Too bad GM didn't invest in Tesla when they had the chance. Daimler did. This is a hot car company that will likely be profitable even if they serve a niche market.
that's their business model. they start with a high end sports car, build a reputation for being pricey...then they will introduce a sedan around $50k (I think its out now)...then a less expensive all electric car in the 25k-30k range. Its pretty fascinating how Elon Musk is building that company...I know someone who has a Tesla and he loves it. Its actually an electric car I'd get...if I had the disposible income for one.
Actually, the S is the $50K model. It's out now and they have a dealership at the Washington Square Mall. It can go 300 miles between charges and is hot as hell. It's really not that much more than a comparable BMW. or even an Acura, Infinity or Lexus. BNM
I wonder if there will ever be a Model T (every man's car) in electric. Something affordable, because right now spending 40 to 50k on an electric car isn't really high on my list.
Well, the Model T came out about 23 years after the invention of the gas-powered car, and 123 years after the first steam-powered car. The first 5 years of Model T production totaled only 175k cars. The 6th year they built 225k cars. The average price in 1910 was $925, but by 1916 it was $352. Tesla was founded in 2003, and obviously the market and technology is vastly different. Batteries have a fundamental disadvantage of energy concentration over gasoline that's tough to overcome even with modern technology. But you have to respect the progress Tesla has made in such a short time. Hopefully they are at the beginning of a pretty drastic growth curve.
I just checked the tesla website and the $50k version only has a 150ish mile range, $60k gets you 230 miles range and $70k gets you 300 mile range. I'd think most would opt for at least 230 mile range, but I guess we'll see what the market says about that. A co-worker has the roadster -- it's big bucks but a sweet car. The cost to fully charge is next to nothing. Only downside is that thing is LOW to the ground, but I might be biased from driving a Highlander.
Sweet Ride, First time ever a car has won 'Car of the Year' unamiously Would buy it over a Mercedes or what have you
I'd love to have the Tesla S Performance. 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds! But, I could never justify spending $85K on a car, any car. Hell, I have a hard time justifying $20K on a car, even though I could afford much more. Don't get me wrong, I love cars and love to drive, but there are plenty of great, used cars out there for less than $20K. I only spent $16K on my last NEW car three and a half years ago (and them put $4K into performance, and appearance upgrades to make it more fun - and safer - to drive). Anyway, if they ever offer something with the specs of the Tesla S Performance for below $50K, I'd have a real hard time saying no. I take good care of my cars and keep them a long time. So, I could probably rationalize the $50K sticker price amortized over 10 - 15 years of ownership - especially given the low "fuel" costs and zero emissions. BNM
If all the batteries are on the bottom, you would not want anything scraping that car going over speed bumps. right?
