1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,080
Hi, everybody. 
Welcome back to another episode 

2
00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,600
of the Elon Musk podcast. 
I'm your host, William Walden. 

3
00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,160
And in today's episode, we're 
going to cover two major 

4
00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,720
developments in the realm of 
Elon Musk's ventures. 

5
00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:15,040
First, we're going to talk about
Tesla's upcoming giga factory in

6
00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,960
Mexico and what that means for 
infrastructure both locally and 

7
00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,440
potentially globally. 
And we'll switch gears and talk 

8
00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:26,800
about Tesla's recruiting and the
use of the X platform for that, 

9
00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,120
and also the challenges that 
Tesla faces when it comes to 

10
00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,600
growth and advertising. 
Tesla is in an early planning 

11
00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,320
stage for a new Gigafactory 
located in the state of Nuevo 

12
00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,760
Leon, Mexico, and the company is
collaborating with a local 

13
00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,200
government to determine the 
necessary investments in 

14
00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,160
infrastructure to make this 
factory as successful as 

15
00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:51,330
possible. 
And according to Reuters, this 

16
00:00:51,330 --> 00:00:57,530
factory will produce Tesla's 
$25,000 car, as is expected to 

17
00:00:57,530 --> 00:01:00,650
significantly stimulate economic
growth in that region. 

18
00:01:01,050 --> 00:01:04,690
For the factory to run smoothly,
Tesla has requested several key 

19
00:01:04,690 --> 00:01:09,290
pieces of infrastructure in 
Mexico, including road and rail 

20
00:01:09,290 --> 00:01:12,610
networks and electric energy 
substations. 

21
00:01:13,090 --> 00:01:15,890
A Tesla's new factory will 
certainly be a monumental 

22
00:01:15,890 --> 00:01:19,690
addition to Mexico's industrial 
sector, not just as an asset for

23
00:01:19,690 --> 00:01:22,160
producing cars. 
It's seen as a catalyst for 

24
00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,800
regional growth and development,
and the government of Nuevo Lyon

25
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,160
has acknowledged the importance 
of building necessary 

26
00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,720
infrastructure like roads, 
schools, and health centers to 

27
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,360
support this new venture. 
However, there's still much to 

28
00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:38,880
be done. 
For smooth operations, Tesla 

29
00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,800
needs an electric energy 
substation and electric lines to

30
00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,000
be built where the plant will be
constructed. 

31
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:49,230
Additionally, a railway yard is 
requested to help in 

32
00:01:49,230 --> 00:01:51,270
transporting materials to the 
factory. 

33
00:01:51,350 --> 00:01:54,470
These needs present both 
challenges and opportunities for

34
00:01:54,470 --> 00:01:56,630
local governments and companies 
in the area. 

35
00:01:57,230 --> 00:02:00,230
Now, just last month, tests to 
secure the environmental permits

36
00:02:00,230 --> 00:02:03,150
necessary for beginning the 
initial construction phases. 

37
00:02:03,510 --> 00:02:06,790
This is a significant step, 
providing the company 26 months 

38
00:02:06,790 --> 00:02:09,990
to prepare the site and carry 
out construction activities. 

39
00:02:10,310 --> 00:02:14,450
The aim is to complete the plant
by the end of 2025, a highly 

40
00:02:14,490 --> 00:02:17,290
anticipated milestone for Tesla 
in Mexico. 

41
00:02:17,930 --> 00:02:21,810
This isn't an isolated 
initiative for Tesla though. 

42
00:02:22,170 --> 00:02:25,210
The company has been exploring 
several locations worldwide, 

43
00:02:25,490 --> 00:02:28,810
including India and Thailand for
additional factories. 

44
00:02:29,090 --> 00:02:31,970
But the Mexican factory is the 
most recent to receive official 

45
00:02:31,970 --> 00:02:34,370
confirmation and the stakes are 
very high. 

46
00:02:34,770 --> 00:02:37,570
With permits in hand and a 
deadline insight, the clock is 

47
00:02:37,570 --> 00:02:39,050
ticking to get everything in 
place. 

48
00:02:39,610 --> 00:02:42,230
The project has drawn 
considerable attention not only 

49
00:02:42,230 --> 00:02:45,750
for its economic prospects, but 
also for its ambitious timeline.

50
00:02:46,110 --> 00:02:49,830
Securing the environmental 
impact permits was a significant

51
00:02:49,830 --> 00:02:53,030
leap forward, but now comes the 
complex task of getting the 

52
00:02:53,030 --> 00:02:56,790
infrastructure bill a task that 
Tesla can't be done alone. 

53
00:02:57,670 --> 00:03:01,110
Now collaboration with the 
government and possibly other 

54
00:03:01,110 --> 00:03:05,030
private entities will be crucial
and necessary for Tesla to move 

55
00:03:05,030 --> 00:03:08,000
forward with this. 
Now, this undertaking showcases 

56
00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,720
Tesla strategic focus on global 
expansion. 

57
00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,200
It also highlights the 
complexities involved in 

58
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,920
developing the infrastructure 
required for such a large scale 

59
00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:18,680
project and the need for 
electric substations. 

60
00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,120
Electric lines and railway yards
are not just logistical 

61
00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:25,240
requirements, but vital 
components for Tesla's long term

62
00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,800
success in the region. 
Now switching gears a little 

63
00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:32,160
bit, let's talk about Tesla 
Recruiting's recent update on 

64
00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,960
the X platform. 
The company announced the job 

65
00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,870
roles can now be viewed through 
people's X's profile. 

66
00:03:39,270 --> 00:03:42,230
This development paves the way 
for companies to use similar 

67
00:03:42,230 --> 00:03:45,630
features to inform people about 
job openings they're looking to 

68
00:03:45,630 --> 00:03:47,870
fill. 
This new feature brings another 

69
00:03:47,870 --> 00:03:50,870
dimension to the X platform, 
which is increasingly becoming a

70
00:03:50,870 --> 00:03:55,230
multi faceted social media site.
Now users have favorably 

71
00:03:55,230 --> 00:03:57,270
compared this feature to 
LinkedIn. 

72
00:03:57,550 --> 00:04:01,350
Although the X platform aims to 
be a little bit above and beyond

73
00:04:01,590 --> 00:04:05,370
being a mere employment focus, 
Platform feature updates aimed 

74
00:04:05,370 --> 00:04:08,210
to make it a comprehensive 
social media destination, 

75
00:04:08,530 --> 00:04:12,450
encompassing features like live 
streams and long form written 

76
00:04:12,450 --> 00:04:14,690
work. 
Now the potential of X as an 

77
00:04:14,690 --> 00:04:18,250
Everything app is massive, the 
Elon Musk even projecting that 

78
00:04:18,250 --> 00:04:21,250
the All in one social media 
platform could reach a market 

79
00:04:21,250 --> 00:04:25,570
cap of $1 trillion. 
And the evolution of X from what

80
00:04:25,570 --> 00:04:28,290
we've seen so far shows a trend 
toward increasing user 

81
00:04:28,290 --> 00:04:31,550
engagement and providing a wide 
array of features that can make 

82
00:04:31,550 --> 00:04:34,630
it an indispensable part of 
people's digital lives. 

83
00:04:35,470 --> 00:04:38,550
One more item on the agenda 
today is Tesla's growth 

84
00:04:38,550 --> 00:04:42,230
strategy, or more specifically, 
the debate about whether Tesla 

85
00:04:42,230 --> 00:04:45,270
should spend on major media 
companies. 

86
00:04:45,470 --> 00:04:48,670
Gary Black, a fund manager and 
Tesla supporter, argues that 

87
00:04:48,670 --> 00:04:51,910
Tesla should reconsider its 
emphasis on price cuts as a 

88
00:04:51,910 --> 00:04:54,710
growth strategy. 
Online polls and social media 

89
00:04:54,710 --> 00:04:58,360
discussions indicate that many 
Tesla fans and investors share 

90
00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,960
this sentiment. 
The issue of Tesla's 

91
00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,320
advertising, or the lack 
thereof, was raised during the 

92
00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,720
last annual shareholder meeting.
Elon Musk showed openness to the

93
00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,840
idea, but so far Tesla's 
advertising spending has 

94
00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:13,520
remained minimal. 
Instead, price cuts have been 

95
00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,600
the primary strategy to boost 
sales and interest, much to the 

96
00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,680
frustration of shareholders like
Gary Black who think it's not 

97
00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,370
working efficiently. 
Now Gary Black's point price 

98
00:05:23,370 --> 00:05:27,050
cuts are effectively a marketing
expense brings a new perspective

99
00:05:27,050 --> 00:05:29,570
to the discussion. 
With Tesla's U.S. market share 

100
00:05:29,570 --> 00:05:33,530
among EVs slipping and a 
significant reduction in gross 

101
00:05:33,530 --> 00:05:36,370
margins. 
Black and others argue that a 

102
00:05:36,370 --> 00:05:40,410
focused ad campaign might be a 
better use of resources. 

103
00:05:40,850 --> 00:05:43,810
And the absence of advertising 
has put Tesla in an interesting 

104
00:05:43,810 --> 00:05:46,970
contrast with competitors like 
Ford and General Motors who are 

105
00:05:46,970 --> 00:05:49,890
experienced marketers. 
The challenge for Tesla then, 

106
00:05:50,310 --> 00:05:52,670
lies on whether it will adjust 
its strategy to include 

107
00:05:52,670 --> 00:05:55,510
advertising, which could help 
the brand resonate with a 

108
00:05:55,510 --> 00:05:58,430
broader audience now. 
All right folks, that's it for 

109
00:05:58,430 --> 00:06:00,630
today's episode. 
We've covered a lot of ground, 

110
00:06:00,630 --> 00:06:03,230
from Tesla's Mexican Gigafactory
and its infrastructure 

111
00:06:03,230 --> 00:06:06,710
requirements to the ever growing
X platform in the ongoing debate

112
00:06:06,950 --> 00:06:08,910
around Tesla's advertising 
strategy. 

113
00:06:09,230 --> 00:06:11,950
These topics illustrate the 
multifaceted challenges and 

114
00:06:11,950 --> 00:06:14,830
opportunities that lie ahead for
Elon Musk and his ventures. 

115
00:06:15,190 --> 00:06:17,070
And thank you so much for 
listening to the show today. 

116
00:06:17,390 --> 00:06:20,030
Don't forget to hit the 
subscribe or the follow button 

117
00:06:20,270 --> 00:06:22,390
on whatever podcast latform 
you're listening on. 

118
00:06:22,670 --> 00:06:26,270
It's free, takes a second. 
And remember, each eisode is 10 

119
00:06:26,270 --> 00:06:29,390
minutes or less designed to 
quickly catch you U on all 

120
00:06:29,390 --> 00:06:31,750
things Elon O. 
Take care of yourselves and each

121
00:06:31,750 --> 00:06:33,630
other, and I'll see you in the 
next one.