2021

Apple Car right under our nose !!!!

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apple cars
Photo by Andy Wang on Unsplash

Right under our nose

Apple car right under our nose!!!! Last week apple introduced to the world 2 new chips. The M1 Pro and M1 Max. Their introduction was met with great fanfare and excitement. Mostly for those waiting for the new MacBook pros and the upgrade to the Apple silicon.

But what if we saw the introduction of apple’s future move towards the apple car.

M1 pro
Image courtesy of Apple.com
M1 Max
Image courtesy of Apple.com

   

These chips highlighted the development of the M1 chip, released last year, with the M1 chips released last week. Apple has not been idle and have developed some powerful and significant improvements. 

It got me to thinking have we been seeing the apple car development right in front of our eyes. 

Tesla Development

Tesla has demonstrated their inhouse development of chips gave them an edge to bring top to bottom and end to end integration with significant advancements to their vehicles and the FSD package. 

Granted the development of Tesla chips is significantly different to apple but that only makes it more interesting to see the advancement.

Tesla spent a number of years working to develop the chips as shown below.

Tesla chips
 Image Courtesy of Tesla.com

Has apple been doing the same right under our nose? The M1 Chips have made some significant advancements in the configuration and construct of the chips. The performance metrics that apple outlined hint at a highly powerful, low power chip that can manage a large load for extended duration. 

Full self-driving as shown by Tesla utilizes these very things to manage the system on the vehicle and the world around it. 

So, what makes the Apple chips so impressive. 

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M1PRO

M1 Pro details
Image courtesy of Apple.com

Even in apples own words it is “scary fast”.

Interesting choice of words.

But really this is a great example of apples thinking regarding future of computers.

It also gives a better understanding of what they are working on.  Efficiencies in chips that are made in house and integrated top to bottom, end to end. 

Yet why have we not seen the development of apple car and only hearing rumours.

Have they been constrained by the chips of the past? 

Apple car right under our nose!!!! So, the introduction of the Pro chip makes sense to be in Laptops and work towards faster processing. As has been demonstrated by several reviews (Verge cast)

Of course, apple doesn’t stop with one chip they introduced the M1 Max. 

This chip starts to demonstrate the innovation that apple has been working on. Rethinking how a chip could be developed to manage large quantities of data using least amount of power and producing performance off the scale. 

M1 Max 

M1 Max details
Image courtesy of Apple.com

In their own words it is faster than the Pro. 

M1 max chip
Image courtesy of Apple.com
M1 Max chip design
Image courtesy of Apple.com

I believe apple has had to wait for the development of their own silicon to get the power they need to move forward with their Apple car development. It is only now that we are seeing this come to fruition.

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My thoughts

Firstly, let me just say I am not and engineer, digital architect, technical person who trained in any related field to create or construct chips, cars, or other tech devices.

These ideas are simply that just ideas and speculation. 

Full self driving

So, let’s take the M1 Pro and put it in the context of a Full self-driving vehicle. 

The architecture allows for high-speed bandwidth and transfer of data. One might say this is one feature that would be well suited to a full self-driving computer to manage thousands of pieces of data being input to manage the world around a vehicle. 

Apple also outlined the power efficiencies that are made with the introduction of these new chips. This also lends itself to the use in electric power vehicles. 

As Elon Musk has shown at his AI day and Battery Day, it is the incremental improvements that could be combined together that make the difference to the performance of a vehicle.

Both simple examples of Apple chips could be combined with other innovations apple has made over the years to truly build a Full self-driving computer. 

Their incremental advances in chip technology are just one example of their technology prowess. 

Why the MacBook if apple car is the target.

Apple car right under our nose!!!! Now I have made no secret that I am an apple fan boy just as much as a Tesla fan boy. I think competition is a good thing for the EV marketplace and with rumours that apple is working on a car floating around for years now it does make me wonder if there are some truths to those rumours, it has just been timing that has been the issue. 

With these new chips they could ultimately work towards that Full Self driving future. 

Testing the chips in MacBook’s allows for large volume data collection of their performance. 

Tesla so far

It is well known that Tesla currently is leading the world of Self driving vehicles with their proprietary system “Full Self Driving”. They have also continued to develop hardware that supports the FSD future. 

FSD Tesla
Image courtesy Tesla.com

This development has been focused on the vehicles Full self-driving chips that support the functions of the FSD capabilities.  

On top of which they are also rewriting the history of the Vision only system and the utilization of video rendering over still image rendering of object identification. 

At Tesla’s AI day a huge focus of the day was the in-house hardware development of Chips for the DOJO system Tesla’s training program for their increased advancement of the FSD program. 

Dojo
Image courtesy of Tesla.com

The chip design when revealed, surprised many in the computing world with their sheer power and innovative thinking. Utilizing different way of thinking provided new and innovative approaches to chip design and construction. 

Tesla Dojo chip
Image courtesy of Tesla.com

It is no secret that Tesla is looking to make the world safer for drivers with Full Self driving and computer vision. The current view with Autopilot, which again uses a subset of skills to manage driving, has proven that using these tools provide a safer driving experience. 

Even today there are reports of an ex-Tesla employee being recruited by Apple for the purpose of developing their autonomous driving capability. 

Apple has not completely given up on the Apple car and with the introduction of these new chips is working towards and endgame that is yet to be realized. 

All are welcome

Regardless of the innovation by both apple and tesla and many other companies in this space, ultimately the winner is the consumer and the environment. 

So as a fan boy of both companies I look forward to the evolution that is yet to come. 

Dave 

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2050 – Its about time!!!

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Palm in hands
Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

Agreement 2050 for zero emissions. 

