a beginning of the end of the gasoline cars which have served us well for decades. It’s time to move on.
I'm concerned that Tesla loses massive amounts of money on all fronts. It's not a business so much as a taxpayer-subsidy funded research and development group.
Tesla loses money everyday with no end in sight. The stock should be worth a lot less, I think. I hope it all works out as a loss-leader in the end.
That might be a problem in the short term but companies have come out of even more dire situations than this. Also, I don't know where I read this, but I read that "experts" believe it will be one of the most valuable companies in just 5 years.
Indeed.
I presume that by "Valuable" they mean market cap, which these days seems to be somewhat divorced from actual profitability. Earnings per share numbers are starting to look a little nuts imo.
Thanks for posting!
While both I and Musk agree with your statement below about the market cap being crazy, the "taxpayer-subsidy" statement is a bit trite. Telsa is nearly entirely funded on revenue and shareholder investment. Their position would be mostly unchanged without tax incentives, unlike the heavily-subsidized and yet insanely profitable oil industry.
With Britain to ban diesel and gasoline cars by 2040, I think it's safe to say that Elon Musk made a good bet on the electric car. Well, actually, he made the future what it will be.
Knowing a little bit of Tesla, I can tell you that the Model 3 is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Tesla will be coming out with in the future.
Also, the fact that you will most likely not need a driver's license at all in the future as most cars will be autonomous is another factor to include in the prediction of future transportation.
Great read! Thanks!
Oh yes, I'm sure he has got quite some plans. That's how he rolls! hehe
The Model 3 is THE electric car produced for the masses with all the features a high-end consumer could ever dream about. This is so exciting times we live in and Elon Musk is one of my personal idols. In fact I just published a post about how to use his life lessons to become a better writer. You are welcome to check it out if you are interested.
@ronni
I couldn't agree more. Will surely check out your post!
Elon really gives a powerful push to the world for cleaner energy. There is still a long way to go, but he is on the right path!
Yes he does. Someone has to. There is just no explanation of why we are still using fossil fuels when we have had the technology to transition to cleaner energy for quite some time now.
Telsa made EVs cool to drive. Volvo and others are following, this is great to see.
Yes, the industry will soon catch up and the competition will only be good for the consumers.
sorry but I don't drive so would not be driving one of those cars.
What if the car drives you? ;)
EEk if it drove me . How would it know where I was going? When I am not sure where I am going most of the time.
It's a step in the right direction for eliminating pollution, but there will always be those that love muscle cars and the sound of a gasoline engine being revved up!
Upvoted
As always I upvote/follow/resteem those that do the same for me. Just don't spam my fee or will unfollow/mute.
Have a great day.
Well, in the meantime there is the option to create a roaring motor-sound thru loudspeakers. At least in Germany it is discussed that in cities electric cars do need to make some sound, because children and elderly people would hardly hear them, when crossing the street.
I think the BMW i8 already produces some of the engine sounds through its speakers.
yeah, I get the muscle cars part, but they will become novelty in that case.
That's awesome, the gas and oil industry must hate this guy
I'm sure they all do!!
i totally agree with a lot of what you said. elon for president! i like his logical, linear, straight forward, common sense view on things, i think he's an absolutely genius to be able to be in in the postion he is and the model3 is incredibly well promoted because NOBODY is gonna NOT want the long distance one so will pay the extra even if a lot of people cancelled. he's not bothered, he's already proved that people will go for it! :) -- can't wait to see a world of quiet transportation everywhere!
If even 100 people in the world thought like him and his drive, the world would change within our lifetimes. It is just beautiful to see such people work and they serve as an inspiration for millions.
Electric cars were invented a long time ago. Mask is a great personality. He made a product of a higher level. He promotes them to the mass market. It is of course admirable. Thanks dear @sauravrungta for your interesting post!
