Chapter 455 Chapter 455 The Terrible Elon Musk

Wang Guanxi thought for a while, and said, “Mulally, there will be a trend of electric vehicles in the auto industry in the future. After Ford Motor Company’s assets become positive, you can try to get Ford Motor Company to start producing electric vehicles, making electric vehicles follow the traditional The car is combined."

  Although traditional cars still occupy the main market now, electric cars will also rise in the future. The most famous is undoubtedly Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors.

  The upgrading of traditional cars comes and goes, that is, to improve speed, performance, and safety, but these are what consumers need?

  Yes, but the future is the era of electric cars and smart cars.

  We need to know that in the future, the market value of Tesla Motors will exceed the total of the nine major automakers. At that time, Tesla had just made a profit. Why is Tesla?

  Wang Guanxi remembers that Tesla’s market value has increased by more than US$500 billion in 2020. Although the company has sold a small number of cars, its market value has exceeded the combined market value of the world’s nine largest auto companies.

  These automakers are Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, General Motors, Ford, Honda, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot.

  At that time, Tesla announced its third-quarter 2020 financial report. The report showed that Tesla Motors’ total revenue in the third quarter was US$8.771 billion, and the third-quarter net profit reached US$143 million, achieving 5 consecutive quarters of profit.

  It looks like this financial report is pretty good, but you might as well compare it.

  Toyota Motor announced the second quarter of fiscal 2021. Data show that during the reporting period, Toyota Motor reached a total sales revenue of 6.77 trillion yen, and a net profit of 481.741 billion yen (about 30.8 billion yuan).

Comparing the two, I believe that there is still a considerable gap between Tesla and Toyota. In this case, Tesla’s market value is at least not due to its very good financial data. This must be clear.

One is that Tesla has the attributes of new energy vehicles, so its valuation method is not the traditional automobile manufacturing industry. The automobile manufacturing industry is too traditional, which makes it difficult to bring enough freshness to the market. However, Tesla is Regarding itself as a high-tech enterprise, it represents the future development direction of this automobile market. Such freshness is not available in traditional automobiles.

Second, Tesla itself is not just a car, but the entire way of intelligent travel. It is an artificial intelligence company. The car is only a carrier. The comprehensive artificial intelligence advantage, especially autonomous driving, is the future of Tesla. Sla's expectations are undoubtedly a huge advantage.

  So the market value of traditional car companies has been crushed, and the combined market value of the nine traditional car companies is not as much as Tesla.

  The horror can be seen, and it can be seen that Musk, a scientific maniac, is a sincere bull.

Thinking of this, Wang Guanxi continued: “Alan Mulally, the future will always be the advancement of science and technology, the development of artificial intelligence, electric cars, and smart cars will appear. Ford Motor Company must be prepared to not stick to the research and development of traditional cars. !"

  He also plans to find Musk, invest in Tesla, and SpaceX. His wealth will take a ride on Musk’s ride and achieve tremendous growth.

  However, Ford Motor Company is also a company under his control. If Ford Motor Company develops rapidly in the future, his 1.5 billion Class A shares will not be sold off and will continue to be held.

  Of course, it is still difficult for Ford Motor Company to develop electric vehicles that surpass Tesla Motors. Without technology, everything is useless.

  Thinking of this, Wang Guanxi said: “After Ford Motor Company makes a profit, first invest a small amount of money in the research and development of electric car companies, and then to the research and development of smart cars, just take it slowly.”

  "BOSS, I have this idea too" Alan Mulally also expressed his views on the electric vehicle industry.

  In 2008, the company’s board of directors discussed electric vehicles. However, Bill Ford was not optimistic about electric vehicles. In addition, Ford Motor Company was in crisis and would not want to invest heavily in electric vehicles.

   Then he said: “An electric car almost went bankrupt some time ago. I planned to buy it, but it was rejected.”

  At this time, Peter Thiel, who had been silent at this time, suddenly asked: "Mr. Alan Mulally, is it Tesla Motors?"

  Tesla Motor Company is the company of his friend Elon Musk.

Although the two had an unpleasant quarrel in Paypal, Musk drove his founder out of Paypal and became CEO. Musk did not do well afterwards. The people in his joint board of directors also drove Musk out of Paypal. Serve as CEO.

  Finally, with his efforts, PayPal made a profit, went public, and was acquired by eBay. Everyone made money.

  The relationship became very good. Musk also asked him for help and asked him to invest in Atlas, but he did not invest, but invested in Musk’s SpaceX company.

  He thought Musk’s Tesla was going bankrupt, but he didn’t expect to carry it all the time.

  Ford Motor Company wanted to buy Tesla, but Musk refused. I really don’t know what to say about him.

  Damn it, the company is going bankrupt, how good it is to sell.

  I don’t sell it now. After bankruptcy, I won’t get anything.

  Want to be impoverished?

   Thinking of this, Peter Thiel asked again: "Musk really refused?"

At this time Alan Mulally nodded, "Yes, Tesla Motors CEO Musk refused, and also claimed that Tesla's electric car is the first in the electric car industry, and will soon be listed, allowing Ford The automobile company invests in it and cooperates with him"

  Wang Guanxi asked: "Alan Mulally, what do you think of Musk?"

Alan Mulally thought about it for a while and said: "In the media, it is said that Musk is a liar who likes to brag, speak loudly, and slander the market. I met him at an investment reception before and liked to talk about it. "

  He carefully recalled the brief conversation with Musk that evening, and said: “Some of his companies have certain technologies. I bought his company because I wanted Tesla’s technology, but he didn’t agree.”

  Wang Guanxi smiled and said, "That's really a pity."

  He did not expect Alan Mulally to talk to Elon Musk about the acquisition.

  At this time, Peter Thiel said: "My friend has a very stubborn character. He likes to walk all the way to the dark and kills the kind of lunatic who doesn't look back."

  "Tesla almost went bankrupt last year, but Musk was lucky. Three days before the bankruptcy, the investors left, and I couldn’t help."

  Wang Guanxi smiled and said: "Peter, briefly talk about your friend Musk."

  Peter Thiel laughed and said: “I remember that Tesla’s financing was completed at 6 pm on Christmas Eve in 2008.

  The last hour possible on the last day, because the investor left that night, Tesla is still 3 days away from bankruptcy.

  At that time, Musk would put all the money into it. There is no house, so he had to borrow money from me and a few former colleagues to pay the rent.”

  Alan Mulally: "This guy is really a tenacious guy, and he has persisted until now."

  Wang Guanxi also said: "Unexpectedly, I can't even pay the rent. It's very miserable."

  Peter Thiel laughed and said: “It’s even worse. At that time, Musk was completely out of money to live. He was also caught in a divorce lawsuit. He relied on borrowing money from our friends to live on.”

   "Furthermore, SpaceX was in trouble after three failed launches. He was desperate."

   "At that time he brought the Tesla sports car to the market, and Tesla also bleeds heavily."

  "In the divorce application, Musk ran out of cash, and his financial situation was extremely terrible. He was heavily in debt, not just bankrupt."

  Wang Guanxi: "It turned out to be so miserable"

  Peter Thiel said helplessly: "I was also forced to invest US$20 million in his SpaceX company. After three failed rocket launches, I really want to hammer him!"

"During the financial crisis, Tesla was truly on the verge of bankruptcy. Musk often woke up from nightmares in the middle of the night, and got into his girlfriend's arms and wept. His girlfriend thought he would die of a heart attack because his complexion became worse day by day. A day’s difference. At that time, the rocket launch was not smooth, SpaceX and Tesla both needed money to keep it running, but Musk couldn’t even get his salary."

  Wang Guanxi asked: "He can't raise money, nor can he get a loan. How did he get the money?"

Peter Thiel thought for a while, and said: "Musk is so courageous that he misappropriated the customer's advance payment for the car. This operation alone may send him to prison, but the money will soon be spent. Empty.

  Musk began to borrow money from friends we all know. I lent him $600,000. He even borrowed money from Tesla employees, who actually lent money to the company. "

  Wang Guanxi: "It's really not easy"

  Alan Mulally: "If Musk does not go bankrupt this time, he will definitely do something big in the future."