2050 – Its about time!!! Last week the Australian Nationals Party as part of the Coalition Government that currently governs Australia, agreed to the target of Zero Emission by 2050. This is an in-principal agreement but a step forward for Australia.

It is a hollow victory since a number of the states had already set much stronger targets. This is Just the Federal Govenerment playing catchup.

This agreement by the Nationals was formalized with the announcement by the Prime minister to meet zero emissions by 2050 for Australia. This announcement finally brings Australia into alignment with the rest of the developed worlds targets. 

What does this, actually mean.

It means focus, direction, planning.

Allows businesses and renewables companies, electric vehicles companies and many more to be able to plan for a brighter future. 

Including finding opportunities to replace the aging infrastructure and vehicles on the roads. 

It also allows the public to reap the rewards of a country that has a direction to a brighter future. 

Small Victories

I don’t credit this decision to the politicians, I grant it to the people who have worked tirelessly over the years to champion the move towards renewables. 

The scientists that have been advising, discussing, and yelling that this type of change should have happened decades ago. 

The people who have started businesses up against a difficult environment and challenged by the lack of support. 

Environmentalists who have for years shown through all social media, documentaries, and written articles the impact we as humans have had on the world around us. 

solar on green
Photo by Red Zeppelin on Unsplash

This change in policy when implemented will be a game changer for Australia who has a lot of catching up to do compared to the rest of the world. 

Will there be change and challenge? YES. 

Will it be easy, NO

But is it necessary?

If recent weather events, Bushfires and disasters globally are anything to go by then yes, it is long overdue. 

2050 – Its about time!!!

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Actions speak louder than words

Of course, announcing the agreement to meet this target is one thing but for Australia and by extension the rest of the world to meet these targets action on a scale not seen for decades will need to occur. 

The adage “Action speaks louder than words” should be the motto that we all live by when it comes to environmental change to improve the world around us. 

We need to leave this place better than we found it. Not burnt, drowned, ravaged, and destroyed. Not a legacy that I wish to hand over to our children to clean up.

This must be the start not the end of our steps to turn things around. 

sunshine waves
Photo by Tanjir Ahmed Chowdhury on Unsplash

2050 – Its about time!!! Change is hard, we can be stuck in the same patterns for years and not be able to move , but if we each do a small thing that makes something better, then cumulatively we can all move worlds. 

Australia is standing on a precipice not wanting to take the leap. We should not be scared, we should be encouraged that we have a road forward and lots of people who have great ideas, innovations and inspiration that will help us to transition, believe and become a powerhouse to the future. Australia “Its Time to Lead“

Dave 

DAVE’S Blog posts

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Rivian – Adventure is a lifestyle

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adventure in Real life
Photo by Cody Scott Milewski on Unsplash

Rivian – Adventure is a lifestyle 

Rivian emerged in 2009 to fanfare regarding their introduction to the electric vehicle playground. Yet their mission was different from most other car manufactures. 

Rivian’s Mission

Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. We believe there is a more responsible way to explore the world and are determined to make the transition to sustainable transportation an exciting one. We designed our emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles to challenge what’s possible.

https://www.comparably.com/companies/rivian

This mission talks about helping people enjoy the environment we live in and a wish to keep it pristine. Yet that was not always the vision for RJ Scaringe the CEO of Rivian. 

RJ Scaringe
Image courtesy of https://www.seattletimes.com/business/young-ceo-of-electric-vehicle-startup-rivian-has-amazon-riding-shotgun/

Back before Rivian was founded RJ Scaringe was just a young man with a dream to work in the automotive industry and help to increase efficiencies within current vehicles. At that time all vehicles were internal combustion engines. 

He spent his early years working on restoring Porsches in Florida where he grew his passion for vehicles of all types and fed the seed of his desire to be a figure in the automotive industry. 

Yet over the years and whilst he was studying at MIT with a focus on the auto industry he was met with an internal conflict. 

RJ was an outdoors person; he loved mountain bike riding and savoured the beauty and wonder of the natural environment.

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Yet whilst he enjoyed exploring the wilderness on the back of a metal steed, he was frustrated by the fact that the vehicles he took to get to the wilderness were also polluting the air he so dearly loved.

During the following years, he came to realize that no matter what he did in any traditional car company he could not make a difference to change the status quo. 

It was this realization that led him to start his own car company called Avera Motors. With funding from several investors, he set out with 20 others to create what would ultimately become Rivian. 

Stealth Mode

Rivian – Adventure is a lifestyle. Rivian ran in stealth mode for over 10 years before revealing itself to the world. Stealth mode, for the uninitiated, is when a company runs under the radar without any badges or press releases and continues to grow and develop before opening itself up to the greater world. Rivian did just this and surprised the World auto market in 2009 when they revealed the R1-S and R1-T

R1T camping
Image courtesy of Rivian.com

Early in Rivian’s development, they spent the first 5 years working to grow their team, building the business and organization whilst working on a sports car design.  

That’s right, Rivian had at that time focussed on a sports car it wasn’t until later that the adventure vehicle of the future really set the tone. 

RJ Scaringe’s dream of developing a vehicle that helps to get people to experience the outdoors and create memories was not in the sports car realm. So, they Pivoted. 

They pivoted and changed focus to the adventure lifestyle that is now a driving force behind the adventure vehicles R1S and the R1T. 

Pivot

Rivian finally released their new Vehicle R1-T to the public with first deliveries. So how did they get here?

When RJ Scaringe decided to Pivot away from the sports car, he focussed on what he truly believed. His passion for the outdoors and his drive to preserve the beautiful wilderness, that he loved, helped to frame the question of where to pivot.

Making a vehicle that not only can get you to the place you want to be but to do so by inspiring adventure. Helping the individual to make new memories and the vehicle that helps you to stay active. 

Just as Tesla has a mission to transition the world to sustainable energy, Rivian wants to help people experience the outdoors, be more active and adventurous. They also don’t want to impact the climate or the natural world around us whilst doing it. They just want to encourage the adventurous spirit. 

The vehicles

Rivian – Adventure is a lifestyle. The introduction of the new Rivian R1T and R1S was not the first 4×4 electric Truck to be introduced to the marketplace but they are one of the most appealing choices.  

R1T dirt road
Image courtesy of Rivian.com

These vehicles whilst feeling familiar have nothing but new respect and take on the industry. RJ Scaringe famously mentioned that to reinvent the vehicle for the future you need system-level thinking and a clean sheet of paper. 

They decided to ask the fundamental questions of why it is important to have a vehicle for adventure. The answer they delivered is that of the R1S. This off-road adventure vehicle had some surprising features.

 The introduction of the skateboard design battery pack with a rugged protection system and features like the “Tank Turn”, the gear tunnel, and adaptable list of camping accessories makes the Rivian R1S a more than a capable vehicle for the outdoors.

R1T Spec
Image courtesy of Rivian.com

At first glance, the Rivian looks familiar like current trucks/SUV on the road which will make it extremely appealing to the average person who is looking to Buy. 

R1t storage
Image courtesy of Rivian.com
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Charging infrastructure. 

Up until recently the assumption by most is that Rivian would utilize the Charge America chargers to power their dream of the future. 

However, the chargers that are required for outdoor adventures are not located in the exact locations. So Rivian has developed their own. These chargers are to be in numerous locations across the United States as a starting point and are in wilderness areas.  

The Rivian Adventure Network will be the connection you need when seeking adventure. 

Rivian has also developed home chargers and portable charging cables as well. 

My introduction to the Rivian Brand

Rivian – Adventure is a lifestyle. I had heard of Rivian as they came out of stealth mode. It wasn’t until the “Long Way Up” documentary that they really captured my and many others’ interest. The vehicles that were used through the show were the first ever built. They were rough but practical and capable. They proved that electric vehicles could be used when off-road and going through rough terrain. 

Since this show was developed and aired Rivian has moved forward with leaps and bounds. Development of the vehicles along with the creation of the factory in Normal has given them the capability of creating their original dream after pivot of an adventure vehicle for the masses. 

A dream was realized for RJ Scaringe and the team at Rivian. 

Rivian is mostly focused on the American market currently, however they have deployed test vehicles to Australia and New Zealand currently. These vehicles are, by my best guess, to prove they can handle  Australian and New Zealand terrains and also have them reviewed and hopefully approved for sale in Australia in the years to come. 

I for one will be watching how Rivian proceeds and grow over the coming years. Their passion and mission again inspire the imagination of where the vehicles can go, but more importantly how they can help to improve the environment and maintain an adventurous spirit. 

For more information about Rivian check out EV-HQ.com/Rivian

Dave 

Master Plan Realised – Tesla Model 3

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Hedgehog 2
We did something

Secret

Master plan realised – Tesla Model 3, I am smiling like a Cheshire cat. 

The last couple of weeks I have had to keep a secret. In doing so it made the reality so much better. 

3- 4 weeks ago I was working from home and my wife walked in the house and said,

“ It cost me $93 to fill up the car today. The petrol price was $1.79. This is ridiculous I am seriously going to crunch the numbers to see if we can afford a Tesla.”

My wife

Well to say my jaw just about hit the ground was an understatement.

Jaw dropping
Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash

You see we have talked about it for many years but ultimately the price of electric vehicles seemed so expensive. 

I have had a lot of the Tesla and EV community say, yes the upfront cost is more, but the running cost and the cars are something else.

I understood that, but it was hard to justify such a large amount for someone who is an average wage earner. 

So, it was massive surprise that my wife was adamant that the price of fuel was not going down and she went about working it out. 

Number crunching

After a lot of number crunching of the budget and looking at all the items you need for a new car.

It would cost no more than an extra 30 dollars more than what we were already paying for her Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle. 

budgeting
Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

We were both surprised by the results.

It turns out that in the last 12 months there has been a shift in the interest in the electric vehicle industry. There has been more attention paid to electric vehicles as the global push towards renewables.

Trade-In

The key to the purchase was the trade-in of the existing vehicle.

ASX 2
Trade in vehicle

We tried to find a place that might purchase the vehicle out right, but most places offered way less than the expected amount we were both after. 

Due to this we paused for a moment as we needed to get the right price for the trade in.

After a few trade-in prices that were not close enough, I went back to the Tesla website to droll over the Model 3.

I noticed that Tesla does trade-in’s.

So, I, entered all the details of the vehicle and went about my day.

TRADE IN LINK
Image courtesy of Tesla.com

Out of the blue a couple of days later I had a phone call from the Sales rep at Tesla. He mentioned that they had sent an email with the trade in price and that they would be able to cover the value I entered. 

I was completely surprised and realised the Model 3 was back on the cards. Tesla had the best trade in price of any place we had visited before. 

Test Drive

Master plan realised – Tesla Model 3. So, we booked another test drive to just confirm that this was the direction we wanted to go. Seriously who were we kidding we wanted the Model 3 and we just wanted to test drive it again.

Test drive
Image courtesy of Tesla.com

Now I have test driven a Tesla Model 3 before and they continue to be an amazing car. Both my wife and I had no doubts that this was what we wanted to do. 

We signed on the dotted line that day and the Hedgehog was ours.

Hedgehog
The hedgehog

Whilst we were doing the order in the store with a fantastic salesperson, Jerry, he asked the question if we were health employees. It turned out that we received some extra benefit for being health employees which meant no delivery fee and 3 years of maintenance support.

health professionals
Photo by Luis Melendez on Unsplash

This was a benefit we hadn’t expected but appreciated that Tesla was acknowledging the hard work the health professionals are doing right now. Well, done Elon and Tesla.

