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Elon Musk: Officially a fraud and piece of shit. Official or unofficial war criminal?


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2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Yeah.....but he's not.  You may have bought it back when the slogan, whether it be a Tesla logo or the statement "make America great again" wasn't attached to a movement.

But now, both are.  Completely and irrevocably.  Sucks for people who bought either a Tesla or a clothing item with that slogan before they became what they are today, but that doesn't change the truth.

I mean, you may have been a great sanskrit enthusiast who had some cool tile work put in before the 1930s, but, ummm, you probably oughta pull that up today.

Romswastika-small_large.jpg?v=1492753768

 

1 hour ago, C-Man said:

Yep. Fair or not, I make all kinds of assumptions when I see somebody driving a CyberTruck. Truth be told, starting to feel that way about all Tesla drivers though I do know some who bought theirs before Elon went full-MAGA. My next door neighbors are as hard-core Dems as you can get but they bought a Tesla literally right before he went publicly went over the deep end. I haven't asked if they plan to get rid of it any time soon.

 

2 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

You can get defensive of your decisions and try to argue posts and statistics here, but this isn't something that you can argue, because it's perception. There is a certain segment of people that absolutely sees the Cybertruck as a MAGA hat. If you want to simply state, well, I don't believe it's that big of a percentage of people, ok. Some folks here would say "Oh, no, it's a huge percentage of people who see a big red MAGA hat." You can't prove either point, becuase it's one person's perception. 

I definitely see a MAGA hat. 

I don't disagree that there are many in this echo-chamber thread that feel this way.  I simply don't think it's nearly as common as many of you want it to be.

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1 minute ago, Guadaloopy said:

I simply don't think it's nearly as common as many of you want it to be.

In Austin at least, it's a lot more common than YOU want it to be.  Just an FYI.  When a particular cybertruck drives by Turnstile before every Austin FC match, there's a shitload of snickers and eyerolling from the crowd outside, as just one example.

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3 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

In Austin at least, it's a lot more common than YOU want it to be.  Just an FYI.  When a particular cybertruck drives by Turnstile before every Austin FC match, there's a shitload of snickers and eyerolling from the crowd outside, as just one example.

Cybertruck /= all Teslas

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5 minutes ago, Guadaloopy said:

 

 

I don't disagree that there are many in this echo-chamber thread that feel this way.  I simply don't think it's nearly as common as many of you want it to be.

And that's a fair response. I certainly can't refute it. 

Lots of people probably don't see a MAGA hat, they just see a tool. 

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https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-x-twitter-twitter-subpoenas-jeffrey-epstein-accuser-case-2024-7
 

https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-x-is-reportedly-resisting-a-subpoena-in-jeffrey-epstein-related-legal-case-2000476538

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X (the website formerly known as Twitter) is reportedly stonewalling subpoena requests related to a legal case involving dead financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Why? Nobody knows, but it sure is weird.

Quote

According to Business Insider, the social media platform refuses to give up information about one of the accounts linked to an Epstein accuser, a woman named Rina Oh Amen. The legal case is otherwise unrelated to the platform itself, instead it involves a spat between Oh Amen and another Epstein accuser, the more well-known Virginia Giuffre.

While both women claim to have been victimized by Epstein, the dispute between them involves mutual accusations that they also participated in Epstein’s criminal activities.

Quote

[Ghislaine] Maxwell recruited Giuffre at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida in 2000, bringing her to Epstein. Giuffre has blamed Oh Amen for participating in the abuse by sexually and physically abusing her in the early 2000s. In 2021, Oh Amen sued Giuffre, alleging Giuffre defamed her with those claims. Giuffre countersued, alleging Oh Amen was Epstein’s “girlfriend.” In court filings and public statements, each has accused the other of acting as one of Epstein’s recruiters rather than a true victim.

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The process of legal discovery is currently transpiring to acquire evidence related to the case, and both women’s attorneys are reaching out to relevant third parties. As part of this process, Giuffre has attempted to get access to one of Oh Amen’s former accounts on X that involved correspondence with Giuffre. This account was previously suspended, locking Oh Amen out and cutting off access to the DMs.

Quote

While a simple request by Giuffre lawyers for access to the account would seem a no-brainer, Insider writes that attorneys representing X have “countered with baffling, lengthy legalese-filled responses saying they wouldn’t provide any records,” and that, in one case, a company lawyer wrote “that Oh Amen had access to the X records and they could ask her — even though the whole point of the subpoena was that Oh Amen couldn’t access her data from her account.”

Quote

What exactly X is playing at here is anybody’s guess. As of May, X’s founder and former CEO, Elon Musk, was tied up in another legal case linked to Epstein. The U.S. Virgin Islands, the territory where Epstein’s infamous “pedo island” was located, subpoenaed Musk earlier this year for any communications he might have had with Epstein and with JP Morgan Chase. The Virgin Islands is currently suing JP Morgan Chase and has accused the bank of enabling Epstein’s crimes. Musk isn’t accused of any wrongdoing in the case, though he is one of numerous Silicon Valley luminaries who have been subpoenaed in the case (including Google’s co-founders Sergei Brin and Larry Page).

 

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23 minutes ago, Guadaloopy said:

I don't disagree that there are many in this echo-chamber thread that feel this way.  I simply don't think it's nearly as common as many of you want it to be.

Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man.

 

From April:

Would-be Tesla buyers snub company as Musk's reputation dips

SAN FRANCISCO/LONDON, April 1 (Reuters) - The ranks of would-be Tesla buyers in the United States are shrinking, according to a survey by market intelligence firm Caliber, which attributed the drop in part to CEO Elon Musk's polarizing persona.

While Tesla continued to post strong sales growth last year, helped by aggressive price cuts, the electric-vehicle maker is expected to report weak quarterly sales, opens new tab as early as Tuesday.

Caliber's "consideration score" for Tesla, opens new tab, provided exclusively to Reuters, fell to 31% in February, less than half its high of 70% in November 2021 when it started tracking consumer interest in the brand.

Tesla's consideration score fell 8 percentage points from January alone even as Caliber's scores for Mercedes (MBGn.DE), opens new tab, BMW (BMWG.DE), opens new tab and Audi, which produce gas as well as EV models, inched up during that same period, reaching 44-47%.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Musk in the past has blamed high-interest rates for curbing consumer demand for big ticket items like cars.
Caliber cited strong associations between Tesla's reputation and that of Musk for the scores.

"It's very likely that Musk himself is contributing to the reputational downfall," Caliber CEO Shahar Silbershatz told Reuters, saying his company's survey shows 83% of Americans connect Musk with Tesla.

Reuters spoke to five marketing, polling and car experts who said controversies surrounding Musk's increasingly right-wing politics and public statements are weighing on Tesla's brand and demand.

"It is hard enough to win sales without getting into politics," said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Economic fears, the lack of affordable new models and rising competition from cheaper rivals like China's BYD have also been cited by Wall Street analysts as putting pressure on Tesla.

Overall electric vehicle sales in the U.S. are forecast to increase 15% in the first quarter of this year, according to estimates by researcher Cox Automotive. Tesla sales are projected to increase by 3%.

"The EV slowdown is shaping up to be a Tesla slowdown," Cox analyst Stephanie Valdez Streaty said during a conference call Thursday.

New car registrations for Teslas in California- their biggest market in the U.S. - posted their first drop in over three years in the fourth quarter of 2023 even as EV sales rose overall.

At least five analysts cut Tesla's target price last month, saying the automaker could post disappointing first-quarter delivery results. Tesla shares are down nearly 30% year to date.

Musk's outsized personality benefited Tesla as he promoted tackling climate change by reimagining cars as stylish, electric computers on wheels that could beat gasoline guzzlers in looks, performance and handling.

Tesla achieved breakneck annual sales growth for more than a decade.

COURTED CONTROVERSY
In recent years, the billionaire courted controversy with comments and actions including his embrace of the Republican party and endorsement of anti-semitic comments on X. Musk has denied being anti-semitic.

When asked by an investor during a January 2023 conference call if his political comments were hurting Tesla's brand and sales, Musk said he was "reasonably popular," referring to his then 127 million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Whether you hate me, like me or are indifferent, do you want the best car, or do you not want the best car?" Musk said at another event in November.

Brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance found Tesla's reputation fell in 2023, opens new tab in the United States, the Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, and Australia. Tesla's reputation did not suffer in China, where access to news on the company and its CEO may have been limited, and Germany.

In the U.S., a survey by consumer analytics firm CivicScience, opens new tab shown exclusively to Reuters found that 42% of respondents had an unfavorable view of Musk in February, up from 34% in April 2022 when Musk disclosed his stake in Twitter.

"A modest but growing number of EV shoppers are increasingly put off by Elon Musk's behavior and politics and are now finding viable alternatives to Tesla in the marketplace," Ed Kim, president of California-based consultancy AutoPacific said.

That group includes Jonny Page, a London-based consultant who works with climate-focused startups and will purchase an EV this summer. It will not be a Tesla.
Page, 36, said his decision is partly because of concerns over Tesla safety but mostly about Musk's "unhinged" behavior. "I don't want to put a single penny in that man's pockets," Page said.

"I CAN'T GO BACK TO GAS"
Tesla's reputation is still sterling with many.

Market researcher S&P Mobility shows Tesla has the highest loyalty among major car brands, with 68% of owners choosing another Tesla when they bought a new car last year.

Christian Cook, a Tesla Model 3 owner in Texas who identified as leaning right, said Musk's actions made no difference and that he was "becoming numb to the shenanigans."

Kat Beyer, a climate activist in Wisconsin, said she wanted to avoid Tesla because of Musk's support for Republicans, but wound up buying a Model Y last year because of a lack of EVs with reliable charging infrastructure.

"It's hard to drive the car associated with him," Beyer said. "But I can't go back to gas."

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27 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

If every accusation is a confession by some of these sickos, I will just say that Elon Musk has a history of calling people or implying that they are a pedo a lot. The two guys that come to mind for me was Vern Unsworth, that British cave diver involved with the rescue of the Thai soccer team, and Yoel Roth, former head of Trust and Safety at Twitter. 

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45 minutes ago, Guadaloopy said:

They won't.  Because it is a great car and has a 0% reflection of their political affiliations. 

LOL at you telling me what my neighbors are going to do. Really good friend in CA dumped hers in favor of a Rivian because Elmo is such a shithead.

 

43 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Definitely showing, digging up two year-old posts and hinting that diversity led to today’s crowdstrike fuckup.

 

That thread? Wow.

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1 minute ago, Chopper said:

Is Tesla for MAGAs or gullible tools? Who can say.

image.png.45b7c6accc9180cc084439993c0f44f5.png

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/elon-musk-robotaxi-tesla-1235062700/

image.thumb.png.2433c592e7d2ab968a8345274618ce17.png

image.png.d78df0b3f173835c8205327a980c551e.png

 

8/8 he says? Probably just mere coincidence it aligns with maga-nazi terminology.

So if those robotaxis fail to launch or crash into things, is that on DEI at Tesla or should I blame white engineers? 

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15 minutes ago, bolverk said:

Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man.

 

From April:

Would-be Tesla buyers snub company as Musk's reputation dips

SAN FRANCISCO/LONDON, April 1 (Reuters) - The ranks of would-be Tesla buyers in the United States are shrinking, according to a survey by market intelligence firm Caliber, which attributed the drop in part to CEO Elon Musk's polarizing persona.

While Tesla continued to post strong sales growth last year, helped by aggressive price cuts, the electric-vehicle maker is expected to report weak quarterly sales, opens new tab as early as Tuesday.

Caliber's "consideration score" for Tesla, opens new tab, provided exclusively to Reuters, fell to 31% in February, less than half its high of 70% in November 2021 when it started tracking consumer interest in the brand.

Tesla's consideration score fell 8 percentage points from January alone even as Caliber's scores for Mercedes (MBGn.DE), opens new tab, BMW (BMWG.DE), opens new tab and Audi, which produce gas as well as EV models, inched up during that same period, reaching 44-47%.

Meanwhile in the largest US market for EVs

image.png.78fa2bb2c87ac972a771213dc1b9d369.png

image.png.a1ee89c9dd0269a9707e508a19955741.png

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/teslas-california-registrations-fell-24-second-quarter-dealer-data-shows-2024-07-18/

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5 minutes ago, mdmost said:

So if those robotaxis fail to launch or crash into things, is that on DEI at Tesla or should I blame white engineers? 

The white engineers have been failing at their design work and missing deadlines for the past 5 years, at least.

 

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3 minutes ago, Chopper said:

8/8 he says? Probably just mere coincidence it aligns with maga-nazi terminology.

Let's not forget the Robotaxi has been delayed until October

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-11/tesla-plans-to-delay-robotaxi-unveiling-to-october-from-august?embedded-checkout=true

https://cleantechnica.com/2024/07/16/elon-musk-confirming-delayed-tesla-robotaxi-event-confirms-other-things/

The second article is super key, because they point out - despite the event, they probably are just going to show you something and then not be anywhere close to delivering it:

Quote

My assumption ... was that Tesla wasn’t going to be announcing Tesla robotaxi, but would simply be showing a robotaxi prototype that could one day theoretically be used for robotaxi service once the software is ready. Sort of like how the Tesla Semi was revealed years before it went into limited commercial service and the Tesla Roadster 2 was shown several years ago but still isn’t on the road. In theory, the robotaxi vehicle could be used in a year, or it could be used in 5 years, depending on when the software is ready and the vehicle is truly finalized.

