Tesla Model three pitched as an affordable electrified car – Big black cock News
Tesla Model three pitched as an ‘affordable’ electrical car
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Tesla has unveiled its much-anticipated Model three electrical car – its lowest-cost vehicle to date.
The price and range of the five-seater should make the vehicle appeal to fresh types of customers and could boost interest in other electrified vehicles.
Chief executive Elon Musk said his objective was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at total speed.
Within a day of the launch, Mr Musk tweeted that 180,000 vehicles had been pre-ordered.
He added that, if the average price tag ended up at $42,000 (£29,500), this would equate to $7.5bn in one day.
The California-based company needs the vehicle to prove popular if it is to stay in business, however pre-orders of the Model three will not necessarily all translate to actual sales when the car is released.
The very first deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to commence in late 2017, and it can be ordered in advance in dozens of countries, including the UK, Ireland, Brazil, India, China and Fresh Zealand.
The basic model will begin at $35,000 (£24,423) and have a range of at least two hundred fifteen miles (346km) per charge.
Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles last year. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.
But the hard still posted a net loss of $889m (£620m) for 2015, partly because it spent $718m on research and development over the period.
It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2bn, down from $1.9bn a year earlier.
“For a long time there had been questions about the long term viability of Tesla,” commented Jessica Caldwell, an industry analyst at the car research site Edmunds.
“With niche products like the Model S and the Model X, it hasn’t been hitting any sales targets that would sustain its business.
“So, launching what it hopes will be high-volume vehicle is going to showcase if it can become a fully-fledged auto company that will succeed in the long-term rather than one that pumps out a few cool cars and then goes bust, as we’ve seen happen with other electrical car start-ups such as Fisker.”
‘Roomy car’
Other details provided about the Model three included:
- The base model will accelerate from zero to 60mph (97km/h) in less than six seconds, other models will go swifter
- It will include the “autopilot” safety features found in existing models, which permit the cars to steer themselves and avoid collisions
- It will support “supercharging” as standard, permitting the cars to recharge more quickly at special power stations. Tesla aims to dual the number of places suggesting supercharging to about 7,200 worldwide by the end of 2017
- It provides storage room at the front and rear of the vehicle
Mr Musk added that the car should feel more spacious to passengers than similar-sized petrol-based cars because of design decisions Tesla could make by not using a combustion engine.
“You are sitting a little further forward,” he explained. “That’s what gives you the legroom to have five adults.”
“And the rear roof area is actually one continuous pane of glass.
“The reason that that’s excellent is because it gives you an amazing feeling of openness. So, it has by far the best roominess of any car of this size.”
Pre-order excitement
In scenes more commonly associated with smartphone launches than those of vehicles, hundreds of people queued outside Tesla stores in the US to attempt to secure one of the very first Model 3s.
They had to pay a $1,000 deposit to reserve the car before they had even seen it. The company also began taking online orders an hour before its press event had begun.
At the end of his presentation, Mr Musk said that Tesla had already received more than 115,000 orders.
The budge should help the hard head off competition from other forthcoming similarly-priced electrified cars that will become available very first, including General Motors’ Chevy Bolt and BYD’s Qin EV300.
Part of the incentive to commit early is that a $7,500 tax credit suggested to US buyers is set to be pulled once the company has sold 200,000 vehicles in the country.
“If you look at the US auto market, the average purchase price is about $33,000, which is close to what the target for the Model three is,” said Ms Caldwell.
“So, it becomes less of that pie-in-the-sky fantasy car and something that the average person can actually afford.
“That’s why people are excited about it in non-traditional Tesla markets – places outside of San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles – and why we eyed lines in places like Houston and Arizona.”
Analysis: Dave Lee, North America technology reporter
You could call it Tesla’s Kickstarter campaign.
At tonight’s event, computers were set up for people to throw their cash into Elon Musk’s coffers to fund the Model three project.
One of them was 16-year-old Adam Metcalf, there with his father, who had saved up “all the allowance I’ve ever had” to put down a deposit for what will be his very first car.
