Dylan Lumis, host of "Electrified," opened the episode with a theme of "denial," triggered by the CEO of Lift's comments dismissing widespread autonomous self-driving cars for "years and years to come." The Lift CEO cited undeveloped technology, unprepared regulators, and consumer disinterest, projecting less than 10% of Lift's business from AVs by 2030, and calling AVs an expensive asset depreciation issue at $250-300,000 per vehicle.
Lumis countered, highlighting that Waymo vehicles are cheaper ($100-150k), and used Teslas with FSD are $30-40k, suggesting consumer choice will follow affordability. He criticized the CEO for ignoring Waymo's and Tesla's progress. Elon Musk responded to the Lift CEO with "L-O-L." Morgan Stanley, however, acknowledged Tesla's leading autonomous driving as a significant competitive advantage and predicted 1,000 Tesla Robotaxis by 2026 and a million by 2035, though Lumis believes Tesla will hit 1,000 much sooner.
The podcast then addressed reports of a 30-day suspension for Tesla sales in California over "Autopilot" and "FSD" marketing. Tesla North America clarified it was a consumer protection order, not related to customer complaints, and sales continue uninterrupted. The California DMV has issued a permanent stay on the suspension, giving Tesla 60 days to address its marketing terms, which Tesla states it has already done or plans to. The "FSD supervised" nomenclature originated from Tesla discontinuing "full self-driving capability" after a DMV accusation in November 2023. Lumis criticized the DMV for focusing on marketing over preparing for Robotaxi proliferation given safety data.
In other news:
* **Gigaberlin Cell Production:** Andre Tirek, Gigaberlin's plant manager, announced a nearly $100 million investment to enable 8 GWh of 4680 cell production by 2027, integrating cell-to-vehicle manufacturing in Europe. This represents about one-third of Gigaberlin's Model Y production.
* **Tesla 4680 Cells & DBE:** Elon Musk acknowledged dry cathode challenges ("a lot harder than we thought") but reaffirmed Tesla's goal of scaling battery cell production, stating Tesla makes the "most efficient cell in the world" (lowest cost per kWh). New patent filings reveal Tesla's "Gen 2 DBE approach" with new composite binder materials, indicating continued development in dry electrode technology. The last reported 4680 production milestone in September 2024 was an annual run rate of 17 GWh, with projections of 40-50 GWh within two years.
* **Tesla Semi:** The California HVIP program shows Tesla Semi has secured 917 vouchers out of 2023 total Class 8 vouchers, representing 75-90% market share of future purchases, indicating strong demand once volume production begins next year.
* **Rivian's Sensor Fusion:** RJ Scaringe explained Rivian's sensor fusion approach, using lidar and radar to supplement cameras (with better dynamic range) to train their neural net faster, differentiating it from Tesla's pure vision. Elon Musk still expressed skepticism about lidar by reacting to Luminar's bankruptcy with a "face palm" emoji.
* **Ford EV Struggles:** Ford is reportedly losing significant money on EVs due to lack of scale, poor supply chain leverage, and internal resistance from its dealer network. Despite the F-150 Lightning outselling the Cybertruck in Q3 (10,000 units), it represents only 3-4% of overall F-150 sales, reinforcing the host's view that Ford will delay EV commitments.
* **Tesla FSD Experience:** South Korean politician Lee So Young, a mobility and tech policy lawmaker, lauded Tesla's FSD after a test ride, calling it a "completed technology" that will significantly change daily life.
* **Tesla Insurance:** Tesla Insurance has quietly launched in Florida, marking its 13th state, following an improving insurance market in the state. Currently, it's available only to new Tesla owners.
* **Cybertruck Safety:** The Cybertruck won the IIHS 2025 Top Safety Pick+, becoming the only electric pickup and one of only two truck models to achieve the highest safety rating under increased requirements, disproving earlier safety concerns.
* **Model YL Sales in China:** The premium Model YL accounted for 13,000 units (27%) of Tesla's 47,000 total Model Y sales in China in November, contributing to a higher average selling price.
* **EU Emissions Policy:** The European Union is proposing to soften emissions rules for new cars, potentially allowing plug-in hybrids and range extenders beyond 2035 instead of a complete ban on combustion engines, reducing the target to a 90% emissions cut from 100%.
* **Waymo Valuation:** Waymo is reportedly seeking to raise $1 billion at a $100 billion valuation, despite having an annual revenue run rate of $350 million and contributing to Alphabet's "OtherBets" category losing $4-5 billion annually, which Lumis notes for comparison to Tesla's valuation critics.
Tesla's stock closed the day down 4.62% at $467.26, with trading volume 33% above average. The episode concluded with a plug for the sponsor, Extra.