Elon Musk Publishes Tesla's Master Plan Part 2 with Goal to Power the World and Transform Transportation

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla, Inc. has published part two of the company’s Master Plan, which reveals a grand ambition for Tesla to provide the means for its customers to become their own energy producers via rooftop solar systems (combining solar panels with Tesla batteries), expanding EV production and improving self-driving technology, and helping its customers make money by having their cars used in the fleet of Tesla vehicles that can be used for public transit purposes.

Here are some quotes from the document that can be read in full here: https://www.tesla.com/blog/master-plan-part-deux

“Create a smoothly integrated and beautiful solar-roof-with-battery product that just works, empowering the individual as their own utility, and then scale that throughout the world. One ordering experience, one installation, one service contact, one phone app . . .

“Today, Tesla addresses two relatively small segments of premium sedans and SUVs. With the Model 3, a future compact SUV and a new kind of pickup truck, we plan to address most of the consumer market. A lower cost vehicle than the Model 3 is unlikely to be necessary, because of the third part of the plan described below . . .

“In addition to consumer vehicles, there are two other types of electric vehicle needed: heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport. Both are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year. We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate . . .

“When true self-driving is approved by regulators, it will mean that you will be able to summon your Tesla from pretty much anywhere. Once it picks you up, you will be able to sleep, read or do anything else enroute to your destination.

“You will also be able to add your car to the Tesla shared fleet just by tapping a button on the Tesla phone app and have it generate income for you while you’re at work or on vacation, significantly offsetting and at times potentially exceeding the monthly loan or lease cost.”

It’s a simple plan, well laid out — and very ambitious, which is certainly true to form with Elon Musk. It seems like Musk is counting on solar to be the source of all the energy for all the vehicles mentioned here, and that that they would all be powered by lithium batteries. Not only is he talking passenger cars, but also pickup trucks, trucks (lorries) and buses — where battery power needs would be tremendous. That’s going to require a lot of lithium, among other raw materials. I don’t doubt that Musk is serious about this, but I do hope that he will look into LENR as a power source if it comes on the market. I can’t imagine he would ignore the potential that it would bring in helping him achieve his ambition.