Photo: Tesla
Back in 2012 when Tesla launched the Model S, it was a game-changing automobile. Before the Model S, EVs were either half-assed conversions of internal combustion-engined cars, or purpose built electric cars that looked quirky; neither had great range.
But when the Model S came along, it turned that stereotype on its head. It was a good (and relatively conventional) looking sedan-like vehicle that also happened to have great range and performance.
When it arrived on the scene, its all-electric rivals weren’t even in the same league. I am, of course, talking about the Nissan Leaf (whose EPA-rated range was just 73 miles or 117 km), the Coda electric sedan (of which only 117 units were ever delivered) or the egg-shaped Mitsubishi i-Miev that you really couldn’t be taking seriously in (and its range rated at 62 miles or 100 km was by no means impressive).
By contrast, the Model S, even with the smaller 60 kWh battery pack, still had an EPA-rated range of 208 miles or 335 km and, if that wasn’t enough, the larger 85 kWh pack bumped it up to 265 miles or 426 km. Part of its secret lay in the fact that its battery cells had nearly double the energy density of the ones Nissan was using for the Leaf battery pack.
On top of this, the Model S looked and felt like a genuine premium car. Sure, there were glaring quality issues noted among earlier vehicles, but most got ironed out over time and Tesla fixed most of them under warranty. And even if the quality of its vehicles was and still is not up to the level of the established players with decades of experience, you do feel good when aboard any current Tesla.
But wait, there’s more. The Model S also introduced the notion of a gigantic infotainment touchscreen to replace most of the car’s physical buttons. Its screen was so big that its size has yet to be surpassed, nearly 8 years after the car was launched. And the combination of the giant screen, digital gauge cluster and minimalist cabin really made the car’s cabin feel fresh and cutting edge at the time.
After the success of the Model S, Tesla took the next logical step and it launched an SUV based on the same underpinnings. And that proved very successful too, even with its unnecessary quirks such as the so-called falcon wing rear doors.
Then Tesla launched the Model 3, which I think is the world’s most desirable EV right now. It’s a small car (and still quite conventional looking) that is pleasant to behold, nice to be in and fun to drive. Oh, and it’s far cheaper than the Model S or Model X.
I think the Model 3 (and its crossover derivative, the Model Y) will really bring Tesla to the masses and make it a much more common name than it is today. The only slight hitch in this plan of automotive world domination is the fact that the establishment has caught up in the meantime.
Whereas back in 2012 rival electric vehicles were a bit of a joke, nowadays that is no longer the case. Quite the contrary, actually, as there is an entire slew of worthy rivals from established automakers.
The Porsche Taycan, Mercedes EQC, Audi e-Tron, Jaguar i-Pace, Hyundai Kona and Ioniq EV models, the Kia e-Niro, Polestar 2, VW id.3, the refreshed Renault Zoe, as well as the latest Nissan Leaf e+ are all available for purchase now and all are very compelling (for their respective market segment). And there are a lot more competent EVs that will be arriving within the next two or three years to further add to Tesla’s challenge of maintaining its position as the global leader when it comes to EVs.
The EV niche is about to get a whole lot more crowded in the near future with models one more promising than the other. It appears as if the establishment has finally caught up to Tesla, after years in which it passed through the three stages of truth: ridicule, violent opposition, and ultimately acceptance. The only difference is the lack of response early on has allowed Tesla to expand and develop and, even though it’s not perfect, it looks like it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future.
And Tesla isn’t resting on its laurels and it has its sights firmly set on the future. I mean it really attracted a lot of attention with its electric pickup truck, called Cybertruck, it also has plans to launch an all-electric semi truck, as well as a Roadster sports car whose claimed performance numbers will blow any and all current cars out of the water (at least in terms of sheer off-the-line acceleration).
The fact that Tesla has given itself a head start does constitute an advantage, though, and it is still among the world leaders in battery technology. It also has some of the most advanced autonomous driving features in the automotive segment and, probably more importantly, its image is that of a small manufacturer that has lifted itself up by its own bootstraps against all odds and succeeded in an industry where newcomers are usually chewed up and spit out within months.
When it arrived on the scene, its all-electric rivals weren’t even in the same league. I am, of course, talking about the Nissan Leaf (whose EPA-rated range was just 73 miles or 117 km), the Coda electric sedan (of which only 117 units were ever delivered) or the egg-shaped Mitsubishi i-Miev that you really couldn’t be taking seriously in (and its range rated at 62 miles or 100 km was by no means impressive).
By contrast, the Model S, even with the smaller 60 kWh battery pack, still had an EPA-rated range of 208 miles or 335 km and, if that wasn’t enough, the larger 85 kWh pack bumped it up to 265 miles or 426 km. Part of its secret lay in the fact that its battery cells had nearly double the energy density of the ones Nissan was using for the Leaf battery pack.
On top of this, the Model S looked and felt like a genuine premium car. Sure, there were glaring quality issues noted among earlier vehicles, but most got ironed out over time and Tesla fixed most of them under warranty. And even if the quality of its vehicles was and still is not up to the level of the established players with decades of experience, you do feel good when aboard any current Tesla.
But wait, there’s more. The Model S also introduced the notion of a gigantic infotainment touchscreen to replace most of the car’s physical buttons. Its screen was so big that its size has yet to be surpassed, nearly 8 years after the car was launched. And the combination of the giant screen, digital gauge cluster and minimalist cabin really made the car’s cabin feel fresh and cutting edge at the time.
After the success of the Model S, Tesla took the next logical step and it launched an SUV based on the same underpinnings. And that proved very successful too, even with its unnecessary quirks such as the so-called falcon wing rear doors.
Then Tesla launched the Model 3, which I think is the world’s most desirable EV right now. It’s a small car (and still quite conventional looking) that is pleasant to behold, nice to be in and fun to drive. Oh, and it’s far cheaper than the Model S or Model X.
I think the Model 3 (and its crossover derivative, the Model Y) will really bring Tesla to the masses and make it a much more common name than it is today. The only slight hitch in this plan of automotive world domination is the fact that the establishment has caught up in the meantime.
Whereas back in 2012 rival electric vehicles were a bit of a joke, nowadays that is no longer the case. Quite the contrary, actually, as there is an entire slew of worthy rivals from established automakers.
The Porsche Taycan, Mercedes EQC, Audi e-Tron, Jaguar i-Pace, Hyundai Kona and Ioniq EV models, the Kia e-Niro, Polestar 2, VW id.3, the refreshed Renault Zoe, as well as the latest Nissan Leaf e+ are all available for purchase now and all are very compelling (for their respective market segment). And there are a lot more competent EVs that will be arriving within the next two or three years to further add to Tesla’s challenge of maintaining its position as the global leader when it comes to EVs.
The EV niche is about to get a whole lot more crowded in the near future with models one more promising than the other. It appears as if the establishment has finally caught up to Tesla, after years in which it passed through the three stages of truth: ridicule, violent opposition, and ultimately acceptance. The only difference is the lack of response early on has allowed Tesla to expand and develop and, even though it’s not perfect, it looks like it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future.
And Tesla isn’t resting on its laurels and it has its sights firmly set on the future. I mean it really attracted a lot of attention with its electric pickup truck, called Cybertruck, it also has plans to launch an all-electric semi truck, as well as a Roadster sports car whose claimed performance numbers will blow any and all current cars out of the water (at least in terms of sheer off-the-line acceleration).
The fact that Tesla has given itself a head start does constitute an advantage, though, and it is still among the world leaders in battery technology. It also has some of the most advanced autonomous driving features in the automotive segment and, probably more importantly, its image is that of a small manufacturer that has lifted itself up by its own bootstraps against all odds and succeeded in an industry where newcomers are usually chewed up and spit out within months.
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