PeterGray wrote:If it has all of the features of a Tesla it will be hard for VW to make it much cheaper than the model 3 unless they sell at a negative or very low margin based on the tear down analysis of the Tesla model 3.
The difference is that VW is a well managed company with lots of resources, both financial and skill, loads of experience of producing reliable cars that people want. Tesla is a start up, with a flaky CEO producing some of its cars from a tent. It would be no surprise at all if VW (and others) were able to produce cars with a similar spec for less. Tesla may well end up as a well established and successful car manufacturer too, but it's a long way from being there.
As an investment case if you think that's possible then Tesla is probably the better choice, but to write of VW as not being able to compete successfully with Tesla is incredibly short sighted.
My diesel Golf with be due for replacement in the next few years and the electric VW looks like a very promising possible replacement (I'm lucky enough to have off street parking so charging is possible), however at the moment I couldn't see myself considering a Tesla
Many people are making these sorts of points about Tesla, but imho they are totally underestimating what Tesla have done, are doing and will do. Tesla lines are among the most computerised and efficient in the world, they are being relentless refined and all the issues that folk have pointed out are being addressed.
Moreover, people are also not factoring in the love that many have for Tesla and the loathing that many have for VW, especially US buyers who bought a VW and then couldn't drive it till its emissions were fixed or have been saddled with domestic lemons. Even GM which is anything but a loved US brand are doing better with their electric cars as people now want electric propulsion.
Musk is very like Robert Graves, "I Claudius" a man who realises that the weaker and more baffoonish he appears the less his competitors take him seriously and the more easy it is for his business to hurt them.
Additionally many people have hated ice cars for a very long time, hated the pollution they produce, the need for foreign oil to fuel them and that hate has extended to the car manufactures who have given them these options and worse have often sold them cars that are not that safe. Witness even the testing of one of the Volvo's v the Model 3 and many makers are a lot worse than Volvo for safety. So in some sense Tesla is the real oncoming storm that legacy auto has dismissed and now suddenly it is upon them and hurting them.
Q1 Tesla sales may be as poor as the estimates say or not, but Tesla now have cars in the field that are far better than existing ice in every respect as far as I can tell and if they start to sell, as I expect, legacy auto has a very big problem.
Regards,