RJ Scaringe interview on Kara Swisher podcast

[Gen(R3)Xer]

I think she is right about Tesla being a meme stock though. I’ve always thought the P/E was unrealistic, even now it is at a staggering 398.

Sales are down and what used to be huge net margins has steadily fallen from 15.5% in December 2023, to 7.3% in December 2024, and recently 4% in December 2025. 53% drop in 2024 and another 46% drop in 2025. In that same time stock went from low 200s to low 400s.

The stock market is crazy, as are specific stocks. Anything can set it off in either direction from political ties to veiled threats. Nothing to do with actual products and services. It’s like the ultimate form of gambling for the wealthy. The only difference is instead of it being a game of chance, it’s a game of speculation and at times manipulation. Now if you just say AI enough times you’re riding a new bubble that may never come to fruition, especially in regard to making a profit off of the technology. Strange times indeed.

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[BlueberryQuadzilla]

To be fair, it is her podcast, so she can say whatever she wants. I do wish she interrupted less, but maybe that is her style. I don’t watch her all the time, but I do try and watch whenever RJ is on anywhere.

 

[TK421]

For those of us who don't have an hour to watch, where in the recording is RJ's discussion of the Chinese EV economics? Thanks in advance!

Around 25 minutes

 

[Johnster]

I liked the interview. In particular it was interesting to me to hear him break down the Chinese EV economics. I’m sure others have done that but first time I’ve heard a cogent simple explanation.

as a software person who is tired of hearing about AI I got a little tired of hearing RJ say AI. But whatever.

As an IBM mainframe computer programmer in the mid/late 1970's, I got "a little tired" hearing about "personal computers" and "inter(connected) net(works)".

 

[babock]

As an IBM mainframe computer programmer in the mid/late 1970's, I got "a little tired" hearing about "personal computers" and "inter(connected) net(works)".

And I thought I was old!

 

[RivianRiverRat]

As an IBM mainframe computer programmer in the mid/late 1970's, I got "a little tired" hearing about "personal computers" and "inter(connected) net(works)".

Cut my teeth on a Vax/Vms

 

[SANZC02]

As an IBM mainframe computer programmer in the mid/late 1970's, I got "a little tired" hearing about "personal computers" and "inter(connected) net(works)".

I started on the Univac 90/30, you haven’t lived until you dropped a try of punch cards…

Just for perspective the Univac 90/30 consumed around 300 square feet of floor space, and although in its day it was pretty powerful, it would take 150 of them to equal the processing power of an iPhone 14 Pro.

 

[VSG]

PDP-11/70

 

[Johnster]

And I thought I was old!

Got my first coding job in '74 at 20 for Joe Lyons (home of the Leo) in London. IBM 360, PL/1, punched cards, mag tapes. The good old days <sigh>

 

[87Ducks]

RJ is right in that the choice of vehicles should have nothing to do with political leanings. Back in 2008 - which suddenly seems like the "Good Old Days" of civility - I remember seeing a Prius with a McCain sticker parked next to a F150 with one for Obama. I should have taken a picture but not sure my Blackberry had a camera. In the end, people will switch to EV's for the same reason we all have LCD screens instead of CRT's - they are simply better products.

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