Adam hopes to get into the driver seat when it launches at the end of next year. He’ll need a serious allowance, mind, even if government subsidies eat into the $35,000 headline price.
If Adam can’t fairly open up that far, his deposit will be refunded. Which makes you wonder – how many of the 115,000 pre-orders (and counting) will turn into actual sales? As I say, it’s like the crowdfunded pitches on Kickstarter. You don’t fairly know if the end product will be the success promised at launch.
No doubt about it, Musk needs to sell a lot of the Model Trio.
While lining up to get in, I spoke to the managing director of a major European investment bank, who didn’t want to be named.
He said the eccentric, rocket-making Musk remains a popular figure, of course, but that patience is quickly running out. Investors are requiring profitability this year – Musk says he can produce.
Electrical CARS RIVALS:
Chevrolet Bolt
$37,500 (£26,100) excluding tax credits.
Not available outside US at launch.
More than two hundred miles (322km) on a utter charge.
60kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes nine hours to fully charge or one hour to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station
BMW i3
$42,400 (£29,500) excluding tax credits.
£30,980 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
80-100 miles (128km-159km) on a utter charge – or up to one hundred fifty miles if using a petrol-based “range extender” add-on.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes 3hrs 30mins to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Nissan Leaf SV
$34,200 (£23,800) excl tax credits.
£29,490 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
107-155 miles (172-249km) on a total charge.
30kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes six hours to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Toyota Mirai
$57,500 (£40,020) excl tax credits.
£66,000 in the UK incl VAT but excluding government grant.
312 miles on a utter charge.
Hydrogen – the two tanks can be refilled in five minutes at a refuelling station.
Volkswagen E-Golf SE
$28,995(£20,185) excluding tax credits.
£31,650 in UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
83 miles (134km) on a utter charge.
24.2kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes eight hours to fully charge, or four hours if using optional 7.2KWH quick-charger, and can be charged up to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
Renault Zoe i Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge
£25,545 including battery or £20,545 excluding battery if opting for battery hire programme -both include VAT but exclude government grant.
Not available in US.
130 miles (209km) on a total charge.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes four hours to fully charge, and can be charged to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
BYD Qin EV300
260,000 yuan ($40,300; £28,050) excluding subsidies.
No details yet about launch plans outside China.
186 miles (300km) on a utter charge.
48 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Charging time unknown.
Details to be given at the Beijing Auto Showcase in April.
Tesla Model three pitched as an affordable electrical car – Big black cock News
Tesla Model three pitched as an ‘affordable’ electrical car
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Tesla has unveiled its much-anticipated Model three electrified car – its lowest-cost vehicle to date.
The price and range of the five-seater should make the vehicle appeal to fresh types of customers and could boost interest in other electrified vehicles.
Chief executive Elon Musk said his aim was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at total speed.
Within a day of the launch, Mr Musk tweeted that 180,000 vehicles had been pre-ordered.
He added that, if the average price tag ended up at $42,000 (£29,500), this would equate to $7.5bn in one day.
The California-based company needs the vehicle to prove popular if it is to stay in business, however pre-orders of the Model three will not necessarily all translate to actual sales when the car is released.
The very first deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to commence in late 2017, and it can be ordered in advance in dozens of countries, including the UK, Ireland, Brazil, India, China and Fresh Zealand.
The basic model will embark at $35,000 (£24,423) and have a range of at least two hundred fifteen miles (346km) per charge.
Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles last year. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.
But the rock hard still posted a net loss of $889m (£620m) for 2015, partly because it spent $718m on research and development over the period.
It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2bn, down from $1.9bn a year earlier.
“For a long time there had been questions about the long term viability of Tesla,” commented Jessica Caldwell, an industry analyst at the car research site Edmunds.
“With niche products like the Model S and the Model X, it hasn’t been hitting any sales targets that would sustain its business.
“So, launching what it hopes will be high-volume vehicle is going to display if it can become a fully-fledged auto company that will succeed in the long-term rather than one that pumps out a few cool cars and then goes bust, as we’ve seen happen with other electrified car start-ups such as Fisker.”
