Rebirth of the Financial Crisis Sweeping the World

Wang Guanxi thought for a while and then said: Mulally, the trend of electric vehicles will rise in the automobile industry in the future. After Ford Motor Company's assets become positive, you can try to get Ford Motor Company to start producing electric vehicles, so that electric vehicles can match traditional Car combination.”

Although traditional cars still occupy the main market now, electric cars will also rise in the future, and the most famous one is undoubtedly Elon Musk's Tesla Motors.

The upgrading of traditional cars comes and goes, that is, improving speed, performance, and safety, but are these what consumers need?

Yes, but the future is the era of electric cars and smart cars.

We must know that in the future, the market value of Tesla Motors will exceed that of the nine major automakers combined. At that time, Tesla had just made a profit. What is this Tesla?

Wang Guanxi remembered that Tesla's market value increased by more than 500 billion US dollars in 2020. Although the company sold a small number of cars, its market value actually exceeded the combined market value of the world's nine largest automobile companies.

These automakers are Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, General Motors, Ford, Honda, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot.

And at that time, Tesla announced its third quarter 2020 financial report. The report showed that Tesla Motors' total revenue in the third quarter was US$8.771 billion, and its net profit in the third quarter reached US$143 million, achieving five consecutive quarters of profitability.

This financial report seems pretty good, but it might as well be compared.

Toyota Motor announced its second fiscal quarter of fiscal 2021. Data show that during the reporting period, Toyota achieved total sales revenue of 6.77 trillion yen and net profit of 481.741 billion yen (approximately RMB 30.8 billion).

Comparing these two, I believe we can find that there is still a considerable gap between Tesla and Toyota. Under such circumstances, Tesla's market value is not at least due to its very good financial data. This must be clear.

First, Tesla has the attributes of a new energy vehicle, so its valuation method is not that of the traditional automobile manufacturing industry. The automobile manufacturing industry is too traditional, making it difficult for it to bring enough freshness to the market. However, Tesla is based on As a high-tech enterprise, it represents the future development direction of the automobile market. This kind of freshness is not available in traditional automobiles.

Second, Tesla itself is not just a car, but the entire smart travel method. It is an artificial intelligence company. The car is just a carrier. Comprehensive artificial intelligence advantages, especially autonomous driving, are Tesla’s future. In this regard, it is particularly Silla's expectations are undoubtedly a huge advantage.

Therefore, it has crushed the market value of traditional car companies. The total market value of the nine major traditional car companies is not as much as Tesla.

This shows its horror and the sincerity of Musk, a scientific madman.

Thinking of this, Wang Guanxi continued: Alan Mulally, with the advancement of technology, the development of artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and smart cars will appear at any time in the future, Ford Motor Company must be prepared and not stick to the research and development of traditional cars. !”

He also plans to find Musk and invest in Tesla and SpaceX. His wealth will ride on Musk's coattails and achieve huge growth.

However, Ford Motor Company is also a company he controls. If Ford Motor Company develops rapidly in the future, he will not sell off the 1.5 billion Class A shares he holds and will continue to hold them.

Of course, it is still difficult for Ford Motor Company to develop electric vehicles that surpass Tesla Motors. Without technology, everything is in vain.

Thinking of this, Wang Guanxi added: After Ford Motor Company makes a profit, we will first invest a small amount of money in the research and development of electric vehicle companies, and then move on to the research and development of smart cars, and just take our time.

Boss, I have this idea too. Alan Mulally also expressed his views on the electric vehicle industry.

In 2008, the company's board of directors discussed electric vehicles, but Bill Ford was not optimistic about electric vehicles.

In addition, Ford Motor Company is in crisis and has no intention of investing huge sums of money in making electric vehicles.

Then he added: Some time ago, an electric car company almost went bankrupt. I once planned to acquire it, but it was rejected.

At this time, Peter Thiel, who had been silent all the time, suddenly asked: Mr. Alan Mulally, is this Tesla Motors?

