Featured Model 3 has 310 mile range

???

Only median average matters to the discussion at hand. It's the 50th percentile and highly relevant to what the population actually pays. That is to say 50% of new car buyers pay the median price or less.

The mean average is a statistical curiosity but with little relevance in this case. Significantly fewer than 50% of buyers pay the mean price or less. Exactly how many fewer, we don't have enough data to say.

Focus.

 

what I'm focusing on is the curiosity of why, when so many websites show what the average price is, $34k, that when some other supposed number, a 'median' - theorized to be lower (& maybe it is or isn't), is seldom if ever calculated for readers. Call me whackey, but that in itself says volumes of what's real regarding the average car cost. I can hedge my bet & say I could be wrong ....
won't fight & die over it. It's like in marriage, when I hear stuff that just flies in the face, I just say 'okay'

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The mean is reported because the data is available and easy to calculate. But that does not make it particularly useful. The median tells us what buyers feel they can afford and that is very useful and what was being discussed. Unfortunately, to get to the median would require every manufacturer to report more data than they currently do. There's nothing dubious there. We should still want to use the right data and metrics, even if such is not available, to reach the right conclusions. No need to settle for the mean as it does not answer the question.

So if one hears stuff that doesn't make sense, look for good data. Or don't.

 

$1,000 Delivery Charge (supposedly)
+ $1,000 for any color besides Black

In reality... starting at $36,000 for black or starting at $37,000 for any other color.

 

fair enough, i'd argue worth as much or more than any other car out there at the same net price.

 

When the $35k production begins, & presuming the 200k production units # hasn't yet been reached by Tesla here in the US, the majority will be able to have enough time to get their yearly tax debt arranged, so that they can take that full $7,500 credit. For most states, getting that amount is tantamount to not paying any sales, tax, & still dropping the cost a bit ..... to ~ $32k - $33k out the door - turning on options.

 

and even better in states with their own credits.

 

But not useful when comparing car A with car B, unless you include delivery charge and options in both cars.

As for Median vs Mean prices, the Median price would be more useful statistically as it gives us a halfway mark.

 

Under 8% of all cars sell for over $50k, that's all we need to know and it's a hard tracked data point.

That means 92% + of all cars sold today are cheaper than the average Model 3 produced

 

Sure, but that is meaningless. Are all cars that sell in less than 8% of the market so easily dismissed?

Also, could you share where that data point is referenced?

 

No, I do not drive 250 miles every day, but some days I drive more. And some days I don't plan on driving a lot, but end up needing to do so. It's easy, if I am low on fuel I just stop by the gas station for 5 minutes and I am good for 400 miles or more. Can I do that with an EV? Not yet. I need to plan and know ahead about my driving plans. It's okay and I understand that for a commuter who knows their driving plans every single day it's great, but what about that emergency that requires your presence 300 miles away and your EV is only charged to go 30 miles that day? These are very real use cases and are not at all addressed as of yet. You basically need a backup vehicle with an EV if you are at risk of spontaneously needing some real range. This is where I am thinking some out of the (today's) box tech needs to come along to solve that. Until such time EVs can not fill all the needs served today by fossil burners.

I am envisioning something like this. No one owns their own car, but gets one on as needed basis. You need a ride, you summon the car, it arrives and self-drives you to wherever. If your ride is 400 miles away you summon a car with 400 (or close to it) range. If your ride is 30 miles away, then you get a car with 30 mile range. No need to own just one (or two, three) car. You have access to whatever you need at the moment. The service that supplies the car manages the charging, range, etc. This makes more sense to me than an EV that has limitations of today's EV.

 

Yes, there are thousands of models in that small space that sell in low volumes. If you read an auto mag or watch a car show they show them while ignoring what people actually buy.

https://www.google.com/amp/truckyeah.jalopnik.com/ford-is-clearing-10-billion-just-selling-50-000-truck-1669763881/amp

The percentage of above $50k bobs around a lot but you will find many references to the 8% above $50k metric mentioned in passing , newer data is harder to find, older data is 4-6.6% .

An odd factoid is that the above $100k market was expanding during the Great Recession.

 

You're in line with what some auto executives seem to want - nobody owns cars but instead everyone uses ride-sharing services (ideally provided by automated vehicles so the companies don't have to pay drivers). Personally, I much prefer to own my own vehicle and have it when needed, but I understand your point of view.

 

8% for which year/time frame too. And why 8%, if cars (model 3 low end) can be had for around $29k - $33 k in areas where they would mostly be sold .... Is that price point % maybe more like 75%? And since these kinds of cars are sold in areas with the highest incomes, isn't all of this a moot point? It's all about affordability & practicality to the prospective customer in the geographic region.
Statistics, you know what they say ....

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Have no time to read all posts, but wow this thread is blowing up.

I called Tesla Palo alto said they will get a model 3 in showroom in a couple months. I'll be there ...

 

maybe you missed the post above that mentioned the technology is already here - & has already been proven (working model came & went already) - quick battery swap outs - taking about ½ the time of filling a gas tank. Very few Tesla owners signed up for it, because the reality flies in the face of the notion that everyone absolutely positively must be back on the road for hundreds more miles in 5 minutes. That's such an Uber freakishly small minority that it's only worth mentioning here on pc. It's funny how some believe their time is truly so valuable that they can't fathom waiting a few extra minutes on a multi 100 mile trip. Yet many Tesla owners are high dollar earners (at least 'till the model 3 comes out) - yet too few owners even wanted to sign up for the quick swap out station ... even though arguably their time is way more valuable than many of our time is. Tesla found out that most long distance drivers were smart enough to realize that a break for stretching or nature call or food, is a non-issue. Similarly ironic, that many a poor slob who actually has to regularly make frequent 400-mile marathon 1-Way drives ... whether it be road work due to lane striping or new asphalt or potholes, or road washouts, or bad accidents ..... backup delays are all too common. Yet we never here, "I would never drive a car if I got stuck in traffic". Yet many of us do get stuck here, & with some degree of regularity.

if I was an idiot and didn't charge my shaver, I'd have to work around it. Maybe I'm clever that way but that's why I keep a disposable razor at work & in the car & in my better half's car. What if I'm a big dummy & forget to put gas in the Lexus .... pull 1 of 5 steel Jerry cans out of the fireproof cabinet. In the ev, i stop at the DC quick charger (1 of 3 w/in 2½ miles)

true ... our backup is maybe 4 blocks away .... it's called "dollar rent a car" & right next door to our 2ndary backup - is "Dollar Car Rental". Both deliver, right into our driveway. Sure, some folks are less resilient & more glass ½ empty .... we all find our own best way.

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looks like gassers are here to stay then.

 

i think this requires in person up close analysis. since tesla is unavailable for test drive, might take awhile before i can vote.
i like the bolt design, but it might be a little small. i like tesla philosophically.