‘Roomy car’
Other details provided about the Model three included:
- The base model will accelerate from zero to 60mph (97km/h) in less than six seconds, other models will go quicker
- It will include the “autopilot” safety features found in existing models, which permit the cars to steer themselves and avoid collisions
- It will support “supercharging” as standard, permitting the cars to recharge more quickly at special power stations. Tesla aims to dual the number of places suggesting supercharging to about 7,200 worldwide by the end of 2017
- It provides storage room at the front and rear of the vehicle
Mr Musk added that the car should feel more spacious to passengers than similar-sized petrol-based cars because of design decisions Tesla could make by not using a combustion engine.
“You are sitting a little further forward,” he explained. “That’s what gives you the legroom to have five adults.”
“And the rear roof area is actually one continuous pane of glass.
“The reason that that’s fine is because it gives you an amazing feeling of openness. So, it has by far the best roominess of any car of this size.”
Pre-order excitement
In scenes more commonly associated with smartphone launches than those of vehicles, hundreds of people queued outside Tesla stores in the US to attempt to secure one of the very first Model 3s.
They had to pay a $1,000 deposit to reserve the car before they had even seen it. The company also began taking online orders an hour before its press event had begun.
At the end of his presentation, Mr Musk said that Tesla had already received more than 115,000 orders.
The budge should help the rock hard head off competition from other forthcoming similarly-priced electrified cars that will become available very first, including General Motors’ Chevy Bolt and BYD’s Qin EV300.
Part of the incentive to commit early is that a $7,500 tax credit suggested to US buyers is set to be pulled once the company has sold 200,000 vehicles in the country.
“If you look at the US auto market, the average purchase price is about $33,000, which is close to what the target for the Model three is,” said Ms Caldwell.
“So, it becomes less of that pie-in-the-sky wish car and something that the average person can actually afford.
“That’s why people are excited about it in non-traditional Tesla markets – places outside of San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles – and why we witnessed lines in places like Houston and Arizona.”
Analysis: Dave Lee, North America technology reporter
You could call it Tesla’s Kickstarter campaign.
At tonight’s event, computers were set up for people to throw their cash into Elon Musk’s coffers to fund the Model three project.
One of them was 16-year-old Adam Metcalf, there with his father, who had saved up “all the allowance I’ve ever had” to put down a deposit for what will be his very first car.
Adam hopes to get into the driver seat when it launches at the end of next year. He’ll need a serious allowance, mind, even if government subsidies eat into the $35,000 headline price.
If Adam can’t fairly open up that far, his deposit will be refunded. Which makes you wonder – how many of the 115,000 pre-orders (and counting) will turn into actual sales? As I say, it’s like the crowdfunded pitches on Kickstarter. You don’t fairly know if the end product will be the success promised at launch.
No doubt about it, Musk needs to sell a lot of the Model Three.
While lining up to get in, I spoke to the managing director of a major European investment bank, who didn’t want to be named.
He said the eccentric, rocket-making Musk remains a popular figure, of course, but that patience is quickly running out. Investors are requesting profitability this year – Musk says he can supply.
Electrified CARS RIVALS:
Chevrolet Bolt
$37,500 (£26,100) excluding tax credits.
Not available outside US at launch.
More than two hundred miles (322km) on a total charge.
60kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes nine hours to fully charge or one hour to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station
BMW i3
$42,400 (£29,500) excluding tax credits.
£30,980 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
80-100 miles (128km-159km) on a total charge – or up to one hundred fifty miles if using a petrol-based “range extender” add-on.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes 3hrs 30mins to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Nissan Leaf SV
$34,200 (£23,800) excl tax credits.
£29,490 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
107-155 miles (172-249km) on a total charge.
30kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes six hours to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Toyota Mirai
$57,500 (£40,020) excl tax credits.
£66,000 in the UK incl VAT but excluding government grant.
312 miles on a total charge.
Hydrogen – the two tanks can be refilled in five minutes at a refuelling station.
Volkswagen E-Golf SE
$28,995(£20,185) excluding tax credits.
