For years we are talking about the ‘real’ breakthrough of electric vehicles. However, the large and established car manufacturers are far behind Tesla Motors since the introduction of their Model S in 2009 and Tesla has new, even better models that are on their way.
The Paris Motor Show, that took place from the 1st till the 16th of October this year, showed us that a transition in the automotive industry is happening and competition for Tesla is getting bigger and more serious with every new model being introduced to the market.
Paris Motor Show has finished, and most of the new vehicles and concepts introduced by the biggest automotive players were hybrid or full electric. Volkswagen, Opel and Mercedes showed they are seriously working towards manufacturing electric cars that can drive >300km with a full charge, which now is only possible with a Tesla Model S.
Volkswagen was recently involved in the large emission scandal that shocked the world. Now, it’s time to clean up their act. ‘Our future is electric’ says Herbert Dies, the CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. Volkswagen introduced the Volkswagen I.D., a concept car that is in the same class as the popular Volkswagen Golf. The I.D. has a range of 400 to 600 kilometers dependent on what battery the buyer chooses, but the launch date is set to 2020.
Mercedes showcased the Mercedes Generation EQ, a concept car that will not be produced, but it does show that Mercedes is capable of manufacturing batteries that can make cars drive a range of 500 kilometers.
Unlike Volkswagen and Mercedes, Opel did not showcase a concept car. Opel showcased the Ampera-e, a European version of the Chevrolet Bolt. With a range of 500 kilometers on a single charge, the Ampera-e is one of the best electric vehicles yet to date. Also, the Ampera-e makes use of regenerative technology that Tesla cars also use. This is a technology that makes it possible to regenerate energy while running.
Looking at the cars and concepts presented at the Paris Motor show, we can conclude that big automotive players are serious about electric vehicles and that electric vehicles are the future. Tesla did not have serious competition until now but it seems like the time has come to face serious competition. We will have to wait to see how big automotive players will attack the well-established position of Tesla in the electric vehicle industry.
Thank you for your post Anto!
Electric cars are very much one of the cleanest alternatives for the future. I also think that Tesla has some serious competition as of recently.
But we should not forget why Tesla exists in the first place. Elon Musk has never planned to make money off of the endeavour. He does not want the lion’s share of the target nor is he looking to protect his market position.
Elon musk has always planned for Tesla to “kickstart” the electric car industry. His plan was to launch a luxury electric car at first (the model S), followed by a less expensive sedan and going gradually up until the point when the sales of the more expensive models can subsidise cheaper mass produced electric cars. The purpose of all of this is to show traditional car manufacturers that the concept of electric car is possible and that is one of the only ways to save the planet.
So Tesla welcomes and encourages competition.
I recommend a series of blog posts about Elon Musk on : http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/06/how-tesla-will-change-your-life.html
This specific one is about Tesla but the rest are about SpaceX, SolarCity and Elon Musk in general. The blogger was actually approached by Elon Musk so that he could explain his plans regarding all of these companies.
Cheers!
Do you think that electric vehicles are going to take over the whole car market? Or do you see still see a place for fuel driven cars in the future?
Hi Anto, interesting blog! It is true that the competition is rising upon Tesla. However, I think that Tesla still is far ahead of the competition and will be the main player in the next decade. Right now, Tesla has a much better Supercharger infrastructere. These Superchargers do not fit in other Electric vehicles yet. With a Tesla, you can now drive from one coast to another for free using these fast-charging systems. Furthermore, Tesla has an 17 inch touchscreen which makes controlling the car much more convenient. On top of that, Tesla can repair your vehicle without their phisical appearance. If the owner uploads their data, in some occasions the technicians can fix the problem online.
Taking these factors in account, I think Tesla is still far ahead of the competition and it will take a decade or two untill the competition can come closer.
Hi Anto. I think due to the quick rise of Tesla as a serious competitor to established car brands, it is also interesting to look at other firms that are building electric vehicles. I think one serious competitor will be Faraday Future. They are planning to compete in electric vehicles with Tesla through the ambition to build economies of scale quickly as well as to leverage the tech talent in California. Although the company has only started two years ago, it is already investing 1 billion dollars in a manufacturing facility, and has already scaled up to around 1000 employees. With its backing by LeEco, a big Chinese technology company and building of a team consisting of former Tesla, Ferrari, Apple, Hulu, SpaceX, BMW, Audi, Lamborghini, Ferrari and GM Tesla it is certainly building the capacity to compete with both the established car manufacturers as well as Tesla.