So, over the next 3 weeks we worked out financing, provided through tesla, trade-in, also through Tesla, and delivery. 

Delivery Day

So, the day came, and I had taken the day off work as this was one thing I was not going to miss. 

Both my wife and I went to the delivery center, a non-descript warehouse that had been set up with a waiting area and all the vehicles being delivered. The warehouse was full.  

Tesla delivery centre
Brisbane Delivery centre

It seemed we were the first customers of the day. On our arrival, we were greeted by a lovely Tesla employee. They promptly had us sign the final documents. 

Once this was complete, they pointed out the new vehicle and said we could take as much time as we needed to look over the vehicle, ask questions and get advice. 

Model 3
The new car

We took photos and couldn’t wipe the smiles of our faces. We spent a good 20 minutes just looking over the car to make sure nothing obvious was wrong or missing. 

Collection day
Delivery day
Inside Tesla

The car was perfect. 

MOdel 3 Shell

No panel alignment issues, no blemishes on paint or interior. 

The car was glistening and perfect. 

The quality of these vehicles is just incredible. 

One thing that you never get used to is the quietness of the vehicle. 

It is sneaky quiet. 

As we drove out of the delivery center my smile grew wider and wider.

This is the car I had been dreaming of owning for over 5 years. It was a pipe dream that now was a reality. 

We slowly worked our way out of the delivery center and onto the freeway where I put my foot down and felt the sheer excitement of the vehicle as it hurtled down the road. This vehicle is something else. 

We have driven the car over the last week and have been amazed at its drivability and features. 

It is a generational step forward and has just reinforced the need for everyone to take this leap. 

I am sure there are positives and negatives to this decision, and we will discover these as we move into the future. 

But I have dreamed of this moment for over 5 years and now that it is here it is has exceeded my expectations. 

Looking forward

Master plan realised – Tesla Model 3, I look forward to bringing you with me as we discover the ins and outs of this new reality I find myself experiencing. 

My family and I have achieved a goal we set many years ago as the last step to completing my original master plan. 

Time to reset the plan and start again and see what comes next. 

Hope you will come along with me on this journey and we can discover things together. 

Dave 

DAVE’S Blog posts

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Master Plan Realised – Tesla PowerWall 2

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Powerwall 2
Powerwall 2

Master plan realised

Master Plan Realised – Tesla PowerWall 2, Self-sufficiency is key to a sustainable future. This last week has seen a massive step forward for my household, and reduction of our environmental footprint with the realisation of our master plan.

I finally have a Tesla………………………………………. Powerwall 2

Over the last number of years, just like Elon Musk, I have been working towards a master plan. 

That plan was conceived many years ago when I became aware of Tesla and their amazing vehicles. 

I had always loved driving and enjoyed certain vehicles over my lifetime, most notably the original Mini that I owned as my first car. 

When I first took a test drive in a tesla all those years ago, I understood I knew that this was the vehicle I wanted to own. 

Now I will be honest back then it was all about the cars, but since that time I have come to realise that the vehicles are a means to help reduce my environmental impact on the planet. 

So, I created my master plan. 

Master Plan

The plan was simple

  1. Install solar panels. 
  2. Install home battery to capture solar power and use power for home.
  3. Buy an Electric vehicle

Sometimes the best plans are the simplest. Focused and clean.

I have stayed true to the plan over the years and finally, the benefits are now being realised. 

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Step 1 – Install Solar panel 

Originally, we installed solar panels many years ago and at the time they worked well but they just were not enough to help with the current needs of our house. Especially if you consider the needs by the time, we were able to afford an Electric vehicle.

So, we replaced our panels about 4 years ago and installed 5.5 kw solar system with Solohart. They provided a premium service, fantastic quality, and price. The solar panels have done extremely well over that time frame producing more than enough power for our home. I regularly maintain them and keep them clean of debris and dust.

Solar panels
My Rooftop Solar Panels

As with any solar system they operate only in daylight or when the sun is shining. We have had several blackouts over the years, and it has been frustrating not to have any back up of power during these times. 

Step 2 – Install home battery 

The introduction of the Tesla Powerwall 2 has always been something we had planned when the price became more reasonable. It turns out that in the years since I made the plan the price had gone up, so the battery was not viable. 

The price jump occurred as Model 3 production was hitting its ramp and having challenges. So, the delay of the battery was to be expected. 

In more recent years several power companies in Australia have been making it easier to afford home battery storage. 

Thanks to the community

Whilst listening to the Phantom Lane Four podcast at the end of 2020 (a fantastic group of passionate Tesla /EV fans) (@Teslagong, @TeslaTom, @DrSallyL, @SydEv)I noted they mentioned AGL and their current deals with Tesla Powerwall 2 for the home. 

Phantom lane four
Image courtesy of Phantom Lane four Twitter

So, I investigated and found that it is much easier to have a Battery installed than it was just a short number of years before. 

I proceeded with the Powerwall 2, and it is with such satisfaction that I am now a proud self-sufficient PowerStation. Of course when the sun doesn’t shine we have to pull from the grid but otherwise happy customer.

Installation

Master Plan Realised – Tesla PowerWall 2, The installation took 1 full day to accommodate not only the battery but also the integration to the current solar and house power board.

The battery is the standard Powerwall 2 configuration with a 13.5kw size battery, a small footprint, and the usual isolation switches for safety. It has been mounted on an external wall of my Garage and looks incredible. 

Powerwall2
My Powerwall 2 installed

The profile of the power wall is smaller than expected and the glowing green light adds to the awesome ness and design.

