rogerh00

There’s a reason why Elon Musk opened his new $5 billion Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada. That’s because its located next to the largest lithium mine in America. Tesla’s new Gigafactory is scheduled to produce 35 gigawatt hours of lithium battery storage capacity next year, doubling the size of the worldwide lithium battery market.

The Clayton Valley is 3½ hours south of Sparks, Nevada and is the largest and only lithium mine currently in production. It’s THE hub of U.S.-based lithium mining.

peteharvey

Japan found a potential source for rare earth metals.

https://business.financialpost.com/c...turies-to-come

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/12/japa...n-pacific.html

Toys4RJill

Where do all the batteries from Toyota or MB or GM hybrids come from now?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Model Y should be announced in April/May iirc. Model X will be discontinued within the next year or so.

Toys4RJill

And? Why is that important?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Because of the thread title

The Model X is expensive, and the Model Y will help move units which Tesla needs to help combat the onslaught on German EVs soon to be unleashed.

Toys4RJill

I got you. I did not know the model Y was a lower cost replacement.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Should be revealed soon. My good friend who works at Tesla in Fremont, said the X's days are numbered, one because of it's cost, two because the falcon wing doors are a PITA.

2020 Model Y teased awhile ago.

Toys4RJill

For sure, Tesla will go nowhere if they products are two expensive. The door is a good idea for a first gen model.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Definitely. The trick doors generate buzz. The new Model Y I read will share some 76% of parts with the Model 3. So it should be profitable.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

So BMW's i3 and MB B-class not making a dent at all ?

Oh wow, I didn't know the X is going to get axed. I thought they're doing well since they're all over so cal here.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

mmarshall

Gull-wing doors have been a source of problems on many vehicles....the X is obviously no exception. They were a major factor (among other problems as well) in the DeLorean cars not being successful, and caused problems even as far back as the classic Mercedes SL coupes of the 1950s.

LeX2K

Those are so called falcon wing doors not gull wing. They are very cool but complex we'll likely never see them on a vehicle again.

-J-P-L-

Where has it been said that the Model X is slated to be discontinued? Pretty sure there's no plan for that, although I could be wrong. The Model Y is a smaller CUV meant to be the mainstream model along side Model 3 but with X still in place.

Then there's the promised pickup. These model developments just happen too slowly over at Tesla. There's a reason there's no other upstart car companies, it's just too hard. They need a cash injection of many 10's of billions of dollars to accelerate development but also to deal with upcoming billions in debt that is coming due.

One wonders why billionaire's haven't come along to invest in Tesla who claim to be so alarmed by climate change and think things like electric cars are the answer. Why are the super rich standing on the sidelines as Tesla stays in business only by the skin of their teeth? I understand that such investments essentially amounts to buying Tesla which Musk doesn't want. But I'm talking more perhaps about the super rich donating to a cause they say they believe in, no strings attached.