Thirst to magic. Why we belive in Elon Musk?
Not long ago, Tesla successfully placed bonds worth $ 1.5 billion. The loan, as you can see, is needed for “aggressive expansion”.
But I had an analogy in mind. Now I working and living in Russia. In this country there is a large automobile enterprise — AVTOVAZ. The products of this company are not known abroad, the main sales occur on the russian domestic market. This enterprise also periodically needs funds to solve current problems. But that’s what’s important. Every news about it causes tons of hate. People sincerely wish the enterprise failures and complete ruin. On the contrary, Tesla’s difficulties and losses are met with understanding and support.
This is reflected in the capitalization of companies, Tesla Inc on December 12, 2017 is worth $ 55.3 billion, AVTOVAZ in terms of dollars $ 2.4 billion, that is 23 times cheaper!
Maybe Elon’s company does a lot of machines? Let’s compare the productive capacities of the plants. Here are the indices of AVTOVAZ:
After 2008, the annual output of cars decreased due to problems in the domestic market, but we are interested in the maximum capacity of the plant. The graph shows that AVTOVAZ will be able to make 800,000 cars. What can Tesla do?
The current capacity is 30 times lower than that of AVTOVAZ. At the same time, Tesla employs 14,000 people, while AVTOVAZ employs 37,000 people. That is, one person for a year at the Tesla plant makes 1.77 cars, while on AVTOVAZ 21.6 vehicles. What do all these people do there if they are ten times slower than employees are not the best car company in the world?
Maybe money is invested in assets and infrastructure. Who has not heard about Tesla Gigafactory? .. It will be the largest factory in the world!
But let’s compare. The AVTOVAZ plant can not be small with such a volume of output. I found a photo with a good perspective.
In terms of scale relative to cars near the plant, it is evident that the AVTOVAZ plant is at least not less. But maybe the picture is deceptive? Let’s see from the satellite, everything can be seen from outer space. First, the plant at $ 2.4 billion (in the lower right corner, I specifically grabbed the screenshots of the scale of the cards to make sure they are equal)
And now Gigafactory worth $ 55.3 billion!
But stop! I’m not trying to expose Elon Mask, sprinkling poison in famous people always have someone. I admire the way he could infect the whole world with the idea, it is worthy of respect. Hey! Now the concern Volkswagen is ready to turn its factories towards the future, which draws Elon. It works.
But I’m interested in the phenomenon of hypertrophied trust for those who can correctly tell a story. Who builds flawless marketing. Who give new hope to humanity. The Great Elon will send us all with a missile to Mars. And of course it will all work out with such a trifle as a change in the world vehicle fleet. And with tunnels under the cities. And with roofs of houses from solar tunnels. And with a vacuum intestine with a high-speed train inside.
The information background is oversaturated with impersonal suggestions to buy something unnecessary. The cultural environment is increasingly sliding into repetitions and re-readings of the classics. We have everything and we are bored. We crave to focus on something significant, on something outstanding, on something magic. It does not matter how feasible it is. Tell me a good story, give me a meaning and take all my money!
