Oh hi. I'm Elon Musk. Just changing the world again.

The Register has a slightly more cynical take on the announcement.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/05/04/tesla_powerwall_the_game_change_flavoured_battery/

The real limit that they identify is the peak power output isn't going to run a house unless there are multiple units installed. Given the energy requirements for a car, I'm surprised by this. The Register speculates that it's to maintain battery lifespan.

I'm not convinced that it's necessarily a game changer, but it's a nicely packaged system.
 
Damm this thread cost me many hours of sleep last night watching videos of this guy on you tube, very interesting.
 
To those feeling a little skeptical of the implications of this announcement, be conscious that it's not about this very battery (the first iteration) but the implications for the future and the doors it has opened (just like when Tesla announced their plans to pave the way for electric vehicles to become mainstream as has similar reactions -- first model was high cost, low production).

As the cost of producing the batteries continues to plummet, and the efficiency of solar continues to grow exponentially, there will be a point in the near future where a panel or two on the roof and a tiny investment in the battery = all your energy needs sorted for a couple of decades.

Further, another income source for Tesla motors is important in ensuring the company can continue to transform the planet by remaining profitable.
 
I also love this guy (no homo) and happy he dumped his wife recently. Fun fact: Tony Stark from the Iron Man movies was based on Elon. The director, Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. were developing the Tony Stark character, when RDJ suggested they meet Elon Musk, as he was the closest to what came to the comic book millionaire-inventor.

The director, Favreau, said: Elon Musk makes no sense and that's the reason I know him. When I was trying to bring the character of genius billionaire Tony Stark to the big screen in Iron Man, I had no idea how to make him seem real. Robert Downey Jr. said, 'We need to sit down with Elon Musk. After meeting him, RDJ and Favreau decided to borrow some of Elon Musk' characteristics in to the portrayal of Tony Stark on screen.

This basically proves that Elon Musk is, in fact, the Tony Stark of real life.

Elon has a cameo in Irom Man 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuG2AVFB-g0
 
The trouble I have with Elon Musk is the cult of personality that surrounds him. For example, he didn't become part of Tesla until several years after it was founded. If you want a different take on that company, then take a look at this article.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/tesla-the-origin-story-2014-10

It's an interesting piece. The intuition that the company was built on was that batteries improve at about 7% a year, or double every decade, and that cars are built of components from part suppliers.
 
The real limit that they identify is the peak power output isn't going to run a house unless there are multiple units installed. Given the energy requirements for a car, I'm surprised by this. The Register speculates that it's to maintain battery lifespan.

I'm not convinced that it's necessarily a game changer, but it's a nicely packaged system.

Yes unfortunately this isn't a new product or innovation. It might've been if they announced you could run your house off your Tesla car which has 10X the storage capacity of this system. Instead this is around $600 of batteries being sold for $3,500. I wouldn't doubt if this was a ploy to inflate the projected revenue of their new 18650 battery "Giga-Factory". There's nothing environmentally friendly about lithium ion batteries but there are talks of an Aluminum-ion battery which may replace the lithium.

The trouble I have with Elon Musk is the cult of personality that surrounds him. For example, he didn't become part of Tesla until several years after it was founded. If you want a different take on that company, then take a look at this article.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/tesla-the-origin-story-2014-10

It's an interesting piece. The intuition that the company was built on was that batteries improve at about 7% a year, or double every decade, and that cars are built of components from part suppliers.

Yes many have a mancrush on him even if he's often accused of being a welfare queen and none of his companies make money without govt grants. He sued the govt for more subsidies.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-08/elon-musks-solarcity-sues-government-more-subsidies

Still waiting for a company to start thinking seriously about nuclear power and hopefully Bill Gate's investment in nuclear renewable energy is the go. There's no need for fossil fuels when it comes to energy generation and solar is just part of the solution.
http://terrapower.com/
 
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