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> They'll just make EVs I wish they would, but they're lagging way behind. Developing a good EV drivetrain, and particularly a good battery is not trivial and

> They'll just make EVs I wish they would, but they're lagging way behind. Developing a good EV drivetrain, and particularly a good battery is not trivial and so far no one is matching Tesla. Hyundai has some reasonable models now and Renault/Nissan have had some basic models out for a while. Nothing compares to Tesla yet so if I was Mercedes/BMW/Audi/etc I'd be very worried right now.

clouddrover 8y ago
> Nothing compares to Tesla yet Volkswagen is starting their push into EVs now. The Porsche Taycan uses 350 kW chargers to charge faster than Teslas. I'm sure 350 kW chargers are on Tesla's roadmap but Volkswagen got there first: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-28/porsche-taycan-pitch-this-car-charges-fast https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-28/porsche-t... Volkswagen's MEB EV platform will be used across four VW brands (VW, Audi, Skoda, SEAT) to deliver 27 different EV models by 2022: https://jalopnik.com/the-fascinating-engineering-behind-vws-electric-car-pla-1829257860 https://jalopnik.com/the-fascinating-engineering-behind-vws-... How many models will Tesla have available by 2022? VW is also looking to license the MEB platform to other manufacturers (like Ford): https://jalopnik.com/volkswagen-wants-other-automakers-to-use-its-meb-electr-1832269531 https://jalopnik.com/volkswagen-wants-other-automakers-to-us... I think Volkswagen will be the EV leader in a few years. It'll be interesting to see if this helps them get ahead of Toyota to become the world's biggest car company.
- pedrocr 8y ago
  So VW is ahead of Tesla because they've made a bunch of announcements of things they may ship in the future? It's all vaporware until you actually ship. They didn't "get there first" on 350kW chargers when there's not a single car on sale that can use them. They're making a bunch of announcements and maybe they'll do well, I hope they do, but they're still quite a bit behind Tesla.
  - clouddrover 8y ago
    > So VW is ahead of Tesla because they've made a bunch of announcements No, they're ahead because they'll be delivering more options at a larger scale.
    - pedrocr 8y ago
      This makes no sense. You can't be ahead in the market by making announcements while shipping less product. That they will in the future deliver more options at more scale is your prediction. I hope it works out but it remains to be seen.
      - clouddrover 8y ago
        It will work out. It's not like these cars aren't being tested now. Watch a test of the first MEB based VW model which will go into production at the end of this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Tqw9LX3QE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Tqw9LX3QE
        pedrocr 8y ago
        I've followed the announcements and reviews. There is no doubt they will launch the cars, it's your prediction of market success that remains to be tested. So far no one has come up with a drive train that rivals Tesla in power and efficiency. Everyone is either having to install more batteries for the same range and/or having less power. Tesla's advantage is not only in having more cars out in the market, it's even more so in having better technology than anyone else in the batteries, motors and electronics. See the Munro interviews if you want details on those. I do hope quite a few other existing car manufacturers get there as well but my point stands, they are behind in EV technology and if they don't catch up the writing is on the wall. The fact that VW is making massive investments is just more evidence of that. Most others are not even doing that much as far as we know.
        clouddrover 8y ago

clouddrover 8y ago

> Nothing compares to Tesla yet Volkswagen is starting their push into EVs now. The Porsche Taycan uses 350 kW chargers to charge faster than Teslas. I'm sure 350 kW chargers are on Tesla's roadmap but Volkswagen got there first: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-28/porsche-taycan-pitch-this-car-charges-fast https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-28/porsche-t... Volkswagen's MEB EV platform will be used across four VW brands (VW, Audi, Skoda, SEAT) to deliver 27 different EV models by 2022: https://jalopnik.com/the-fascinating-engineering-behind-vws-electric-car-pla-1829257860 https://jalopnik.com/the-fascinating-engineering-behind-vws-... How many models will Tesla have available by 2022? VW is also looking to license the MEB platform to other manufacturers (like Ford): https://jalopnik.com/volkswagen-wants-other-automakers-to-use-its-meb-electr-1832269531 https://jalopnik.com/volkswagen-wants-other-automakers-to-us... I think Volkswagen will be the EV leader in a few years. It'll be interesting to see if this helps them get ahead of Toyota to become the world's biggest car company.

pedrocr 8y ago
So VW is ahead of Tesla because they've made a bunch of announcements of things they may ship in the future? It's all vaporware until you actually ship. They didn't "get there first" on 350kW chargers when there's not a single car on sale that can use them. They're making a bunch of announcements and maybe they'll do well, I hope they do, but they're still quite a bit behind Tesla.
- clouddrover 8y ago
  > So VW is ahead of Tesla because they've made a bunch of announcements No, they're ahead because they'll be delivering more options at a larger scale.
  - pedrocr 8y ago
    This makes no sense. You can't be ahead in the market by making announcements while shipping less product. That they will in the future deliver more options at more scale is your prediction. I hope it works out but it remains to be seen.
    - clouddrover 8y ago
      It will work out. It's not like these cars aren't being tested now. Watch a test of the first MEB based VW model which will go into production at the end of this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Tqw9LX3QE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Tqw9LX3QE
      - pedrocr 8y ago
        I've followed the announcements and reviews. There is no doubt they will launch the cars, it's your prediction of market success that remains to be tested. So far no one has come up with a drive train that rivals Tesla in power and efficiency. Everyone is either having to install more batteries for the same range and/or having less power. Tesla's advantage is not only in having more cars out in the market, it's even more so in having better technology than anyone else in the batteries, motors and electronics. See the Munro interviews if you want details on those. I do hope quite a few other existing car manufacturers get there as well but my point stands, they are behind in EV technology and if they don't catch up the writing is on the wall. The fact that VW is making massive investments is just more evidence of that. Most others are not even doing that much as far as we know.
        clouddrover 8y ago