On your first point, Bolt specifies their price after tax breaks as $30K as does Tesla on their web site in the configuration tool. Tesla further puts in a gas savings in their pricing. The Model 3 is stated as $35K before tax breaks. There are two ways to state Apples-to-Apples, either the Bolt is $37.5K and the Model 3 is $35K. Or, to say the Bolt is $30K and the Model 3 is $27.5K.
If your second point is directed at me, I drive a Nissan Leaf and old VWs. My wife has a Model S with a Model X arriving any day. Expect one or two of our Teslas to be for sale once she decides what she wants to drive. Don't tell her, but I hate driving the Model S and expect the Model X will be worse with its falcons. I enjoy econoboxes.
It seems most here would love to drive a Model S and are hopeful that the Model 3 is just like it, but I want an econobox. I expect the Bolt will be added to my side of the garage soon.
For people who can afford the difference, the wording may not matter, but if people perpetuate these numbers, sooner or later, we'll all be led to believe them.
It's misleading, and semi-irresponsible of those of us who know better to keep feeding into it.
The Bolt is $37.5K. The Model 3 is $35K.
Look at it this way.....on the day you take the keys, what are you paying tax on/financing/cutting the check for?
I get that you're going to be saving money on gas, but even those estimates (on the Tesla website) are already misleading.
The average person drives between 10,000 and 15,000 miles and spends between $1,500 and $2,500 on gasoline per year. In comparison, the cost of electricity to power Model S over the same distance is four times lower. Over the five year average length of car ownership, thats between $6,000 and $10,000 in gasoline savings. We've assumed a fuel economy of 20 miles per gallon for a comparable gasoline powered premium sedan, for example the Mercedes-Benz S550. We've also assumed the national average of $0.12 per kilowatt-hour for electricity, 10% charging on Tesla's Supercharger network enabling free long distance travel and $2.90 per gallon for premium gasoline over the next five years.
I hope the re-write this piece for the Model 3....but....
1. The S550 won't be used as a comparison to the Model 3.
2. The price for gas where I live (MA) is down to around $2.15/gal right now.
3. I currently get 24/27/33.
So these numbers don't work for me.
We should all be speaking realistically about what this car will do, and what Tesla's numbers mean to you.
For example, if you're in something dependable and get great mileage, and the M3 and associated charging equipment is going to be a stretch for you....
you should REALLY be considering things like:
cost of having 240v run to your parking space/garage, or IF you can even do it (condo/apartment)
the financing rate you'll get on the M3
the insurance you'll have to pay
what your monthly payment will be
etc etc etc. and a lot of these things are what you'd consider when buying ANY car.
But, IMHO, it would be irresponsible for those of us who CAN afford to jump into a Model 3 to keep pushing these pie-in-the-sky numbers out there.
For me, the 1st year cost of a Model 3 will be:
~$1200 HPWC+install
~$55K (?) fully loaded, almost loaded Model 3
$1200 delivery fee
$3437.5 (6.25% MA Sales tax, based on 55K sticker)
$125 title and reg fee
~$20 in actual electricity costs to charge the car
That's $60,982.50
And the Tax Credits? If I get in early and get the full Fed credit:
$7500 Fed EV Tax Credit
$2500 State EV Tax credit
$360 State Tax credit for installing charging equipment
or $10,360 off my tax burden
Of course, a base model won't be as steep....but there are definitely some "start-up costs" we're not taking into account for 1st time EV owners.
It will take a while to realize the "savings" Tesla promises.
