Re:Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflect...
by Locke1689 on Friday March 28, 2014 @01:40PM
(#7488760)
Maybe we're looking at Tesla wrong. They're not selling luxury cars; they're bootstrapping a mobility company by selling to the wealthy.
I would agree with this statement 100%.
Re:Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflect...
by darkmighty on Friday March 28, 2014 @03:00PM
(#7489256)
It's the best strategy also because it makes sense to them to produce a car that has a controlled demand, since they're essentially limited by battery production. It also showcases the quality of the brand, associating it with reliability and luxury -- and it's a sedan, which has a smaller power requirement than other luxurious classes.
Re:Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflect...
by toomuchtodo on Friday March 28, 2014 @03:18PM
(#7489369)
> and it's a sedan, which has a smaller power requirement than other luxurious classes.
Model S vs the new Corvette Stingray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VOqW...
If you need more power than that, you might as well bolt a turbine engine on your car.
Re:Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflect...
by Tossrock on Friday March 28, 2014 @08:08PM
(#7490790)
That is actually what Elon Musk has explicitly said: http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/secret-tesla-motors-master-p...
"1. Build sports car
2. Use that money to build an affordable car
3. Use that money to build an even more affordable car"
Re:Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflect...
by toomuchtodo on Saturday March 29, 2014 @12:07PM
(#7492685)
Yes, but you're assuming those affordable cars are for purchase. If Elon can make them self-driving, you get the benefit of never having all the expenses that go with vehicle ownership, and he makes the spread between an expensive electric transportation appliance and people paying dirt cheap rates to get from A->B (because electric is so much cheaper per mile than petroleum).
What do we consider affordable? I haven't had the time to do this, but you could take US Census data (average/median income per zip code), derive a formula for percentrage of income someone can spend on transportation, and thereby determine what affordable is.
A Model S is definitely a luxury item at this time; on the other hand, if it was self-driving, and could roll into bays to recharge all in software, with access being on-demand (Uber, with no drivers), they wouldn't be expensive. It would be the same as a company buying airplanes and selling seats on said expensive aircraft.
Maybe we're looking at Tesla wrong. They're not selling luxury cars; they're bootstrapping a mobility company by selling to the wealthy.