Peter Thiel laughed and said: "At that time, the media published a "Tesla death countdown" event on the Internet, waiting to collect Tesla's body. The media taunted him every day in order to gain traffic, and everything went to the collapse, Musk Just want to stare into the abyss while swallowing glass."

  "Fortunately, his SpaceX company successfully launched the fourth rocket, and then he asked for help, wanting to win NASA's order, so that he could survive.

  But Griffin, the head of NASA, and Musk are rivals, and he tries his best to embarrass Musk. Seeing that this road was no longer possible, NASA people kept lobbying Griffin. Finally, NASA gave Musk an order, and Musk survived, but he is still short of money. "

  Wang Guanxi and Alan Mulally couldn’t help sighing while listening to this terrible story.

  Alan Mulally sighed: "No wonder I said that he bought his Tesla company, and he just rejected it."

  Wang Guanxi also smiled: "Maybe his Tesla company will shine in the future."

Peter Thiel said: "It's okay for SpaceX to say, but Tesla Motors has been losing money, buying a car is losing money, this electric car company still can't live long, I took 20 million U.S. dollars at the time. SpaceX, which invested in him, did not invest in Atlas."

  Wang Guanxi asked: "Peter, why don't you vote for Tesla?"

Peter Thiel thought for a while and said: "I think as a venture investor, there will always be some shortcuts of your own, and there are some investment rules, although these rules may not always be correct. But in the past ten years, especially from 2005 to During 2008, there was an investment rule in Silicon Valley. Never invest in clean energy technology companies. Musk’s Tesla company does not meet my investment principles. Moreover, people are not keen on electric vehicles for the time being, Musk’s Tesla It will continue to lose money, and if it fails to attract investors that day, it will go bankrupt."

Wang Guanxi was stunned. This is exactly what Peter Thiel said. People are not keen on electric cars for the time being. Musk’s Tesla has indeed been losing money and has been seeking financing when it can’t attract investors. , Tesla has to go bankrupt. In fact, it is the same. Musk’s Tester has lost money for 10 years, and the media has not been optimistic about Musk’s company. They mocked him for ten years. Many hedge funds are short-selling special. Sla’s stock.

  But Musk has really done it. Step by step, Tesla has increased the market value and crushed the total market value of the world's nine largest auto companies.

  Thinking of this, Wang Guanxi said: "Peter, I plan to raise funds for Musk’s two companies."

  Peter Tilton looked shocked and asked; "Mr. Wang, do you really plan to raise funds for Musk’s two companies?"

  Wang Guanxi nodded: "Yes, I plan to finance SpaceX and Tesla as a partner. You can call Musk for me and I will have a good talk with him."

  Peter Thiel: "Well, I'll call Musk now. Now he should still be moving wheels in the factory."

   Then Peter Thiel picked up the phone and called Musk.

  At this moment, the Tesla factory.

A man carrying a loop of cables and sweating all over his body was wearing a normal gray gown and navy blue jeans. His yellow hair was messy and looked dirty, no different from a maintenance worker who had been repairing the car for a day. He is full of energy.

  At this time, a man ran up, "Boss, ten customers suddenly cancelled their orders,"

   Musk's face sank, and he said: "I will talk to them personally when the time comes!"

  The outbreak of the financial crisis is the worst period in Musk’s life. "

  He deeply remembered waking up on a Sunday before Christmas in 2008 and said to him: Man, I never thought I was a person with a nervous breakdown.

   Once upon a time, Musk sold his shares in PayPal to eBay for $180 million.

  Life is cool and unrestrained, he decided to change the world and founded SpaceX to minimize the cost of carrying human rockets, and at the same time began the era of human interstellar migration.

   Then he moved to Tesla Motors to build electric cars and smart cars.

  But changing the world requires not only determination and courage, but also sufficient silver and luck.

  At this time, the phone rang, and Musk quickly took out the phone from his pocket for fear of missing any important call.

  (End of this chapter)