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.
