Future of EV...

[Crazed_Insanity]

What do you guys think about the future of EVs?

With the likes of Apple and Google looking to get in on it, well maybe they're not quite that into EVs, just autonomous vehicles?

Anyway, currently entertaining an offer from an EV startup based in LA. Basically just a lateral move, but requires 10 hr work days. So it's kind of a pay cut. However, there's a $10k, bonus along with 10k stocks yet to have IPO.

If I were younger without a kid, I'd definitely give up my aerospace job and went for it. Even if the venture failed, I guess I can always return to aerospace... But at this stage of my life, I'm a little hesitant..., but experience in auto industry could be a plus?

Anyway, just wondering what you experts think of EV industry in general?

[thesameguy]

There is no scenario where EVs are going away. I think the real question becomes whether startups have a prayer against the might of the establishment. With existing auto companies working night and day to not only protect their investment in ICE but working against anyone who tries to cut into their action, startups seem like a severe uphill battle.

Regardless, I'd personally do it. A change of scenario, the chance to add something special to your resume, maybe meet some interesting people and future contacts... all win. With startups you always have to be prepared to work 7 10s, but hopefully the sweat pays off in the long term.

[Yw-slayer]

I reckon EVs are the future of personal transport. The question is which of the companies you get into and whether it survives/IPOs. Everyone I know who has an EV says that once you get one you never feel like buying an ICE car again.

I don't think I can give you career advice though.

[Dicknose]

I know a few people who work in the industry. One has been at Tesla for many years, the other was at Tesla at the start but left to form his own EV company.
Both of these guys were serious motor heads (as in - is that a Bell jet engine powering your boat?) and it definitely is a dream job for both of them.

I guess any career change you need to weigh up risks vs rewards. It could be a great job but the company might not last.
Or you could be getting experience that will help you take this as your new career path.
Startups can be hard work and a bit more risk. But if they do well it can pay off. If you are hoping for it to pay off then you might want to put some effort into finding out if they have a chance of making it big.

[Dicknose]

Story in the local newspaper about Mission Motorcycles, a startup doing electric bikes. Apple poached a number of their top people and the company folded.
That might be good if you are one of the ones poached, but not so good if you are one of the people left behind!

[Cam]

I know nothing of it, but good luck with your career choices! :)

[Crazed_Insanity]

DN, out of those folks that you personally know, how are they balancing their work and their personal lives?

That's another thing I'm worrying about... not being able to see enough of wife and kid. With my current job, I can actually work from home...and quite often my kid would come bug me to tell me to stop working! I told her I have to work, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to buy her toys... and she'd counter that she has enough toys already! Just come play with me!!! ;)

Elon Musk, probably a role model for most of us here... hey, who wouldn't want to own a car company and a rocket company? But I'm not sure if he's a very good husband or father though.

Sigh, like I said, i wish I could have this opportunity earlier..., while I was still single.

Anyway, regarding this company, they seemed very well funded. Poached a lot of folks from Tesla and SpaceX. They even poached one of the designers from BMW who designed the i3 and i8! They showed me their completed full scale clay model. Supposedly the design is complete and they're moving forward with engineering it and production in 2 years! Anyway, the car looks very nice. Nicer and longer than Model X, but I didn't seen any super fancy features such as the gull wing doors or panoramic windshields though...

2 years is a very ambitious and compressed schedule for a car company who hasn't built any cars before, but they are actively poaching talents from various well known companies though.

Anyway, they didn't poach me exactly, I applied just for fun..., now I wish I hadn't so I wouldn't be in this dilemma. :(

[21Kid]

IMO, EVs are the way of the future. If you want to get into car manufacturing, you'd have experience to join other automakers. Experience can be worth more than salary.
If you're happy with your current job/industry though, there's no harm in staying where you are.

[Dicknose]

DN, out of those folks that you personally know, how are they balancing their work and their personal lives?

They don't.
Obviously the guy who started his own business is close to a workaholic. His kids are teenagers.
The other guy is also very much at the work too much end of the scale.

Worse case, you take the job and it goes bad for whatever reason. How hard would it be to get another job or even you old job?
If the market is good then it's less of a risk.
Not sure if you have another interview, but if you are in a job and just thinking of changing, you can be a bit more up front with discussing things like work hours and the company atmosphere. Ask "how many hours a week do people typically work?" That is not a rude question, especially in a startup. Or even go with "I have a child so I'd like to know what options are there for flexible hours?". These days some places are happy if you do a 10 hour day and then the next day it's 6 hours.
As I said, if you are not desperate for the job, it doesn't hurt to ask and be a bit picky. You don't want to swap jobs and find you are pressured into a work/life style you hate.

I've probably seemed negative/cautious, but that is my logical side.
But go for it if you think it will be fun. It definitely is an industry that is in the up.