The Powerwall 2 was not the only thing installed. Tesla also provides a Power box to manage the flow of Electricity from the Powerwall 2 to the main grid and house.

In true Tesla Style the powerboat is just as gorgeous as all their other products.

Powerbox
Tesla Powerbox

To know that it is helping bring about better power consumption for my family and we are reducing our climate footprint brings a massive smile to my face.

Since the Powerwall 2 installation last week, we have seen incredible power management. Not only is it filling up to full capacity daily, but it is helping to keep our power from the grid to almost nothing overnight.

powerwall breakdown
1st week with Powerwall2

There is no doubt in my mind that this is the way forward for all new builds, old builds, and anything in-between. 

It will be a game-changer for the future and will give the choice for those to help do their part to assist with the reduction of emissions into the environment. 

Personally, I have not been able to wipe the smile off my face. Step 2 o the master plan is finally complete. Now on to step 3.

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Step 3 – Buy an electric car

Well, this last step of owning an electric vehicle has been the main driver for me to achieve the first two steps.

Of course, I am passionate about helping the environment, but no one said it couldn’t be fun doing it. 

This step is the one that will truly feel like we are moving into the future. 

I have made no secret of the fact that a Tesla is the car for me.

A vehicle that can do long distance and be family orientated whilst scratching the techno nerd itch I have had for many years. 

It has been a challenge to run the EV-HQ.com website, and Blog, and not own an electric vehicle.  

Well, that ends now

I have been keeping a secret from my followers, my family, and friends. 

We are now the proud owners of a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range plus. 

Model 3
Model 3 Standard Range Plus

Check out my blog about the Tesla and how it came to be ours – Live now

6 Years in the making

Master Plan Realised – Tesla PowerWall 2, Tesla Model 3 and it started with the Solar panels and an idea.

I cannot wipe the smile of my face. 

To achieve the master plan after 6 years just demonstrates, the drive, passion and determination that I and anyone can achieve.

It has not been easy, and we have had to make some big choices. But we planned, budgeted, and had a bit of luck and timing that assisted us to be able to complete the Master plan set out all those years ago. 

I cannot say how proud I am of achieving the this goal and I hope you enjoy reading my blogs about the Powerwall 2 and the Tesla into the future.

It does not mean that I will forget the great other vehicles starting to hit the market. There is so much great activity from the EV market place starting to ramp up globally this is just the beginning. 

Thanks for being here for the journey and I hope we have greater adventures to share ahead.

Dave 

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History In Real Life !!!

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“Space the final frontier”, it seems that every time I hear these words of late the first thing, I think of is Space X. History in real life !!!

Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash

The importance of going to space cannot be lost on the average person because it is the inspiration of visionaries that helps to inspire the soul to dream big and see many and new things come to the fore. 

Space X

Right now, we are living history right before our eyes. 

Space X is proving that if you strive for the stars then the stars won’t seem so far away, and the human spirit will soar.

Over the last weeks it has become much clearer that we are seeing history for both the good reasons and the bad reasons. 

Recently the World Health Organization highlighted the severity of our consternation about the environmental impacts our daily lives are causing to the environment. 

Our thirst for the things we want and things we need are having grave and destructive implications to the world around us. 

The introduction of Electric vehicles is one of many changes that we need to make to help the environment and the daily lives of our fellow humans. 

So why are we taking so long to realize that we have the power at hand to make positive changes to the way we see the world. 

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Change is hard

It turns out that people don’t like change especially when they are comfortable in their own worlds. It is only when significant change is necessary that the realization that change is necessary to reduce remove and reverse the impacts of the previous actions. 

This has been no more prevalent than with the Pandemic of 2020. The world had to change the way that they conducted themselves in short order. We have adjusted to different ways of life since then. Some good, others not so much. But the reality is we did change because we had too. 

Italy, Greece, Europe, and many other locations across the globe are currently experiencing wildfires, floods, famines and so much more. Environmental impacts are being felt. ( Courtesy of NBC.com)

So, it is up to us to find a way to help ourselves, our fellow humans and find a future that makes a difference. 

This is History in real life. Elon musk had a vision, just like a small child, wanting to see the future, yet as he got older that future never happened, so he made it happen. 

He made a choice to go against the apathy and push the limits. He has inspired and driven more people towards that future, and they, continue to see the truth of our actions upon this world and are inspired to find new ways to help. 

In Tesla’s recent “Impact Report” a clear set of metrics that Tesla and their customers has achieved are having real world impacts. Yet more needs to be done. 

Tesla Vertical integration

Tesla has never hidden the fact that they want to transition the world to sustainable energy. They now have the ability for everyone to realize that dream with the integration of their products. 

Electric vehicles, powered by solar panels that store energy for use later in battery packs. A view of the world that only 10 years ago seemed far out of reach for the average person.  

Tesla Full vertical image
Image courtesy of Tesla.com

Recycling materials

Reuse of materials seems to be less important in today’s age of single use throwaway society yet Tesla factors this into their vehicles and products. Specifically, they demonstrated that the battery metals can be recycled up to 92%. It is opportunities like this that will have real world impacts on the environment around us. 

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Recycling raw metal process flow
Image courtesy of Tesla.com

Emissions

One of the most important items within the Impact Report was the point about EV ownership and emissions. Tesla by its very nature is environmentally focused and has demonstrated this on several fronts. 

Reduction of emissions can lead to improvements of health and reduce preventable deaths. It seems that EV’s are helping to assist this behavior by not having a tail pipe that produces emissions.  