£31,650 in UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
83 miles (134km) on a utter charge.
24.2kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes eight hours to fully charge, or four hours if using optional 7.2KWH quick-charger, and can be charged up to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
Renault Zoe i Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge
£25,545 including battery or £20,545 excluding battery if opting for battery hire programme -both include VAT but exclude government grant.
Not available in US.
130 miles (209km) on a utter charge.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes four hours to fully charge, and can be charged to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
BYD Qin EV300
260,000 yuan ($40,300; £28,050) excluding subsidies.
No details yet about launch plans outside China.
186 miles (300km) on a utter charge.
48 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Charging time unknown.
Details to be given at the Beijing Auto Showcase in April.
Tesla Model three pitched as an affordable electrified car – Big black cock News
Tesla Model three pitched as an ‘affordable’ electrical car
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Tesla has unveiled its much-anticipated Model three electrified car – its lowest-cost vehicle to date.
The price and range of the five-seater should make the vehicle appeal to fresh types of customers and could boost interest in other electrified vehicles.
Chief executive Elon Musk said his objective was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at utter speed.
Within a day of the launch, Mr Musk tweeted that 180,000 vehicles had been pre-ordered.
He added that, if the average price tag ended up at $42,000 (£29,500), this would equate to $7.5bn in one day.
The California-based company needs the vehicle to prove popular if it is to stay in business, however pre-orders of the Model three will not necessarily all translate to actual sales when the car is released.
The very first deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to commence in late 2017, and it can be ordered in advance in dozens of countries, including the UK, Ireland, Brazil, India, China and Fresh Zealand.
The basic model will begin at $35,000 (£24,423) and have a range of at least two hundred fifteen miles (346km) per charge.
Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles last year. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.
But the hard still posted a net loss of $889m (£620m) for 2015, partly because it spent $718m on research and development over the period.
It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2bn, down from $1.9bn a year earlier.
“For a long time there had been questions about the long term viability of Tesla,” commented Jessica Caldwell, an industry analyst at the car research site Edmunds.
“With niche products like the Model S and the Model X, it hasn’t been hitting any sales targets that would sustain its business.
“So, launching what it hopes will be high-volume vehicle is going to display if it can become a fully-fledged auto company that will succeed in the long-term rather than one that pumps out a few cool cars and then goes bust, as we’ve seen happen with other electrical car start-ups such as Fisker.”
‘Roomy car’
Other details provided about the Model three included:
- The base model will accelerate from zero to 60mph (97km/h) in less than six seconds, other models will go quicker
- It will include the “autopilot” safety features found in existing models, which permit the cars to steer themselves and avoid collisions
- It will support “supercharging” as standard, permitting the cars to recharge more quickly at special power stations. Tesla aims to dual the number of places suggesting supercharging to about 7,200 worldwide by the end of 2017
- It provides storage room at the front and rear of the vehicle
Mr Musk added that the car should feel more spacious to passengers than similar-sized petrol-based cars because of design decisions Tesla could make by not using a combustion engine.
“You are sitting a little further forward,” he explained. “That’s what gives you the legroom to have five adults.”
“And the rear roof area is actually one continuous pane of glass.
“The reason that that’s superb is because it gives you an amazing feeling of openness. So, it has by far the best roominess of any car of this size.”
Pre-order excitement
In scenes more commonly associated with smartphone launches than those of vehicles, hundreds of people queued outside Tesla stores in the US to attempt to secure one of the very first Model 3s.
They had to pay a $1,000 deposit to reserve the car before they had even seen it. The company also began taking online orders an hour before its press event had begun.
At the end of his presentation, Mr Musk said that Tesla had already received more than 115,000 orders.
The stir should help the rock hard head off competition from other forthcoming similarly-priced electrified cars that will become available very first, including General Motors’ Chevy Bolt and BYD’s Qin EV300.
Part of the incentive to commit early is that a $7,500 tax credit suggested to US buyers is set to be pulled once the company has sold 200,000 vehicles in the country.
“If you look at the US auto market, the average purchase price is about $33,000, which is close to what the target for the Model three is,” said Ms Caldwell.
