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The Model Y will be a test of Tesla's popularity
Tesla announced at the end of February that it was finally ready to make and sell the long-awaited $35,000 Model 3, an affordable electric car that was part of Musk's original "master plan" for the company, published in 2006. Closing most of the company's stores and switching to a completely online sales model was how Musk was able to finally achieve this goal, and it also allowed Tesla to lower the price on its other cars.
Normally, that might be seen as a good thing. But many customers who purchased Teslas before the price drops felt jilted. One of the most vocal critics was comedian Chris Titus, who complained to his 125,000 Twitter followers on March 2nd about how his wife bought a Tesla two days before the prices dropped. "@elonmusk lost a loyal customer," Titus wrote. "[T]he people that supported you, praised you and cared about you [sic] dream got boned."
Anger about the price cuts bubbled up in China, too, which is the world's largest market for electric cars. After Tesla cut prices on all of its models there, a number of owners protested at the company's store in the Hunan province capital city of Changsha. The upset owners wrapped the store in a banner that apparently translated to "don't buy now, buy tomorrow at a discount."
[...] [There] is some data backing up the apparent change in sentiment around Tesla. In an Axios-Harris poll of 18,228 adults conducted between November and January, Tesla's ranking slid across a number of categories. It dropped from being the 14th most trusted company out of 100 to 46th. The company's "character" ranking fell from 7th to 57th, and its "ethics" ranking slid from 5th to 56th.
See also: Did Ford just tease an electric Mustang as Tesla debuts Model Y?
Tesla's Model Y sales goals 'aggressive,' analyst says
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday March 16 2019, @05:26AM (4 children)
He's a method actor, and a rather good one too; he sounds like the Trump of 10 years ago, before all the obvious cerebrovascular damage happened. I still think he's useless and annoying as fuck, but I have to give him credit for really doing his homework.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday March 16 2019, @05:43AM
Possibly the "nicest" thing you've said about Donald J. Trump, Azuki Hazuma. Is it the new, and MUCH better paying job, is it the magnificent Tax Refund you're getting because of me -- or is it my sexy body? Getting many compliments on that one!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 16 2019, @06:12AM (2 children)
That is giving too much credit to first-person fan fiction.
Did you just assume their gender?
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday March 16 2019, @06:02PM (1 child)
I did indeed. Women don't do stupid shit like this. Suck it up, troll :)
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 16 2019, @07:45PM
>> Women don't do stupid shit like this
Even if that presumptuously broad generalization was assumed to be true: