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Wall Street loves Tesla's Elon Musk, values the brand higher than Fiat

Tesla's value on the stock market far exceeds the number of vehicles it contributes to the automotive market. According to a report from Automotive News, Tesla is currently valued at $8.8 billion. Almost unbelievably, though we've never claimed to have a firm grasp on the inner workings of the stock market, that's a full billion dollars more valuable than Fiat and three times more valuable than PSA Peugeot Citroën, says the report.
How unfathomable is that statistic? Consider the fact that Tesla, a ten-year-old company, just managed to turn its very first profit last quarter and has produced fewer than 10,000 vehicles in its lifetime. How does that compare to an automotive giant like Fiat? Well... it doesn't - The brand sold 44,772 Fiat 500s in the United States alone in 2012, and it owns or controls the Chrysler portfolio of brands along with Ferrari and Maserati... not to mention the hundreds of thousands of cars Fiat Group sells yearly in the rest of the world.
Granted, the number of vehicles sold by a brand is just a small portion of its value, but you may still wonder, Why is such a seemingly small player in the global automotive marketplace such a big deal on Wall Street? According to AN, it has a lot to do with its controversial and headline-grabbing CEO, Elon Musk, and the way he disseminates company information to his investors. How so? We suggest you take a good look at the article here for the whole story.

Dealers in Georgia latest to oppose Tesla showrooms

Tesla has been fighting challenges from dealer groups in several states for years due to the company's decision to sell directly to customers at stores rather than through franchise dealers. The business has won some of these battles like its recent compromise in Pennsylvania, which allows the company to open five stores there. Now, Tesla has another legal struggle ahead of it because the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association is hoping to shut down the brand's boutiques.
The Georgia dealers recently filed a petition to revoke Tesla's dealer license in the state and prevent it from reapplying for another one, according to Automotive News. The company currently operates just one store in Marietta, GA, but it reportedly has two more locations planned around Atlanta in the future. The association claims that Tesla's license limits it to direct sales of a maximum of 150 vehicles a year. It's now selling more than that, but attempting to increase the restriction.
If Tesla wants to keep selling cars in the state, which boasts high incentives and strong popularity around Atlanta for EVs, it needs to switch to franchises, according to the dealers. "No one should be allowed to act as if they are above the law, especially when there is a simple path to compliance that everyone else has agreed to follow," said Bill Morie, president of the association, to Automotive News.

Amusing Tesla fan-made commercial gives Nozzie the EV blues

One thing you can say about Tesla Motors enthusiasts, they certainly seem a creative bunch of brand boosters. Since the California automaker started selling its electric vehicles, fan-made commercials have been plugging an advertising void – the company famously has yet to make a spot of its own for broadcast. Now, there's a new one. It seems that, in a world where liquid fuel is no longer as necessary as it once was, one particular gas pump nozzle has developed a bad case of the sads. In this epic production that clocks in at less than a minute-and-a-half, we ride an emotional roller coaster from lost relevance to possible redemption as "Nozzie" tries to find his/her way in this new, confusing landscape. Directed by Greg Bradley under the auspices of Ajar Pictures, the amusing ad is apparently a spec commercial, meaning that it was produced in hopes of helping those involved land a paid gig. It might work. The piece has caught Tesla's Twitter attention and we think you'll probably enjoy it also. We certainly laughed and cried, and it was better than Cats. Scroll down to see what we mean. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.