“So, it becomes less of that pie-in-the-sky fantasy car and something that the average person can actually afford.
“That’s why people are excited about it in non-traditional Tesla markets – places outside of San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles – and why we eyed lines in places like Houston and Arizona.”
Analysis: Dave Lee, North America technology reporter
You could call it Tesla’s Kickstarter campaign.
At tonight’s event, computers were set up for people to throw their cash into Elon Musk’s coffers to fund the Model three project.
One of them was 16-year-old Adam Metcalf, there with his father, who had saved up “all the allowance I’ve ever had” to put down a deposit for what will be his very first car.
Adam hopes to get into the driver seat when it launches at the end of next year. He’ll need a serious allowance, mind, even if government subsidies eat into the $35,000 headline price.
If Adam can’t fairly open up that far, his deposit will be refunded. Which makes you wonder – how many of the 115,000 pre-orders (and counting) will turn into actual sales? As I say, it’s like the crowdfunded pitches on Kickstarter. You don’t fairly know if the end product will be the success promised at launch.
No doubt about it, Musk needs to sell a lot of the Model Three.
While lining up to get in, I spoke to the managing director of a major European investment bank, who didn’t want to be named.
He said the eccentric, rocket-making Musk remains a popular figure, of course, but that patience is quickly running out. Investors are requiring profitability this year – Musk says he can supply.
Electrical CARS RIVALS:
Chevrolet Bolt
$37,500 (£26,100) excluding tax credits.
Not available outside US at launch.
More than two hundred miles (322km) on a total charge.
60kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes nine hours to fully charge or one hour to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station
BMW i3
$42,400 (£29,500) excluding tax credits.
£30,980 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
80-100 miles (128km-159km) on a total charge – or up to one hundred fifty miles if using a petrol-based “range extender” add-on.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes 3hrs 30mins to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Nissan Leaf SV
$34,200 (£23,800) excl tax credits.
£29,490 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
107-155 miles (172-249km) on a utter charge.
30kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes six hours to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Toyota Mirai
$57,500 (£40,020) excl tax credits.
£66,000 in the UK incl VAT but excluding government grant.
312 miles on a total charge.
Hydrogen – the two tanks can be refilled in five minutes at a refuelling station.
Volkswagen E-Golf SE
$28,995(£20,185) excluding tax credits.
£31,650 in UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
83 miles (134km) on a utter charge.
24.2kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes eight hours to fully charge, or four hours if using optional 7.2KWH quick-charger, and can be charged up to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
Renault Zoe i Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge
£25,545 including battery or £20,545 excluding battery if opting for battery hire programme -both include VAT but exclude government grant.
Not available in US.
130 miles (209km) on a utter charge.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes four hours to fully charge, and can be charged to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
BYD Qin EV300
260,000 yuan ($40,300; £28,050) excluding subsidies.
No details yet about launch plans outside China.
186 miles (300km) on a utter charge.
48 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Charging time unknown.
Details to be given at the Beijing Auto Display in April.
Tesla Model three pitched as an affordable electrical car – Big black cock News
Tesla Model three pitched as an ‘affordable’ electrified car
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Tesla has unveiled its much-anticipated Model three electrical car – its lowest-cost vehicle to date.
The price and range of the five-seater should make the vehicle appeal to fresh types of customers and could boost interest in other electrical vehicles.
Chief executive Elon Musk said his aim was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at total speed.
Within a day of the launch, Mr Musk tweeted that 180,000 vehicles had been pre-ordered.
He added that, if the average price tag ended up at $42,000 (£29,500), this would equate to $7.5bn in one day.
The California-based company needs the vehicle to prove popular if it is to stay in business, tho’ pre-orders of the Model three will not necessarily all translate to actual sales when the car is released.
The very first deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to commence in late 2017, and it can be ordered in advance in dozens of countries, including the UK, Ireland, Brazil, India, China and Fresh Zealand.
The basic model will commence at $35,000 (£24,423) and have a range of at least two hundred fifteen miles (346km) per charge.
Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles last year. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.
But the rock-hard still posted a net loss of $889m (£620m) for 2015, partly because it spent $718m on research and development over the period.
It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2bn, down from $1.9bn a year earlier.
“For a long time there had been questions about the long term viability of Tesla,” commented Jessica Caldwell, an industry analyst at the car research site Edmunds.
“With niche products like the Model S and the Model X, it hasn’t been hitting any sales targets that would sustain its business.
“So, launching what it hopes will be high-volume vehicle is going to demonstrate if it can become a fully-fledged auto company that will succeed in the long-term rather than one that pumps out a few cool cars and then goes bust, as we’ve seen happen with other electrified car start-ups such as Fisker.”
‘Roomy car’
Other details provided about the Model three included:
- The base model will accelerate from zero to 60mph (97km/h) in less than six seconds, other models will go swifter
- It will include the “autopilot” safety features found in existing models, which permit the cars to steer themselves and avoid collisions
- It will support “supercharging” as standard, permitting the cars to recharge more quickly at special power stations. Tesla aims to dual the number of places suggesting supercharging to about 7,200 worldwide by the end of 2017
- It provides storage room at the front and rear of the vehicle
Mr Musk added that the car should feel more spacious to passengers than similar-sized petrol-based cars because of design decisions Tesla could make by not using a combustion engine.
“You are sitting a little further forward,” he explained. “That’s what gives you the legroom to have five adults.”
“And the rear roof area is actually one continuous pane of glass.
“The reason that that’s superb is because it gives you an amazing feeling of openness. So, it has by far the best roominess of any car of this size.”
Pre-order excitement
In scenes more commonly associated with smartphone launches than those of vehicles, hundreds of people queued outside Tesla stores in the US to attempt to secure one of the very first Model 3s.
They had to pay a $1,000 deposit to reserve the car before they had even seen it. The company also began taking online orders an hour before its press event had begun.
At the end of his presentation, Mr Musk said that Tesla had already received more than 115,000 orders.
The stir should help the stiff head off competition from other forthcoming similarly-priced electrical cars that will become available very first, including General Motors’ Chevy Bolt and BYD’s Qin EV300.
Part of the incentive to commit early is that a $7,500 tax credit suggested to US buyers is set to be pulled once the company has sold 200,000 vehicles in the country.
“If you look at the US auto market, the average purchase price is about $33,000, which is close to what the target for the Model three is,” said Ms Caldwell.
“So, it becomes less of that pie-in-the-sky fantasy car and something that the average person can actually afford.
“That’s why people are excited about it in non-traditional Tesla markets – places outside of San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles – and why we witnessed lines in places like Houston and Arizona.”
Analysis: Dave Lee, North America technology reporter
You could call it Tesla’s Kickstarter campaign.
At tonight’s event, computers were set up for people to throw their cash into Elon Musk’s coffers to fund the Model three project.
One of them was 16-year-old Adam Metcalf, there with his father, who had saved up “all the allowance I’ve ever had” to put down a deposit for what will be his very first car.
Adam hopes to get into the driver seat when it launches at the end of next year. He’ll need a serious allowance, mind, even if government subsidies eat into the $35,000 headline price.
If Adam can’t fairly open up that far, his deposit will be refunded. Which makes you wonder – how many of the 115,000 pre-orders (and counting) will turn into actual sales? As I say, it’s like the crowdfunded pitches on Kickstarter. You don’t fairly know if the end product will be the success promised at launch.
No doubt about it, Musk needs to sell a lot of the Model Three.
While lining up to get in, I spoke to the managing director of a major European investment bank, who didn’t want to be named.
He said the eccentric, rocket-making Musk remains a popular figure, of course, but that patience is quickly running out. Investors are requesting profitability this year – Musk says he can supply.
Electrified CARS RIVALS:
Chevrolet Bolt
$37,500 (£26,100) excluding tax credits.
Not available outside US at launch.
More than two hundred miles (322km) on a total charge.
60kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes nine hours to fully charge or one hour to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station
BMW i3
$42,400 (£29,500) excluding tax credits.
