Reuters: "Electric Mercedes opens German assault on Tesla"

[dgpcolorado]

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I guess Tesla should be flattered...

Electric Mercedes opens German assault on Tesla

Mercedes-Benz is set to unveil its much-anticipated electric SUV on Tuesday, marking the start of a German onslaught against Tesla’s (TSLA.O) dominance of the fast-growing market for premium battery cars...

The Mercedes EQC - whose launch program in Stockholm features yoga in a direct appeal to the Millennials who have flocked to Tesla - is the first production model under the carmaker’s electric EQ sub-brand. It will be closely followed by similarly hyped debuts for BMW and Audi.

“While Tesla currently has a strong hold on the luxury electric market, I don’t think this will be the case after the arrival of the German premium offerings,” said Wajih Hossenally, an automotive powertrain analyst with IHS Markit.

“Tesla has virtually zero competition - but this will change from 2019 onwards.”...

Executives including Mercedes Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche have taken to appearing in jeans and sneakers, responding to a broader tech-industry incursion into areas such as autonomous driving and connected services...

Audi on Monday began production of its e-Tron SUV ahead of a Sept. 17 sales launch jamboree in San Francisco, just 40 miles from Tesla’s Fremont assembly plant. It also plans to begin taking reservations backed by refundable $1,000 deposits...

Of interest to me:

In another Tesla-inspired move, the three German carmakers are developing their own network of fast-chargers along major highways in a partnership with Ford (F.N).

Ford? Really? That would be good news if true. The VW/EA fraud settlement DCFC charge station effort in the USA sure hasn't amounted to much thus far.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

*sigh*

Just offering a BEV doesn't make it competitive against Tesla. Not sure why this is so difficult for the media to understand. Not to mention that, as BEVs go, the market is HUGE...another thing that seems to be overlooked.

 

[geneclean55]

"The market for upscale electric cars is Tesla’s to lose, with sales of its entry-level Model 3 sedan expected to reach about 50,000 cars this year and almost double that in 2019"

bwahaha

 

[dgpcolorado]

"The market for upscale electric cars is Tesla’s to lose, with sales of its entry-level Model 3 sedan expected to reach about 50,000 cars this year and almost double that in 2019"

bwahaha

Yes, I was amused by that blatant mistake.

 

[Magellan55]

They also fail to mention these other companies only plan to make 20,000 EV's a year. Hardly dents the total worldwide EV demand. Though they may take some share away from Model S/X. At the premium price they are at for what you get in size/range/performance, I can't see them taking sales away from Model 3.