Tesla Motors is the company of his friend Elon Musk.

Although the two had a bad time at Paypal, Musk kicked him out of Paypal as the founder, and then became CEO. Later, Musk's management was poor, and he teamed up with the board of directors to kick Musk out of Paypal, and he Serve as CEO.

In the end, due to his efforts, PayPal became profitable, went public, and was acquired by eBay, and everyone made money.

The relationship became very good, and Musk asked him for help and asked him to invest in Tesla, but he did not invest. He only invested in Musk's SpaceX company.

He thought that Musk's Tesla was going bankrupt, but he didn't expect that it would still be carrying on.

Ford Motor Company wanted to acquire Tesla, but Musk refused. I really don’t know what to say about him.

Damn it, the company is going bankrupt, it would be great to sell it.

If you don’t sell it now, you won’t be able to get anything when you go bankrupt.

Want to be broke?

Thinking of this, Peter Thiel asked again: Musk really refused?

At this time, Alan Mulally nodded, Yes, Tesla Motors CEO Musk refused, and also claimed that Tesla's electric car is the first in the electric car industry and will be launched soon, making Ford Car companies invest in it and cooperate with it.

Wang Guanxi asked: Alan Mulally, what do you think of Musk?

Alan Mulally thought for a while and said: In the media, they all say that Musk is a liar who likes to brag, talk, and show off. I met him at an investment reception before and he likes to talk.

He carefully recalled the brief conversation with Musk that night, and added: His company has certain technologies. I acquired his company because I wanted Tesla's technology, but he didn't agree.

Wang Guanxi smiled and said: That's really a pity.

He also didn't expect that Alan Mulally and Elon Musk had also discussed acquisitions.

At this time, Peter Thiel said: This friend of mine is very stubborn. He likes to go all the way to the dark side of things and beat him to death, the kind of lunatic who never looks back.

Tesla almost went bankrupt last year, but Musk was lucky. The investors left three days before bankruptcy. I was helpless at the time.

Wang Guanxi smiled and said: Peter, tell me briefly about your friend Musk.

Peter Thiel laughed: “I remember Tesla’s round of financing closed at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve in 2008.

The last possible hour of the last day as investors left for the night and Tesla was 3 days away from bankruptcy.

At that time, Musk had invested all his money and had no house, so he had to borrow money from me and several former colleagues to pay the rent.”

Alan Mulally: This guy is really a tenacious young man, and he still persists until now.

Wang Guanxi also said: I didn't expect that I couldn't even pay the rent. It's quite miserable.

Peter Thiel laughed: What's even worse is that Musk had no money to live at all at that time. He was also involved in divorce proceedings, so he relied on borrowing money from friends like us.

Moreover, SpaceX is in trouble after three failed launches, and he is desperate.

At that time, he brought the Tesla Roadster to the market, and Tesla was hemorrhaging money.

In the divorce filing, Musk also ran out of cash and his financial situation was extremely dire. He was heavily in debt and not just bankrupt.

Wang Guanxi: It turns out to be so miserable.

Peter Thiel said helplessly: I was forced to invest 20 million US dollars in his SpaceX company at that time. After three rocket launch failures, I really wanted to hammer him!

“During the financial crisis at that time, Tesla was really on the verge of bankruptcy. Musk would often wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night and cry in his girlfriend’s arms. His girlfriend thought he would die of a heart attack because his complexion was getting worse day by day. One day difference. The rocket launch was not going well at that time. SpaceX and Tesla needed money to maintain operations, but Musk couldn't even pay his salary.

Wang Guanxi asked: He couldn't raise money or get a loan. How did he get the money?

Peter Thiel thought for a while and said: Musk was so brave that he actually misappropriated the customer's advance payment for buying a car. This operation alone may send him to prison, but the money will be spent very quickly. Empty.

Musk started borrowing money from friends we all knew. I lent him $600,000, and he even borrowed money from Tesla employees, who actually lent money to the company.

Wang Guanxi: That's really not easy.

