“Gov. Abbott, we would like to bid you a political adieu. Perhaps you can devote your time to rebuilding Houston and taking night classes in climate science.”

“And to ExxonMobil, Chevron, Koch Industries, ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, and other oil giants doing your business in Texas: You put up the first $25 billion in Houston disaster relief. Call it compensation for your emissions. Tell the truth about growing climate threats. Then, as citizens seeking the common good, we will match your stake.”

Jeffrey Sachs, “Sachs: Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott Needs to Resign,” CNN Opinion, August 29, 2017.

“Sachs: Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott Needs to Resign,” screams the headline at CNN Opinion.

The author is Jeffrey Sachs, head of Columbia University’s The Earth Institute, which defines itself as “blend[ing] research in the physical and social sciences, education, and practical solutions to help guide the world onto a path toward sustainability.”…

“Given Tesla’s multiple business lines – leading edge EVs, auto financing, solar roof tiles, battery storage projects, and tunnel boring – more investors lump the company in with technology companies, meaning investors focus on the ‘dream’ rather than the results.”

“In 2016, the global motor vehicle population of cars and trucks was estimated at 1.4 billion, but just 2 million of them are EVs, or a 0.0014% market share.”

After spending three months as the world’s most valuable auto manufacturer, Tesla Inc.’s (TSLA-Nasdaq) share price has fallen due to perceived problems with its business model. Tesla reported its second quarter shipments at the end of June, results that were not as robust as many investors had hoped (being at the low end of management’s guidance).

As the quarter ended, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted details about the timing of production and delivery for the new Model 3 units, the company’s electric vehicle (EV) targeting the mass market.…

“Analysts are saying that China’s EV market is highly dependent on government policies and subsidies. That was supported by Nielsen, a market research company, who said that among potential EV buyers, the highest motivating factor is the free license plates the government hands out, followed by the state subsidies. They pointed out that without the government subsidy, an ordinary EV would be just as costly as a luxury vehicle.”

“‘Buyers are basically paying for a power battery, as the battery in an electric car is so expensive that it makes up about half of the production cost.’ The problem this creates is the rapid deterioration in the used-car value of EVs as their batteries wear out. Mr. Zhang stated, ‘The electric car value diminishes much more speedily than a gasoline car after years of use, since the battery will be exhausted’.”