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Image courtesy of Tesla.com

Accidents 

When discussing preventable deaths Tesla also highlighted a significant drop in vehicle accidents when utilizing their vehicles across autopilot, active safety features, and again with no safety features. Their results are significantly less than the Average for the US. 

vehicles accidents per million miles
Image courtesy of Tesla.com
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These statistics demonstrate the benefits of driving a vehicle with 5-star safety rating and advanced safety systems designed to keep the occupants and the environment around the vehicle safe. 

Inspiring childhood dreams

Space X and the invention of the Starship by Elon a visionary and the space X team have inspired a generation of up-and-coming kids that the dreams they have a child are now history in real life. The ability to inspire, feed the hopes and dreams and give hope when all seems hopeless, cannot be underestimated. 

It is incredible to think that as a small child dreaming of spaceships and flying cars with robots that help me do my homework that the development of those things had to happen, and it is now that we are seeing that realization come to life. 

I hope that this inspiration and passion for the future helps to continue to inspire and grow those young minds to dream big, to move forward with humanity and environmental concerns in mind and to see History in real life become reality of the future. 

Dave 

DAVE’S Blog posts

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Model Y Ordering Opens in Hong Kong!!!!!

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Model Y
Image Courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Tesla Model Y ordering opens for Hong Kong the first Right Hand Drive location. 

Hong Kong is the first place to be able to order the Model Y. Recently i suggested a timeline and placement of the Model Y within the Tesla line up for Right hand drive countries. Let’s hope this is the start of that prediction.

Since the release of the Model Y over a year ago the release to right hand drive countries has been a topic of much debate. But today we wait no longer. The right-hand drive Model Y is now available in the first of location, that being Hong Kong. 

Late last night the Model Y page for Tesla in Hong Kong “only”, went into a maintenance.

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Image courtesy of Tesla.com (Hong Kong)

At approximately 11:30am (AEST) on the 2/7/2021 the Model Y page went live again.

The right-hand drive Model Y is available to order in Hong Kong. 

model y Standard
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Pricing

The pricing of each variant of the Model Y:

  • Standard range
    • HK 329,800
    • AUD 56894 (Direct Conversion, no taxes or fees applied)
  • Long range
    • HK 377,800
    • AUD 65174.88 (Direct Conversion, no taxes or fees applied)
  • Performance
    • HK 419800
    • AUD 72420.37 (Direct Conversion, no taxes or fees applied)

Standard Range Features

The standard range will as always be the most popular variant of the Model Y. This car has a lot of amazing features that gives the customer a wonderful experience. 

model y Standard
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Wheels

The standard range comes with the new Gemini wheels as standard. But there is the ability to change them to the 20” induction wheels 

Wheels 1
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Image courtesy of Tesla.com (Hong Kong)

Long Range Features

Model Y long range
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Wheels

The long range includes the 20” induction wheels. Currently there is only this choice. 

Induction wheels
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Performance Features

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Image courtesy of Tesla.com (Hong Kong)

As with all performance variants with the Model Y there is a Performance upgrade that includes the below items. 

Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Wheels

The performance Model Y will be rocking the Überturbine wheels in alignment with the Model 3. 

ubertiurbine
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Colours

As with all the Model Y range there are still the 5 colours that the vehicles come in

  • Pearl White Multi coat
white
Image courtesy of Tesla.com (Hong Kong)
  • Solid Black
black
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)
  • Midnight Silver Metallic
midnight silver
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)
  • Deep blue Metallic
Metallic blue
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)
  • Red Multi Coat
Red Multi Coat
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Interior

The interior also retains the two colour choices of Black and White 

Black interior
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)
white interior
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Seating choice

In addition to the interior colours there is currently a choice of 5 seat interior. This choice seems arbitrary as 5 seats in the model 3 options is not a choice, however as we have seen in the Left-hand drive variants a 7-seat option became available. This seems to be the additional option coming into the future. 

seating
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Full Self Driving

Model Y Ordering Opens in Hong Kong!!!!! The Full self-driving capabilities have been a long time coming but with V9 only “two weeks away” the purchasing of this option would be well advised. 

FSD
Image courtesy of Tesla.com(Hong Kong)

Australia

It is encouraging to see that the right-hand drive Model Y is now available to order in Hong Kong. What this means for Australia is yet to be determined. 

However, it is a very positive sign that the Model Y is making inroads towards ordering for more Right-hand drive countries like Australia and New Zealand and beyond. The recent introduction of incentives for EVs in new south wales and Victoria and hopefully soon in Queensland will only increase the demand for Electric vehicles. 

I look forward to the day that Model Y ordering occurs in Australia and hope to be one of the many that place an order for this incredible car. 

Dave 

Tesla Superchargers towards the Model Y !!!

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Super charging sign
Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash

Tesla, superchargers towards the Model Y. Tesla’s movements of late has given rise to the thoughts that the Model Y is not far away for Australian Right hand drive versions of the Model Y. 

The recent price drop, paired with the introduction of more superchargers has given rise to the idea that the Model Y‘s introduction to Australia is not far away. 

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Superchargers

The new superchargers are mostly flagged to be operational in the early part of 2022. Allowing some to speculate that the Model Y will be open for ordering in the later part of the year. 

The new Superchargers appeared on the Tesla website earlier this week. Their introduction came with little fanfare. This arrival is auspicious as the earnings call for Quarter 1 is due to occur in the coming week.

Mainstream media

Recent interest in the electric vehicle has started gain ground swell in Australia. Recently a number of mainstream media outlets have produced many and varied stories about the efficacy of the electric vehicle. 

The biggest hurdle is the influence the government has over the current lay of the land for uptake of EVs. Their lackluster policy and attitude towards them EVs is telling. My blog from last week explores this more thoroughly,

It is very sad to see the Prime Minister talking Hydrogen when the best part of the world is driving towards electrification. Once again showing his lack of understanding and how much the wrong advice is being given to him. 

