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Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

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51–60 of 278 posts

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#51
post #13

> Tesla’s competitors are feeling it. Sales of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the best-selling luxury sedan in the U.S., plunged 24 percent last month and are down 28 percent for the year through September. > And it’s doing so at a higher price than other mass-market cars. The most expensive versions of the Model 3 are currently the most popular, with an average selling price approaching $60,000. It would be very interes…

I would like to go on the record as saying that the big car companies of today, short of a miracle, are on track to meet the big mobile phone companies of the pre-iPhone era. Remember when Blackberry, Nokia, Motorola, Alcatel, Sony seemed unassailable?

That's been obvious to me for about 20 years. Ever since I read the case study in The Innovator's Dilemma explaining that electric cars would take over around 2020.

If Elon should burn out and crash Tesla, it will still happen. Only instead of being Tesla delivering the death blow, it will be those electric golf carts growing up, turning into full cars, and wiping out traditional automakers.

Either way the underlying dynamic is the same. As batteries become good and cheap enough for mass cars, there is an opportunity for upstarts who only do electric to take on gas cars.

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#52
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are? I have heard of the semi trucks but not smaller trucks.

Musk has said that it's his 'favorite next product': https://electrek.co/guides/tesla-pickup-truck/

Musk is not known for delivering on time.

I'm sure at some point he'll deliver a pickup truck, and it will probably be quite popular. But until he actually starts delivering it, it's kind of pointless to plan around.

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#53
post #21
post #13

> Tesla’s competitors are feeling it. Sales of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the best-selling luxury sedan in the U.S., plunged 24 percent last month and are down 28 percent for the year through September. > And it’s doing so at a higher price than other mass-market cars. The most expensive versions of the Model 3 are currently the most popular, with an average selling price approaching $60,000. It would be very interes…

There is only a finite number of people willing/able to spend $60k on a recreational vehicle.

It's $50k

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#54
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would like to go on the record as saying that the big car companies of today, short of a miracle, are on track to meet the big mobile phone companies of the pre-iPhone era. Remember when Blackberry, Nokia, Motorola, Alcatel, Sony seemed unassailable?

That's been obvious to me for about 20 years. Ever since I read the case study in The Innovator's Dilemma explaining that electric cars would take over around 2020. If Elon should burn out and crash Tesla, it will still happen. Only instead of being Tesla delivering the death blow, it will be those electric golf carts growing up, turning into full cars, and wiping out traditional automakers. Either way the underlying…

The case for electric cars taking over by 2020 is looking pretty darn wrong at this point, isn’t it?

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#55
post #41
post #13

> Tesla’s competitors are feeling it. Sales of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the best-selling luxury sedan in the U.S., plunged 24 percent last month and are down 28 percent for the year through September. > And it’s doing so at a higher price than other mass-market cars. The most expensive versions of the Model 3 are currently the most popular, with an average selling price approaching $60,000. It would be very interes…

You'd have to survey their customers. Speaking personally, my wife and I are new customers. This is the first time that we've spent over $30k on a car. Between rebates, the cost of gas, and reductions in maintenance costs, we think that we save somewhere between 1/3 to 1/2 on the lifetime cost of ownership over the life of this car versus an ICE car. It is still a luxury, but between features like the driving assist,…

> But we have set it to never charge over 80% of capacity to maximize that limit.

New Tesla owner here, hadn't heard that!

Will you not charge above 80% even on trips?

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#56
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is only a finite number of people willing/able to spend $60k on a recreational vehicle.

> There is only a finite number of people willing/able to spend $1k on a mobile phone. A small modification.

The two values you're comparing differ by 60x.

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#57
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musk has said that it's his 'favorite next product': https://electrek.co/guides/tesla-pickup-truck/

Elon Musk says a lot of things, I’ll believe that they have a viable pickup when it’s rolling off the assembly lines. I’m also not sure that the market for pickups will care too much about having an EV. All in all it’s a very different market with a different customer base than luxury sedans.

more torque! highly capable AWD

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#58
post #17
post #10

Anecdotal but I see more and more tesla’s On the road especially model 3s

In the South Bay part of the Bay Area, they are like 1 out of every 10 cars.

I saw a map two years ago that showed a break down of sales by vehicle type and zip code. Some zip codes in the South Bay EV's were over 10% of sales. Demographically they were higher middle class neighborhoods.

That to me sound like something one should take seriously because it shows that robust network effects are in play. A few people buy an EV and have no problem with them, that induces more people to consider them as a valid option.

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#59
post #7

That's noteworthy, but keep in mind the top 3 sellers in the US are pickup trucks, then 4-6 are SUV models. The best selling sedan is at spot 7.

There is a truck which is used by the government, highly visible, and perfect for EVs, which is due for replacement. Tesla should get in on this: Grumman Long Life Vehicle (LLV) AKA Mail Truck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oDVsf29tyk

Re: Tesla’s Model 3 Is Becoming One of America’s Best-Selling Sedans

#60
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musk has said that it's his 'favorite next product': https://electrek.co/guides/tesla-pickup-truck/

Elon Musk says a lot of things, I’ll believe that they have a viable pickup when it’s rolling off the assembly lines. I’m also not sure that the market for pickups will care too much about having an EV. All in all it’s a very different market with a different customer base than luxury sedans.

Yea I fully agree. In my experience the truck market is the one that is the most attached to their ICE's. I could be wrong, but Tesla will probably have a lot of trouble taking a solid portion of that market.
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