Volkswagen hires Apple executive for autonomous vehicle role

FILE PHOTO: Volkswagen logos are pictured during the media day of the Salao do Automovel International Auto Show in Sao Paulo, Brazil November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) said on Wednesday it had hired an executive from Apple (AAPL.O) as a director responsible for technical development at its commercial vehicles… Continue reading Volkswagen hires Apple executive for autonomous vehicle role

Education Award: Making the Volkswagen workforce fit for the future

Team “E-Mobility Training Center with E-Motion Room” at the Volkswagen factory in Zwickau The Volkswagen Group has presented the Education Award to five outstanding education projects. An international jury comprising over 100 members selected the best projects in the categories of digital learning formats in vocational training, digital learning formats in further education, technical transformation… Continue reading Education Award: Making the Volkswagen workforce fit for the future

The “Tesla Stretch” — Proving Car Buyers Will Pay More For A Tesla Model 3

Electric Cars
Electric Car Benefits
Electric Car Sales
Solar Energy Rocks
RSS
Advertise
Privacy Policy

Cars

Published on January 9th, 2019 |

by Matt Pressman

The “Tesla Stretch” — Proving Car Buyers Will Pay More For A Tesla Model 3

Twitter
Google+
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Facebook

January 9th, 2019 by Matt Pressman

Originally published on EVANNEX.

The Tesla Model 3 is turning out to be an electric car that’s seducing car buyers across multiple market segments. According to a CleanTechnica report, “45% of current electric car drivers plan to buy a Tesla next.” Okay, that’s understandable. Non-Tesla EV drivers might be interested in a Tesla. That said, it’s extraordinary how many gas-powered car owners, from vastly different auto segments, are transitioning to Teslas.

Tesla Model 3 (Photo by Zach Shahan, CleanTechnica)

Bloomberg reports, “When Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk first revealed the Model 3 at a late-night party in March 2016, the vehicle was expected to compete in the premium sedan market against the likes of Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes. Instead, owners of mass market cars like the Honda Accord and Toyota Prius are opening their wallets for the sedan, signaling that the vehicle is pushing Tesla beyond its luxury niche and more into the mainstream.” Buyers are also coming from the BMW 3 Series, and surely other luxury cars, but luxury car sales are not down much and Tesla appears to be pulling much more from lower classes.

“For Earl Banning, getting behind the wheel of a Tesla meant spending more than he ever had on a car. The 43-year-old Air Force neuropsychologist from Dayton, Ohio, ponied up $54,000 for a Model 3, figuring he would save on gas and keep the car for a long time. It was almost double what he had previously paid for a fully loaded Honda Accord,” reports Bloomberg.

The most common cars traded in for a Model 3 according to Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk (Chart by Bloomberg)

Banning says, “I call it the Tesla Stretch — everyone I’ve met who owns a Model 3 is willing to spend more to get into a Model 3.” For example, a former Nissan Altima owner, 36-year-old Eric Snapat, spent nearly $60,000 on his new Tesla. And 26-year-old Robert Preston actually charges $155 a day to rent out his Tesla on Turo to help pay for his new Model 3. “Every weekend I have someone renting it,” Preston said.

“Tesla recently said that more than half the trade-ins for the Model 3 were from vehicles priced below $35,000. And there are signs that the sedan’s popularity is adding [some] pressure on rival carmakers. … In October, sales of cars such as the Accord and Prius continued to slip as deliveries of the Model 3 ramped up,” according to Bloomberg.

⇒ Related: Honda Accord Sales & Civic Sales Drop 80,000 In 2018

A Tesla Model 3 charging in Florida. (Photo by Zach Shahan, CleanTechnica)

“Tesla has captured lightning in a bottle,” said Jeremy Acevedo, manager of industry analysis at researcher Edmunds. “It’s hard to even benchmark the Model 3 against other cars because it’s broken the mold in so many ways.”

