And that's where some people were predicting Tesla would stumble. There are dozens of boutique high-end car manufacturers. Ferrari, etc. Price is not really too

And that's where some people were predicting Tesla would stumble. There are dozens of boutique high-end car manufacturers. Ferrari, etc. Price is not really too important for buyers of those cars -- in fact it can be part of the attraction (a Veblen good). Making "mainstream" cars targeted at middle-class buyers is an entirely different thing. Sales price is a huge factor, and at that volume saving a dollar or two on any given component is something you spend time trying to do. Optimizing the manufacturing process is also critical. Chevy and Ford and Toyota know how to do all that. Tesla doesn't, yet.