The more companies that make great EVs, the more the public will accept EVs. I reject the idea that "EVs" are a market, just as "diesel-engine cars" is not a market. Mainstreaming the EV is the best thing that could happen for Tesla.
I'm with Robert on this one. I wish with deep passion that the next Leaf is a 168 mile range EV. That isn't yet the 200 mile EV that Tesla feels is the minimum for a regular usable car, but I drive a 175 mile range Roadster (standard charge - 20-25 hidden miles, so really 200 miles), and I know with deep certainty that a 168 mile range EV would be a full substitute. Especially with CHADEMO charging in the Pacific Northwest, it would be MORE usable than the Roadster.
And that means CHOICE in the market. For my market segmentation definition, I have 1 out of production model, 1 in production model, and 1 promised-in-production model this year to choose from (Roadster, S, X). I don't really consider S or Leaf to be a choice, but if the Leaf were 150+ miles, there are plenty of applications where they're close enough that they ARE a substitute.
Note that in my personal market segmentation, BMW, Audi, Toyota, Nissan (incl Leaf), GM, and every other big car maker doesn't exist. So anytime one of them says they want to join the party, I see expansion of choice, and that leads to a massively growing market. Everybody can get involved and sell lots of EV's, and the more involvement, the more that everybody realizes a) it works b) it's ok c) there's money to be made etc..
A 150+ mile Leaf, a 200+ mile Chevy Bolt, and any other longer range EV with some kind of DCFC charging infrastructure / compatibility is nothing but good for Tesla. Even if today they come in the form of promises that may never see the light of day, even the promise and these companies taking their time to build concepts and TALK about a long range EV, is nothing but good for Tesla (and for the bigger problem of electrifying transport).
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.. The only things that come to mind is a significant rise in the world population. .
See
http://www.gapminder.org/videos/dont-panic-the-facts-about-population/ for an excellent view on world population and related topics (as well as a fantastic example of storytelling with data). In the context of your comment, we have good evidence that world population will continue growing to 11B people and then go flat. That process is already under way, and in fact started decades ago when we reached "peak child". There are about 2B people between age 0 and 15 in the world, and that number has beel flat for many decades (60's or so?).
Good info, and Hans is an entertaining fellow - highly recommended.