Renewable energy is something that is not using any expendable resources. Hydrogen unfortunately relies on using water, which again is a finite resource and one of the most precious we have. 

Model Y 

Model Y charging
Photo by Patrik Máčik on Unsplash

Anyway, the discussion about the Model Y is that the introduction of the Model Y will occur towards the 4th quarter this year. 

I have a different theory. I have recently received a tip from an anonymous source that has led me to believe the introduction of ordering the Model Y to the Australian market will, “not be far off”. Let’s hope it comes from the earnings call. 

So, at this stage, I believe ordering will open within the next month. This works when you consider it takes time for cars to be produced and delivered to Australia. Currently, the model 3 is saying 8-10 weeks for delivery. 

If we extrapolate this timeline, we see the model Y would arrive in Australia for delivery around August. This would coincide with eh opening of some key super chargers that were just announced. 

If ordering opens in the next 2 months, that gives them 3-4 months make and deliver from Giga Shanghai.

Only time will tell if my suggestion is sound, but I am fairly confident it is. 

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Clarify my requests

For those that have seen my twitter feed, you will know that I have been a consistent in asking about the Model Y. Most of you have been interested in my requests of Elon and Tesla. However some have been suggesting I am a pest. 

I just want to set the record straight. My asking about the Model Y ordering is due to the fact I believe Australia will buy more Model Y than Model 3. I believe the sooner it gets to market in Australia the sooner it will become the best-selling SUV in Australia. If the price is right. See my post about my theory for price.

The average person in Australia wants a spacious vehicle and the Model Y SUV offers this.

Tone

The Model 3 has set the tone and I believe the Model Y will bring home to those on the fence that the electric vehicles is versatile. They are simple to use. It is possible to do all things that ICE vehicles do and more.

The Model Y needs to be opened up to the Australian public. It needs to be at a competitive price so that Average Australians can afford it. 

Tesla Superchargers towards the Model Y with the introduction of new Superchargers along strategic roads. In combination with with the price drop of the Model 3 combined with some information I received recently, I believe we will see what comes but Model Y is not far from the Australian public to order. 

Dave 

Tesla’s Big Quarter !

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Total Q1 – 184 800

Tesla’s Big Quarter ! Against all odds Tesla has posted a greater than expected production and delivery numbers for the first quarter of 2021. 

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Traditionally Q1 is supposed to be the least impressive quarter for most car manufacturers within the USA.

Because Tesla resides not just in the USA but in other markets like China we have seen some impressive numbers in other markets which helped todays numbers.

The fact that no production of the Model S/X occurred during this time helps to impress.

The future of Tesla is looking bright.

 

Break down of the numbers

Tesla announced in their production and deliveries press release to investors. 

Production 

  • Model 3/Y
    • 180,338
  • Model S/X 
    • 0 vehicles produced
tesla model 3
Photo by Saketh Garuda on Unsplash

Deliveries

  • Model 3/Y
    • 182,780
  • Model S/X 
    • 2020 vehicles produced

These numbers came as a surprise to most analysts who had predicted lower than expected numbers.

These numbers will hopefully give a shot in the arm for the stock price.

 

2021 Big Numbers

Technoking of Tesla
Photo by Hello I’m Nik on Unsplash

2020 saw Tesla make a goal that, Elon Musk CEO of Tesla (Techno king of Tesla), predict almost 6 years before.

By 2020 they would be producing 500,000 vehicles a year.

At the time he made this prediction, Tesla was a fledgling company.

Their newly released vehicle and aspirations to be one of the big players in the vehicle industry.

It is truly incredible that they were able to come in just a few hundred shorts from the 500,000.

What it proved was the might of the company and its self-belief that anything is possible.

The hidden secret to this company is not in its focus on producing amazing vehicles (Which they are) but it’s true drive to transition the world to sustainable energy. 

Their mission focusses on the “Why of Tesla”, which helps to drive the “What of Tesla” which is supported by the “Who of Tesla”.

It is this way of thinking which Simon Sinek has professed for many years that helps to drive Tesla employees, Tesla customers, and the Tesla faithful. 

https://simonsinek.com

So, it is no surprise that Q1 of 2021 has shown that Tesla can continue to improve and grow if all are focused on the mission instead of building cars.

If Tesla delivered in 2020 approximately 88,000 vehicles in quarter 1 and they delivered just under 500,000 vehicles in the year, then 2021 is looking to be almost three quarters of a million cars.

This growth truly gives Tesla the opportunity to grow years over years for many years to come. 

Factories

Tesla factories
Image courtesy of Tesla.com

Tesla has a big year ahead not only with the current deliveries and production but opening many more Tesla stores and increasing their global footprint.

Two key factory constructions which will be completed in the later part of the year and with this the introduction of the Cybertruck and more production of the Model 3 and Model Y.

The factories will open up a greater opportunity to deliver to Europe and middle America. 

The ramp up of these factories will only improve the end of year numbers and will continue to grow the possibility of many more people receiving their new electric vehicles. 

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Tesla is truly an inspirational story and with its recent success and its plans for the future we will only see Tesla and the products they continue to innovate on develop to be the leaders in their fields and the future. 

If you enjoyed this blog please check out my most recent blogs at EV-HQ.com.

Here is my last Blog Tesla Passion versus Prices

Dave

David McCann
David McCann

EV-HQ founder, passionate about sharing the passion for Tesla and Electric Vehicles everywhere.

EV-HQ.com

Tesla passion versus prices

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Black back end of tests model 3
 
Photo by Caleb Landon on Unsplash

Tesla Passion versus prices, the last twelve months has seen a lot of variation with prices for Tesla’s in not only Australia but across the globe. 

