Tesla is "no apple of the car industry"

[artsci]

"unveil a new electric car whose performance will transcend that of Model S by the end of 2015" is not "aiming for decent specs". The Model S exists, the BAIC is just boisterous talk at this point of "unveiling" a car in the future. Some amount of skeptisim is in order regardless of fanboy label.

I expect China will produce some good EVs at some point, but by hyping it this way, they loose some credibility.

Agree. The Chinese don't yet make an ICE car that's competitive in international markets. And in one year they'll make a BEV that's competitive with Tesla? Highly doubtful. But given time, certainly possible. But of course over the same time Tesla will have moved on to new batteries and technologies. TMC is not a sleeping giant, like GM was when the Japanese began making cars that were competitive in US and global markets.

 

[Robert.Boston]

I guess that also depends on their exact definition of "performance".

I also think that it is understandable that they want to have their future car be better than a current existing car of a competitor. It would be a bit silly for them to announce "Our best future car will be worse than the currently available car of our competitor".

I disagree: BAIC had the chance to say "we unveiling an electric car that meets the needs of discerning Chinese buyers" and simply ignore Tesla. It's never good marketing to mention your competitor. Ford doesn't design the Mustang to compete with the best European cars, and it doesn't need to. Different market, different price-point, successful entry.

 

[Brightonuk]

Cant wait to see their interpretation of a model S

 

[AC1K]

hopefully he is right, since Apple became stale with their products years ago, they got more or less wiped out by Android for market share both phones and tablets.

android has 80% of the market right now for smartphones, hopefully Tesla gets the same some day.

 

[danny]

hopefully he is right, since Apple became stale with their products years ago, they got more or less wiped out by Android for market share both phones and tablets.

android has 80% of the market right now for smartphones, hopefully Tesla gets the same some day.

Apple is the maker of both their software and hardware. They control the entire experience, as do pretty much all car makers, though many may be outsourcing things like design and what not. However, if Tesla were provide an electric platform for other companies to build on, or batteries packs, or just generally license their technology, they would be come more like Google and its android model.

 

[AC1K]

Apple is the maker of both their software and hardware. They control the entire experience, as do pretty much all car makers, though many may be outsourcing things like design and what not. However, if Tesla were provide an electric platform for other companies to build on, or batteries packs, or just generally license their technology, they would be come more like Google and its android model.

Tesla is actually doing that, they are far closer to android in your definition.

they have their own line of products (Nexus line of phones and tablets)
then they have other OEMs build off their platform, Mercedes, Toyota, etc

 

[DITB]

Chinese in a broad view seem to care less about comfort. Ride in a taxi or bus in China, and you would know what I mean! There are no points given for comfort, and the signs that tell you to hold on to something is more of a disclaimer than a gentle advice. You are literally thrown around, if you don't hold on, even when there is no traffic or obstructions.

And that's just the top of the iceberg.

I have tried the BYD e6 a few times (being a taxi), and I would be quite impressed - if it wasn't for the price and the range. Although the range is between a Leaf and a MS 60 kWh, the price is still way too high - and you cannot even buy it yet as a private person, unless you are in the UK (it's mainly sold to taxi companies). When the price for a BYD e6 is around 2/3s of that of a Tesla model S 60 (before import duties favouring local products), I would still add on that little extra and get the minimum spec Tesla model S. If there wasn't any Tesla, I would be able to live with a BYD e6 though. Those taxi drivers I talked to (in Hong Kong, where there are around 45 BYD e6 taxis), were all quite happy with the car, also regarding charging. In Guangdong or Shenzhen (pick one), there are around 800 BYD e6 in service.

So with less demand for comfort, and more demand for economy, cheap electric cars definitely has a place in China. I doubt it, though, that China will match the quality and appeal of Tesla Motors products, at least on this side of 2020.

It will be interesting to see how the artist formerly know as Model E will compete with whatever Chinese EVs hit the market at the same time.

 

[danny]

Tesla is actually doing that, they are far closer to android in your definition.

they have their own line of products (Nexus line of phones and tablets)
then they have other OEMs build off their platform, Mercedes, Toyota, etc

Well the difference is that Google still oursources manufacturing of its Nexus line to various OEM's. And Motorola, though owned for the moment by Google, still operates as a different brand and is being sold off anyway.

Yes, you are right that they are already building a platform for others, but I think there's a lot more they can do in that area. They aren't doing it to the same degree yet that Google does it.