dennis
Model S Plaid
A point I made upstream, but if I understand the EV tax credit program correctly, those credits will be phasing out for Tesla buyers right around when the Gen III debuts (@200,000 units per manufacturer). If so, the pre or post-tax credit pricing is moot because there will be no post-EV credit price for Tesla buyers then - the price will be the price.
Update: of course I mean the $7500 federal credit.
I'm surprised that the shorts haven't pointed this out sooner. On the other hand, they don't believe that Tesla will sell 200K cars by 2017, but 25K/40K/55K/65K delivered in 2013-2016 would put them close. Taking out international sales, they could run out of credits by the end of 2017.
The challenge for GEN3 is that to deliver a 200 mile car for $35K Tesla will have to cut the cost of the Model S 60kwh in half (MSRP without rebate is $69.9K). Will slight downsizing, volume efficiencies and battery improvements be enough to get them there?