£30,980 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
80-100 miles (128km-159km) on a utter charge – or up to one hundred fifty miles if using a petrol-based “range extender” add-on.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes 3hrs 30mins to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Nissan Leaf SV
$34,200 (£23,800) excl tax credits.
£29,490 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
107-155 miles (172-249km) on a utter charge.
30kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes six hours to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Toyota Mirai
$57,500 (£40,020) excl tax credits.
£66,000 in the UK incl VAT but excluding government grant.
312 miles on a total charge.
Hydrogen – the two tanks can be refilled in five minutes at a refuelling station.
Volkswagen E-Golf SE
$28,995(£20,185) excluding tax credits.
£31,650 in UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
83 miles (134km) on a utter charge.
24.2kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes eight hours to fully charge, or four hours if using optional 7.2KWH quick-charger, and can be charged up to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
Renault Zoe i Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge
£25,545 including battery or £20,545 excluding battery if opting for battery hire programme -both include VAT but exclude government grant.
Not available in US.
130 miles (209km) on a utter charge.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes four hours to fully charge, and can be charged to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
BYD Qin EV300
260,000 yuan ($40,300; £28,050) excluding subsidies.
No details yet about launch plans outside China.
186 miles (300km) on a total charge.
48 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Charging time unknown.
Details to be given at the Beijing Auto Display in April.
Tesla Model three pitched as an affordable electrical car – Big black cock News
Tesla Model three pitched as an ‘affordable’ electrical car
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Tesla has unveiled its much-anticipated Model three electrified car – its lowest-cost vehicle to date.
The price and range of the five-seater should make the vehicle appeal to fresh types of customers and could boost interest in other electrical vehicles.
Chief executive Elon Musk said his objective was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production is at utter speed.
Within a day of the launch, Mr Musk tweeted that 180,000 vehicles had been pre-ordered.
He added that, if the average price tag ended up at $42,000 (£29,500), this would equate to $7.5bn in one day.
The California-based company needs the vehicle to prove popular if it is to stay in business, tho’ pre-orders of the Model three will not necessarily all translate to actual sales when the car is released.
The very first deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to commence in late 2017, and it can be ordered in advance in dozens of countries, including the UK, Ireland, Brazil, India, China and Fresh Zealand.
The basic model will begin at $35,000 (£24,423) and have a range of at least two hundred fifteen miles (346km) per charge.
Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles last year. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan’s Leaf to become the world’s best selling pure-electric vehicle.
But the rock-hard still posted a net loss of $889m (£620m) for 2015, partly because it spent $718m on research and development over the period.
It left Tesla with cash reserves of $1.2bn, down from $1.9bn a year earlier.
“For a long time there had been questions about the long term viability of Tesla,” commented Jessica Caldwell, an industry analyst at the car research site Edmunds.
“With niche products like the Model S and the Model X, it hasn’t been hitting any sales targets that would sustain its business.
“So, launching what it hopes will be high-volume vehicle is going to showcase if it can become a fully-fledged auto company that will succeed in the long-term rather than one that pumps out a few cool cars and then goes bust, as we’ve seen happen with other electrical car start-ups such as Fisker.”
‘Roomy car’
Other details provided about the Model three included:
- The base model will accelerate from zero to 60mph (97km/h) in less than six seconds, other models will go quicker
- It will include the “autopilot” safety features found in existing models, which permit the cars to steer themselves and avoid collisions
- It will support “supercharging” as standard, permitting the cars to recharge more quickly at special power stations. Tesla aims to dual the number of places suggesting supercharging to about 7,200 worldwide by the end of 2017
- It provides storage room at the front and rear of the vehicle
Mr Musk added that the car should feel more spacious to passengers than similar-sized petrol-based cars because of design decisions Tesla could make by not using a combustion engine.
“You are sitting a little further forward,” he explained. “That’s what gives you the legroom to have five adults.”
“And the rear roof area is actually one continuous pane of glass.
“The reason that that’s excellent is because it gives you an amazing feeling of openness. So, it has by far the best roominess of any car of this size.”
