Tesla's mission was never to sell the most electric cars or to dominate the EV market. Their mission was to make a competitive and desirable BEV that normal peo

Tesla's mission was never to sell the most electric cars or to dominate the EV market. Their mission was to make a competitive and desirable BEV that normal people would want to own. To make the BEV market a viable thing. Even more - to not just make a great BEV, but to make a great car. And to that extent, I'd say they succeeded. Hybrids are not superior in any way. Indeed they are actually inferior in just about every way - cost, performance, maintenance / reliability, emissions. Which hybrid beats a Model 3/Y? Referring to electric trains, trams and subways is also a red herring. This discussion is about Tesla's contribution to electric cars. Tesla's quality is only suffering in the eyes of its most vocal critics - who often have a vested interest in stirring up controversy. I've owned both a Model S and a Model X - both are significantly more reliable (and better performing) than any other car I've ever owned. Observing that Tesla was not immune from the global supply chain crisis caused by the lockdowns, or is having difficulty perfecting FSD, or is actively researching humanoid robotics (ie: diversifying) seems short-sighted. Would you prefer they make no attempt at innovation? Expecting perfection from Tesla, but excusing mediocrity from every other manufacturer is an unreasonable double-standard. (Although I would agree that their early marketing of FSD was overly optimistic and potentially reckless.) Nobody is claiming Tesla invented BEV's - that's a straw man. But they certainly did push the BEV market into the mainstream and drastically improve the technology. The fact that you can drive anywhere in the US and be within driving distance of a Supercharger is testament to that. Without Tesla leading the way, I think there's a strong argument to be made that there would still be no EV market in the US. And finally, Tesla is the first new US car manufacturer to arrive, and be competitive in the last century. I think that's an accomplishment in itself.