These Are The SECRETS Of The Tesla Model 3 That Separates It From The REST Of The Autos Being Built Today

Guess what??

BAM http://ir.tesla.com/static-files/725970e6-eda5-47ab-96e1-422d4045f799

Tesla is profitable. China factory is coming online one year early. Competition is f-ed.

- Hype. Loads and loads of hype.
- Waiting two and half years after putting down a deposit, and still no car.
- The CEO talks about selling flame-throwers.
- Other car selling for less have a better fit and finish.
- You can easily do a road trip in another car.

Fair points on the first 3 bullets.
#4 - Fit & finish is excellent VIN 70k and onwards
#5 - With 310 miles of range (or 260 on the cheaper one) and superchargers everywhere, you can easily do a roadtrip in a Model 3.

THat depends on how long your road trip is and WHERE it is too.

If you are going to Florida from the NY Metro area - 1100 miles to Orlando - a 300 mile range would not get half way there in a day. I can make that drive straight through in a car with a gas tank in less than 20 hours and arrive the same day - no current EV can do that.

ANd if you are driving in the Northwest (Maybe to see the National Parks up there) - there are so few charging stations that you cannot depend on them being available when you need them.

In either case - the cost in days of time makes the EV not a viable alternative yet.

1,100 miles in one day is ironman level, not everyone is as hardcore as you. I think I drove over 1,000 miles once in my life. I think most people would be okay with doing a 1hr stop for food and restroom every 275 miles or so =).

I guess at somepoint you'll be able to daisy chain a bunch of self driving EVs to get you there in the same amount of time... or take a hyperloop.

A couple of times a year I drive to Tucumcari and it's about 1000 miles one way. I cannot imagine doing it nonstop by myself. I typically go to Flagstaff for the night and then on to Tucumari the next day. Driving nonstop for 20 hours is unsafe. I mean meth-head truckers may think that they are OK, but I only go right on through if my buddy Kenny is with me and we split the driving.

Are these differences that the average buyer will make a purchase decision on? Likely not. Neat yes, but not real benefits. Plus now that Tesla has laid it out the next guys into the market know what to do that, what tires to put on, etc. etc. Just made their job easier. Always loved competing against companies that brag like Tesla does.

The depth of Tesla engineering is impressive.

How often do you appreciate your collection of saucers?

I just gave some friends a ride on the 3, they're pretty convinced to get one as well. Think the easter eggs help seal the deal, shows it is not your typical boring car company--Atari games, Rainbow Road from Mario Kart with the Cowbell SNL skit playing in the background, Santa mode (say "ho ho ho" via voice command and Grandma got run over by a reindeer plays and the car turns into a sled). These are small things, but they add some personality to the car.

It's an impressive piece of engineering.

It's just that Tesla has executed on all of the things traditional automakers haven't been able to, and stumbled in the areas where traditional automakers have been building expertise for over 100 years.

The core of the Tesla drivetrain and brand is a leap in to the future. It still has a ways to go, and there are quality and production issues still plaguing the brand and its products, but a company and its products can have both good and bad things be true of them at the same time, as is the case with Tesla.

I do not see how the drivetrain is a leap into the future. WIth the exception of the ability for Lithium Ion Batteries to be able to hold a dense charge - something tesla had NOTHING to do with - there is not a lot new from the GM EV1. THe greater use of rare earth magnets was not invented by Tesla -and the rare earth use creates another different set of environmental problems as well.

What Tesla appears to have is Software dominance (WE have no access to it though) right now. Still - the Bolt did come to market BEFORE the Model 3 did - and it was available from the Get go in its Base model form - something Tesla still has not been able to do. SO - you can get a $35,000 car if you spend $50,000 or more for it from Tesla- WOW.

Still waiting in Europe and Australia despite reserving on Day One!
So galling to read about Americans walking into showrooms and driving out with demonstrators or jumping the queue in a variety of different ways.
Why ae we waiting?

You forgot to mention the IKEA interior. HORRIBLE.

If you believe in reincarnation, I think SAAB which died about 10 years ago has been reincarnated into today's Tesla.

(a) Non main-stream

(b) Quirks (ignition key on floor in SAAB and Model 3 plays "jingle bells" if the driver says "hoe..hoe..hoe").

(c) Scandinavians love them! (SAAB was Swedish and I think that Finn's loved the Tesla's until the point where the government yanked Tesla's favorable tax status at which point Tesla sales may have plummeted)

(d) Near fanatical operator base who chooses to overlook the quirks (that is until they don't).

(e) Likely to be absorbed by GM sometime in the future and then categorically shut down.

(f) They got their start with "hatchbacks".

(g) Only HUGE difference is that SAAB's just love the winter but Tesla's battery life declines so quickly in temps < 30 degrees, just like the gas tank of a Winnebago climbing the Continental Divide.

Yup Tesla is the new SAAB. How high was SAAB's market cap?

Tesla has always been known for producing unmatched straight line performance thanks to its EV powertrain, motors and power inverter (think Insane and Ludicrous modes). Now the Model 3 has something that takes it to another level: handling dynamics. This article sheds some light into the suspension with "six levels of freedom" architecture (in place of the de facto double wishbone setups in sports cars), and how the drivetrain and the suspension play an active part in reducing the impact of a collision.

Good stuffs, and that shows in how the car drives. People don't have to understand or believe what's under the floor, but their "seat of the pants" driving experience will confirm that.

As I said before, a test drive in the Model 3 will give you a new look at how a car should drive. Bring you favorite car along for a back to back comparison.

Typical Tesla hater idiots. Your bias is blinding. I know, Tesla is going bankrupt, Elon is going to jail, wait till the competition catches up... blah blah blah. The reality is their cars fantastic. American made. And in high demand. The competition wishes it had the same problems.

Why are there so many Tesla news stories? They are the only ones making news daily. Good or bad, they're moving fast and while there have been several mistakes--taking 5 steps forward and 2 steps back each month is still faster than other companies taking baby half steps in the same amount of time. Also, the cars are great. I've taken dozens of people on test drives in the 3 and everyone loves it. Two have put in orders for their own.

Fotto1, Tesla is not going bankrupt any time soon.

Read and weap... http://ir.tesla.com/static-files/725970e6-eda5-47ab-96e1-422d4045f799