TESLA and Elon Musk - anything not elsewhere

[Gregg]

Some Tesla and all things Elon Musk bashing for those so inclined; I’ve no idea of the veracity of most of the “claims”. About 12 minutes in there are references to, amongst others, Ford that should make Gregg smile:

Making fun of Elmo is almost a Ford tradition now.

[raison de arizona]

Also, apparently, it's twice the weight of an F150; 8,000 to 10,000 pounds.

Big battery.

For whatever it is worth, Musk claims 6,000 to 7,000 pounds, depending on the configuration.
https://insideevs.com/news/694148/tesla ... 00-pounds/

[raison de arizona]

Watch Joe Rogan Try To Shoot An Arrow Into The Tesla Cybertruck's Body
A normal car's body would not be able to withstand an attack from such a powerful bow, Musk told Rogan; the Cybertruck had no problem.

Six minutes you’ll never get back.

[sugar magnolia]

Is that his real hair?

[Suranis]

Joe Rogan? No, he's bald. No idea what that Vampire Ferret is doing sucking off his scalp.

Is that his real hair?

[raison de arizona]

Even In Matte Black, The Tesla Cybertruck Still Looks Like Crap
If this prototype is indicative of the production Cybertruck's build quality, it's going to be a disaster.

I’ve been around hundreds of prototype cars in my career, ranging from early test mules to near-production prototypes, and I’ve never seen an automaker proudly present something of this poor quality, especially not this late in development. It is absolutely baffling to me that Tesla’s lead designer would parade around a vehicle in this condition just weeks before deliveries of production cars are allegedly commencing and even more baffling that he’d park it at such a public enthusiast event.

...

While it fixes the stainless steel’s reflection and fingerprint issues, the matte black wrap makes build quality problems even more noticeable. Some of the gaps between panels were big enough to stick a finger through, with no visible seals or trim pieces even for the frunk. The lower sections of the front doors were particularly bad, with big gaps both in terms of width and depth. All four angular fender flares were misaligned and ill-fitting, but each one in different ways or amounts, honestly an impressive feat. The tailgate had maybe the worst fitment of all and was uneven to boot, which is even more noticeable when the taillights are illuminated. Keep in mind that Musk told employees that all Cybertruck parts needed to be built to “sub-10 micron accuracy” in an email that leaked earlier this year. I’m not a human tape measure, but this Cybertruck certainly didn’t seem to adhere to that standard.

https://jalopnik.com/tesla-cybertruck-l ... 1850996467

[MN-Skeptic]

It looks like something out of a first generation video game.

[rossgw]

Looks like it was built for a 80's science fiction movie, with a budget of $53 for the truck.

[Sam the Centipede]

Looks like it was built for a 80's science fiction movie, with a budget of $53 for the truck.

Its speedometer has a red marker at 88 mph.

[johnpcapitalist]

It looks like something out of a first generation video game.

Either that or it was designed by the 6th grade player of a first generation video game.

[Sam the Centipede]

Perhaps it is uninspired by a Johnny Cab from Total Recall?

(The first 1990 movie, not the crappy pointless 2012 remake.)

[Foggy]

Please tell me that "the frunk" is not a word that is going to enter the English language.

That's just frunkadelic, man.

[raison de arizona]

Please tell me that "the frunk" is not a word that is going to enter the English language.

That's just frunkadelic, man.

Merriam-Webster says it is one of the "Words We're Watching," meaning it is a "word we are increasingly seeing in use but that have not yet met our criteria for entry."

It's just a matter of time.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordpla ... e-watching

[bill_g]

It should be called the froot.

[MN-Skeptic]

Please tell me that "the frunk" is not a word that is going to enter the English language.

That's just frunkadelic, man.

I remember many years ago, in the '60s, when my uncle bought a VW Beetle. Since the engine was in the rear, the cargo area was in front. That just seemed so odd to my young self.

[Frater I*I]

Looks like it was built for a 80's science fiction movie, with a budget of $53 for the truck.

Its speedometer has a red marker at 88 mph.

At that point the driver is gonna see some serious shit...

[jcolvin2]

It should be called the froot.

Or the fronnet.

[RTH10260]

Elon Musk Debuts 'Rebellious' Grok AI Bot to Challenge ChatGPT
Elon Musk revealed his own artificial intelligence bot to challenge ChatGPT, claiming the prototype is already superior to ChatGPT 3.5 across several benchmarks.

Bloomberg News |
Nov 06, 2023

(Bloomberg) — Elon Musk revealed his own artificial intelligence bot to challenge ChatGPT, claiming the prototype is already superior to ChatGPT 3.5 across several benchmarks.

Dubbed Grok, it's the first product of Musk's xAI company and is now in testing with a limited group of US users. Grok is being developed with data from Musk's X, formerly Twitter, and is thus better informed on the latest developments than alternative bots with static datasets, the company's website said. It's also designed to answer "with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak," according to the announcement.




https://www.itprotoday.com/artificial-i ... ge-chatgpt

[Dave from down under]

Populated from the former Twitter..

It is going to be misinformation and disinformation presented by a MAGA troll on crack…

Elon will love it and may have it’s child.

[tek]

Grok is being developed with data from Musk's X, formerly Twitter, and is thus better informed on the latest developments than alternative bots with static datasets, the company's website said. It's also designed to answer "with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak," according to the announcement.

What could possibly go wrong?

[RTH10260]

Grok is being developed with data from Musk's X, formerly Twitter, and is thus better informed on the latest developments than alternative bots with static datasets, the company's website said. It's also designed to answer "with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak," according to the announcement.

What could possibly go wrong?

How do they infer correct information from those short blurbs? Where do they pick the correct context? Trolls will find a way to skew Grok

[Foggy]

Maybe Grok will tell Robert Laity that Obama was ineligible.

[RTH10260]

Tesla Owner Reports Shocking $21,000 Bill For Battery Damaged By Rain
Are the rains of Scotland too much for a Tesla to bear?

LEWIN DAY
PUBLISHED OCT 17, 2023 7:00 PM EDT

It's true that electronics and water are a poor mix, which is why we expect electric cars to be well protected against the elements. That wasn't the case according to a couple from Scotland, who say they were presented with an enormous repair bill after driving their Tesla through a rainstorm.

As covered by Edinburgh Live, the couple had driven the vehicle during recent torrential rains in the Scottish capital. Having driven the Model 3 to a restaurant for dinner, the car would not run when the couple went to drive home. The car was picked up after a five-hour wait for roadside assistance, and taken to Tesla Edinburgh for repair. After a few days, the couple was contacted and advised that the battery was damaged due to water ingress. That came with an astonishing bill of £17,374 ($21,166 USD) that would not be covered under the car's eight-year warranty.

The car's owners, Johnny Bacigalupo and Rob Hussey, told Edinburgh Live that they were shocked by the figure, and pressed Tesla as to how the problem occurred. Bacigalupo says they were told that the battery had effectively been submerged in water.

Ultimately, Bacigalupo says the automaker put the blame on Scotland's climate. "After finally getting to speak to a manager, he told me it had water in it due to the fact the weather in Scotland has been so bad. That was the issue," said Bacigalupo, adding "They said it’s not necessarily my fault but it’s not Tesla’s to pay under warranty."

Generally, most vehicles won't perform well when driven through deep, standing water. However, the average road vehicle is expected to withstand a regular rainstorm without complaint. Bacigalupo doesn't recall driving through any large puddles and raised questions as to the vehicle's suitability for the rainy Scottish landscape. "I said to the manager, ‘So, my understanding is, Teslas are unfit for purpose in Scotland?'" said Bacigalupo. According to Edinburgh Live, a Tesla customer relations email has stated that a complaint has been registered and will be investigated, with a response forthcoming.

Beyond the car's initial failure, there are also questions regarding the cost of the repair. As noted by Business Insider, a Twitter post from Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2019 stated that replacing battery modules in the vehicle would only cost around $5,000 to $7,000. Of course, that was several years ago, and there is also the prospect of greater damage to other parts of the battery pack as well. Regardless, it's a figure that many owners would consider unacceptably high.




https://www.thedrive.com/news/scottish- ... la-battery

[raison de arizona]

Swedish dockworkers are refusing to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

At the Malmo port in southern Sweden, a cargo ship looms over row after row of shiny new cars — Volkswagens, Volvos, Mercedes.

Notably missing are Teslas. That's because dockworkers are refusing to unload them.

Goran Larsson, a cargo ship inspector, said he's informing the crew on each arriving vessel of the labor action and assessing whether any Teslas are on board.

"We want there to be good regulation in Sweden — law and order all around the workplaces," Larsson said. "And this is the first step that we will do."

Tesla has long fended off efforts to unionize its workforce around the world. But in Sweden, the electric vehicle maker is facing its first formal labor action over its anti-union stance, with potential ripple effects for the company globally.

The Swedish metal and industrial workers union, IF Metall, which represents Tesla's roughly 120 workers, launched a walkout at the company in late October.

And now, Swedish workers of all stripes – dockworkers, electricians, cleaners and others – are banding together to boycott the U.S. company in solidarity.

The strike is a response to the company's refusal to sign a collective bargaining agreement for its employees, almost all of them mechanics, because Tesla doesn't have a manufacturing plant in Sweden.

Even postal workers will stop delivering mail to Tesla

[Uninformed]

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