Prices going up in some countries and dropping dramatically in others. Just over 6 months ago a significant price drop occurred with the Australian Model 3. This allowed an increase in Tesla fans to get into the well-loved vehicles. 

However, this is just a drop in the ocean of passion versus prices for Australians. We have a number of political challenges that are not encouraging ownership of electric vehicles except in the most ironic place in Australia. 

It turns out the home of the federal government has some of the best incentives for owning an electric vehicle. Yet the federal governments apathy when it comes to environmental and EV policies is telling. 

Current situation

Currently in Australia Tesla has taken a step back by only being able to deliver Model 3’s.

Ordering other vehicles is still possible but deliveries will not occur until 2022 at the earliest. 

Model S and X are both targeted for 2022 and seems counter intuitive.

The Cybertruck, with its hundreds of thousands of orders, is targeted for release to the USA later this year. I would not expect to see any Cybertrucks in Australia till 2023.

However, I believe that the missing link to Australia having a greater uptake, is the Model Y.

Australia has been teased by the Model Y for a while now. A vehicle that I believe will be a game changer for the Australian marketplace if priced correctly. 

Australia is passionate about its four-wheel drives and SUV’s. Tesla has touted the Model Y as an SUV and this has been demonstrated by the positive reports from owners across the globe. 

However, in Australia we are yet to be able to order the Model Y. Why???

Prices

AUD
Photo by Melissa Walker Horn on Unsplash

Tesla passion versus prices, currently in Queensland Australia you can purchase the standard range plus Model 3 for just over $70000AUD. But I do not believe that will be the case moving into 2022. 

The Australian dollar has been over the last 12 months on an upward trend. The last time the prices were changed for the Tesla vehicles the Australian dollar was around the 70-cent mark. 

Currently it is around the 77cent mark. 

This is a significant change in buying power compared to the American dollar. Yet no price change has occurred.

In Japan recently Tesla dropped the price of the model 3 by approx. 25% as reported by the Tesmanian.com . This was to entice purchasing of more Tesla vehicles. 

Here in Australia the demand for electric vehicles is growing. However, with hostile government policies both federally and domestically, in some states, this uptake will, in the near future, begin to lessen until clear direction and goals can be set. 

Australian political issues aside. 

Model Y WHITE
Photo by Craventure Media on Unsplash

The Model Y is a mystery, an enigma and the next piece in the puzzle. It still is not available to order in Australia. It is hard to know where it will sit price wise in the range of vehicles. But if you look at the pricing in the United States it sits approximately $10000USD dollars more than the Model 3. 

This price difference is important to the future of the company but also to the strategy that I believe Tesla is driving towards. 

At the upper price level, you have the Model S and Model X. These have been strong performers for the Tesla brand for over half a decade. 

Due to the recent updates to the exterior and drive trains this vehicle is now not being delivered in Australia till 2022. 

This means that, in Australia, Tesla has no other vehicle being delivered except the Model 3. 

It does seem strange that only the Model 3 is available when the Model Y is right there for the picking. Why wait?

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My Theory. 

Tesla passion versus prices, I believe change is coming and soon for the Tesla line up. In the USA the Model 3 is priced around $35000 USD, with the Model Y at around $45000 USD. Followed by the Model S and X respectively above $80000.

When Tesla last dropped the Australia Model 3 price it landed the Model 3 around $70000AUD. This was a welcome and significant drop for any car company. But I believe there is more coming that will allow the lineup of Tesla’s to be available to all levels of society. 

The Mission of Tesla is to transition the world to sustainable energy and transport. 

To achieve this goal, it cannot just be USA that has prices that are affordable to the average person, it also has to be done on all continents. 

The dropping of price for Model 3 previously is just the first step in the realization of this mission for Australia. 

You see currently not everyone sees value in the Tesla vehicles because motivation to buy a $70000 dollar car versus a $40000 dollar ICE vehicle just isn’t enticing enough. Yes, they have a lot of features and benefits that ICE vehicles don’t but price wins all for the masses. 

So, the only way to really drive-up sales to achieve not only the mission but uptake of the vehicles is to adjust prices, so the Tesla fleet hits all markets. 

My prediction

In the next 6-12 months I predict, 

  • The Model 3 
    • will drop price by approximately $5000 AUD to almost $15000 AUD. 
  • The Model Y 
    • will then be made available to order 
    • will come in at the $75000 – $80000AUD 
  • Model S 
    • at the above $120000 mark
  • Model X 
    • will be available at the $150000 mark and above. 

This stratification of the vehicles will then allow a couple of future vehicles to slot in nicely. 

  • Cybertruck will align with the $80000AUD mark for the base model and go up from there to cover the $90000 – $120000 dollar mark.
  • Chinese made “Model 2” as it is affectionately known will drop in under the $40000 dollar mark. 

This will then give a clear run of vehicles at all price levels of the Tesla ecosystem. 


It is my belief that if this is to become reality Tesla would then have high demand, good long-term growth and a strong step towards reaching their mission to transition the world to sustainable energy. 

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Passion

Tesla passion versus prices, I have said for a long time I am a Tesla fan boy, but I also understand the benefit of all vehicle’s coming to market as not everyone will be able to afford a Tesla. 

But if I am right and my passion to help achieve the mission of Tesla as it is good for all, then I need to be able to see value in the vehicle as well.

Passion will only take you so far in a world that is driven by the almighty dollar. 

I hope that my assessment of the next 12 months pans out and more people are able to get into these amazing vehicles. 

If you are interested in Tesla and Want to know more check out my last Blog where is interviewed Ryan McCaffrey from Ride the lightning Tesla Unofficial podcast

Dave 

David McCann
David McCann

EV-HQ founder, passionate about sharing the passion for Tesla and Electric Vehicles everywhere.

EV-HQ.com