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I don't think the situation isn't being oversimplified, I think OP's post is a good summary of the whole situation. I also don't think the i3 is good value. If

by sweden 9y ago

I don't think the situation isn't being oversimplified, I think OP's post is a good summary of the whole situation. I also don't think the i3 is good value. If you compare it to a BWM series 1, you can get a better car for a better price. On the other hand, a Tesla Model 3 is perfectably comparable to a BWM series 1. Tesla has been making good electric cars since 2012 and the BMW i3 was very limited in range until last year or so. The range was limited to 100km in a single charge and the car was being sold for more than 40000 euros (at least in Europe) which is very steep for such a crippled car.

davewritescode 9y ago
In the US a a couple years ago you were seeing leases for the i3 starting $250/month thanks to tax incentives. There were a couple of municipalities in my area who caught flak for giving public employees BMWs to use on the job but they were quite literally the cheapest option.
kmonsen 9y ago
I have an i3, I would say it is more fun to drive even then a fully loaded 3 series but it is compromised and terrible value.
bobsil1 9y ago
Model 3 was designed to go head-to-head with 3 Series.
kokey 9y ago
I think the reason why a Tesla is comparable to consumers in price/value to a BMW series 1 model are down the Tesla price being brought down through a combination of subsidies and a clever financing structure which isn't really profitable and sustainable long term. It's a deliberate strategy by Tesla to enter the market and reach critical mass to start benefiting from more economies of scale. It will probably only start to turn into a profitable strategy around 2020. BMW is not pursuing such a strategy to try capture market, as they sell about 2 million cars per year and at a profit. Tesla only made 300k cars, ever, at a loss. At some point BMW will grow their portion of electric cars as it becomes viable to do so profitably and hopefully that will be around the time that Tesla is also doing it profitably.
ptaipale 9y ago
> Tesla Model 3 is perfectably comparable to a BWM series 1. Except that one cannot buy the Model 3. Its total production numbers in 2017 (1700 cars) were less than 1 percent of the BMW 1 series (over 200 000 per year).

by sweden 9y ago

davewritescode 9y ago

In the US a a couple years ago you were seeing leases for the i3 starting $250/month thanks to tax incentives. There were a couple of municipalities in my area who caught flak for giving public employees BMWs to use on the job but they were quite literally the cheapest option.

kmonsen 9y ago

I have an i3, I would say it is more fun to drive even then a fully loaded 3 series but it is compromised and terrible value.

bobsil1 9y ago

Model 3 was designed to go head-to-head with 3 Series.

kokey 9y ago

I think the reason why a Tesla is comparable to consumers in price/value to a BMW series 1 model are down the Tesla price being brought down through a combination of subsidies and a clever financing structure which isn't really profitable and sustainable long term. It's a deliberate strategy by Tesla to enter the market and reach critical mass to start benefiting from more economies of scale. It will probably only start to turn into a profitable strategy around 2020. BMW is not pursuing such a strategy to try capture market, as they sell about 2 million cars per year and at a profit. Tesla only made 300k cars, ever, at a loss. At some point BMW will grow their portion of electric cars as it becomes viable to do so profitably and hopefully that will be around the time that Tesla is also doing it profitably.

ptaipale 9y ago

> Tesla Model 3 is perfectably comparable to a BWM series 1. Except that one cannot buy the Model 3. Its total production numbers in 2017 (1700 cars) were less than 1 percent of the BMW 1 series (over 200 000 per year).