Completely - the overwhelming majority of new car buyers just want ‘a car’, on the path of least resistance. Just look at the volume of golfs and saloon corollas sold in rural Ireland. Both are great cars. Job done.
Buying a Tesla is still a very different process and requires adaptation, and that creates a barrier to entry for a lot of people.
My mum is very tech savvy and knows well what a Tesla is, but she won’t ever be sniffing for vin numbers in source code 😛.
She calls James at VW, and James sells her another tRoc. Job done.
People buying a Tesla have made up their mind that they’re going down the Tesla route, and the only choice is between the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 SE.
It’s not just about the features — there have been noticeable downgrades in the quality of materials used, such as the frunk. Overall, it’s going to feel much more like a budget version.
The upshot of the strategy will be to bring more people into the Tesla world. I'm sure they have discussed cannibalisation and are happy to sustain a certain amount in order to broaden the owner base.
I'll go a step further. It'll matter to the normal buyer wanting a budget family car. The Tesla is now cheaper to buy than traditional budget choices like Toyota Corolla or Skoda Octavia. On top of that, the running cost and indeed total cost of ownership are substantially lower. This is an EV thing, not a Tesla thing per se, it is just that there are no similar range and size EVs for this sort of money
The biggest reason people still buy those Octavias and Corollas is sheer ignorance. The vast majority of people buying those sort of brand new cars have a drive way / can charge at home
they manufacture 2 cars.
This is a new version of an existing car, that looks absolutely identical in every external way to the M3H LR for €51k.
It’ll matter to the normal buyer who wants ‘a tesla’.
Your point makes sense for the likes of VAG, who have hundreds of models across their brands.
Tesla is more like an iPhone vs android - Tesla on the one hand, and a myriad of EV options on the other.
It's an array of offerings: price, feature-list.
Assuming the price relates to cost of building, it doesn't matter what you call it or which specific model someone buys; they buy one or other of your cars. They're buying your cars. You make as many of each type as required by demand. You have up to the minute order numbers so you know how many to build of each. Costs are covered by pricings.
Canabalising is a fiction. You just need to compete with other makers at various price points.
it’ll definitely sell here at €32k, but will cannibalise the other Tesla models. €32k gets you into the Tesla garden - the charging network, app, software etc etc etc. why pay more for a few features your current car probably doesn’t have anyway
€37484 for the current sr.
That's a very specific number 😂
I reckon the standard 3 is going to be €32,484
Watched a few videos, not a fan of the downgrades. I think I'd rather shell out another 5k for the bells and whistles
A youtuber said he talked to tesla engineers while reviewing and you can save seat settings to your profile and I am assuming that different members of the family can save their own profiles but I don't know. As long as your and your better half don't need to move the steering wheel it should be fine.
Not for Model 3 and Model Y RWD (yet), but before the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y even existed, there was uncorking of the Model S and Model X. Yes, including the RWD, not just the AWD. Uncorking is pretty much the same as AB - a software unlock - although it does not give quite the same improvement
Pretty sure it's as ghost said , there isnt any ab for the lr rwd for example
Maybe I'm wrong but I presumed that AB was available because of the NCA/NCM chemistry being more suitable than LFP for higher C ratings. Not because of AWD vs RWD.
I’m so glad I picked up the M3H end of August as doing all the research again and looking to possibly justify an extra 3-5k (depending what the price of the M3H standard will be) would drive me insane.
Love the car, don’t miss the stalk at all, not sure if I care about the front facing camera that now comes with the M3H Premium at all specially if there is other compromises from the one I picked up (confusing reports about the ventilated seats removed from all models bar Performance)
I’d recon it I’ll be €34995
It will be single motor, so there won’t be an AB I wouldn’t think. I’m assuming here it’s just one variant for 3 and Y cheap models.
I’m gonna guess 32k for the 3 and 39k for the Y.
A few more details are emerging. Battery will be a 69.5kWh NCA (!) from LG, giving a 554km WLTP range. Charging 225kW and 0-100km/h in 5.8s (all for the standard Model 3)
Because of NCA I would predict it will get an optional acceleration boost at some stage, bringing that down to a near super car 3.8s or so for a couple grand
Nobody else want to guesstimate the Irish price? I'd say around €33-34k on the road
A cheaper stripped-out M3 will sell like hot cakes I reckon.
There is a market for a cheaper MY - especially aimed at folks entering the EV market for the first time and new to Tesla as a brand.
What do they call the existing MY in that case though? Model Y Premium/Executive or some such?
Pan Roof DIY kit now available on Ali Express.
per the video above its the glass roof from the old model (not the new one) have to say there are a lot of corners cut, it wouldnt be for me.
I fully expect kits will be available to expose the glass roof. Then you get a tint job for the heat shield. The acoustics are a different story.
Yeah. Plus, anyone buying the budget model will expect a stalk. Might be an issue that there is no gear selector. I think it’s a mistake not adding that back in.
Notice how they haven't taken away the stalk. Surely that was originally a cost saving cut. It's good though. I think they got the message on that one.
But you won't have the 2nd noise insulation pane or presumably the 70% heat shield coating.
The pan roof is also on the Y. You just need to cut a big hole in the headliner 🤣
Supposedly Radio on EVs is expensive to implement because of interference from the motor. It might have a technical cost saving reason rather than just being a cheapskate move.
Isn't radio delivered via an app on M3/Y as it is?
Do like jap imports. Tunein over bluetooth and listen to whatever radio station you wish to listen to…and many digital only channels too.
That's an incredible stretch. The only reason they did this was to not have to redesign the manufacturing line for metal roof. But make sure this lower cost car looked different to the higher cost. They have to make it feel to people to may more for panoramic extra.
Ok get you, thanks. I suppose we don't know the exact figures. You will probably save more than 6k on a 2 yr old Highland. Also depreciation is front loaded. Your brand spanking new car is effectively a 1 year old 2nd hand car the second your name goes down as the owner.
But I do get the argument. Its definitely something to consider. Personally, if I wouldn't afford a new "premium" model, I'd go 2nd hand premium.
People who don't care about features are probably not going to go for a Tesla in the first place.
The total cost of ownership? Let's say you buy a brand new base no options 2026 standard Model 3 for €33k or a 2 year old Highland RWD Model 3 with a few extras for the same money
After 2 years in 2028, the former will be worth say €24k as a 2 year old car. The latter will be worth €18k as a 4 year old car
The depreciation on the newer car will have been €9000, that on the older cat will have been €15000. The other bits of the total cost of ownership will have been roughly the same
Give or take a few thousand on either car, but you get the idea?
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