Yes, just to be absolutely clear what my issue is: I understand that some people drive a great deal and, thus, more or less need the Model S/X if they are going to drive electric, but that is definitely not the norm. So, my issue is when people make across-the-board statements about non-Tesla EVs being impractical or not a good option for most drivers. Sure, there are of course cases where a LEAF doesn't work for a household, but that's most likely the exception rather than the norm.
I appreciate DuncanWatson and eloder further explaining my point here, including the fact that most households have multiple cars and only need one for long-distance trips.
Yes, I agree that dealerships are a main culprit in stopping the EV transition. I also appreciate the good commentary that it was a mistake to put so much government (and corporate) money into L2 charging. I can certainly think of ways I think that money could have been used much more effectively.
As I think everyone knows, this forum is amazing. Tesla fans are by and large amazing. Tesla is clearly amazing. But I think everyone needs to go beyond misguided
broad statements about the practicality of non-Tesla EVs. Anecdotes, sure, they're fine, but they should not be used for generalizing.
Lastly, to bring in some anecdotes of my own: I've been living car-free for ~11 years. First in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, NC (10-15-min bike ride just about everywhere), then in Silicon Valley (only for a few months, to be fair, but bike+Caltrain was excellent for my needs), then in the Netherlands (Groningen -- bike capital of the world in some respects, nuff said), then in Charlottesville, Virginia (10-min walk to my office and the downtown pedestrian mall), and now Wroclaw, Poland (walking works excellently for just about everything, but then there are also good biking & tram/streetcar options). I've used carsharing programs and rental cars a bit, but I've honestly had such little need for a car that it has made much more sense to live without one. I'm not generalizing and saying everyone can live in such a way, but I'm emphasizing that an 80-mile LEAF would even be far beyond my needs. We're planning a move to Florida (my home state) later this year. With a baby, I'm thinking about which EV to get. I could easily afford a Model S, but I could also find some other use for $20,000-$40,000 and get a BMW i3 or LEAF instead, and our driving needs would be so limited that it's just really hard to justify a long-range EV I don't need. I'm honestly on the line, but "needing" the extra range is certainly not a factor. If I got a Model S, it would be for the extra safety and simply because the car is so awesome. Again, this is just my situation, and I'm sure it's atypical, but the situations of many Model S owners sharing their anecdotes are probably also very atypical, and I think the data (which I'll bring into my coming article... publishing today, I think) show that 200 miles of range is not a practical need for the vast majority of people... it's a "manufactured need" that I think anyone interested in advancing the EV revolution needs to stop hyping.