Did Tesla lose focus by making the Model 3 an autonomous car instead of a great EV?

[ratsbew]

With the recent revelations, it seems like Tesla may have lost focus and put too much effort into making the Model 3 an autonomous vehicle first and an EV second rather than making it the very best EV for $35,000. The lack of the center screen is the first and most obvious clue to this.

Thoughts?

 

[zenmaster]

The lack of the center screen is the first and most obvious clue to this.

It looks like it will have a center screen.

 

[nickpants]

It looks like it will have a center screen.

 

[Canuck]

Did Tesla lose focus by making the Model 3 an autonomous car instead of a great EV?

That's like asking someone "When did you stop beating your wife?". Your "question" has a built in bias, which is that the Model 3 is not "a great EV." Maybe you're right, but until it's out and we are driving around in them, you can't really make that statement. Plus, Tesla can walk (or AP) and still chew gum (make a great EV) at the same time. I don't see them as mutually exclusive.

 

[zenmaster]

 

[Tam]

...focus...

I think the main reason is cost!

Instead of having 2 computers for HUD and MCU, 2 displays for HUD and MCU, they are all now 1.

 

[Phthalate]

They made the Roadster, the Model S, and the Model X. To my knowledge, no one has made a better EV. The Model 3 may have a different focus but it'll be the best EV for the price. They day another company comes out with a better EV is the day Elon sleeps in.

 

[Big-T]

During part 1 of the reveal Elon didn't say it would be the best EV for 35k, he said it would be the best CAR for 35k. He was very specific that this had to be a compelling car to beat out other ICE cars not just a compelling EV.

The latest series of tweets is what's making everyone question that vision. Of course more official details/clarification by Tesla would be nice - and soon.

They made the Roadster, the Model S, and the Model X. To my knowledge, no one has made a better EV. The Model 3 may have a different focus but it'll be the best EV for the price. They day another company comes out with a better EV is the day Elon sleeps in.

 

[rajpatel486]

I feel like they had to reign in their ideas in order to get the car production ready in time and at the right cost. I bet that a future updated version will have some of the things the initial production version won't because by then the production will already be in full swing. Some people might be better off waiting for the first big update, which will be to the Model 3 what the AP 1.0 update was to the Model S.

 

[BluestarE3]

With the recent revelations, it seems like Tesla may have lost focus and put too much effort into making the Model 3 an autonomous vehicle first and an EV second rather than making it the very best EV for $35,000. The lack of the center screen is the first and most obvious clue to this.

Thoughts?

Considering that the 3/31/2016 reveal showed a single 15" landscape, center-mounted display and no HUD nor instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, I don't see where anything in yesterday's tweets changed the focus from what was shown a year ago. Since then, they've consistently maintained there would only be a single display. People took a cryptic tweet about "feels like a spaceship" and extrapolated that to mean there will definitely be a HUD to augment that single display. For all we know, Elon may have meant that with autonomy, we'll be spam-in-a-can like the Mercury or Vostok astronauts/cosmonauts in their spaceships, so no further instrumentation will be needed nor provided.

 

[electracity]

Perhaps a fairer question is "Has Tesla's emphasis on autonomous driving diminished its primary mission".

We don't know the quality of the model 3. But Tesla's stumble on the model X did correspond with their rise of interest in autonomous driving.

 

[int32_t]

I'm not convinced by Elon's tweets. I'm still trying to sort through what he actually said and what other people think it means. Did he say there would be no HUD, or that there would be only one screen? We don't know what counts as a "screen." You don't need 1280x700 pixels to display a speedometer and SoC. Maybe a segmented LCD (like in newer Hondas) isn't a screen? But it all doesn't matter until I can configure my car and find out how much it really costs ...

 

[Sonny Daze]

Yes they have, but I'm not looking for the same thing as most of you. If it does only have an iPad on a stick then that will solidify my opinion.

 

[Merrill]

Only time will tell, it will be one of the best BEV's ever. Will I like the exterior and dash, we will see.

 

[Krugerrand]

No.

 

[3mp_kwh]

Yes.

There's no need to define a great car by making limiting statements like: “The more autonomous a car is, the less dash info you need. How often do you look at the instrument panel when being driven in a taxi?”

A great EV would do both get you where you wanted, with or without autonomy. If "losing focus" is the question, I'd go with yes if Elon has a taxi in mind.

 

[ecarfan]

With the recent revelations, it seems like Tesla may have lost focus and put too much effort into making the Model 3 an autonomous vehicle first and an EV second rather than making it the very best EV for $35,000. The lack of the center screen is the first and most obvious clue to this.

Thoughts?

My thought is that your premise is false. Based on what other car companies are offering in the EV space, it's obvious to me that the Model 3 will be by far the best EV for $35K.

I assume you mean to write "The lack of a driver side display...".

And that has been discussed endlessly in multiple thread over the past year. Some people are concerned about that. Others are not. I am not.

Tesla has not lost its focus on building a great mid-prices mass market EV. That is the primary focus of the company now and for many years.

 

[Krugerrand]

A great EV would do both get you where you wanted, with or without autonomy. If "losing focus" is the question, I'd go with yes if Elon has a taxi in mind.

What he has in mind is the Tesla Network where people make money with their car when they aren't using it so that owning a car is at the very least a zero out of pocket expense and quite possibly a moneymaker. To him that's a no brainer.

 

[Sonny Daze]

...it's obvious to me that the Model 3 will be by far the best EV for $35K.

Leaf
Focus
500e
Soul
fortwo
i-MiEV
etc., etc.

That's not really saying much.

Tesla has not lost its focus on building a great mid-prices mass market EV.

Does the mass market really want this?

 

[anticitizen13.7]

Does the mass market really want this?

I think people should reserve judgment until the reveal of the final product. Much of what I'm reading is fearful speculation.