Sam joins Leo to talk about how regular auto companies cannot sell direct to customers without independent dealers. Tesla has no dealerships, so they can sell direct. Sam says it was a good deal in the early days because auto companies didn't have to sit on inventory and dealerships were local businesses offering services. But now, it's more of a challenge because the market has changed, leaving the traditional business model is in flux.
Sam joins Leo this week to talk about Rivian's Electric Delivery Vans. Amazon has placed an order for 100,000 of them to round out their in house fleet of delivery vans. Amazon is going all-in with converting their delivery vehicles to electric, and Sam says it's going to explode over the next few years because it makes a great deal of sense. When you're putting 100,000 miles a year on a delivery van, the operating costs are flat out more affordable going with electric. And Sam says that companies like GM and Ford are building electric vans starting next year.
Sam joins Leo to talk about storing cars for long periods. If you have to park your car, there are some things to do to protect them. First, get a car cover. This will at least protect a car from caked-on dust and dirt from long term storage. At the very least, you can get a roll of plastic wrap and wrap it up. If it's not going to move for longer than a few months, the best thing to do is fill it up to the top. That will minimize air and prevent fuel oxidation. There are also additives you can add to preserve the fuel.
Sam joins Leo to talk about a new device that has an infrared camera and GPS to monitor your driving. It illuminates your face, watching where you are looking. If you begin to be distracted or fall asleep, it will give you an alert with a loud audible tone. But because it has to be mounted line of sight on your windshield, it may be a bit in the way. And it's expensive at $300. But Sam says that they will gradually become integrated into car designs because it works really well.
Sam says that shared scooters are popping up all over the city, but he says we don't know what shape they are in, or if they have enough juice to get us where we need to go. They are a good alternative when you have to get somewhere within 10-12 blocks, though. The problem, however, is that those shared scooters don't come with protective headgear.