Alan Mulally: If Musk doesn't go bankrupt this time, he will definitely do great things in the future.

Peter Thiel laughed and said: At that time, the media released a Tesla Death Countdown event online, waiting to collect Tesla's body. The media ridiculed him every day in order to gain traffic, and everything was heading towards collapse. Musk Just want to stare into the abyss while swallowing glass.”

Fortunately, his SpaceX company's fourth rocket launch was successful, and then he went around asking for help, hoping to win orders from NASA so that he could survive.

But Griffin, the head of NASA, is an enemy of Musk and is trying his best to embarrass Musk. Seeing that this road was dead, NASA people kept lobbying Griffin. Finally, NASA gave Musk an order, and Musk survived, but now he is still short of money.

Wang Guanxi and Alan Mulally couldn't help but sigh when they heard this horrific story.

Alan Mulally lamented: No wonder he refused directly when I offered to acquire his Tesla company.

Wang Guanxi also smiled and said: Maybe his Tesla company will shine in the future.

Peter Thiel said: SpaceX is okay, but Tesla Motors has been losing money. It loses money even if it buys a car. This electric car company still won't survive for long. I took 20 million US dollars at that time Invested in his SpaceX company, not Tesla.

Wang Guanxi asked: Peter, why don't you vote for Tesla?

Peter Thiel thought for a while and said: I think as a venture investor, there are always some shortcuts and investment rules of your own, although these rules may not always be correct. But in the past ten years, especially from 2005 to During 2008, there was an investment rule in Silicon Valley: never invest in clean energy technology companies. Musk’s Tesla company does not comply with my investment principles, not to mention that people are not yet enthusiastic about electric vehicles. Musk’s Tesla It will continue to lose money, and if it fails to attract investors that day, it will go bankrupt.”

Wang Guanxi was stunned. This is indeed what Peter Thiel said. People are not yet enthusiastic about electric vehicles. Musk’s Tesla has indeed been losing money and has been seeking financing. When it can’t attract investors, , Tesla will go bankrupt. In fact, this is also the case. Musk’s Tesla has been losing money for 10 years. The media has not been optimistic about Musk’s company and ridiculed him for ten years. Many hedge funds are shorting Tesla. Tesla stock.

But Musk has really done it, gradually increasing Tesla's market value and crushing the total market value of the world's nine largest automobile companies.

Thinking of this, Wang Guanxi said: Peter, I plan to finance two of Musk's companies.

Peter Till suddenly looked shocked and asked, Mr. Wang, are you really planning to finance Musk's two companies?

Wang Guanxi nodded: Yes, I plan to raise funds for SpaceX and Tesla and become a partner. Please give Musk a call and I will have a good talk with him.

Peter Thiel: Well, I'll call Musk now. He should still be moving wheels in the factory.

Then Peter Thiel picked up the phone and called Musk.

At this moment, the Tesla factory.

A man was carrying a coil of cables on his back and was covered in sweat. He was wearing an ordinary gray robe and navy blue jeans. His yellow hair was messy and he looked dirty. He was no different from a mechanic who had been repairing a car all day. However, He was in high spirits.

At this time, a man came over and said, Boss, ten customers suddenly canceled their orders.

Musk's face darkened and he said, I'll talk to them personally then!

The outbreak of the financial crisis was the worst period in Musk's life.

He fondly remembers waking up on the Sunday before Christmas in 2008 and saying: Man, I never thought I was a person capable of a nervous breakdown.

Once upon a time, Musk sold his shares in PayPal to eBay for $180 million.

Living a carefree life, he decided to change the world and founded SpaceX to minimize the cost of carrying human rockets and start the era of human interstellar immigration.

Then he moved into Tesla Motors to build electric cars and smart cars.

But changing the world requires not only determination and courage, but also enough money and luck.

At this time, the phone rang, and Musk quickly took out his mobile phone from his pocket for fear of missing any important call. Mobile phone users value re-reading before the subprime mortgage crisis swept across the world for a better user experience.