Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup • Hacker News Board

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#21

Post by henryfjordan » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:05 PM UTC

pdq wrote: post #12

Per the new lease: "Please note, customers who choose leasing over owning will not have the option to purchase their car at the end of the lease, because with full autonomy coming in the future via an over-the-air software update, we plan to use those vehicles in the Tesla ride-hailing network." Elon once again promising fully autonomous vehicles in 3 years. Also, isn't this a rental? A lease normally has a residual,…

He didn't promise autonomous cars in 3 years, he promised they won't be ready for at least 3 years. Hence the leasing scheme

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#22

Post by twoodfin » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:05 PM UTC

pdq wrote: post #12

Per the new lease: "Please note, customers who choose leasing over owning will not have the option to purchase their car at the end of the lease, because with full autonomy coming in the future via an over-the-air software update, we plan to use those vehicles in the Tesla ride-hailing network." Elon once again promising fully autonomous vehicles in 3 years. Also, isn't this a rental? A lease normally has a residual,…

Anyone want to lay odds on these cars ending up in a “certified pre-owned” program instead?

This seems like a scheme to both boost future new car sales and effectively “sell” the same car twice.

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#23

Post by ForHackernews » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:05 PM UTC

Well, that offer lasted all of two weeks?

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#24

Post by mereel » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:07 PM UTC

jak92 wrote: post #16

nrjames wrote: post #2

Here's the actual Tesla announcement: https://www.tesla.com/blog/update-our-vehicle-lineup "Given the popularity of the Standard Plus relative to the Standard, we have made the decision to simplify our production operations to better optimize cost, minimize complexity and streamline operations. As a result, Model 3 Standard will now be a software-limited version of the Standard Plus, and we are taking it off the onli…

I don't understand. Will they be selling the standard then ? The quote and headline don't seem to match. And no, I haven't read the link. edit: I did read the link and I still don't understand.

I thought they were saying they're going to stop selling the current standard one, and the new "standard" will be the software limited plus, and that it will only be available at a store and not online.

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#25

Post by FireBeyond » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:07 PM UTC

henryfjordan wrote: post #21

pdq wrote: post #12

Per the new lease: "Please note, customers who choose leasing over owning will not have the option to purchase their car at the end of the lease, because with full autonomy coming in the future via an over-the-air software update, we plan to use those vehicles in the Tesla ride-hailing network." Elon once again promising fully autonomous vehicles in 3 years. Also, isn't this a rental? A lease normally has a residual,…

He didn't promise autonomous cars in 3 years, he promised they won't be ready for at least 3 years. Hence the leasing scheme

Other than the "The car will be able to self-drive, coast to coast, this year" back in Jan/Feb, you mean?

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#26

Post by legitster » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:08 PM UTC

I get the strong impression that even as a loss leader, the $35,000 figure was based on some back of envelope calculations. We know that they have had to expand or increase the cost in several ways since they started production.

I know they really want to make the Model T of electric cars, but it took about a decade of development for Ford to deliver one under $500. And I don't think Tesla has quite mastered the science of car production yet.

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#27

Post by kurtisc » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:08 PM UTC

tibbon wrote: post #8

I've been considering a Tesla. Buying the base model with zero options just never really crossed my mind. Seems that's the case for a lot of Tesla buyers. For me it's like buying a base laptop. For my personal one, I'll always max the SSD and memory.

Seeing the feature lists of used cars with base trim is just sad. I once had a 2009 car without electric windows or central locking.

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#28

Post by mixmastamyk » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:09 PM UTC

jak92 wrote: post #14

tibbon wrote: post #8

I've been considering a Tesla. Buying the base model with zero options just never really crossed my mind. Seems that's the case for a lot of Tesla buyers. For me it's like buying a base laptop. For my personal one, I'll always max the SSD and memory.

For me, the base model is all I've considered. Mainly because I want a electric car without any bells and whistles.

Would love one with computers minimized and privacy as a first-class concern, just like Adama did in the newer Battlestar Galactica, haha.

(I do like the feature where the car slows/stops when it encounters an obstacle directly ahead. As far as I know it shouldn't require machine-learning/privacy invasion, but it is harder and harder to get one without the other.)

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#29

Post by richardknop » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:10 PM UTC

empath75 wrote: post #7

joenathanone wrote: post #6

It must be that Tesla is losing money on the base model.

The couldn’t be as they haven’t produced a single one.

Which is probably why they haven't built any. They did the math and knew they can't make profit on it so they "announced" 35k model is available but tried to upsell all people who ordered it to more expensive models, and now they quietly cancelled the 35k model without delivering a single one. So they can say "hey we released 35k Model 3 as promised" to save face. But I don't think they can make profit from it so they are forced to sell more expensive models.

Re: Tesla Shakes Up Model 3 Lineup

#30

Post by jak92 » Fri, Apr 12, 2019, 4:11 PM UTC

mixmastamyk wrote: post #28

jak92 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For me, the base model is all I've considered. Mainly because I want a electric car without any bells and whistles.

Would love one with computers minimized and privacy as a first-class concern, just like Adama did in the newer Battlestar Galactica, haha. (I do like the feature where the car slows/stops when it encounters an obstacle directly ahead. As far as I know it shouldn't require machine-learning/privacy invasion, but it is harder and harder to get one without the other.)

Yes, me too.