Your first thought when you hear the name “Tesla”?

[Jim Bow]

In my case, it’s “Elon Musk”. His name is also Tesla’s BRAND. I honestly believe that his every tweet damages the company and its standing. For instance, I have a relative who is seriously shopping for an electric vehicle, he will not even look at a Tesla. My neighbor is looking at replacing his model S Tesla. It will not be with another. He told me he’s interested in an all electric Subaru. I didn’t know there was one.

[Dan McCosh]

FWIW, Tesla just passed up Ford as number one for auto company brand loyalty in the U.S.

[Hwyl]

I think of the engineer/inventor.

[Gordon Bartlett]

FWIW, Tesla just passed up Ford as number one for auto company brand loyalty in the U.S.

Interesting.
Is this based on repeat sales or just on answers to a survey?

[birlinn]

Expensive.

[Dan McCosh]

Interesting.
Is this based on repeat sales or just on answers to a survey?

It's repeat sales, which of course is easier for Tesla than Ford, since Tesla's sales are a fraction of Ford's. It's an annual award from S&P Global Mobility--dunno the methodology it uses, but was the headline in Automotive News today.

[David G]

First thought is: grand promises; uneven delivery.

There's a lot a ways to measure 'success' in the auto industry. If you've read Hoffer's 'The True Believer'... you'll understand the irrational allegiance shown to choices (regardless of merit/utility) made by early adopters. On the flip side, Consumer Reports includes Tesla on the 'brands not to buy' list. They have their own metrics and standards...

[WszystekPoTrochu]

First thought: fanboys

Tesla brand's fanboys that are as annoying as Apple's (and often overlap)
Nikola Tesla's fanboys that spam media with same three inventions over and over and seem to think that Edison made a fortune without a single honest day's work

just thinking of the groups makes me groan inside

[Tom Montgomery]

.

In my case, it’s “Elon Musk”. His name is also Tesla’s BRAND. I honestly believe that his every tweet damages the company and its standing.

Musk cannot help himself. Can you think of the head of any other auto company who has time to waste on Twitter? Yeah... me neither.

[johnw]

The first time someone walked into my store and asked for books on 'Tesla technology,' my response was, 'AC power?' Turned out he wasn't looking for books on what Tesla had done that actually mattered, his interest was more UFO adjacent.

[Hugh MacD]

Boy am I out of touch. My first thought was those grand sparky coils and thingummies they used in the first "Frankenstein" movie. Then ​I thought about the cars

[lupussonic]

Poinsonous greenwash.

Another environmental catastophe.

Loadsa money.

[birlinn]

Musk.
Wish he'd keep his gob shut.
His latest does not improve his image:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64790657

[CWSmith]

I thought about Edison electrocuting an elephant using AC current to prove that Tesla's theories were dangerous and his DC current was much safer.

Of course, the opposite is the case.

[Jim Mahan]

My first thought when I hear the word 'tesla' is different from time to time. Sometimes it's 'is there any more coffee in the pot?' and sometimes it's more like 'these jeans are getting a little tight, maybe I should walk more,' and then sometimes it's 'oh, look a squirrel, and it's a big one, too.'

[Stiletto]

First thought: fanboys

Tesla brand's fanboys that are as annoying as Apple's (and often overlap)
Nikola Tesla's fanboys that spam media with same three inventions over and over and seem to think that Edison made a fortune without a single honest day's work

just thinking of the groups makes me groan inside

Agreed, it's the fanboy thing that bothers me most.

[bluedog225]

“Kill switch” Boom

[Dave Wright]

Tesla coil, Oudin coil. I wanted one to excite a vacuum tube coated with a magnesium "getter" to produce Xrays.

[LeeG]

Tesla coil, when I was a kid a neighbor kid a few years older made one.

[Paul Pless]

Your first thought when you hear the name “Tesla”?

i can't believe my friend joe so cool has been sucked into being a tesla fanboy

[LeeG]

i can't believe my friend joe so cool has been sucked into being a tesla fanboy

f, f, f, fashion

[David G]

i can't believe my friend joe so cool has been sucked into being a tesla fanboy

He can't help himself. He IS a fanboi. We could make a list: Apple; Vespa; Tesla... etc. See #7.
It's a different psychology. True Believers often become promoters, high-performing salespeople, entrepreneurs. political organizers, and sometimes even con-men (if they let the Dark Side in).

[johnw]

Musk.
Wish he'd keep his gob shut.
His latest does not improve his image:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64790657

Not a good look for a South African white guy.

[Bob Adams]

I think of the engineer/inventor.

Yup, a highly screwed one.

[cathouse willy]

Expensive, ugly cars

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Tesla
Nikola Tesla
High voltage.
Alternating current
Sebastian di Ferranti
The modern power station
Worked with Lord Kelvin (as in Kelvin).
Made a fortune and passed on a brilliant company.

[shortboot]

I doubt if Mr. Musk will ever be aware of what "the bilge thinks of him". Anyone here own a company that builds rockets? Wait, I could be wrong, maybe he owns a wooden boat. Anyone know?

[Jim Bow]

Not a good look for a South African white guy.

To be fair, his father was an anti-apartheid politician in Pretoria and Elon and his younger brother protested against apartheid while in highschool.

[johnw]

To be fair, his father was an anti-apartheid politician in Pretoria and Elon and his younger brother protested against apartheid while in highschool.

And now, he regresses.

[sonofswen]

So Joe does own a Tesla. Does that make him a "fanboy"? My thoughts on a fanboy would be about a person who does not tolerate any negativity directed towards Tesla the company or the owner of that company, and that can extend to how well the car is built or a hundred other things about Tesla.
Joe has said he loves his Tesla. He stated his reasons. He has also said he despises Musk, has no respect for him and he makes a divide between the car and the man...What am I missing when someone calls Joe a fanboy? To me, he is not.

O never mind..no point in trying...

[David W Pratt]

Turn the page.
Too much drama for my tastes.

[Gary Davis]

My ancestor

[IMG]Untitled by Gary Davis, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Boatbum]

First thought is: grand promises; uneven delivery.

There's a lot a ways to measure 'success' in the auto industry. If you've read Hoffer's 'The True Believer'... you'll understand the irrational allegiance shown to choices (regardless of merit/utility) made by early adopters. On the flip side, Consumer Reports includes Tesla on the 'brands not to buy' list. They have their own metrics and standards...

True enough, but I would also add that they are responsible for making EV's more acceptable in the US than any other manufacturer. They revolutionized the American market.

[Puttputt]

That fella from Southern California who’s sitting in banned camp.

[Norman Bernstein]

Watch for it. Tesla's big competition is going to be Hyundai... their latest is apparently VERY competitive with Tesla (both in range, as well as price), and looks 1000% better:

IONIQ 6 gets up to an EPA-estimated 361 miles on a single charge. Leveraging Hyundai’s dedicated EV platform, e-GMP, it has standard ultra-fast charging capability which lets you charge up to 80% in as little as 18 minutes with a 350-kW, 800V charger. And our most aerodynamic Hyundai opens up your range up to a whopping 361 miles, thanks to its active air flaps, covered underbody, and rear wing.