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Tesla Drops 'Motors' From Name As CEO Musk Looks Beyond Cars (reuters.com)

Tesla Motors changed its name to "Tesla Inc" as Chief Executive Elon Musk looks to transform the Silicon Valley firm from an electric car maker to a diversified energy products company. From a report on Reuters: In October, Musk unveiled solar-powered roof tiles that eliminate the need for traditional panels and a longer-lasting home battery illustrating the benefits of combining his electric car and battery maker with solar installer SolarCity Corp.

11 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Makes sense by kelemvor4 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    But why not just create an umbrella that owns Tesla Motors as a subsidiary?

  2. Translation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    We failed as a car company.

  3. Re:they need to drop Tesla from the name by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Tesla doesn't have any descendants, to complain about it.

    I think it is a wonderful homage to Tesla rather than a gratuitous use of his name. Newton's name has been invoked by companies. Faraday's name has been used.

    The names are homages to the great scientists. I don't think anyone thinks Nikola Tesla founded the car company- or that Sir Isaac Newton worked with JSON or that Faraday's future was to create over ambitious cars that no one wanted to buy.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  4. Re:Mod parent RACIST! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    im not sure where the fuck you get off
    elon musk invented paying for things on the internet
    to do this he first had to invent paying for things then invented internet
    on a cocktail napkin he determined things move faster in vacuums
    thats not the kind of thing every student picks up in high school physics my man
    he had to draw a whole tube then a little choochoo in the tube then explain it to the retarted girl he was drinking with
    now youre up his ass because he has invented alternative accounting and alternative profitability

  5. Re: Seven years. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ford - started by an actual brilliant engineer and entrepreneur was profitable in its FIRST QUARTER of doing business.

    Henry Ford's first company, the Detroit Automobile Company effectively failed, having to be re-organised into the Henry Ford Company. Henry Ford left that company, to eventually found Ford Motor Company, and the Henry Ford Company became Cadillac.

    The Ford Motor Company had problems paying the Dodge brothers, and had to get additional finances and offer stock to their debtors, before recovering enough to pay out dividends.

    BTW, check out Dodge v. FORD.

  6. Re:they need to drop Tesla from the name by donaggie03 · · Score: 3, Funny

    But Newton did make those cookies right?

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    Three days from now?? Thats tomorrow!! ~Peter Griffin
  7. Great by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Now, how about a Tesla electric bicycle? At the very least, they have a chance to push a new standard for battery packs and chargers with their new 2170 batteries. Electric tools, bicycles, motorcycles... If everything used a single standard pack (with all dimensions and specifications made public domain) it would make it very easy for DIY users.

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    #DeleteFacebook
  8. Knowing Musk he is into airplanes now.... by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Amazon needs a whole department to think up castles in the sky, ahem sorry, warehouses in the sky, projects.

    Musk beats them all single handedly. Expecting an announcement for a battery powered personal aircraft. "A souped up drone most likely. 120 miles range, 20 minutes to recharge. Just 50K USD. But before we ship that we will introduce a luxury version to pay for the factory and to amortize the R&D. 10 mile range, 12 hours to recharge, 1.2 million dollars. The model-3 will ship for 50K in 2045. Luxury plane in 2024"

    Original Tesla too had very good ability to persuade people to give him money for grand projects. It is uncanny.

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    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  9. The name change is interesting and appropriate. by mmell · · Score: 2

    Consider that the most notable research advancements from this organization have dealt primarily with energy storage (battery) technology. I'm sure I'm not the only one to realize the vast number of non-automotive applications such devices might be suited for. Security robots come screaming to mind, although I can think of several other intriguing possibilities as well. Anywhere it would be reasonable to operate a powered device over a long period of time without needing a physical power feed (e.g., an extension cord) could well be a beneficiary of the battery research performed by Tesla (Motors).

  10. Re:The cost of gas would be even less... by squiggleslash · · Score: 2

    The Highway Fund has been insolvent for decades, and you want to reduce gas taxes?

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  11. A Miracle by JimSadler · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Every now and then a person is born who will make a positive and drastic change for all of us. Mr. Musk is obviously one such man and we had better be grateful we have him as so very few are born.