...

Musk has now confirmed that it is indeed a new vehicle model that will be presented at the event, but has also confirmed that the vehicle’s exterior design is still being worked out. “Requested what I think is an important design change to the front, and extra time allows us to show off a few other things,” Elon tweeted. Oh, “other things” being added too.

In short, this vehicle is still in pretty early design stages. It’s certainly not ready for prime time, and it won’t be roaming the streets of Cali or NYC picking people up and dropping them off anytime soon. It’s a vehicle concept.

Emphasis all mine.

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1 minute ago, Captain Ron said:

Let's not forget the Robotaxi has been delayed until October

 

I can only imagine Mosk's disappointment when he discovered he wouldn't  be able to roll out even a heap of junk prototype on hh day.

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3 minutes ago, cmontexas said:

In LA, Teslas are far and away the most common model car found on the road

Being in SOCAL last week, can confirm they're pretty common.  Of course, California's emission rules pushed EVs to be much more common there long ago, so it's a pretty solid outlier in that respect.

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4 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

How the fuck are Tesla shareholders tolerating this shit from Musk? I get that he’s going hard right, but if he’s the brilliant businessman he pretends to be, what the fuck is he doing defending this shit?  If the incentives go away, I don’t see how Tesla can survive, given how much they’ve already cut with prices.

 

GS2rkyRXUAAIGnj?format=jpg&name=large

 

Racism over profits. A true South African. 

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2 hours ago, Stringer said:

What’s he going to do? Attack the bad guys with his beard lice?

2 hours ago, Deej said:

He put his fake beard on backwards. 

Well he damn sure can't grow a real one. Maybe it's why he feels so inadequate and has to post stupid fucking cosplay AI images.

OIP.0fbDcaBXznCgtZolcijrdgAAAA?rs=1&pid=

81245a2b4368ace8e61988cedea6a204d6-30-El

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11 hours ago, Guadaloopy said:

Cybertruck /= all Teslas

I would agree with this. We're approaching the point where "Tesla driver = MAGA hat."

I think the key distinction we have to draw is that the CyberTruck came out *after* it was abundantly clear that Musk is a dangerous, petulant, downright repugnant person, who is actively working to subvert liberal ideas such as democracy across the world, including in our very own republic.

On the other hand, because the Model 3, S, X, and Y are functionally over a decade old with no notable changes or improvements, it is impossible to know whether someone bought their Tesla in the last few years -- in which case, MAGA hat on wheels would apply!  -- or whether they bought it 5, 10, whatever years ago when it wasn't eminently clear that Musk is a cunt.

For that reason, I still generally give non-CT Tesla drivers the benefit of the doubt. If Tesla comes out with another new model or a substantial update to one of its existing models that's not just essentially "this trim piece is slightly different" (Model S!) -- that is, you will be able to tell the driver bought it new and supported Tesla the company, which is now essentially a milk-cow for Musk's dystopian dreams, and Musk himself -- then that will get the "MAGA hat on wheels" designation like the CT.

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7 hours ago, choripan said:

On the other hand, because the Model 3, S, X, and Y are functionally over a decade old with no notable changes or improvements, 

Just a minor quibble but it’s Model S, 3, X, Y. 
 

Because “E” was taken by Mercedes and their E-Class, But Musk was determined to make the Tesla model numbers spell “SEXY” so he had to go with “3” instead.  

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Just a minor quibble but it’s Model S, 3, X, Y. 
 
Because “E” was taken by Mercedes and their E-Class, But Musk was determined to make the Tesla model numbers spell “SEXY” so he had to go with “3” instead.  

The thing is…if he wasn’t such a pathetic and unfunny loser, he brings JUST the right about of juvenile perspective to be a hero to the guys on this site. If he was a SELF-AWARE Beavis and Butthead-type, he’d be awesome. But he’s not. He thinks he’s actually cool. Which makes him the King of Cringe.
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44 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Just a minor quibble but it’s Model S, 3, X, Y. 
 

Because “E” was taken by Mercedes and their E-Class, But Musk was determined to make the Tesla model numbers spell “SEXY” so he had to go with “3” instead.  