⇒ Tesla Model 3 = Lightning, Model Y = Thunder

About the Author

Matt Pressman is all about Tesla. He’s a TSLA investor, pre-ordered the Model 3, and loves driving the family's Model S and Model X company cars. As co-founder of EVANNEX, a family business specializing in aftermarket Tesla accessories, he’s served as a contributor/editor of Electric Vehicle University (EVU) and the Owning Model S and Getting Ready for Model 3 books. He writes daily about Tesla and you can follow his work on the EVANNEX blog.

Back to Top ↑

Advertisement

Advertise with CleanTechnica to get your company in front of our readers.

CleanTechnica Clothing & Cups

Top News On CleanTechnica

Join CleanTechnica Today!

Advertisement

Advertisement

Follow CleanTechnica Follow @cleantechnica

Our New Electric Car Driver Report

Read & share our new report on “electric car drivers, what they desire, and what the demand.”

The EV Safety Advantage

Read & share our free report on EV safety, “The EV Safety Advantage.”
EV Charging Guidelines for Cities

Share our free report on EV charging guidelines for cities, “Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: Guidelines For Cities.”

30 Electric Car Benefits

Our Electric Vehicle Reviews

Tesla News

Cleantech Press Releases

New Research Shows That Only Two Large Petroleum Companies Have Meaningful Emission Reduction Targets

Koben Announces EVOLVE EVSF —Grid-Friendly Modular EV Store & Forward System

The New Danish Climate Plan — Together For A Greener Future

38 Anti-Cleantech Myths

Wind & Solar Prices Beat Fossils

Cost of Solar Panels Collapses

© 2018 Sustainable Enterprises Media, Inc.

Electric Cars
Electric Car Benefits
Electric Car Sales
Solar Energy Rocks
RSS
Advertise
Privacy Policy

This site uses cookies: Find out more.Okay, thanks

China car sales see first drop for 20 years

Car sales in China, the world’s biggest vehicle market, have seen their first annual fall in twenty years. Sales fell 6% to 22.7 million units in 2018, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). The deceleration comes amid a slowdown in China’s economy which has hit performance at car manufacturers around the world. The… Continue reading China car sales see first drop for 20 years

Electrify America and Hubject collaborate to advance the future of EV charging

Will Bring Plug&Charge to More Than 2,000 High-Power Public Chargers by Year End LOS ANGELES, CA. (January 8, 2019) – Electrify America and Hubject, a recognized leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging interoperability and “Plug&Charge” technology capabilities, today announced a strategic agreement that will allow people to pay for their electric vehicle charging simply by… Continue reading Electrify America and Hubject collaborate to advance the future of EV charging

Compact Premium Sports Car in Top Form: New Audi TTS Available for Order

Audi is sending the TTS (combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7.3 – 7.1* (32.2 – 33.1 US mpg)*; combined CO2 emission in g/km: 166 – 161* (267.2 – 259.1 g/mi)) into the new model year—the compact premium sports car is now available for order. The new seven-speed S tronic, a standard feature, further improves… Continue reading Compact Premium Sports Car in Top Form: New Audi TTS Available for Order

Adrian Hallmark: new Bentley CEO talks future products, electric cars and profitability – AutoExpress

Adrian Hallmark’s Twitter biog simply proclaims ‘Bentley Boy Again’. Following a stint as sales and marketing boss at Bentley from 2003, he left for Volkswagen in the US and then the Far East. After a short spell at Saab he joined Jaguar  Land Rover before returning to Crewe in February as Chairman and CEO. “I’m… Continue reading Adrian Hallmark: new Bentley CEO talks future products, electric cars and profitability – AutoExpress

Caterham CEO Graham Macdonald: PH Meets – Pistonheads.com

After years of being dogged by its ignominious F1 team, Caterham is finally a company on the move. Its latest special edition, the Seven SuperSprint sold out in just a matter of hours, the factory is operating at capacity and there are even talks of Caterham exploring the dark art of electric propulsion. But perhaps… Continue reading Caterham CEO Graham Macdonald: PH Meets – Pistonheads.com