Supercharger access for the new car is something Tesla is yet to comment on, though there are really only a few possibilities. Most draconian - though most accommodating for existing Model S and X drivers - would be denying the Model 3 free Supercharger use completely, on the understanding that the cheaper car lacks the built-in subsidization implicit in its more expensive siblings.
That would be suicide. I can imagine a good percentage of reservations being dumped at that type of announcement. I know you have an anti-Tesla bias, but that option is not feasible. At worst, there will be an additional fee for supercharger access.
vinnie97 is correct but your post does bring up a key point. Tesla cannot provide unlimited free energy to every Tesla vehicle to be built. Tesla built up the supercharger network to make nationwide travel viable on all Tesla vehicles, not to be a money drain. The issue is making sure the supercharger network is financially viable. To this extent, there are quite a few sensible approaches to doing this. One would be including some finite amount of free kWh per week/month/year. Another option is a sliding scale of charging costs depending on vehicle purchase options. Tesla needs to use some care here in what they decide to do.
Well, supercharger access isn't free for the S or X. The early 65S didn't even have it included as standard. It was a $2000 option at time of purchase, or a $2500 to $3000 charge for access afterwards. The unlimited lifetime access might remain an option for the top trim Model 3's, but this is the time for Tesla to break from that model for their lower priced models. Buying access by the day, week or ten day might become available.
Elon tweeted that the average Model 3 price went from $35k to $42k. That plus getting a Supercharger bill to charge your vehicle...this is starting to sound like a pretty pricey vehicle for the average person. Wasn't the Model 3 supposed to be affordable?
Average new vehicle in US = $33,560. Average new car price zips 2.6% to $33,560 Just as you chose a 2015 Persona Prius that didn't cost the same as a base Prius, the average Model 3 buyer will not buy a $35k base model. They will add options. $42k - 7.5k federal rebate = $34.5k which within 3% of the average selling price of a new vehicle. To the average American new car buyer, this is affordable. And if you don't add any options and live in a state with additional rebates, then it becomes even more affordable than your Prius Persona.
I read one person will pull his $1,000 deposit due to no hatch back. I just found this tweet; So ... the plywood, the drywall or the bicycle may be a no go in side. But with a bike type hitch or a hitched trailer ... some may reconsider. So for those folk . . . things are looking up. I canceled an early release of the 1st advanced package gen III due to the fly bridge. Doesn't mean though, that we're throwing in the towel to all of Prius or Toyota. Any way ... tow hitch - yay !! wish our gen II Pri was tow rated. That's why we ultimately got the AWD hybrid SUV Lexus as the 2nd car ... tow rated!! To some, it matters. .
Anyone know what the median new vehicle price is in the U.S.? I haven't been able to find this data. However, in observing new cars on the road, there seems to be a significant bimodal distribution. Premium cars may be significantly skewing the average up above the median. Wonder if the "average" vehicle may not actually be at the top amplitude of the curve.
More affordable than my brand new Prius Persona which I paid $20,300 for and $30/month of gas. LOL. Dream on dude. Oh....and don't count on a majority of those buyers to receive anything close to a $7,500 tax rebate. I'm sure you know why right?
As pointed out above, median is a much better number to use. Plus, most buyers aren't going to get the $7.5k federal tax break because it's going run out long before they get their cars.
For what it's worth, US mean ("average") household income is 40% higher than median. If this is proportional to the new car prices then we're looking at a median US car price closer to $20k.
I'd predict Congress will extend the rebate, on the other hand, if Tesla has more orders than it can handle, maybe they do not need it.
It doesn't just end at 200k US vehicles produced either. The credit diminishes to 0 in a staggered fashion in 4 to 5 steps. It's a racket anyway because it should reward the trailblazers as opposed to the stragglers (since it's based entirely on an individual manufacturer's output...it'd be much more competitive if it applied to *all* manufacturers as a collective, perhaps extending it to the first 500,000 buyers irrespective of the manufacturer).
I haven't heard of any claim that the $35k was going to be the average price of Model 3s sold. It is the base price. Half the base price of a Model S is a lot more affordable, but like how the S competes with the 7 or 8 series BMW, the 3 competes with the 3 series. Which is still a luxury class car in the US, with a wider range of options, with higher price tags than the run of the mill Chevy or Toyota. Tesla never claimed the 3 would be for the non-luxury market. For people that don't intend to take their Model 3 on long trips, not having to pay for Supercharger access will let them get the car for a lower price. Of the Teslas now on the road, around 90% of the charging they receive is at home. Congratulations on getting a deal on your Prius. When do you think Tesla will have to heavily discount cars to move them off the lot?
Just found this Twitter back and forth on the lack of a hatch: Maxx✩Madison @CmaxVs 17h17 hours ago @elonmusk Thx for #Model3 ! Why small trunk lid instead of big hatchback like S&X? I ride a bike not a surfboard 8 retweets 81 likes Elon Musk Verified account @elonmusk @CmaxVs Only way to get enough rear passenger headroom was to move the rear roof cross-car support beam. A bike will still fit no problem.
