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0 pointsjashmatthews6y ago0 comments

Like the car? Volkswagen is twice the size of Microsoft by revenue.

I'm going with the OECD definition here: https://data.oecd.org/rd/gross-domestic-spending-on-r-d.htm

0 comments

9 comments · 1 top-level

manigandham6y ago· 8 in thread

The car was invented in the 1800s, and has seen mature competitors in many other countries like Japan. In the current century, Tesla is the auto giant leaving behind all the legacy manufacturers while also branching into energy products.

Pivotal products are a better milestone than vague estimates of R&D spending.

jashmatthewsOP6y ago

There's no doubt about Tesla's ability to bring an innovative product to market but they're not a giant by any measure except valuation.

Little known German company ZF has almost double the revenue of Tesla. They also make the transmission for the Porsche Taycan EV that's outselling the 911.

TylerE6y ago

That is a...wildly imaginative take.

Tesla sales are a fraction of any of the big three in terms of sales or revenue.

They sold 192,000 vehicles in the US in 2019. Each of the Big Three sold well over three million.

Tesla currently loses $2500 on every vehicle they sell

beefield6y ago

And for the numerically challenged like me who like to see visualizations. First line is 200k and second is 3M

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

manigandham6y ago

This thread is about innovation, not sales.

2rsf6y ago

How are Tesla more innovative than other companies ? They kicked off a big conceptual change but I don't see that they have a significant technological advantage over other companies like Volvo.

1 more reply

disgruntledphd26y ago

I mean, I get your point, but unless there are enough sales, pretty soon there will be no money for innovation.

aguyfromnb6y ago

I'm not sure announcing products with no capacity to manufacture them should be considered "innovation".

aguyfromnb6y ago

>Tesla is the auto giant leaving behind all the legacy manufacturers while also branching into energy products

Tesla has sub-1% market share in the global auto market and rapidly declining energy product deployment (they deployed 4x more MW 4 years ago than the did last year). Let's not pretend Tesla has taken over anything yet.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

9 comments · 1 top-level

manigandham6y ago· 8 in thread

Pivotal products are a better milestone than vague estimates of R&D spending.

jashmatthewsOP6y ago

There's no doubt about Tesla's ability to bring an innovative product to market but they're not a giant by any measure except valuation.

Little known German company ZF has almost double the revenue of Tesla. They also make the transmission for the Porsche Taycan EV that's outselling the 911.

TylerE6y ago

That is a...wildly imaginative take.

Tesla sales are a fraction of any of the big three in terms of sales or revenue.

They sold 192,000 vehicles in the US in 2019. Each of the Big Three sold well over three million.

Tesla currently loses $2500 on every vehicle they sell

beefield6y ago

And for the numerically challenged like me who like to see visualizations. First line is 200k and second is 3M

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

manigandham6y ago

This thread is about innovation, not sales.

2rsf6y ago

How are Tesla more innovative than other companies ? They kicked off a big conceptual change but I don't see that they have a significant technological advantage over other companies like Volvo.

1 more reply

disgruntledphd26y ago

I mean, I get your point, but unless there are enough sales, pretty soon there will be no money for innovation.

aguyfromnb6y ago

I'm not sure announcing products with no capacity to manufacture them should be considered "innovation".

aguyfromnb6y ago

>Tesla is the auto giant leaving behind all the legacy manufacturers while also branching into energy products

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse