特斯拉股東大會透露的6件事

特斯拉（Tesla）在上周二舉行的股東大會沒有爆出什么引人注目的大新聞，不過汽車迷和批評者還是能夠從中得到許多信息。

在公司首次未能達到生產目標后的幾個月里，特斯拉的首席執行埃隆·馬斯克一直在推特上責備華爾街的分析師，對批評者也越來越不客氣。相較之下，這次特斯拉的年度會議卻顯得風平浪靜，盡管馬斯克也激動地捍衛了公司的理念，并試圖闡述一些傳記體風格的見解。以下是會議中的一些要點。

馬斯克將繼續擔任董事長

股東提議讓獨立的董事長取代馬斯克執掌公司，并在接下來的改選中替換三位董事會成員（包括馬斯克的弟弟）。兩位影響力強大的代理顧問反對改選，而到最后，特斯拉表示這兩點提議都以較大劣勢遭到否決。

馬斯克談到Model 3的生產目標時一度哽咽

懷疑特斯拉的人聲稱公司無法實現其Model 3汽車的生產目標。不過馬斯克情緒激動地向股東保證，如今每周可以生產3,500輛Model 3的生產線很快就能把產量提高到每周5,000輛。馬斯克表示：“我們很可能在本月底實現5,000輛的產量。這就像是……我告訴你們，這仿佛是我經歷過的最痛苦、最地獄般的幾個月。不過我認為我們就要到那一步了?！?

馬斯克在為特斯拉的使命辯護時一度哽咽。他表示：“在特斯拉，我們用愛生產汽車。許多其他公司的汽車是由市場營銷或是財務部門來打造的，沒有靈魂。我們并不完美，但我們為汽車傾注了心血與靈魂，我們真正在乎它們?！?

特斯拉在短期內沒有募集更多資金的計劃

馬斯克重申了自己在上一次特斯拉的收入電話會議上的預測。他表示：“看起來我們在下一季度的GAAP凈收入會是正數，第三季度和第四季度的現金流也會是正向的。我們預計不會增加借債或是募資?！?

特斯拉的股價在去年夏天達到巔峰之后，已經出現了滑落，原因在于人們擔心Model 3的生產延期會增加其財務負擔，迫使其募集更多資金。在上周二的股東大會開始之前，公司的股價下跌了2%，不過截至盤后交易結束時又漲回了更多。

“全素汽車”即將登場

特斯拉從去年起開始在座椅上使用合成革，不過善待動物組織（PETA）的代表還是質疑他們在方向盤和換擋桿上繼續使用皮革的做法。公司回應稱，顧客如果喜歡，可以專門預定“全素汽車”。馬斯克補充道，即將上市的特斯拉Y將完全不用皮革。

特斯拉不賣摩托車，因為馬斯克差點騎摩托車身亡

盡管馬斯克在會議上穿著一件Butter Robot T恤和皮質的摩托夾克，但是他表示特斯拉沒有進軍摩托車業務的計劃。

馬斯克的解釋是：“實際上，我小時候經常騎摩托車，騎輕型摩托車大概有八年。我還在17歲的時候有了一輛公路車，但卻差點被卡車撞死。所以我們不會做摩托車的?！薄抉R斯克在2000年也曾撞毀過一輛昂貴的邁凱倫（McLaren）F1，不過這沒有阻止他生產汽車?！?

馬斯克知道他很不善于遵守時間

在一位股東表示他對特斯拉的時間表已經喪失信任后，馬斯克回應道：“我認為自己在時間上確實有些問題。這可能情有可原：我弟弟和我趕車去學校的時候，他總是在時間上說謊，報的時間比實際時間更晚，因此我們總是能趕上公交?！?

針對股東厭倦特斯拉不斷拖延生產的情況，馬斯克希望大家保持信心。他表示：“我在盡力校準這些預測，我會說出自己認為它能實現的日期，但我往往過于樂觀。我希望隨著時間的推移，自己不要再那么樂觀了?！碧厮估尼绕鹪诤艽蟪潭壬暇褪且驗轳R斯克的樂觀。而多一點的現實主義可能會幫助公司持續發展。（財富中文網）

譯者：嚴匡正

There were no fireworks after all, but Tesla’s shareholder meeting on last Tuesday still had plenty to offer the automaker’s fans and critics alike.

After a couple of months of Tesla CEO Elon Musk chiding Wall Street analysts and growing combative with his critics on Twitter following a history of missing production goals, Tesla’s annual meeting was by comparison a sedate affair—although Musk did grow emotional defending the company’s ideals and managed to relate some biographical insights. Here are some takeaways from the meeting.

Musk will remain chairman

Two of the measures proposed by shareholders would have replaced Musk with an independent chairman and removed three board members (including Musk’s brother) who were up for re-election. Two influential proxy advisors had opposed the re-elections, but in the end, Tesla said both measures failed by a wide margin.

Musk choked up while affirming production goals for the Model 3

Tesla skeptics had argued that the company would not be able to meet the production goals for its Model 3 cars. But Musk grew emotional while assuring shareholders that production lines, which can now build as many as 3,500 Model 3’s a week, would soon rise to 5,000 a week. “It’s quite likely that we’ll achieve 5,000 at the end of the month,” Musk said. “It’s like, whew. I tell you, it’s like the most excruciating and hellish several months I’ve maybe ever had. But I think we’re getting there.”

Musk also choked up while defending Tesla’s mission. “At Tesla we build our cars with love,” he said. “At a lot of other companies, they’re built by marketing or the finance department and there’s no soul. We’re not perfect, but we pour our heart and soul into it and we really care.”

Tesla is still not planning to raise more cash soon

Musk reiterated a forecast that he made during Tesla’s last earnings call. “It’s really looking like we’re going to have positive GAAP net income next quarter as well as positive cash flow in Q3 and Q4,” he said. (Positive cash flows will help Tesla finance it operations with new capital.) “And we do not expect to raise any incremental debt or equity.”

Tesla’s shares had been slumping since their peak last summer amid concern that Model 3 production delays would weigh on its finances and force it to raise more cash. The company’s share price fell 2% last Tuesday before the meeting, but had more than made up that ground after it finished during extended trading.

“Fully vegan vehicles” is a thing

Tesla began using synthetic leather on its seats last year, but representative from PETA asked about the company’s continued use of leather on Tesla steering wheels and gear shifts. The company replied that customers can special order “fully vegan vehicles” if they so choose. Musk added that the upcoming Tesla Y would use no leather at all.

Tesla won’t sell motorbikes because Musk nearly died on one

Although Musk was sporting a leather (!) motorcycle jacket over a Butter Robot t-shirt during the meeting, he said Tesla has no plans to expand into motorcycles.

Here’s Musk’s explanation why. “I actually used to ride motorcycles when I was a kid, and did dirt-biking for like eight years or something, and had a road bike until I was 17 and was almost killed by a truck,” he said. “So we’re not going to do motorcycles.” (Musk also crashed an expensive McLaren F1 in 2000, although that didn’t deter him from manufacturing cars.)

Musk knows he’s terrible at keeping to schedules

After a shareholder said his trust in Tesla’s timelines had eroded, Musk replied: “I think I do have issues with time. I have a condition: When my brother and I were catching a bus to school he would lie about the time. He would say it was later than it actually was, and we would always catch the bus.”

For shareholders weary about Tesla’s production delays, Musk held out hope. “I’m trying to recalibrate these estimates as much as possible,” he said. “I could say when I think it will occur, but I’m typically optimistic about these things. Hopefully less optimistic over time.” Tesla’s rise is due in good part to Musk’s optimism. A little more realism may just help the company to keep growing.