[TheBenior]

Story in the local newspaper about Mission Motorcycles, a startup doing electric bikes. Apple poached a number of their top people and the company folded.
That might be good if you are one of the ones poached, but not so good if you are one of the people left behind!

Mission had considerably greater problems then engineers taking better offers. The idea of selling an expensive halo bike from an unknown brand and turning a profit was always questionable. Ducati may be thought of by the masses as selling high performance sport bikes, but the bulk of their profits come from selling Monsters. FWIU, Mission also had serious problems with cash flow and production delays. I'd guess the engineers that went elsewhere were sensibly fleeing a sinking ship.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Thanks for all the responses. Yeah, I figured the general consensus would be to go for it, if I were single, it'd be a no brainer! Plus, with US government loaded with debt, the best days of aerospace is probably over.

However, wife just can't agree with longer hours and same level of pay. This job definitely isn't worth a divorce! Plus, if I go, we'll probably need to relocate closer to work in order to cut commute time. So the logical solution is more money! So, I turned down their initial offer and asked for more money..., now it'd be a matter of whether if they want me that badly! ;) Although it is a startup venture, but I know they're pretty well funded. Fingers crossed.

[JSGeneral]

Eventually, you could take the hyperloop to work to cut down on commute time.

j/k. Good luck! The EV field sounds promising.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Thanks General JS!

[Kchrpm]

So, I turned down their initial offer and asked for more money..., now it'd be a matter of whether if they want me that badly! ;)
Smart man! Good luck to you.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Thanks dude! I think I'm in the final negotiating stage. Should know the final answer shortly... If they say yes, then I'm there!

[Crazed_Insanity]

Okay, so I failed at salary negotiation... I guess I will stay in the aerospace industry for now... :p

[Crazed_Insanity]

Ha, they made it on to the LA Times today! This is the company I'm talking about: http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-faraday-auto-factory-plan-20151105-story.html

[21Kid]

Faraday Future will build a $1B factory to produce the next Tesla rival (http://www.businessinsider.com/faraday-future-electric-car-manufacturing-plant-2015-11)


The company is obviously aiming to be the next to do what Tesla does. In addition to being named after another inspirational scientist from history, Michael Faraday, the company is connected to a cadre of auto execs who formerly worked for BMW, Tesla, GM, Ford, and Fiat. The FF team is a bona fide Who’s Who of “poached” automotive executives and designers.

Yueting is referred to as China's equivalent of Jobs, both for his talk of "disrupting" traditional industries as well as for his wardrobe at product launches of jeans and a T-shirt.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Faraday Future will have Aston Martin build production version of their EV. (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/aston-martin-build-production-version-054437560.html;_ylt=AwrXnCKlRcZW7VAAScPQtDMD;_ylu= X3oDMTByM3V1YTVuBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMzBHZ0aWQDBHNlYw Nzcg--)

I guess this partnership with a real car company should help minimize risks for this start up... fingers crossed!

[Crazed_Insanity]

Okay, they finally showed their production car!

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/first-look-faraday-future-ff-91/?wc_mid=4035:4786&wc_rid=4035:1329994&_wcsid=B794B1360D96709B19B31E6DC7785DA4A7FFBB0574D 6C082

They still need a factory producing this car though...

Tesla got lucky and inherited a factory from GM and Toyota for cheap..., for FF to build a new factory from scratch will be expensive... if they can't come up with the money, I guess Aston Martin will help them out... so this car is not going to be cheaper than the Model S/X!

[Random]

The $42-million that Tesla paid for the NUMMI plant didn't include the manufacturing equipment, FWIW. Just the land and the buildings.

[thesameguy]

I seriously doubt that thing will ever see production. There are so many problems with the company, not the least of which are supplier lawsuits, even if they had a viable design they'd not be able to make it.

[Crazed_Insanity]

Yeah, odds are against them...; however, the Chinese boss is fully committed to this venture though, shutting down other parts of his company for FF. So if FF goes belly up, he'll go along with it. Much like how Elon risked all for his companies...

However I'm not that sure if this guys is made out of the same stuff as Elon though... He is a micro managing ahole that cause Mattiacci, their global sales chief to quit days before the CES...

[retsmah]

I missed this thread the first time around! I was looking at Faraday Future but decided against it... seemed like more of the same, coming from SpaceX!

[Crazed_Insanity]

Unless you're looking specifically for EV experience, otherwise I wouldn't recommend making a switch right now since they are in financially shaky grounds.

[retsmah]

Unless you're looking specifically for EV experience, otherwise I wouldn't recommend making a switch right now since they are in financially shaky grounds.

Yeah definitely, I ended up taking a different job back in November, seeing recent reports about FF I feel like I made a good decision!