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Model 3 Unveiling [video]

model3.tesla.com

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Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#261

Post by kgwgk »

abtinf wrote: post #187
Animats wrote: post #113

OK, $35K, 115,000 pre-orders, delivery early 2018. (Yeah, he said "next year", and then the projection said "late next year", and then he waffled, so 2018 is realistic.) Tesla's current production rate is about 70,000 units a year. Yes, the NUMMI plant once produced 500K vehicles a year on that site, but that just means Tesla has lots of empty building shell into which they can expand. The real problem is profitabili…

>Tesla isn't profitable On a per-unit sold basis, Tesla Model S is wildly profitable, with a gross margin north of 30% [1]. However, they are obviously still in startup mode, so they reinvest all of those earnings along with investor capital into improving the business. >Cutting the price means they have to produce at a far lower cost while expanding factory capacity. Corporate finance is a little more nuanced than t…

> On a per-unit sold basis, Tesla Model S is wildly profitable, with a gross margin north of 30% [1].

I didn't read the article, but it's from 2012. Gross margins hace declined from 27.6% in 2014 to 22.8%. In fact in the fourth quarter the gross margin was just 18%, below Toyota, Daimler, BMW, Nissan, Renault, Hyunday, Kia (all in the range 18.9-20.1%) and Honda (22.9%). To be fair it was 19.2% for Tesla's automotive division. And after excluding a number of nasty thing the company can get to a better looking 25%. But I'm not sure this qualifies as "wildly profitable".

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#262

Post by robmcm »

llomlup wrote: post #227

Something isn't right there. The cockpit doesn't seem to be finished. Compared to Model S and Model X cockpits, this one isn't on par. Where are screens behind the wheel, what about the middle console, AC, wheel controls? http://cdn2.autoexpress.co.uk/sites/autoexpressuk/files/styl... , seriously?

I suspect it could have a HUD (Head up display) to show the driver basic information (speed, navigation etc). Everything else can be on the center console.

Look at the citroen cactus dashboard and make it more Tesla-like http://images.autowereld.com/high/78673-image.jpg

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#263

Post by joshvm »

stevep98 wrote: post #141
aresant wrote: post #55

I love Tesla the company and respect the hell out of Elon. But his presentation style is hard to watch - he is literally stammering through what feels like a dry script. I've never seen him live before is this par for the course or nerves? Edit - wow that is a better looking car than I expected. You can be as awkward serving as you like if that's the main course!

I think they could improve things by controlling the audience more. The presentation wasn't helped by people yelling and interrupting (yes, they were enthusiastic). Apple handles this a lot better, they get applause and cheers, but it always seems to be at the right time. Is it because their audience is apple employees highly trained to give feedback on cue?

The difference is that Apple events are strictly invitation only, so the audience tends to be full of journalists and other press people. It's serious to the point where people who make Apple unhappy won't be extended an invite (like the iPhone prototype scandal a few years back).

This audience seems to be anyone who'd pre-ordered the model 3, so the general (Bay Area?) public. As a result it sounds like a terrible mix between an American stand-up show, a rock concert and a cheesy sitcom where everyone applauds when the main character coughs. Hence also everyone videoing the event on their phones - it's not even like a gig where you'd have to pay for the video...

(They also do this at Apple, but people seem to be a lot more covert about recording.)

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#264

Post by robmcm »

dragontamer wrote: post #168

Seats five is interesting... but I'm not quite seeing the perspective. Its hard to tell the size difference. From my eyes, it looks like its roughly the size of a Scion, maybe only a little bit larger than a Honda Fit. Which seats 5... technically... but its not too comfortable. Its more of a 4-seater with a 5th seat that may be used if you care about it.

Because of the lack of combustion engine, gear box and drive train the interior of the Model S is huge compared to other similar sized conventional cars.

I imagine the model 3 has the same benefits and the interior is a lot larger than it looks.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#265

Post by ZenoArrow »

canistr wrote: post #191
stevep98 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they could improve things by controlling the audience more. The presentation wasn't helped by people yelling and interrupting (yes, they were enthusiastic). Apple handles this a lot better, they get applause and cheers, but it always seems to be at the right time. Is it because their audience is apple employees highly trained to give feedback on cue?

