tesla blue star

[Grendal]

I agree with those who've said that the Bluestar needs to be an inexpensive luxury sedan. Let the big boys fight over the low end market. Tesla should not go up against the Leaf, IMiev, Focus EV, Spark, and 500 EV. They should be the company that sells a better product, besides that's an incredibly competitive market for a new automaker to fight against.

 

[TEG]

They have a motto 'Premium electric vehicles'...

Although years back it was suggested that the goal was eventual large scale (mass) production.
But if other manufacturers have already filled that gap...

 

[vfx]

.. Bluestar needs to be an inexpensive luxury sedan. .. Tesla should not go up against the Leaf, IMiev, Focus EV, Spark, and 500 EV.....

Why can't they do both? Tesla clearly has the advantage in battery and motor technology. That can be applied as savings to the consumer making a luxury car at low cost.

 

[brianman]

Why can't they do both? Tesla clearly has the advantage in battery and motor technology. That can be applied as savings to the consumer making a luxury car at low cost.

It's an issue of margins and spreading themselves too thin. Let's take for example a "budget-equivalent" of a $15k ICE car. At a low price we expect higher volume. At higher volume, I expect more overhead from frivolous issues reported by buyers. More frivolity means more overhead and distraction.

I'd prefer to see them sell key componentry to other suppliers of the chassis+ rather than get distracted with details like 28 flavors of cloth interior of high volume models.

 

[TEG]

Also, keep in mind that they would have to grow sales and support offices to match the expected volume of customers.

What if RAV4EV is just the start with Toyota? Imagine having Toyota sell and support Tesla powered Scions for instance...

 

[Robert.Boston]

Why can't they do both? Tesla clearly has the advantage in battery and motor technology. That can be applied as savings to the consumer making a luxury car at low cost.

Brand image and margins. Far better, IMO, to provide drivetrains to established lower-end brands, and keep the halo effect around its premium offerings.

 

[vfx]

Brand image and margins. Far better, IMO, to provide drivetrains to established lower-end brands, and keep the halo effect around its premium offerings.

You are assuming Tesla's brand is luxury. Their brand is desirable leading edge fully electric vehicles and powertrains. They will do a van (including utility) and a mass market car in the 30K range- even lower eventually. They have said this. They bought a factory to do it. Sit back and watch!

 

[Sig698]

You are assuming Tesla's brand is luxury. Their brand is desirable leading edge fully electric vehicles and powertrains. They will do a van (including utility) and a mass market car in the 30K range- even lower eventually. They have said this. They bought a factory to do it. Sit back and watch!

Mercedes offers both of those things as well, just something to mull over. It can definitely be done and keep the luxury image.

 

[AnOutsider]

After Model X, Tesla To Sell Cheaper Electric; 2015 Roadster To Follow

As Inside Line reports, Elon Musk aspires to have the Gen 3 Tesla to market in “early 2015,” which is nearly one year earlier than originally projected. If you guessed something else would have to be delayed, you’d be correct.

In this case, the victim will likely be the next Tesla Roadster, which was originally penciled in to debut in 2014 as a 2015 model. With Tesla focused on the launch of the Gen 3, don’t expect to see a new Roadster until after the Gen 3's 2015 debut.

so looks like bluestar got pushed up, R3 pushed back (if this is accurate)

 

[Grendal]

so looks like bluestar got pushed up, R3 pushed back (if this is accurate)

Elon has said it more than once. And it makes sense financially. If you are a growing company then each step needs to be a progressive growth step. Pausing to build the new Roadster, which will have a much smaller market base, will slow the growth.

Besides it gives Tesla the opportunity to really test the possibilities of the Gen 3 platform before they commit it to what I expect to be a show stopping supercar.

 

[Doug_G]

so looks like bluestar got pushed up, R3 pushed back (if this is accurate)

I've always been skeptical of the next generation Roadster being a priority. It was a great place to start the company, but it's not going to provide the kind of growth they need.

 

[AnOutsider]

Elon has said it more than once. And it makes sense financially. If you are a growing company then each step needs to be a progressive growth step. Pausing to build the new Roadster, which will have a much smaller market base, will slow the growth.

Besides it gives Tesla the opportunity to really test the possibilities of the Gen 3 platform before they commit it to what I expect to be a show stopping supercar.

You have a point, but on the point of "pausing" for the roadster and "testing gen3", I'd think the opposite would be true.

Doing the Roadster first, would mean they could recoup more expenditures and quickly than they could by selling low-margin, but high-volume cars. Also, if they go low-volume first, that makes it easier to solidify the platform with a smaller group of clientele (that are usually more understanding and forgiving of flaws). Going headfirst into the mass-market with a problematic platform could be disastrous.

Plus, it would match Tesla's "start high, work down low" thing.

 

[JRP3]

It isn't like Li-Ions are new. A lot of production cost is already removed. Volume reductions at this point will be minimal. I actually think, not sure, that most of battery improvements right now are cell architecture (getting more complex for material efficiency, not simpler easier to manufacture) and cell chemistry.

I hope I am wrong.

Hard to predict but there are companies who still see room for major improvements in basic cell material production that could lower costs and improve performance. Example: http://primetprecision.com/
Plus we are still discovering how different lithium chemistries actually behave on a basic level. Example:
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/lithium-battery-decoded-0208.html

I think there is still a lot of room for improvement with current chemistries, let alone newer ones.

 

[vfx]

You have a point, but on the point of "pausing" for the roadster and "testing gen3", I'd think the opposite would be true.

Doing the Roadster first, would mean they could recoup more expenditures and quickly than they could by selling low-margin, but high-volume cars. Also, if they go low-volume first, that makes it easier to solidify the platform with a smaller group of clientele (that are usually more understanding and forgiving of flaws). Going headfirst into the mass-market with a problematic platform could be disastrous.

Plus, it would match Tesla's "start high, work down low" thing.

But have they saturated the Electric Sports car market?

 

[AnOutsider]

But have they saturated the Electric Sports car market?

Mayhap, but I'd wager there are some who never considered the Roadster because, while exotic, it wasn't really luxurious. Roadster 2.5 performance (or better), with a more luxurious fit and finish could see some of the Lamborghini, Ferrari etc folks coming over as well.

 

[vfx]

Mayhap, but I'd wager there are some who never considered the Roadster because, while exotic, it wasn't really luxurious. Roadster 2.5 performance (or better), with a more luxurious fit and finish could see some of the Lamborghini, Ferrari etc folks coming over as well.

I suppose they could pick up a lot of Porsche owner who like the lux of that brand. Though I still think there are a lot of Early adopter, I want electric, Roadster owners that would just keep that car.

 

[Mycroft]

Mayhap, but I'd wager there are some who never considered the Roadster because, while exotic, it wasn't really luxurious. Roadster 2.5 performance (or better), with a more luxurious fit and finish could see some of the Lamborghini, Ferrari etc folks coming over as well.

That's exactly what I'm waiting on!

 

[AnOutsider]

That's exactly what I'm waiting on!

Admittedly, me too

 

[vfx]

Admittedly, me too

3.0...

 

[AnOutsider]

vfx, your post gives me a poll idea (I know, I know.. ANOTHER one?!)... How many Roadster owners will be upgrading to 3.0? Though I guess there's just so much in the air... will 2.5s and older get new packs? What are the costs? 2+2? Yadda yadda.. off-topic for here though.