[Edited out part others had already answered]
Owners were not the target of this announcement. The auto industry was. The message is that EVs can do EVERYTHING better than gas cars, so you can no longer dismiss them as niche vehicles - you had better build some if you want to be in business after we put in this infrastructure. (Which will take years, yes. But the automakers will need those years to launch a line of vehicles with a new propulsion system. They have to get started now, and the fastest way is to buy in to Tesla's platform and ecosystem. Too bad they will put their efforts in to building another system purely to avoid assisting Tesla).
I've read every post in the thread waiting for someone to make an obvious point. So far, it hasn't happened so I'm going to go CO on you (or is it TC?)
How many Tesla owners would chose to do a swap if it was free?
I know you're gonna go "Huh? Haven't you been paying attention? Elon is going to charge for it".
What if Elon was test marketing the concept, but for someone else? Everyone is complaining about Tesla owners (or shareholders) having to pay for the swap infrastructure costs. What if Elon was smart enough to have
someone else pay for it? And when they do, he announces that it will be free for Telsa owners?
How would that work?
Simple, we know that Tesla buyers have been funding the supercharger network (2k per car or so). The more cars that sell, the more the infrastructure can expand for superchargers. What if Elon convinced Daimler, Toyota and maybe GM to bake in that same cost to the drivetrains they are buying from Tesla? What if all that money goes to the costs of the swappers?
In exchange, they get to use the superchargers and they can pay to swap. Tesla will have already proven that EV owners will pay for a fast swap. Once the licensees have joined the system and payed back the swapper costs, Tesla can announce free swapping for Tesla owners.
Value benefit for them. By that time, the superchargers will likely be very busy with several different types of EVs waiting. The cheaper "GM type" owners will wait around for the "free" supercharger access. Tesla owners can come and go on the swapper paid for by the licensees. Pretty smart.
Did anyone else find it interesting that the GM rumor started right before this demo? Anyone else have the insight that maybe this demo was performed recently for "industry insiders"? Wouldn't it make sense to test the system out and give a private preview to Daimler, Toyota and maybe invite all other manufacturers? It's been proven that owners will pay for supercharger access (Elon can show them the stats for 60 owners). Now he will show on busy routes that EV owners will pay for the option to swap. Once Daimler and others have seen that, there is no reason for them to not follow in Tesla's footsteps and license the technology. When that happens, Tesla Moters win (but so do shareholders and car owners).
Elon has seen WAY down the road. We're looking too short term.....