It likely has more to do with the alcohol being served at the event.

It's even more likely that the people cheering the earliest and loudest were employees that were asked to do so, it's an easy way to hype up the crowd.

It doesn't matter though, the Model 3 would still be just as promising with or without the audience participation.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#267

Post by Shivetya »

Animats wrote: post #113

OK, $35K, 115,000 pre-orders, delivery early 2018. (Yeah, he said "next year", and then the projection said "late next year", and then he waffled, so 2018 is realistic.) Tesla's current production rate is about 70,000 units a year. Yes, the NUMMI plant once produced 500K vehicles a year on that site, but that just means Tesla has lots of empty building shell into which they can expand. The real problem is profitabili…

So they will have to spend what, nearly a billion, to buy that much production capability? For a car that will likely undercut sales of the S? I assume he will get the money for the factory equipment then comes the training of the people to build the car.

Production time should be easy to estimate once activity is seen at the factory. That is a lot of equipment that will need to be delivered and installed and it should be easy to estimate from what types of equipment and how much of it there is as to when production can reasonably start

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#268

Post by apapli »

rickdale wrote: post #91
aresant wrote: post #55

I love Tesla the company and respect the hell out of Elon. But his presentation style is hard to watch - he is literally stammering through what feels like a dry script. I've never seen him live before is this par for the course or nerves? Edit - wow that is a better looking car than I expected. You can be as awkward serving as you like if that's the main course!

Edit - wow that is a better looking car than I expected. You can be as awkward serving as you like if that's the main course! I mean, I'll reserve judgement until I see some more photos, but when he revealed the car it felt like a huge let down in the room. And I think we all know the car will be a success, but I got the impression that the people in the room were let down a bit by the design. I was surprised Elon di…

I actually thought they seemed more bummed with the range. 210 miles is pretty vanilla, for a Tesla. It would have been nice to see it in the low 300s as a starting point.

Not that this stopped me from putting down my deposit.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#269

Post by MrBuddyCasino »

Animats wrote: post #131
valine wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I rather like his presentation style. For some reason it strikes me as genuine, like he's someone I can relate with and look up to. He doesn't need to be a flashy salesman because his projects will sell themselves.

"For some reason it strikes me as genuine, like he's someone I can relate with and look up to." That's typical of salespeople at the higher levels. The smooth-talking types are down at the midmarket dealerships. For the other extreme, see Shai Agassi, who ran an electric car company, Better Place. This is his 2009 TED talk.[1] I heard him speak once. He's really good looking, he sounds very convincing, and his busine…

Incredible. To me, everything about that guy screams snake oil salesman.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#270

Post by usaphp »

rconti wrote: post #246
usaphp wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree, bmw 3 series and basic Lexus are not "luxury" cars, they are called "Premium" cars. Luxury cars are Porshes, Maseratti, Bentley, bmw 6 series, mercedes CLS etc... Honda Fit and Ford Focus are small budget cars, Nissan maxima and accord are regular sedans. If you call bmw 3 series a luxury car - then what would you call a porshe than? Edit: Mercedec CLA is considered a luxury vehicle in a different class (…

I'm sorry, but luxury is relative to class. If you think a 6 series is luxury, but a 3 series is not, .... what is your definition, exactly? A 3 series is luxury because its compared to smaller generic cars, where a 6 series is ALSO luxury because it's compared to larger generic cars. I'd never call a Porsche a luxury car because I consider them sports cars, even though many of their model lines are not particularly…

> What's hilarious here is that you call the CLA luxury

I never called it luxury, I was referring to a link from wikipedia where it says it is a "luxury compact car".

My original point was in response to a comment (that is now edited) that model 3 does not look luxury for what it costs. My point was that none of the cars in that price range look luxury if you compare them to a higher priced cars.

"Luxury car", and "luxury car in a specific class" have different meanings in my opinion. You can't blame model 3 for not looking luxury, if other cars in that price range look the same and have almost the same set of features.

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