I find your last reply on this a bit confusing (confused?
) Reffro.
Firstly, you seem to have conceded the point that they are the biggest selling car (not "truck", or whatever the US call the F-150 types of pick-ups etc, which isn't really relevant in other major territories, or to Tesla) in the US, using US data. You then seem to suggest that the data is simplistic or inaccurate is some way, though it looked to me like it was referencing industry data in the table that I posted. Which is it? Maybe you could clarify to help those of use who (unlike you) don't work with this data daily and sell it to the established ICE car sellers?.
Secondly, in your reply you've not disputed or mentioned my comment about Tesla being more profitable than any other manufacturer, yet your original point seemed to at least imply that they couldn't make a profit and were going to fail? -
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reffro
they have bugger all cash left, huge liabilities and only squeaked a profit in Q3 2018.... and a whole of load of precedents pointing to a big fail.
Tesla got a march on the product, but haven't actually profited from it, nor are they likely too. The competition becomes so fierce from now on that Tesla will struggle to maintain a margin if they don't sort out their production, oh and did I mention the debt!
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reffro
OK, that reads a bit better, but not much...that article is typical of the puff pieces that are written in the green press, throwing in lots of facts an figures without qualification.
The article first references the US market for Q3 only, yet then refers to a global total for deliveries. The revenues for the Model 3 for one quarter only are broadly correct, but it is only a 3 month snapshot and only reference the 'US Cars' which ignores the SUV's which are classed as 'Trucks'. FYI Toyota RAV4 had the highest revenue for vehicles that we would consider cars. Also Tesla's total global revenues are still less that what Ford generated for F-150 alone in the US.
The profits are a significant positive for Tesla, but in terms of profitability they are still way behind many global manufacturers who don't carry similar debt burdens.
My point is one swallow does not make a summer. Good progress yes, but far from definitive, at a point in time when a whole raft of competitor vehicles are primed to arrive.
|
Thirdly, your point about debt is interesting, but again feels a bit selective really, as you've not mentioned the fact that - unlike Tesla - other major US companies had to be rescued from going under by government bailouts, costing tens of billions.
https://www.thebalance.com/auto-indu...rysler-3305670
So, whilst Tesla might have been on shaky ground in the early days (around when I ordered my Model S
), I think it's hard to argue that this is the case any more.
However, the ICE supply chains, including the big manufacturing plants and the retail chains that got fat and lazy over the last decade, are the ones who will really struggle to adapt and should have acted sooner, but were too arrogant to do so.
So I hardly think your "swallow analogy" is relevant. Tesla isn't coming, it's here now,and the US is just a preview of what they will also do in Europe and the Far East. Others just aren't ready, and I'm not sure what "primed to arrive" means in practice - only JLR have actually
launched a comparable EV, and are struggling with their production, as they haven't sorted out their supply chain: the others are slower and have been much worse at actually making this happen.
So to quote this latest Autocar Tesla review:
"Any rival wanting to beat the Model 3 is going to have to be very good indeed"
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review...yY9ZzeS8dDDnws