This could become a fascinating international branding case study with the Asian/Western cross-currents, enthusiasms and resistances.
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Gen III - summary
- Thread starter DuncanWatson
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- Model 3
Red Sage
The Cybernetic Samurai
Sorry... I hadn't checked this thread since my Birthday... :-D
Everyone who has attempted to start on the low end of the automotive scale for the last twenty-five years has had a hard time of it. When was the last time you saw a YUGO on the road? Daewoo and Daihatsu also bought the farm on these shores. For the grand majority of newcomers to the US automotive marketplace, wimpy cars do not translate to high sales.
I'm certain the only reason that Hyundai/Kia survived long enough to become somewhat successful in North America is because they had the backing of a much larger international firm that was determined to succeed, no matter the cost. The whole time, Hyundai worked extensively to improve the performance of their vehicles. They worked hard to make their cars exciting, moving, and finally, desirable. I wonder what would have happened if they started with the Genesis, instead of the Excel, to introduce their line of cars in North America.
Tesla Motors is trying something different. Traditionally, automakers have chosen a particular segment of the market, and stuck to it with their entire product line. Some place themselves relative to others in the market. Others place themselves strictly to go after customers in a specific earning bracket. A few cater high performance enthusiasts. More satisfy the basic needs for transportation. Tesla Motors is the only company that intends to tackle all of those markets, and perhaps create more, to be serviced by a single marque, no matter the income level of the Customer, with fully electric cars.
Volkswagen is going after every single market too, but their strategy involves using multiple brands that each target a specific segment of the worldwide market, and very few of those offerings are fully electric. None of them are unique vehicles designed from the outset to be fully electric. They are instead conversions of cars they also offer as ICE, or Hybrid Electric. As a result, as is often the case with traditional automakers, the ICE version of the cars tends to be vastly superior in range and price/performance ratio.
Superior. Excellent. Above Average. Average. Below Average. Poor.
Traditional automakers have conditioned the public to believe that owning an electric car means that you must pay an above average price, to get a vehicle that performs below average in expectations for range, 0-60, 1/4 mile, and top speed. Oh, but at least you get cubby holes, grab handles, and lighted vanity mirrors for your money. There are currently a crop of hybrid or electric cars that cost around $30,000 to $35,000 that reinforce this point. Because the versions of the same cars that have an ICE and cost between $18,000 and $22,000 are better in every way except fuel economy and emissions.
Just as it does not work to offer below average performance for an above average price point... It makes no sense to offer an average performance level for a below average price point. Tesla Motors makes cars that have excellent performance. When the cost of batteries goes down, and they can offer nothing less than an excellent driving experience for a below average price point, that is what they will sell. They will always strive to achieve a superior experience for the owners of their cars.
That is the primary identity of Tesla Motors. They will not abandon performance with their electric cars. Ever.
I'm pretty sure I answered this already. Tesla doesn't make wimpy cars. Mainstream buyers have been made to believe that performance can never be an option, without giving up something else. With a 60 kWh battery pack, you automatically get both range and power, by default. You don't have to give up either for the other.
I answered this already too, but I'll take a different tack... You can't get volume sales, if you don't give people a reason to buy to begin with... If Tesla Motors could build an affordable, safe, desirable electric car with 200+ mile range using a 24 kWh battery pack, they would. Volume must be built from a solid foundation. For Tesla, that foundation is performance. It is a fundamental advantage of an electric drivetrain and should be highlighted, not hidden. Just being 'cheap' to buy doesn't set a standard or even meet par. Tesla wants to show people they can have something that is better, by offering an excellent car at an average price.
Everyone who has attempted to start on the low end of the automotive scale for the last twenty-five years has had a hard time of it. When was the last time you saw a YUGO on the road? Daewoo and Daihatsu also bought the farm on these shores. For the grand majority of newcomers to the US automotive marketplace, wimpy cars do not translate to high sales.
I'm certain the only reason that Hyundai/Kia survived long enough to become somewhat successful in North America is because they had the backing of a much larger international firm that was determined to succeed, no matter the cost. The whole time, Hyundai worked extensively to improve the performance of their vehicles. They worked hard to make their cars exciting, moving, and finally, desirable. I wonder what would have happened if they started with the Genesis, instead of the Excel, to introduce their line of cars in North America.
Tesla Motors is trying something different. Traditionally, automakers have chosen a particular segment of the market, and stuck to it with their entire product line. Some place themselves relative to others in the market. Others place themselves strictly to go after customers in a specific earning bracket. A few cater high performance enthusiasts. More satisfy the basic needs for transportation. Tesla Motors is the only company that intends to tackle all of those markets, and perhaps create more, to be serviced by a single marque, no matter the income level of the Customer, with fully electric cars.
Volkswagen is going after every single market too, but their strategy involves using multiple brands that each target a specific segment of the worldwide market, and very few of those offerings are fully electric. None of them are unique vehicles designed from the outset to be fully electric. They are instead conversions of cars they also offer as ICE, or Hybrid Electric. As a result, as is often the case with traditional automakers, the ICE version of the cars tends to be vastly superior in range and price/performance ratio.
Superior. Excellent. Above Average. Average. Below Average. Poor.
Traditional automakers have conditioned the public to believe that owning an electric car means that you must pay an above average price, to get a vehicle that performs below average in expectations for range, 0-60, 1/4 mile, and top speed. Oh, but at least you get cubby holes, grab handles, and lighted vanity mirrors for your money. There are currently a crop of hybrid or electric cars that cost around $30,000 to $35,000 that reinforce this point. Because the versions of the same cars that have an ICE and cost between $18,000 and $22,000 are better in every way except fuel economy and emissions.
Just as it does not work to offer below average performance for an above average price point... It makes no sense to offer an average performance level for a below average price point. Tesla Motors makes cars that have excellent performance. When the cost of batteries goes down, and they can offer nothing less than an excellent driving experience for a below average price point, that is what they will sell. They will always strive to achieve a superior experience for the owners of their cars.
That is the primary identity of Tesla Motors. They will not abandon performance with their electric cars. Ever.
I'm new but searched to see if anyone had already posted this tidbit in the Forums but didn't find it.
Tesla was obsessed with the number 3 along with many other things. Why was Tesla obsessed with the number 3?.
I just ordered my CA license tag yesterday to put on my 15 year old car while I await the Model 3 => Nicola3.
Tesla was obsessed with the number 3 along with many other things. Why was Tesla obsessed with the number 3?.
I just ordered my CA license tag yesterday to put on my 15 year old car while I await the Model 3 => Nicola3.
Happy Belated Birthday!
This (and their top down approach) is why I've been obsessed with Tesla for ~10 years, and why TSLA is a significant part of my "portfolio" (such as it is).
+10000000.
I've just realized that my current car cost me ~63x what I paid for the car before it... Of course, that car only cost $300, but it makes paying ~3x more for Model ≡ seem soooooooooo much more reasonable! I've also been realizing that my car, which supposedly gets a 6.8 0-60, isn't quite as peppy as I would like, even though its agility has gotten me out of a few hairy situations. Just because I drive a Toyota (for now) doesn't mean I don't value performance.
Happy Friday!
FI just finished skimming this thread and didn't see any discussion of this July 2014 interview with Tesla's relatively new VP of Engineering talking about the Model 3:
Tesla promises realistic pricing for new BMW 3-series rival | Autocar
Tesla promises realistic pricing for new BMW 3-series rival | Autocar
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