Was aware. Purposely never spell it that way because Fuck Elon and his jokes.

Let that sink in.

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11 minutes ago, choripan said:

Was aware. Purposely never spell it that way because Fuck Elon and his jokes.

Let that sink in.

You're just being salty because you know someday Elon's going to put a man in on Uranus.

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Tesla sales continuing to drop. 

https://fortune.com/2024/07/19/tesla-sales-falling-california-toyota-hyundai-ford-rising/

Quote

This might be the end of a love affair that became unrequited. Elon Musk has been steadfast in bashing California and has pledged to move Tesla, SpaceX, and X to Texas. Californians, in turn, are turning their backs on Musk.  

Quote

Tesla sales in California dropped 24.1 % in the second quarter, the brand’s third straight quarterly decline in the state. Purchases dipped 7.8% in the first quarter of 2024 and 9.8% in the final quarter of last year. Year-to-date, Tesla sales in California are down 17% compared to last year, according to the latest analysis of new vehicle registrations published by the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA). Instead of a Tesla from Musk’s $793 billion electric vehicle empire, California car buyers are purchasing battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) from Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford. The analysis found Toyota BEV registrations have soared 108.1% so far this year, while Hyundai and Ford BEV registrations rose 65.7% and 26.4%, respectively.  

So he’s helping boost sales of Toyota, Ford, and Hyundai 

Well Done Clapping GIF by MOODMAN
 

Quote

Without new models to entice customers, buyers look elsewhere for new cars, he said. And while Tesla has dominated the EV market, the past several years have seen competitors creep in and erode the company’s share with lower costs, newer cars, and greater variety, he explained. Accordingly, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is now the third best-selling EV in California this year, wresting control of third place from the Tesla Model X, the CNCDA analysis found.

Quote

Now, staunchly Blue California has learned about Musk’s reported $45 million a monthdonation to a pro-Trump Super PAC and his endorsement of the former president and Republican Party nominee. This might not bode well for already declining sales, and the Hyundai Ioniq’s rising popularity could be the first blush of a blue backlash.

“When there’s a shift in the brand, that’s always going to have an impact on consumer behavior,” said Maas.  

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-07-18/california-ev-sales-decline-again

Quote

Tesla, once the darling of California car buyers, was hit hard. It’s still by far the EV sales leader, but Tesla’s California sales plunged 24.1% in the second quarter. Nationally, according to Kelley Blue Book, Tesla sales dropped 6.3% for the second quarter, even as total EV sales climbed 7.3%.

There are no hard data to suggest why Americans, and Californians in particular, are turning against Tesla. But the Tesla trend in the Golden State doesn’t look good.

Well, he posts this kind of stuff a lot, especially today.   Spoiled because it’s red hat stuff. 

Spoiler

 

The Forbes article mentions that a large chunk of California owns EVs while it’s well below 10% in the rest of the country.  And Elmo is doing nothing to get the rest of the country to embrace EVs. In fact, he’s embracing politicians who would love to see the end of EVs.  

How the fuck are shareholders not filing a class-action lawsuit against him for damaging the brand and embracing people who will hurt the company?

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2 hours ago, Hefeweizen said:

I fully expect him to drive Tesla into the ground.  He’s going to make himself Marge Schott before he’s done.

Well, we sure as hell know Tesla's not capable of driving itself into the ground....

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4 hours ago, elfenix said:

i keep being told that EV sales fell off a cliff, was that not correct?

Well, Musk wants you to automatically assume that EV = Tesla, and Tesla sales have dropped three quarters in a row.

And if that $7,500 credit goes away, a whole lot of Tesla bros won’t be buying new ones in the future.

These are the threats to Tesla  - cars with an actual recent design

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles - 11 different models, a mix of battery, fuel cell, and hybrid,

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles/ioniq-5 - this one in particularly is hurting Tesla sales

https://www.ford.com/electric/ - Ford has an EV F-150, a Mustang, and a transit/cargo van

https://www.toyota.com/electrified-vehicles/section/lineup/tab/hybrid-ev Toyota has 15 hybrid-EVs, 2 plug-in hybrid EVs, 1 fuel-cell EV, and a battery EV.  

Hell, it looks like at a minimum they have hybrid EV versions of all of their vehicles, including the Land Cruiser and Sequoia, Tacoma and Tundra..

Elmo has Models S, Y, 3, X, and Cyberturd.

Edited by atomheartbevo
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