They're skating towards where Tesla is right now with the puck. Maybe not even that, hard to say.
True. But it’s pretty obvious now that the entire car industry (well, minus Toyota) is moving to electric. I suspect Tesla will be in the lead for a while in the technology department... and will charge a premium for it. But I have little doubt that GM, Ford, VW, and Hyundai-Kia will all have fully electric, sub-$30k vehicles on the road in the not to distant future with great range, dynamic cruise, and enough accident-avoidance tech to please the masses.
It’s always been my belief that Tesla is redefining “luxury” and “premium” in the industry. We’re moving from rich Corinthian leather, hand-stitched dashboards, and plush carpeting to over-the-air updates, autopilot/FSD tech, and battery tech. It’s the reason so many new Tesla Model 3 owners complain “there’s no excuse for these paint and body panel issues in a brand new $60,000 car!!!!” and “How can a top of the line Model 3 not have an auto open/close trunk and massaging seats???”
It’s because Tesla’s category-1 is technology... you’re paying a premium for high tech. Remove the batteries, install an ICE, conventional dash, and metal roof in a Model 3, and you have a sub-$20k Ford Focus.
And to be clear, I’m not dissing Tesla... I’m giving them recognition for reinventing the car. Now, if they could just get the car assembly thing right.....