SAN FRANCISCO/NEW DELHI/SEOUL April 18 (Reuters) - Tesla’s long-awaited plans for an affordable car include a U.S-made, stripped-down version of its best-selling electric SUV, the Model Y, but the production launch has been delayed, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Tesla (TSLA.O) has promised affordable vehicles beginning in the first half of the year, providing a potential boost to flagging sales. Global production of the lower-cost Model Y, internally codenamed E41, is expected to begin in the United States, the sources said. That would occur at least a few months later than outlined in Tesla’s public plan, they added, offering a range of revised targets from the third quarter to early next year.
You mean the 1, ONE, single, as in nothing else really matter, thing that gave any modicum of decency to Musk despite all this BS over the years and was again the very reason one could have been excited about him making Tesla so much more famous (not popular, as in… affordable) is actually not happening? Sorry, in Musk parlance, is happening next year?
shocked Pikachu face
I honestly feel disgusted because, even though I do not have a car, when Musk on ramped Tesla I was cheering for him. I do NOT think cars are the solution BUT if we have no other choice, I was naively thinking electric cars, specifically NOT fancy elitism expensive coupe or sedans, but rather affordable ones was one potential path. Meanwhile, years later, if I look by the window outside where I live, in Belgium, we do have electric plugs in the street (nice!) which are sadly used by a … fancy EV. At the same time in the city center the silent (literally) revolution have been electric bikes, especially cargo bikes and longtails. So many of those now used.
So tiring that CEOs of large company can claim vaporware constantly without any consequences. It’s damaging to entire ecosystem they overshadow. They already have economical power by their cheer scale but they also abuse the mindshare of potential customers and regulators. We need to hold them accountable to false claims, claims that are indefinitely delayed and it has to hurt the bottom line of their companies.