Yeah, the thing with technology is that until it is able to provide additional benefits than the current one, it won't replace it. That's what Elon has managed to do. Electric cars already existed but he has managed to combine multiple innovations into one and has shown the world that electric cars are now just as good if not better than your normal cars and it's time to replace them.
nice to see a successful person put their efforts into something more than merely acquiring more wealth. he's leading by example, showing others how to be a positive change for the better of the planet
Exactly! Elon has, on multiple occasions, put his on money at risk, ready to lose his wealth status for the betterment of humanity. What more could you ask of a person!
nice post
Thanks! :)
This is really neat! I think EV are the wave of the future and very important to the switch to clean energy technologies. I wonder how long it takes to recharge a car at the Tesla Superchargers you had mentioned?
Yes, I think within 10 years we will see a healthy amount of these on roads as more and more people go the electric route.
As for the Tesla Superchargers, it provides up to 170 miles of range in as little as 30 minutes. With time this will only improve.
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Totally agree with you, time to move on!
Musk is for sure one of the most innovative persons of this time. Maybe in 100 years people will look back at him as a hero, saving the earth. Who knows, I like to dream.
He's dedicating his life focussing on solving problems that could cause big concerns for future generations. The world is changing faster than it ever has, and I'm happy Musk is here. The man is an inspiration.
Yes, I'm sure a generation down the line he will be considered as one of the most important man in history. If his plans for Mars succeeds, then he will truly make it into the history books and become immortal in essence.
@sauravrungta. This post is cool.
I totally support you. The era of gasoline cars has passed.. It's definitely time to move on
Thanks for reading :) Couldn't agree more!
It would be great for world.
Yes, that it would be!
A good car and a modern shape with the latest technological design
Electric cars are going to dominate the market in a not so distant future, hopefully. Can't wait for that to happen sooner, but right now we still have to put up with the gasoline ones that pollute our environment... well there are quite a few companies in the band wagon of the electric car, I only hope that Tesla will speed things up more than it did in past years, because is still going at a snail's pace. I think more cooperation between major players and less competition would be advantageous for everybody. To get past the interests of those oil magnats and the bureaucracy that the electric car is against requires all players to push in the same direction.
It will definitely require a major push and Tesla is surely leading the way. If only the other manufacturers join the bandwagon, it could be done much faster. Plus it is also encouraging to see many countries aiming to replace gasoline cars for good in the not so distant future.
I've admired Elon Musk for many years and battery powered anything is right up my alley. I live off-grid and use a solar powered system for my electrical needs. I'm very curious how much power is needed to obtain a full charge? Living in the hills of KY, sunlight is at a premium, so sizing a solar system to include ones car could be a costly venture. I'll be keeping my eye on this.
I think that information can be found on Tesla's website. It's good that you live off of solar power. In the future we all will :)
Musk commands a lot of respect from me. He understands that money is a means, not an end. In other words, he uses money and makes money, but his goal is to make the world a safer, more affordable, more luxurious, more fun place.
I was listening to an interview of him and he mentioned something that intrigued me about autonomous cars. They're ready, he said, but we as a society have to decide what level of fatality is acceptable. Whenever you or I drive a gasoline car, there is a nonzero chance of an accident (and a fatality). So, what does that chance have to be for autonomous cars for them to be acceptable? I personally think the technology will be here soon, and then revamped laws will follow. I'm hoping my next car will be an autonomous Tesla!
I watch a lot of his interviews too. Gives me a lot of insight as to the really important things in life and the changes that he is working on. Fully autonomous cars will be here soon and only the law has to catch up, which it will, taking its own sweet time.
Oh wow this is interesting. Definitely a step in the right direction to save the earth. Long way to go but it is a start...might not work very well here in South Africa. "Sorry sir, I can't come to work today, my car was not charged due to insufficient electricity supply. LOL!"
Yes, it's the right step and only the tip of the iceberg I'm sure. Haha! That would be a good excuse. LOL
I disagree, I think Elon Musk is mostly a hyped brand. He is very good at creating publicity around himself though, in spite of being a bad speaker. I do think that he is more sympathetic than most capitalists. His projects are not all that unique. For instance, teslas electric cars are not leading the field. Solar panels on rooftops was not his idea.
And as for the leadership, if a group of people had that kind of funds, and cooperated well, they could go much further than anything one person can do. Hierarchical structures can be effective, but the decisions tend to lack the depth that comes from group processes.This leads to wrong decisions, and means that the efficiency is often illusory. Look at dictatorships, and you see what I mean. Corporations are a form of dictatorships, with limited power.
But I do like Elon Musk, as much as I could possibly like a billionaire. Meaning, just a little.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and that is OK :)
I love Tesla technology,, very ingenious and environmentally friendly plus the speed and styling is awesome , nice model thanks for the share and i also followed and resteem
Yes, me too. Thanks for reading :)
nice post.. I love tesla.. had also a post about it
Thanks for reading :)
Electric cars are cool but I don't see the end of the internal combustion engine anytime soon.
Yeah, still a ways off. I am guessing 15 years, maybe?
Technology is always changing, so who knows. The problem with Tesla right now is their limited range. I know people back home in West Texas that has them but due to their limited range, can only drive them around town. We're talking very wide open areas with no gas or charging stations. The average internal combustion engine will get you 300-400 miles...and you can carry extra fuel as well as find a gas station any where.
Yeah, the range still needs to increase but with time they will get there. As for being able to refuel, they have huge plans of increasing the superchargers by a number of factors in the near future. So, I know it will take time, but they will make it happen :)
If anyone can make it happen, it's Elon Musk.
Superchargers can deal with myroadtours', but we need cities where street parking is the only option to step up plans for ubiquitous curbside electrification. In Brooklyn, NY, owning a Tesla is not really viable at this point, as overnight charging is not available.
I'm a car guy, and to be honest its hard to be excited for something like this. I love American muscle cars, and given the option I would always choose the gasoline engine. I enjoy the experience of driving, the sound, vibration, and those are things you will never get from an EV, sure they can push the sound through the speakers, but that isn't the same.
Its ironic, the gasoline engine made the early EVs obsolete, and now its the other way around.
Yeah, I feel ya. I think some gasoline cars may still be around even if the world goes EV just for the experience's sake.
I think enthusiasts will still have gasoline cars for a long time, but at some point it will get hard to fuel them. Also might be illegal to self-drive cars in most areas at some point.
Dang! That's somewhat affordable! I currently have a hybrid civic! If I ever upgrade, I'll have to consider.
Yeah, loads of people considering it. Actually if you buy one right now, it will be delivered to you at the end of next year!! haha
Lol totally would consider it, but my car still works just fine... trying to live like a minimalist and use what I have. Save money retire earlier! 🙃
Electric cars such as the Tesla deliver tork and acceleration that easily outperforms many gas powered sport cars. However, there is something about driving a manual transmission gas engine that captures a specific nostalgic driving experience to which no electric car can match - that clutch pedal.
Yeah, I understand the nostalgia. But the world moves forward either way and electric cars will one day replace the gasoline ones.
I loved the Title "The Beggining of The End" I made one of mine on this
"The beggining of the End of Fiat Money"
Hey @sauravrungta , would love to offer you a slot on my podcast sometime.
It is about people doing remarkable things, whether entrepreneurs or not.
Where we talk about what you are doing, believe in and what difference you are making in the world.
It is part youtube channel where the mission is to help 1,000,000 entrepreneurs become remarkable, and the podcast acts as a way to share stories and connect with people.
Here is the playlist of the existing episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5CpCNPna6p95oJfKPew0N3ZT0k-khdgg
It is audio only over skype. Would love you to come on the show and talk about yourself. Does this sound of interest to you?
Gasoline suppliers are really thinking about electrical charging stations integrating with the pumps. Shell and BP are leading the pack.
If I may chime in, an electric car is actually what a home will need to be self-sufficient energy-wise. I came from a forum of backyard experimenters, and with batteries as efficient as these TESLA cars, the sky is the limit already. May you find me in my first blog here which will talk about radiant energy.
TECH-minded people like you gets us motivated, the backyard experimenters. I am now your follower good post!!!
Great Tesla article!