Tesla just started taking orders for their new “Model 3”. They took 180,000 orders in the first 24 hours.
The future is almost here. EVs are on the verge of becoming commonplace.
Wish I could afford one.
The guys hoping to get those Tesla 3 cars want to take advantage of the huge rebates, tax incentives, etc. Supposedly, that 35K price could then be closer to the low 20s
I suspect if there were no incentives, rebates, etc., there would have been a lot less hype, and less people would have been camped out in front of the dealers, waiting to “reserve” a car
Nobody wants to be the sucker that paid 35K and got none of the rebates and incentives :naughty:
Maybe, maybe not. There is an “early adopter” market segment that will pay more for new technology, and Tesla is still a unique vehicle.
As a matter of fact I was browsing at a few dealers with a friend today, and $35K isn’t big money for a luxury sedan. I looked at a few Caddy stickers and Infinity stickers and wow… just wow. As a matter of fact, $35K for a luxury sedan looked cheap after looking at those Caddys and Infinities.
I don’t know (like many things in life!). This could be the next Prius or the next Nissan Leaf. You can buy a used 2-3 yr old leaf for less than $10K because of range issues esp if you use the AC.
NPR was doing a special tonight on the Tesla and they were driving in it. I did not know that it is close to being a self driving car. For me the only thrill is the 0-60. I can not get over the iPAD glued to the dash though.
I would never buy any vehicle without test driving it. Tesla just wanted to raise some cash and they knew a lot of people (suckers in my mind) would pay a grand to be on a list. Sorry…not for me.
The problem I have with these cars is: if they skipped the luxury features, and the huge acceleration, and thus smaller motors, they could increase the range and lower the price. and probably sell more and do a lot more to promote the future of electric cars.
Yeah…Tesla makes an interesting vehicle…there is no denying this. Any of you guys ever driven one? I mean…they are pretty fantastic. In every single measure. The only worry I would have is about the Battery. Batteries seem to be be the bane of my entire life. Whether not having them to power my toys as a child…their expense and or their propensity to DIE on me…and die they do in droves. All the time.
Aside from this worry…and I am sure the battery pack is insured…there may be no drawback to this type of veehickle in the current high tech times we live in.
I know I was blown away by the Model S when I drove it. Power, acceleration, adjustability, everything was on par if not better than what we have now and it had the ability to taylor its characteristics to whatever you wanted. Ride firmness, height, illumination, climate, braking characteristics…even the ability to mimic an auto tranny driven gas engine vehicle! ALL adjustable. It is mega tech driven tho…computer failures mean you go nowhere…but that is true with any vehicle right? I guess I mean software problems as there was an awful lot going on in the car that relied on serious computer power.
There is a lot to like in the Tesla, no question…but for me deep down, there is also a lot to like in a 1970 Ford Pickup too… That will never go away for me. But while things are good…the Tesla makes sense, a lot of sense. After the Apocalypse? I will take the Truck…haha
Blackbird
^
It’s actually a pretty smart way for the company to finance the building of those cars, and it isn’t without precedent.
In 1948, Preston Tucker’s radical new car was attracting a lot of consumer interest, but he was short on funding. So, in order to raise money, he convinced a lot of people who had placed deposits on his cars to buy fitted luggage, seat covers, and radios, all specially-designed for the new Tucker automobile, and he raised…a lot…of money with that strategy. Unfortunately, other forces caused his company to collapse, and those customers lost everything. (On a side note, there have to be some of these luggage sets, seat covers, and radios sitting around somewhere, and they just might have some value for collectors!)
In Musk’s case, he has already demonstrated the ability to bring a very advanced design to market, and now that he will seemingly be able to bring the price of his advanced designs down to the level that more people can afford, it has become a viable option for many people–hence the thousands of people placing deposits for the cars.
While I am not going to one of those “depositors”, I don’t think that placing a refundable deposit for one of these cars is outlandish. I am not an “early adopter” of most technologies, but many folks are early adopters. Additionally, it is very possible that some of the “depositors” are planning to re-sell their car as soon as they finally receive it. It could just be a business venture for some folks.
I read that the average price after incentives for a $35,000 Model 3 would be more like $28,000. That will never happen. Tesla is selling only the most highly optioned Model 3s at a price more like $50,000 each. By the time they start producing the $35,000 version, the tax incentives will most likely have expired. Still, a $50,000 compact luxury sedan with a 200+ mile range and no gas cost is an attractive option.
That price range puts it in competition with other compact luxury cars. A new Caddy sedan without options will run you well over $50K before delivery and prep charges. A coupe will set you back $10K more.
From what I understood @jtsanders the base 35K version of the Tesla3 will have the 215 mile batt pack… By the time it cost 50K I believe that batt pack will be the extended range pack. At least thats what I am understanding…unless there are a ton of options that push the mark higher OTHER than the batt pack. Most would opt for the pack before anything else I would think.
Blackbird
Only the accountants know but I think he has managed to add $50 plus million to his accounts receivable and help his balance sheet. That in turn would have a calming effect on the lenders who have become a little reluctant and also boost the lagging stock prices a little. Producing the rabbit from the hat will be the next act.
@“Honda Blackbird”, according to the Tesla web site, the $35,000 model will have a 215 mile range. The Model S70 has a range of 240 miles, while the Model S90 has a range of 302 miles. I suppose that the more expensive Model 3 might have a similar improvement to aroun 270 miles per charge. There isn’t any spec sheet or options list at tesla.com. Still, the base model does get the 215 mile range.