Nissan can make a profit selling an entire car for just over $10,000. Let's say that a large carmaker like them can figure out how to build the entire rest of the car at a viable margin for $10,000. Then we should be able to see $20,000 EVs.

Problem is, no one wants to buy a car with $10,000 build quality for $20,000.

I believe there was a whole year of announcements from Tesla about making cheaper vehicles. They chose to make the more expensive models (better business) but it means I won't buy one (budget).

And yet, they currently make and sell the cheapest car they have ever offered, the mid-range Model 3, currently listed at $44,000 before credits, so $40,250 with the federal credit and $37,750 in California. Which is definitely cheaper than a year ago.

This may be true, but it's not what was said before by Tesla. Personally, I don't blame them for chasing the higher profit models, but it's against their stated mission of the past.

My decision now not to buy a tesla is about elon musk's public behavior (I could afford the $37,750 if I wanted to, but TBH, I buy used cars now).

Typical car manufacturing cost breakdown https://www.quora.com/How-much-does-it-actually-cost-manufac...