Tesla used to be inspiring. Now, it faces threat.
Start writing a post
Education

I Used To Want To Be The Next (Female) Elon Musk. This Is Why I've Gone Stagnant On Tesla

But I would still drive a Tesla Roadster, let's be real.

84
https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-illuminated-text-against-black-background-258083/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-illuminated-text-against-black-background-258083/

It was one in the morning when Tesla employees got an email from Elon. About budget cuts, and therefore employee cuts. Surprising? Not really. The man doesn't sleep. Elon used to be my man crush, and my daydreams that he wore black skinny jeans and cool t-shirts were confirmed by Tesla employees that I've met as I exclaimed my fandom for Elon. Perhaps we all were starstruck as we should have been, as Tesla became a world changer and a substantive market force in one of the most difficult markets to overcome: the automotive industry. How do you not have a soft spot in your heart for someone who makes a flamethrower, for fun, and calls it "Not a Flamethrower" because it's illegal to name a product "flamethrower"? However, I no longer have the passion for Tesla as I used to. Here are my largest critics of one of my still, favorite people on the planet:

1. 100 Hour Work Weeks? I hope you pay OT. 

Although many people gave up on Elon after his interview with Joe Rogan, I am more concerned with his statement about 100 hour work weeks. His belief that you can't expect to change the world if you work less than 100 hours a week may be true in his case, but I fear that Elon doesn't have a full picture of sustainability for himself or his companies. Elon has stated that he hardly eats breakfast, and with his work week, it only leaves 9.7 hours out of each day for eating, sleeping, and whatever else. Which is sounds like he doesn't do much of either. Sometimes in the quest for success, it's easy to forget that the basic necessities of sleep and nutrition are essential to, I don't know, LIFE. I'm shocked that someone as rich as he is doesn't hire a chef to make him a huge power breakfast every morning. I'm not so shocked that he's been able to accomplish as much as he has without a focus on these basics. Elon is undoubtedly a powerhouse that surpasses normality. But all hyper-driven success expeditions in anyone, even Elon, result in the unavoidable: burnout.

2. Elon Should Take Notes From The Top

In 2019, it may be a competitive landscape for employees to find work, but it is an ever growing competition for companies to receive the best work. Employee satisfaction is perhaps the greatest indicator in company success. Successful investors recommend investing in companies with the highest. Microsoft, for example, offers mind-boggling benefits for new parents, and one of my favorite LinkedIn posts at the moment is of a gas station who's minimum wage is $14. The turnover rate, not surprisingly is astoundingly low for its sector. Human talent is, as Musk understands, the most "world-changing" asset. It should, therefore, be treated as such.

3. Other Car Companies Are Stark Competition

Volkswagen is working on cloud-connected vehicles. Chevy has the Volt with a 53-mile electric range before it uses gas, and the Prius has a Plug-In Hybrid option. Porsche created a hybrid supercar that creates its own energy. The car industry is cutthroat, and Tesla has defied the odds and become a market threat. But sustaining this, as I think Musk understands, is exceptionally difficult. Musk's incentive as the multi-millions he will receive if Tesla hits certain market goals may drive him to make irrational decisions about what will keep Tesla thriving.

4. Electric Energy Is Not Necessarily Renewable

Electric energy has massive potential to be vastly renewable, through wind, ocean, and solar capture. However, a large portion of electric energy currently comes from coal. Coal mining is not painless, as it causes ground subsidence- meaning houses and business buildings can cave and fall apart if they are built on top of old coal mines. While I was a student at Southern Illinois, I did research on this subsidence and saw first hand the homes, and even grocery stores that subsidence tore apart. While Elon is pushing the longevity of Tesla, other massive companies like Shell are working on renewable energy sources that could outdo fuel and even electricity. But for Tesla to truly be a car of the future, electricity has to take care of the future as well. Musk's Solar City ventures to give homeowners the option for solar-powered roofs are currently at a standstill and not on the market, and the renewable resource market still has massive room for disruption.

5. The Tesla Has Massive Drawbacks

I'll end on a few facts about Tesla that may stop you from owning one: cold weather drives the battery down, and you have to REPLACE the tires every few thousand miles. You may not need to change the oil, but the heavy battery is enough to call the mechanic every few months, which may be hours away. In the state of Oklahoma, there are no licensed mechanics, so Teslas must be shipped to the nearest Service Center in Texas. The Tesla is a high-maintenance, non-viable option for anyone who doesn't' have a personal assistant or local Whole Foods Market with a car charging location in the parking lot. Musk may be driving the costs down on the Model 3 to market to the middle class, but these hidden maintenance pains make this car an upper-middle-class car at the minimum, and it will remain that way. Electricity is a tough fuel for a tool as demanding as a vehicle, and it may not end up on top as the fuel of the future.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Bruce Springsteen's Top 7 Lyrics

Everything Bruce says in his classic rock songs.

18453
bruce springsteen album cover born in the usa

Anyone who was born and raised in New Jersey (or anywhere really) knows of Bruce Springsteen, whether or not they like him is a whole other situation. I hope that his hundreds of classic rock songs and famous high energy performances, even in his sixties he can put on better concerts than people half his age, are at least recognizable to people of all ages. Love him or hate him (I identify with the former) you have to admit that some of his songs and interviews have inspirational quotes and lyrics.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

New England Summers Are The BEST Summers

Why you should spend your next summer in New England.

1643
Marconi Beach

Three years ago, I chose to attend college in Philadelphia, approximately 360 miles away from my small town in New Hampshire. I have learned many valuable lessons away from home, and have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in Pennsylvania. One thing that my experience has taught me, however, is that it is absolutely impossible to beat a New England summer.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Fibonacci Sequence Examples: 7 Beautiful Instances In Nature

Nature is beautiful (and so is math). The last one will blow your mind.

237779
illustration of the fibonacci sequence
StableDiffusion

Yes, the math major is doing a math-related post. What are the odds? I'll have to calculate it later. Many people have probably learned about the Fibonacci sequence in their high school math classes. However, I thought I would just refresh everyone's memories and show how math can be beautiful and apply to physical things everywhere around us with stunning examples.

Keep Reading...Show less
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments