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Bob Lutz, car-guy-to-the-max, former VP of GM and Chrysler, with time at BMW before that, wrote this recent article --
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a26859/bob-lutz-tesla/
The opening paragraph is gloomy:
Tesla's showing all the signs of a company in trouble: bleeding cash, securitized assets, and mounting inventory. It's the trifecta of doom for any automaker, and anyone paying attention probably saw this coming a mile away. Like most big puzzles, the company's woes don't have just one source.
and the prognosis goes downhill from there mentioning competition from Audi, the lack of enough dealers to attract more buyers and other problems.
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It's not reality that's important, but how you perceive things.
(Score: 5, Informative) by daaelar on Friday October 30 2015, @04:37PM
I'll bite. I don't necessarily agree with Mr. Lutz, but I'm not a fan of the Model S. My wife and I went to test drive one, fully intending to buy the dual-motor variant. The sales agent took one look at me (30-year-old engineer in jeans and t-shirt) and rolled her eyes. She didn't have answers to any of my questions and never followed up with any. After driving the car, I left the "dealership" quite unhappy. They've made some outright terrible design decisions. That 17-inch touchscreen cannot be turned off. It's a huge distraction while driving. The rear windshield is so tiny as to be near-useless. Their suggestion, when I mentioned this, was to leave the rear-view camera open on the touchscreen. I guess they don't understand that said camera is fixed-perspective? Or that I don't want a light-emitting screen blinding me at night? They also have an over-aggressive regenerative system. I currently drive a Prius, so I'm used to regenerative systems. The Tesla model, however, is so severe they call it "one-pedal driving" in that it actually turns your brake lights on when you release the throttle. That seems quite dangerous, and also counter-intuitive to preserving power if I want to coast. These decisions are fundamental to the company, as they're still present in the Model X. I'm really hoping Audi and BMW can one-up them. I don't care about the 0-60 times or automatic driving or "ludicrous mode". I don't really even want my car linked to a smartphone app. I wanted a nice, fully electric AWD vehicle and was willing to pay for it. However, it seems they just aren't there yet.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Marco2G on Friday October 30 2015, @07:34PM
Well, while your eyperience certainly is valid, don't you think that lynching a whole company with the failings of one sales rep is a tad overzealous?
I went there, just like you, in regular clothes. I had an extremely nice chat with the sales rep during the drive and when his next appointment fell flat, he stood there and chatted with me for over an hour and told me about pros and cons (!) of Tesla Model S cars. At no point did he ever let on that he thought about this as wasted time even after I made clear that I would probably not be able to own a Model S due to financial reasons.
The aspects of the car you mentioned are completely a matter of getting used to it and taste. The rearview camera combined with the side mirrors leaves next to no blind spot on the car.
Yes, there are certain design 'issues' and some of them seem to have to do with the Steve Jobs mentality of Musk: If it doesn't fit into his philosophy, it doesn't go into the car no matter the demand.
Still, even after driving it the Tesla is the first car I actually yearn for. I'm sorry that your mileage varied, but come on... it's to be expected that a product can't be perfect for everybody.
(Score: 1) by daaelar on Saturday October 31 2015, @12:50PM
Oh, I'm not out to lynch a whole company on one sales rep. As I stated, I don't agree with Mr. Lutz that the company is doomed. I was simply offering a counterpoint to the parent post. There can be both good and bad people at the same company and that doesn't mean the whole company is rotten. However, your point about the "Steve Jobs Menatality" is what really puts me off. The design of the S went further with the X. I really wish the S didn't have those issues because I dearly want to buy one. The drivetrain and the charging system are phenomenal. I just wish the cabin design was less "look at me!" and a little more conventional. Who knows, maybe the Model 3 is something I'll like, though I secretly want an updated Roadster to come out with the old interior and the new drivetrain.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 30 2015, @09:21PM
California and ten other states are requiring automakers to sell "zero emission vehicles" such as electric cars. As the parent post implies, BMW has been selling an electric car, the i3. The entry of Audi to the luxury market, when Tesla is planning its offer a model for the masses, may not prove fatal for Tesla.
references:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/zevregs/1962.1_Clean.pdf [ca.gov]
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/california-and-western-states/californias-zero-emission-program.html [ucsusa.org]
http://www.bmwusa.com/bmw/BMWi [bmwusa.com]
(Score: 1) by daaelar on Saturday October 31 2015, @12:54PM
I really wish some of these automakers would start selling outside of California. I live in NJ and there's plenty of folks here who would like to have full EVs. Two of my neighbors drive Volts and many others drive various Toyota/Lexus hybrids. Unfortunately, most of the full plug-in or even alternative fuel (looking at you, Honda Clarity) simply aren't available outside of California. I drive 10 miles round trip to work. I'm the perfect candidate for an EV, yet my only choices are the Tesla or a whole bunch of really tiny, really ugly concept-to-production vehicles. The i3 and the Leaf aren't exactly my cup of tea.
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Saturday October 31 2015, @02:17AM
Lighting the brake lights when you come off the accelerator is going to exacerbate traffic problems as well. I find that every time someone hits their brakes the person behind the does the same at about the same point but the reaction delay adds about a second to the duration. I'm pretty confident in my opinion that this is a major cause of the domino effect in heavy traffic on highways. They really should change that behaviour, at least as a default.
(Score: 2) by TheGratefulNet on Saturday October 31 2015, @04:28AM
that touch screen bullshit is a show-stopper for me, too. not that I can afford the car now, but if I could - I'd still think twice about that stupid laptop screen in the middle of the dash. great for the 'press on glass' generation but I'm a grey hair and pressing on glass without real buttons is totally unfulfilling for me.
I didn't know you could not turn it off. that would make me hate it even more!
I like a lot about the car. and I like how new the company is (not old school guys); but the lappie screen is really a usability nightmare. nothing there to let you feel your way like tactile buttons do. guis on screens are for lazy programmers who can't decide on a stable and fixed array of buttons, knobs and gauges.
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."