• papertowels
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      13 days ago

      Apparently Tesla’s on board with this. Their thinking, which I think is correct, is that the rebate benefits other manufacturers more since Tesla is much more established as an EV brand.

      • megopie@beehaw.org
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        13 days ago

        the problem is that they’re also one of the more expensive options. And they have a pretty bad reputation for quality now. So a 7,500 price increase is probably going to push people to look for higher quality at the 40 thousand price range, or for one of the cheaper options in the 30 thousand range. Assuming they don’t just go for a Prius instead.

        • papertowels
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          ·
          13 days ago

          Imo anyone considering a Tesla won’t really care about the price and quality, for the reasons you describe. They’re there for the brand.

          • megopie@beehaw.org
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            12 days ago

            Yah, but musk has been doing some serious brand damage lately, so can they really keep selling on that?

            • phonoodles@beehaw.org
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              4
              ·
              12 days ago

              Antidotal but as someone who bought a model 3 in 2018 and still likes the car, the next car a buy won’t be a Tesla because I don’t want to support or be associated with Elon.

        • philpo@feddit.org
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          13 days ago

          Tesla, according to Musk,can keep the prices due to their insane margins. Musk actually wants these subsidies cut to destroy his competition.

          • megopie@beehaw.org
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            12 days ago

            I just don’t think his product will be competitive when the market moves up a whole price bracket, even if he thinks so.

            People willing buy a 30,000$ new car are going to have more patience for poor quality than people who are willing to pay 40,000$. Like the market will shrink as some people are priced out, and those who remain will probably opt for something like an Ioniq-5, a Solterra, or a EX30 which are just nicer cars. Their main issues right now are a lack of availability, but that’s less of an issue as the market shrinks.