Howard wrote:It is difficult to decide what is the best strategy for Tesla.
I'm not so sure, I just think maybe it is too late. Tesla had the playground all to itself for years, it should now be seeing its long term plans bearing fruit as others enter the arena with their first serious gen efforts but they don't appear to have consolidated advantages in the technology, design or production of electric vehicles. Too busy sitting on the swings smoking spliff.
Howard wrote:I posted the VW results not to praise VW because they did commit a deception on a major scale. In a way they were like Elon Musk, their clever method of cheating the tests by sophisticated software was just too clever by half. And they were rightly penalised for it in no uncertain terms.
This might be one of those highly ironic unforeseen consequence moments where a little diesel emission cheating ends up being the best thing that could have possibly happened for electric cars. It might also prove to be the best thing which could have possibly happened for VW.
If nothing else the way VW rode Dieselgate shows a certain robustness. It should have been devastating and just before a significant contraction in the market. Instead VW are selling more in to that shrinking market whilst re-configuring the company around the new e-model. The behaviour may have been bad, but the fallout has been very well managed.
Howard wrote:IDo they have the resources to compete with Tesla in making volume EVs? We don't know yet, but my guess is that they will be successful.
VW may fail or succeed, but they unquestionably have the financial, technical, production and marketing resources required. Whether or not they use them effectively to compete against tesla and others is open to debate, but it's also where I think their real advantage comes in. It's entirely possible that Musk is a greater genius, a devastating iconoclast, and more fun to share a beer and a joint with, but I know which management team I want running my car company. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?