Chapter 121 American Characteristics
While Chinese new energy vehicle companies have said they will release big moves this year to completely solve range anxiety through perovskite batteries, Tesla, as a benchmark new energy company, does not support this technology.

This is awkward.

Don’t the bigwigs in Washington know that this will seriously affect Tesla’s global market?

Of course they knew it, even if they didn't know it before, they would know it under Tesla's lobbying team.

But Washington has not taken any action. Occasionally, some congressmen will propose that we should increase the competitiveness of local new energy vehicle companies. The focus of everyone's discussion will be to get Tesla to move its factory back to North America, or to find a way to seize the perovskite battery technology of Guangjia Aerospace.

There are two reasons. One is that no one dares to mention this. If you dare to mention loosening restrictions on Chinese companies, you will be suspected of treason. In today's environment, no politician dares to carry this title. Once associated with this title, you can expect to lose votes or even be investigated.

Secondly, Musk supports the former president. The general election will be held next year. If you support the predecessor, the current president will not care whether you live or die. Party struggles are more fierce than tigers.

These two points have put a damper on Tesla's lobbying efforts. No matter how much money you spend, it will only allow lawmakers to discuss some trivial issues in the Senate, which will not provide any substantial help to Tesla in reversing the current situation.

"Bocas! What I need is results. Right now I don't see any progress on this matter." Musk was blunt and his dissatisfaction was clearly shown on his face, even when he was facing Max Bocas directly.

Bocas was unhappy inside but did not show it on his face. He was not a marginal figure in the Democratic Party but was considered a big shot. During Obama's tenure, he served as the American ambassador to China all year round.

More than ten years ago, this position was considered one of the most important among American ambassadors abroad.

Therefore, he and White also maintain a good personal relationship. It is for these reasons that Tesla asked him to serve as their registered lobbyist in Washington, and the annual remuneration for this is more than two million US dollars.

America's unique revolving door between politics and business is vividly demonstrated, with senior officials taking jobs in companies after leaving office and getting back double what they didn't get before.

This annual salary is already very high. You should know that Tony Podestad, the lobbyist Huawei hired in Washington, can only get $100 million from Huawei every year.

Of course, the difficulty of both parties is different. If the overall environment does not change, Huawei has no progress requirements for Tony, while Tesla hopes that Bocas can produce results as soon as possible.

Even if it is just for the application of perovskite batteries in electric vehicles, it would be fine if they can give the green light. Musk does not expect SpaceX to do the light armor aerospace business.

What made Boas unhappy was that Tesla asked him to be a lobbyist in 21 years, and his task at that time was only the climate bill, hoping that Congress would further promote the implementation of the climate bill.

The specific content of this bill mainly refers to increasing clean energy and climate spending by $3690 billion in the federal budget and expanding the tax credits available to consumers who purchase electric vehicles.

Boas is confident that pushing the bill is not difficult. They have a large number of allies in Washington, a group of lawmakers supported by public utility companies, and even the Democratic Party itself, who will do their best to pass the bill.

But when it comes to China, which is too sensitive, no one dares to touch this bad luck, and there was no such requirement at the time.

Because he was soft-hearted, Boas would not give Musk a cold shoulder, but his expression was also very serious: "Elon, this will take time. You know the current tense relationship between America and China.

It's not so easy to get them to give the green light.

In the current environment, you should know that this is difficult to accomplish. Not only can I not do it in the short term, but any lobbyist you find will also not be able to do it in the short term.

Not Lee Drutman, not Tim Parenti, not Chris Dodd. ”

The names mentioned by Boas are all famous lobbyists in Washington. Among them, Chris Dodd is not on the list of lobbyists in Washington because he promised not to become a lobbyist after retiring from the Senate in 2010.

However, he served as the head of the lobbying group, with an annual salary of $2011 million in 330. This is a typical Tang Niu inequality. I am not a lobbyist, but I am not the head of the lobbying group.

Musk knocked on the table, "We don't have time, Tesla can't wait. If our new cars next year don't use perovskite batteries, then we will become uncompetitive and lose the Chinese, European and even global markets step by step."

This statement is not alarmist at all. Although Chinese electric vehicles equipped with perovskite batteries cannot enter the American market, they can enter other countries' markets.

But Musk knew that Boas was telling the truth. If he couldn't handle it, no one else could either, especially with the general election coming up next year and the party struggles so fierce, no one could handle it.

"And I can't accept that Tesla's Cybertruck, which will be launched this year, will not have perovskite batteries."

The Cybertruck's large-scale use of a flat exterior design makes it a natural fit for solar cells.

They have internally estimated that with the support of perovskite batteries, the Cyberpickup can increase its range by at least 15%, and this proportion will increase in some places with sufficient sunshine.

After learning about this technology, they internally estimated that with the support of perovskite battery technology, the sales of Cybertruck pickup trucks could increase by at least 50%.

You should know that Tesla only has four models so far. Whether the Cybertruck can be successful is crucial to Tesla's market value.

Whether it is the market value or the product itself, Tesla cannot lose the perovskite battery technology.

It is not impossible to develop the product on our own, but it will take at least three years. If it takes three years, by that time, China's new energy vehicles will have already conquered the world.

Boas said slowly: "There are many ways to get something done."

If Chen Yuanguang were here, he would definitely see the same expression on Boas' face as Li Xiande's, an expression that only belongs to an old fox.

Boas went on to say: “Tesla could open up a new path and set up another company, which would then specialize in producing Teslas that carry perovskite batteries.

For example, build another factory next to Tesla's Shenhai factory. The Shenhai factory will produce the core parts and then transport them to the new factory for final assembly and assemble the perovskite batteries.

To circumvent this, new companies can be registered overseas.”

Boas went on to say: “Tesla could even license the new company’s trademark so that it can also use Tesla’s trademark.

The taxation, registration place and production place are not in America. Why do you say it is an American company?

This kind of cooperation model does not require lobbying the White House and Capitol Hill. All you need to do is convince the Department of Commerce to make a patch and give the green light to similar situations. This is much easier to operate, and I am confident that it can be done in the first half of the year."

What Boas offered was a last resort. Musk felt that the annual salary of two million was well worth it and solved a major problem for Tesla.

He patted Boas on the shoulder and said, "Just do it. If you need any resources, please let me know at any time. I will do my best to cooperate with you.

Including all of Tesla's external companies in Washington, they will cooperate with your lobbying."

　and also

　　
　
(End of this chapter)