More evidence that they're changing their mind on where the demand is going to be coming from - 14Bn EV investment:

https://electrek.co/2018/12/04/audi-...cles/?pushup=1

That'll be instead of the 20Bn they were going to invest in diesel/other EVs a couple of years back then +++

The key quote here from here is this: "we want to electrify people again for Audi and at the same time be an agile and very efficient company".

Good news. Now dismantle your existing ICE supply chain and the fat and inefficient dealer network, and I'll believe it completely and then I'll think of buying Audi once again. Until then, I'm off to look at an actual Model 3 in the flesh on Friday in Manchester +++

Well, it's now about 15 months later from my Oct 18 starter post on this thread, and this just happened:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50921729

So Tesla have started delivering actual cars already in China - just over a year from breaking ground for their first factory.

And where's this capable competition, available at half the price? :rolleyes:.

Happy New Year, ICE companies....

Give the Chinese a few months ...

Now that they have the plans, I'm sure they'll be knocking out Tesla copies for just a few grand each soon. :D

I don't doubt it, though they won't be capable - and anyway Mark, I was quoting the VAG execs who were promising this capable competitor, not another foreign upstart to their market share.

VAG have taken waaay too long to wake up to this, and sadly still can't compete effectively with any of these new entrants.

I got that; I was just joking. :)
Although I do suspect the Chinese will become capable competitors sooner than we might expect, and this move by Tesla to begin manufacturing in China will probably be a factor in accelerating that. Probably unlikely we'll see direct clones/copies (at least not outside of China) but I have no doubt that any skills and knowledge gained at Chinese Tesla factories will inevitably spill over into other Chinese factories, who will then build on (and likely improve) the Tesla tech. That's usually how it goes.

You're right though. VAG and most other manufacturers are barely off the starting grid, while Tesla are beginning to complete their first laps. It's going to be very difficult for most of the big manufacturers to catch up now. Perhaps they are destined to become resellers of re-badged Chinese Tesla clones!

^^ This.

I'm staggered that I've gone from a string of 45 Audis to a single Tesla, and can't comprehend any good reason why I'd ever go back.

Audi don't have a good EV, and they don't have a charging network. And I don't really see any plans to change either of those. Customer service is definitely on the slide too, which was the only thing they had above Tesla to be honest.

I should just take a moment to document all the issues I've had with range anxiety and running out of charge though:

*this page intentionally left blank*

;)


Super funny event over xmas though - Sister in law limped her car to our place on vapours, and as you can't just plug it in to charge up, I had to drive my Telsa to the local Shell garage to get a can of petrol.... What a pain. Cost 7 quid for 5 litres, or about 25 miles of juice. That same 7 quid would keep me going over a week on leccy.... +++