Pre-order excitement
In scenes more commonly associated with smartphone launches than those of vehicles, hundreds of people queued outside Tesla stores in the US to attempt to secure one of the very first Model 3s.
They had to pay a $1,000 deposit to reserve the car before they had even seen it. The company also began taking online orders an hour before its press event had begun.
At the end of his presentation, Mr Musk said that Tesla had already received more than 115,000 orders.
The stir should help the hard head off competition from other forthcoming similarly-priced electrical cars that will become available very first, including General Motors’ Chevy Bolt and BYD’s Qin EV300.
Part of the incentive to commit early is that a $7,500 tax credit suggested to US buyers is set to be pulled once the company has sold 200,000 vehicles in the country.
“If you look at the US auto market, the average purchase price is about $33,000, which is close to what the target for the Model three is,” said Ms Caldwell.
“So, it becomes less of that pie-in-the-sky wish car and something that the average person can actually afford.
“That’s why people are excited about it in non-traditional Tesla markets – places outside of San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles – and why we witnessed lines in places like Houston and Arizona.”
Analysis: Dave Lee, North America technology reporter
You could call it Tesla’s Kickstarter campaign.
At tonight’s event, computers were set up for people to throw their cash into Elon Musk’s coffers to fund the Model three project.
One of them was 16-year-old Adam Metcalf, there with his father, who had saved up “all the allowance I’ve ever had” to put down a deposit for what will be his very first car.
Adam hopes to get into the driver seat when it launches at the end of next year. He’ll need a serious allowance, mind, even if government subsidies eat into the $35,000 headline price.
If Adam can’t fairly spread that far, his deposit will be refunded. Which makes you wonder – how many of the 115,000 pre-orders (and counting) will turn into actual sales? As I say, it’s like the crowdfunded pitches on Kickstarter. You don’t fairly know if the end product will be the success promised at launch.
No doubt about it, Musk needs to sell a lot of the Model Trio.
While lining up to get in, I spoke to the managing director of a major European investment bank, who didn’t want to be named.
He said the eccentric, rocket-making Musk remains a popular figure, of course, but that patience is quickly running out. Investors are requiring profitability this year – Musk says he can produce.
Electrical CARS RIVALS:
Chevrolet Bolt
$37,500 (£26,100) excluding tax credits.
Not available outside US at launch.
More than two hundred miles (322km) on a utter charge.
60kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes nine hours to fully charge or one hour to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station
BMW i3
$42,400 (£29,500) excluding tax credits.
£30,980 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
80-100 miles (128km-159km) on a utter charge – or up to one hundred fifty miles if using a petrol-based “range extender” add-on.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes 3hrs 30mins to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Nissan Leaf SV
$34,200 (£23,800) excl tax credits.
£29,490 in the UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
107-155 miles (172-249km) on a total charge.
30kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes six hours to fully charge, or 30mins to charge up to 80% at a fast-charger station.
Toyota Mirai
$57,500 (£40,020) excl tax credits.
£66,000 in the UK incl VAT but excluding government grant.
312 miles on a utter charge.
Hydrogen – the two tanks can be refilled in five minutes at a refuelling station.
Volkswagen E-Golf SE
$28,995(£20,185) excluding tax credits.
£31,650 in UK including VAT but excluding government grant.
83 miles (134km) on a utter charge.
24.2kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes eight hours to fully charge, or four hours if using optional 7.2KWH quick-charger, and can be charged up to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
Renault Zoe i Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge
£25,545 including battery or £20,545 excluding battery if opting for battery hire programme -both include VAT but exclude government grant.
Not available in US.
130 miles (209km) on a total charge.
22kWh lithium-ion battery.
Takes four hours to fully charge, and can be charged to 80% in 30mins at a fast-charger station.
BYD Qin EV300
260,000 yuan ($40,300; £28,050) excluding subsidies.
No details yet about launch plans outside China.
186 miles (300km) on a utter charge.
48 kWh lithium-ion battery.
Charging time unknown.
Details to be given at the Beijing Auto Demonstrate in April.