Will This Pandemic End Up HELPING Tesla Or HURTING It?

As we all sit here with lots of time on our hands waiting this cray time out, we're blessed with the ability to do a LOT of self examination and thinking.

I've become pretty bored on the self-examination part because as I look into my life things start getting depressing REALLY fast LOL.

So I'd rather focus on thinking of problems of the world and of business.

And conventional wisdom tells me that in uncertain times people go back to the familiar and comfortable once things like this end.

And that makes me think that it might end up being a bad thing for Tesla.

But then I look at modern history and remember that virtually EVERY piece of conventional wisdom that has been served has been WRONG.

So what do YOU think? Will this pandemic make people shy AWAY from Tesla or will it make them MORE likely to buy one?

Spies, discuss...

SanJoseDriver - 4/14/2020 12:46:50 AM

+1 Boost

If they can come out of it less worse than competition, it may actually help.

SuperCarEnthusiast - 4/14/2020 7:40:34 AM

+1 Boost

Tesla has lots of preorders so as long as they ares still assembling Model Y they are in business. Plus, they can ship from China if need be!

MDarringer - 4/14/2020 11:33:49 AM

+2 Boost

Yeah because there is no onus on the phrase "made in China" these days.

malba2367 - 4/14/2020 8:29:29 AM

+3 Boost

If gas prices stay low it may hurt them in the short term. All carmakers will be bleeding for some time....lots of people have taken pay cuts, or gotten laid off.

pauerb - 4/14/2020 8:49:08 AM

+3 Boost

Could be a net gain. I'm sure they're hurting, but possibly not as bad as the rest of the industry. Competitors might not be in a position to invest as much in EV's post-virus, so they could come out of this with less direct competition.

atc98092 - 4/14/2020 8:59:03 AM

+3 Boost

I believe EVs in general are going to do better overall. Partially because of a number of new models expected in the next 12 months, but also because everyone has seen the clear evidence of air quality improvements with the drastically reduced number of internal combustion engines that are driving around. EVs can and will continue that trend, especially once gas prices go back up, which they will...

carloslassiter - 4/14/2020 9:12:36 AM

+1 Boost

They'll benefit from all the other companies about to go bankrupt.

valhallakey - 4/14/2020 9:15:26 AM

+3 Boost

Overall Tesla will come out of this ahead. I wonder if this COVID-19 crisis has made people more thoughtful with respect to the connectedness of the world, how we impact one another etc..?

supermoto - 4/14/2020 9:26:44 AM

0 Boost

Tesla will have hardly any sales in Q2. If we have rolling shutdowns, they will have hardly any sales in Q3 and Q4 either. A capital raise is out of the question, so BK and force majeure are on the table unless a vaccine is found.
Gas prices are low, which hurts EV sales. Tesla cars are priced in the segment that will be most impacted by this recession.

Many terrible factors.

ctsang - 4/14/2020 11:10:46 AM

-1 Boost

help of course. once people see clear sky, they will never go back to burning fossil fuel.

MDarringer - 4/14/2020 11:33:03 AM

+1 Boost

I hate to tell you this but your scam artist Bernie dropped out of the race.

SanJoseDriver - 4/15/2020 12:37:39 AM

+2 Boost

Yeah, just went on a walk today and it's amazing how clean the air is in the neighborhood. Biggest silver lining so far. Perhaps more people will work from home permanently when this is over, which will help with both traffic and pollution.

TomM - 4/14/2020 11:43:23 AM

0 Boost

WHy was this question only asked about TESLA - and NOT about the several dozen other Car manufacturers that the Pandemic will affect?

Another example of favoritism - or being paid off?

SanJoseDriver - 4/15/2020 12:42:28 AM

+2 Boost

No traditional company has a shot of coming out of this better. Tesla is the only one that might be in a unique position as an EV leader than rapidly responds to change. As an example they were the first to do contactless deliveries. Without dealers and price negotiations, they have an advantage for a few months in a post-covid world... (assuming they have any cars to sell). Also, the only country in the world that is almost fully back up and running is China, and they just sold tens of thousands of cars in 24 hours by opening up a new option for long-range Model 3s built in China (previously they were coming from the US). They will be cheaper than the imports and possible to build since Gigafactory Shanghai is fully operational right now.

TSLA stock today went back to over $700.

supermoto - 4/14/2020 2:25:37 PM

+1 Boost

"once people see clear sky, they will never go back to burning fossil fuel."

Lol. My next car is going to burn petrol. Same goes for 99% of the people I know. And I live in Los Angeles, one of the most car-centric cities on the planet.

SanJoseDriver - 4/15/2020 12:44:08 AM

+2 Boost

25% of my neighborhood is now EVs of some kind and probably half the people I know are going with some kinds of plug in for their next car. I'm guessing you live in the outskirts of LA? EV adoption is pretty high down there.

carloslassiter - 4/15/2020 8:33:17 AM

+1 Boost

Lol. My next car is going to burn petrol.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
You gotta be one of those guys who thinks recycling is for pussies.