Hi everybody and welcome back to the Elon Musk podcast.
In this episode, we're going to talk about Tesla's latest move
to make electric vehicle charging more accessible for
everyone, not just Tesla owners, but owners of all electric cars.
Over the last couple of years, Tesla has been slowly opening up
its Supercharger network to non Tesla vehicles, especially in
Europe. But the real news is what's
happening stateside. In North America, Tesla has
faced some challenges with compatibility issues, largely
due to the unique connector that Tesla uses for charging.
And unlike in Europe where standard connectors are widely
in use, Tesla's proprietary connector here became a
potential obstacle for non Tesla EV users.
However, last year Tesla decided to open up its connector to
other manufacturers, a move that started a transition in the
industry. So let's dig into this.
We'll be discussing the significance of Tesla's Magic
Dock Superchargers, how it's making the Supercharger network
more inclusive, and the longterm strategy behind all of this.
We'll also talk about some of the recent developments around
EV charging infrastructure in Britain, and how various
automakers are looking at tapping into the Tesla
Supercharger network now. Earlier this year, Tesla
introduced a novel piece of tech called the Magic Dock.
This is essentially a new receiver for the Tesla Charging
connector at Supercharger stations.
The Magic Dock allows for flexibility.
It can disconnect from the charger to act as an adapter
between Tesla's connector, known as the NACS, and the CSS
connector used by other electric vehicles.
Now in February, Tesla started the installation of Magic Docks
at Supercharger stations in New York and California as a pilot
project, though further expansion of the Superchargers
was halted for some time, likely due to the transition to the
NECS standard. Tesla recently resumed this
expansion by installing new stations in Texas.
Now Tesla has gone even further. They've extended its Magic Doc
supercharges into Utah, Colorado, Michigan and
Washington State, and the expansion is still in the early
stages. But it's clear that Tesla is
investing in this technology as a bridge until direct
integration becomes widespread in 2025.
Now, while Tesla has been progressing with its
Supercharger network in North America, let's not forget about
its European endeavors. In Europe, Tesla has already set
up hundreds of stations and the integration with non Tesla
vehicles has been smoother there due to the already standardized
connectors. In the UK, charging
infrastructure is also growing at a very impressive rate.
For instance, Ubertricity, a Shell owned charging network,
recently announced the installation of 1050 St. side
public EV chargers. These charges will be part of
the company's innovative lamppost charging project,
showing that charging infrastructure is becoming more
commonplace and versatile. Now, moving away from Tesla,
just for a second, let's talk about how other automakers are
responding to this trend. Jaguar has become the latest
brand to announce its plans to integrate Tesla and ACS into its
electric vehicles. They're following in the
footsteps of other big names like Ford, GM, Honda, and more.
And these companies are not only planning to adopt any CS in
future models, but are also considering providing adapters
for existing models. While it's still uncertain when
exactly these adapters will become available, given the
logistics involved, the commitment by these automakers
to adopt the Tesla standard signifies A monumental shift in
the industry. And Tesla set the stage.
And now the world's adapting to them.
And the company sold 325,291 vehicles in the United States in
the first half of 2023 alone. That's outpacing its next 19
competitors by a ratio of 10 to one or more.
And as the EV market continues to grow, Tesla remains the
dominant force. But other brands are slowly
increasing their share as well, and the demand for electric
vehicles and charging infrastructure is growing.
But so were the challenges. Companies are investing billions
into new EV and battery plants, but whether the market can
sustain all this new capability remains to be seen.
For instance, Ford recently decided to pause work about a
$3.5 billion electric vehicle plant in Michigan, raising
questions about the pace of EV adoption.
And as Tesla gears up to start deliveries of the much
anticipated cyber truck vehicle, new information about a
performance version has come to light.
Elon Musk himself took to social media to reveal that he recently
drove a performance cyber truck that is sure to exceed
expectation. Now the cyber trucks first
unveiled in 2019, it's undergone significant modifications since
its prototype dates. In a market that has witnessed
profound shifts, Tesla has not been shy about tweaking its
designs to adapt. Although Tesla initially laid
out specs and pricing for the cyber truck, those could very
well change considering the automaker's penchant for making
updates to its vehicles even after they've been unveiled.
Now this leaves us with many questions about the cyber Trucks
features, release timelines, and most critically, its pricing
structure. Now, Cybertruck is no longer
just a concept, it's a tangible machine, and the company has
produced hundreds of these electric pickups labeled as
release candidates or beta builds.
But details have been very scarce, while preproduction
models have been spotted on the roads, providing the world with
its first real look at Tesla's latest creation.
These aren't the final versions. Photographs of the truck's bed
in particular indicate some interesting design choices that
set it apart from traditional pickups.
Now, in the midst of the suspense, Elon Musk tweeted that
he just drove a quote Performance Cyber Truck, a
phrase that naturally triggers A flurry of speculation.
Tesla had previously announced a Tri motor version with rather
impressive specs 500 plus miles of range, zero to 60 and 2.9
seconds, and a starting price of $69,900.
Now the revelation of a performance version hints that
there could be multiple iterations of the Cyber Truck,
possibly even a quad motor version with even greater
capabilities. Though Elon Musk's tweet was
characteristically brief, it opens a new chapter in the Cyber
Truck saga. If a performance version exists,
Musk found it noteworthy enough to mention, then it's reasonable
to assume that this variant could be among the first to roll
off the production lines. And the term performance often
correlates with higher speeds, better handling, and generally
enhanced capabilities, which could position this version as a
high end offering within the cyber truck lineup.
Now the electric pickup truck market is getting crowded with
entrants like Rivians, R1T and the GMC Hummer EV and Ford's
options, and the Cyber Truck aims to distinguish itself
through its unconventional design and superior bed length.
Measuring at 6.5 feet longer than any other electric pickup
currently on the market, this offers utility that other
electric pickups simply can't match.
Additionally, Tesla may include a midgate feature similar to the
Chevy Silverado EV, according to visitors who attended Tesla
Cyber Rodeo event in April of 2022, features like these can
make the Cyber Truck not only a performance powerhouse, but also
a highly versatile vehicle. Thus, Tesla's electric pickup is
not merely seeking to join the ranks of existing electric
vehicles, but aims to redefine the category altogether.
Now, photos of the cybertruck taken by a Facebook user reveal
a bed floor panel with bolt holes, likely a space for a full
size spare tire and sloped bedsides.
These design elements have generated mixed reactions.
The slope size, for example, can limit the width of loads and
potentially stress the bed walls.
However, Tesla could turn these limitations into unique features
such as additional storage compartments, and the
photographs also show that the tailgate reaches armpit height,
indicating that loading could be a challenge.
While Tesla has suggested that the rear suspension will dip for
easier loading and unloading, the design still raises
questions about accessibility. However, Tesla has never been
one to shy away from bold design choices.
It's likely the final production version will include innovative
solutions to these challenges now, with Tesla expected to
announce all the details in an upcoming event.
The final specs and features of the Cyber Truck, including its
performance version, are just weeks away from being officially
revealed. Given that the company is 2
years behind its original schedule, anticipation is
running really high. Tesla's delivery event will
answer lingering questions, confirm rumors, and give
prospective buyers a comprehensive look what the
automaker has been laboring on behind closed doors.
Now, thank you so much for tuning into the Elon Musk
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