T
The mind behind Tesla, SpaceX, SolarCity ... | Elon Musk
@ TED
03/20/13
Takeaways
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
It's extremely important that we have sustainable transport and sustainable energy production, as solving the overall sustainable energy problem is the biggest challenge of this century, regardless of environmental concerns.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
Even if you use the same fuel source to charge electric cars, you're still better off than burning it in an internal combustion engine, achieving at least twice the efficiency when charging an electric car.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
To accelerate the advent of electric transport, we need to create energy-efficient cars that are incredibly light, which is why the Tesla has an all-aluminum body and chassis, applying rocket design techniques to offset the weight of the battery pack.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
The Tesla Model S has the lowest drag coefficient of any car in its size category, resulting in very low energy usage and a competitive range of about 250 miles on a single charge.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
The responsiveness of an electric car is incredible, allowing drivers to feel as if they are one with the car, which is a profound difference compared to gasoline cars.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
Tesla's goal is to follow a three-step process for mass-market vehicles: starting with an expensive car at low volume, then a medium-priced car at medium volume, and finally a low-priced car at high volume, with the third generation expected to be around $30,000.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
Tesla has developed Supercharging technology, allowing drivers to charge their cars at five times the rate of conventional chargers, making long-distance travel feasible with a network covering California, Nevada, and the Eastern seaboard.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
Solar power will ultimately beat all other energy sources, including natural gas, because it has no feedstock or operational costs once installed, and the key is to lower the initial installation and financing costs.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
Tesla offers solar systems that can be purchased or leased, with the typical lease lasting 20 years, allowing consumers to pay no upfront costs while decreasing their utility bills, and you can pay less for solar energy than your current utility bill.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
SolarCity raises capital from partners like Google to purchase and install solar panels, charging homeowners a monthly lease that is lower than their utility bill.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
SolarCity is creating a new type of distributed utility, empowering homeowners and businesses by providing competition against traditional utility monopolies.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
I'm extremely confident that solar energy will become at least a plurality of power in the U.S. within 20 years, meaning more power from solar than any other source.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
The goal of SpaceX is to advance rocket technology, particularly by developing a rapidly and fully reusable rocket, which is essential for humanity to become a space-faring civilization.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
I believe there's a fundamental difference between a humanity that explores multiple planets and one that remains confined to Earth until extinction.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
We've achieved a significant reduction in rocket building costs, around 75%, through innovations in airframe, engines, and launch operations.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
The big innovation in space travel is making rockets reusable, which could lead to a 100-fold improvement in the cost of spaceflight.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
To become a space-faring civilization, we must solve the problem of rocket reusability, as all other modes of transport are reusable.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
I apply first principles reasoning to boil things down to their fundamental truths and reason up from there, rather than reasoning by analogy.
EM
Elon Musk
03/20/13
@ TED
It's crucial to pay attention to negative feedback and solicit it, especially from friends, as it can be incredibly helpful for innovation.