Electric car charging station

Sometimes there are those subjects that are adopted by every Dutch person. On the street, in the cafe, in political The Hague, at the football and hockey clubs - everything is talked about, even the dining table. Aside from women's football, the current dominant theme is: the charging point of the electric car. That pole should show us the way to a glorious clean future. But does it really come from that?

Tesla is on the brink of collapse

Tesla is at the top of the list of electric cars. But it is precisely Tesla's chairman, Elon Musk, who has hinted that his factory is on the brink of collapse. By saying that 'the money will be out in ten months', he actually says that the danger of bankruptcy is great. Fair, but anything but brilliant. After all, an entrepreneur who announces his bankruptcy does not have to count on anything being delivered. Suppliers will only continue the relationship if paid in advance.

Cut back severely

Musk has informed his staff that any expense, however small, must be submitted to management for approval. Cutting back is the motto. Not an unnecessary luxury because in the first quarter of this year the automaker suffered a loss of seven hundred million dollars. Incidentally, major cuts have been made before. Furthermore, Tesla wants to get rid of the dealer organization as soon as possible and only sell cars online.

Market value calved

The stock market value of the company plummets because of all the difficulties. The trade war with China does not bode well either. The tide seemed to turn at the beginning of this month, but this was due to the fact that high discounts were being given and volunteers (!) Had joined the staff. Meanwhile, they do not lose the pricey models on the pavers and the market for more expensive electric cars threatens to collapse.

Variable additions

In the Netherlands, the potential buyer of the plug car is tired of the hassle of varying additions and subsidies. In ten years or so all on the plug? It seems like a utopia. As soon as the 'tank' is almost empty, carefree driving an electric car turns into a horror story. The whole family stares panically at the battery. In short: we are far from done with it. Tesla plays panic football by boosting sales with hefty discounts and cheap staff. If a chairman of the board also indicates that Tesla will soon have no money to pay the bills, then this showpiece of the electromobiles can be considered technically bankrupt, according to Blom in his column.

About the columnist

Robert Jan Blom started as manager Internal and External Communication at the company Graydon Nederland BV where he carried out research in business areas. In addition, he was editor-in-chief of the management magazine Cash Flow and of the Dutch Bankruptcy Register.