SteelBlue said:

Matt has been openly critical of the LA charging network(probably their biggest market) for some time now.

Yup, which just blows my mind as you'd think California's major cities would be the first place for a real charging network.

YoungCR said:

In the beginning of the Chris Harris episode on The Smoking Tire, They all complained about the charging networks and different aspects of the Cyber truck. It was interesting hearing his opinions on the lack of infrastructure across the pond as well. 

Matt has been openly critical of the LA charging network(probably their biggest market) for some time now.

REKIII said:

does not come from the angle of having any concern over the environment. 

No, say it isnt so.

SteelBlue said:

Is the charging infrastructure going to be anywhere close to what it would need to be to support all these people that don't live in the densely populated areas that put a deposit down on one?

In terms of an environmental impact, does the mining for the battery materials and natural gas/energy that is required to charge the cars offset the impact of combustion engine cars?

Charging infrastructure - Sorta.  I have a friend down in Chicago with a Model 3.  He made a road trip to Maine.  The Tesla software maps your course (you can add whatever you want to it like google maps) and it will figure out where and when you need to stop for a charge.  It will adjust based on the energy usage of your car, say you are hot-footing it, or it's inclement whether, it will recalculate for less range.  Is it as ideal and care free as the current Petrol netowrk?  No.  But the gas station network had about 100 years to develop.  There are still signs out west that say XXX miles until next fuel station, so watch your range.  Range anxiety is still big, but for 95% of drivers, if the car has a 300+ mile range, it's not really that big of a deal.  This is also coming from the opinion that you wouldn't own only electric vehicles.

Environmental impact?  I really don't know.  My interest in electric does not come from the angle of having any concern over the environment.  That's probably bad, just being honest.

SteelBlue said:

In terms of an environmental impact, does the mining for the battery materials and natural gas/energy that is required to charge the cars offset the impact of combustion engine cars?

i remember when the Prius hybrid was first being manufactured the consensus was that the negative impact of manufacturing the batteries was greater than the positive impact of burning less fossil fuel. however, that was 20 years ago and efficiencies in the manufacturing processes make creating EVs about the same environmental impact as creating internal combustion cars. also, a much larger (and still growing) percentage of electrical energy is now renewable.

In terms of an environmental impact, does the mining for the battery materials and natural gas/energy that is required to charge the cars offset the impact of combustion engine cars?

straight6pwr said:

Electric trucks are an untapped market for Tesla. I don't believe there are a ton of truck guys out there chewing at the bit to get an electric truck. maybe i'm wrong since the 'truck guy' demographic is shifting from guys who want a tough, functional vehicle to guys who want a truck for other reasons.

I think there are 3 distinct truck guy markets. 

There is the work truck guys.  They buy the truck for work and use them for work.  Depending on their personal taste, this can be a stripper W/T silverado, or a fulley decked out 3500HD Denali, but in the end, they are all used for work.  How much Tesla breaks in here is questionable.  The utility will have to be proven.

Then there are the hick/lifted truck/nut sack on the hitch guys.  They want something that will roll coal and be loud.  These guys will not be buying Cybertrucks.

And in group 3 is where I fall.  Guys that drive trucks because they have a need for a truck but don't use it as a tuck all the time.  Or they just need to compensate for their lack of masculinity and/or small penis so they drive a truck.  These are the buyers that will be most likely to be interested in a Cybertruck.

REKIII said:

 He is the worlds best at over promising.  I don't even want to say under-delivering, as he usually delivers just not in a timely manner

I think pre-orders on products to fund their actual creation is just a bad idea all around. People seem to be blinded by the razzle dazzle of something new and shiny and it just sets a bad precedent that companies don't need to have their ducks in a row.

REKIII said:

What they found was that the highest percentage of people putting in deposits were from areas that have the least current Tesla presence which mean they have really opened up an untapped market, not simply current Model S owners who want a truck.

electric trucks are an untapped market for Tesla. I don't believe there are a ton of truck guys out there chewing at the bit to get an electric truck. maybe i'm wrong since the 'truck guy' demographic is shifting from guys who want a tough, functional vehicle to guys who want a truck for other reasons.

SteelBlue said:

Chances its actually real or just a public boost for image and funding opportunities? 

It's very possible it is just a stunt of some sort, but the deposits are 100% refundable.  So, while they actually so have my money, allegedly I can get it back.  Even if it is a funding opportunity and they end up refunding all of us, oh well, poor way to try to get new customers.

What they found was that the highest percentage of people putting in deposits were from areas that have the least current Tesla presence which mean they have really opened up an untapped market, not simply current Model S owners who want a truck.

In the end, no one really knows, maybe no even Musk.  He is the worlds best at over promising.  I don't even want to say under-delivering, as he usually delivers just not in a timely manner.

It is at least interesting.  I had zero excitement about the Model 3 and the Model Y.