I think the hyperbolic language when looking at costs of development should be avoided. Telsa did not burn through cash that quarter; they invested it and there has been real progress made with that investment. The automobile industry is very capital intensive. Would the author say Apple burned through cash developing a new iPhone or Amazon a new fulfillment center? I do not consider the floor analysts are setting in the $30-50 range credible. Tesla has real market advantages and if sold would support a much higher price point to another auto manufacturer. The big auto companies have had years to compete, model 3 has real sales volumes relative to it's market segment and there is still not a single car that offers specifications similar to those models available for 5 years. The original work on PEM and battery have not bee replicated and are not trivial.
