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Teslas Cybertruck and the 800-Volt Revolution · Elon Musk Podcast

• 0:00
  Hi everybody and welcome back to the Elon Musk podcast.
• 0:04
  Today we're breaking down Tesla's recent announcement
• 0:06
  about equipping the cyber truck with an 800 Volt architecture.
• 0:10
  This move is far reaching consequences for the EV industry
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  as it promises to improve efficiency, reduce charging
• 0:17
  times, and tackle various challenges tied to the growing
• 0:21
  mass adoption of E VS. Now, Tesla's recent earnings
• 0:24
  call was loaded with information and you can check out the full
• 0:28
  earnings call if you scroll back a couple episodes and our feed
• 0:31
  here. But the showstopper was
• 0:33
  certainly the announcement that the forthcoming Cyber Truck will
• 0:36
  feature an 800 Volt architecture.
• 0:39
  This is a significant revelation for multiple reasons.
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  It shows Tesla's commitment to advancing these tech solutions
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  for its whole fleet. Not just the Cyber truck, but
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  future vehicles as well. Now you might be wondering why
• 0:52
  all the fuss over 800 volts? It's just a number, right?
• 0:55
  Well, not really. This isn't the first time that
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  800 Volt architecture has appeared on the auto scene.
• 1:01
  Credit goes to Porsche take hand for introducing this feature
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  back in 2018. However, Tesla's choice to
• 1:08
  integrate this into their latest offering sets a precedent,
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  essentially marking it as a necessary future standard for
• 1:15
  EVs. The timing is also crucial given
• 1:18
  Tesla's looming challenges with global economic conditions,
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  making it a calculated yet aggressive move.
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  And in a nutshell, the 800 Volt system in the Cybertruck aims to
• 1:29
  address some of the most pressing concerns in the EV
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  sector, including charging speed and efficiency.
• 1:35
  And this announcement comes against a backdrop of rising
• 1:38
  interest rates, which have created an environment that's
• 1:41
  less than ideal for financial big ticket items like cars.
• 1:45
  And with the Cybertruck's delivery date drawing near, this
• 1:48
  800 Volt news adds a fresh layer of intrigue to Tesla's plans.
• 1:53
  Now for those who like to geek out on the technical side of
• 1:56
  things, 800 Volt architectures are a dream come true.
• 2:00
  One of the most obvious benefits is the reduced charging time.
• 2:03
  Tesla's V4 Superchargers can output 350 kilowatts and 800
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  Volt architecture can take full advantage of that.
• 2:12
  It means less time spent waiting around at a Supercharger station
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  watching a show or listening to music or walking around, which
• 2:21
  is excellent news for everyone involved in the EV marketplace.
• 2:26
  Now another UP site is the weight factor.
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  Because 800 Volt architectures require less copper wiring, the
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  vehicle itself becomes a little bit lighter.
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  This is critical for a monster vehicle like the Cyber Truck
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  whose VIN Decoder has already revealed 2 weight
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  classifications, G&H spanning between 8001 to 10,000 pounds.
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  Lesser weight usually correlates with better performance and
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  increase range, which is a win win for both the manufacturer
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  and for us, the consumers. Now, moreover, the 800 Volt
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  systems are more efficient in transmitting power from the
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  battery to a vehicle's wheels, which translates to lower energy
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  losses. And the system enables electric
• 3:08
  current to reduce the flow of amperage, minimizing heat
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  production and thereby enhancing overall efficiency.
• 3:16
  And the efficiency factor might not sound like a big deal, but
• 3:20
  when you're talking about a vehicle that's as heavy and as
• 3:23
  powerful as a cyber truck, every bit of efficiency counts.
• 3:27
  And with this technology, Tesla has further armed itself against
• 3:31
  one of the most significant barriers to EV adoption.
• 3:35
  Range anxiety, faster charging times and increased efficiency
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  mean drivers are less likely to worry about running out of
• 3:42
  battery power and the adoption of 800 Volt architectures.
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  It could be a decisive move and pushing EV towards mainstream
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  acceptance, effectively making them more practical for long
• 3:53
  distance traveling and daily use in the future.
• 3:56
  And despite its steady growth and robust financials, though,
• 3:59
  Tesla has not been without its share of challenges.
• 4:03
  Companies leadership, including Elon Musk, has been
• 4:05
  straightforward about potential economic hardwinds, how high
• 4:09
  interest rates can discourage consumers from opting for
• 4:13
  finance purchases, adding an extra layer of complexity to
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  test the sales strategy. However, Tesla's Q3 shareholder
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  deck emphasized the economic advantages of 800 Volt systems,
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  particularly for hefty vehicles like the cyber truck.
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  The technology is expected to bring notable cost savings which
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  could be a game changer for Tesla in maintaining or even
• 4:34
  improving its profit margins, especially with a heavy vehicle
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  like the cyber truck between 8000 and 10,000 pounds.
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  This economic factor isn't just about Tesla though, it reflects
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  a bigger trend in the auto industry.
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  As EVs increasingly become the focus of both small and also
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  major automakers, cost effective technologies like 800 Volt
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  architectures will likely become standards.
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  Therefore, Tesla adopting this tech isn't just a smart move for
• 5:02
  them, it may also be setting an industry standard for future EVs
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  and heavy duty EV vehicles. Now interestingly, even though
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  Musk was indicating that the Cybertruck might not be a
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  significant contributor to Tesla's cash flow for up to 18
• 5:19
  months, the 800 Volt system could help expedite the timeline
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  by potentially offering a superior product that requires
• 5:27
  less time and resources in the charging department.
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  Tesla may find that consumers are willing to pay a premium,
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  thereby boosting the cybertruck's financial
• 5:35
  performance sooner than expected.
• 5:38
  Now let's shift gears a little bit if we'd like.
• 5:41
  There's no gear than a cyber truck, by the way.
• 5:43
  And let's talk about something a little bit different.
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  A cyber truck was recently spotted on a freeway.
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  And this is still about the cyber truck, but it's a little
• 5:51
  bit different than the financials in the voltage and it
• 5:54
  appeared to be full of bullet holes.
• 5:57
  Elon Musk confirmed a social media post that it was in fact
• 6:02
  he and his engineers who had unleashed a Tommy gun on the
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  vehicle. No bullets, he claimed, had
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  penetrated the passenger side compartment.
• 6:11
  This this is a a crazy one, but it may be kind of perplexing.
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  But it's in line with Tesla's unorthodox method of showcasing
• 6:20
  vehicle durability. The stunt underscores the cyber
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  truck's initial claim of being bulletproof to certain extents
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  and reiterates Tesla's commitment to out-of-the-box
• 6:29
  testing and development. It's a bold strategy, but one
• 6:32
  that gets people talking. It's a good PR move, and it is
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  often half the battle in today's saturated media environment to
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  at least get people talking about your vehicle.
• 6:44
  Now, Elon Musk's sensational approach to testing isn't just
• 6:47
  for show, it serves A functional purpose too.
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  By taking a Tommy gun to the cyber truck, Tesla game's real
• 6:52
  world data on the vehicle structural integrity.
• 6:55
  This information can be crucial for making improvements,
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  ensuring that the final product that rolls out to consumers is
• 7:01
  both safe and robust. In a world full of cautious PR
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  moves and highly controlled marketing stunts, Tesla's open
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  air gunfire test stands out from everybody else.
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  It captures the imagination, fuels debates, and leaves an
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  indelible impression, which is exactly what disruptive brands
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  like Tesla aim to do. The bullet ridden Cybertruck
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  could very well be another symbol of the company's audacity
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  and the commitment to challenge all of the established norms
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  from other vehicle makers. And as the Cybertruck inches
• 7:32
  closer to its release date, Tesla's future plans for the
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  vehicle remain under intense scrutiny.
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  Although initial production volumes are expected to be low
• 7:41
  with a ramp up in 2024, Tesla's ambitious approach to
• 7:44
  incorporating new technologies like an 800 Volt system suggests
• 7:48
  a long term strategy. And beside the 800 Volt
• 7:51
  architecture, Tesla has also hinted on other innovations like
• 7:54
  energy dense battery cells which could offer even greater range
• 7:59
  now. This constant technological push
• 8:01
  indicates that while the Tesla Cybertruck is almost out, its
• 8:05
  evolution is far from over. Tesla appears keen on iteration
• 8:09
  of the product, much like software updates for your
• 8:11
  smartphone, and the additional price point of $39,900 initially
• 8:17
  has been removed from Tesla's website, sparking other
• 8:20
  speculation about potential changes in pricing strategies.
• 8:23
  While it's not clear whether the cost will go up or down, what's
• 8:26
  evident is that Tesla is keeping its options open.
• 8:30
  This flexibility could be crucial for Cyberduck's success,
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  especially in a volatile economic environment.
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  All in all, Tesla's recent announcements surrounding the
• 8:38
  cyber truck, particularly the 800 Volt architecture, lay the
• 8:42
  groundwork for future innovations and set the stage
• 8:44
  for what could be a very interesting few years to come
• 8:48
  for the auto industry. They also reinforced Tesla's
• 8:51
  position as a trendsetter, a role that has been happy to
• 8:55
  occupy since its inception. Now, thank you very much for
• 8:59
  joining me today on the Elon Musk podcast.
• 9:01
  If you found today's topic compelling, please don't forget
• 9:04
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• 9:20
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• 9:23
  I'll see you in the next one.