@chris fredette I think you are a bit mixed on low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. The Elise SC (0-60 4.4 secs) probably the closest to the Tesla Roadster (0-60 3.9 secs) in performance already costs $55k base price. And it still uses a cheap toyota engine. Compare that to a corolla @ $15k or a yaris @ $12k. The difference in cost is very large between low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. Also the roadster uses expensive carbon fiber. Also the range is 220 miles not 200. The Roadster is also burdened with being the car that is supposed to generate revenue of Tesla to use to fund the company. As you see with the Whitestar (or Model S), once things get going in higher volume the margins will be lower.
He's talking about a car that's 4 years away. 4 years is a long time for technology to evolve. We are on engadget right now, you should know that. He also didn't mention how many seats the $30k car will have or the performance or any details. Mitsubishi can make a 4 door EV and Subaru can make a 2 door one for ~$20k-$25k, maybe less, I don't see why Tesla can't make a useful EV for $30k, 4 years later.
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jake @ Jun 30th 2008 5:43PM
@chris fredette
I think you are a bit mixed on low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. The Elise SC (0-60 4.4 secs) probably the closest to the Tesla Roadster (0-60 3.9 secs) in performance already costs $55k base price. And it still uses a cheap toyota engine. Compare that to a corolla @ $15k or a yaris @ $12k. The difference in cost is very large between low volume manufacturing and high volume manufacturing. Also the roadster uses expensive carbon fiber. Also the range is 220 miles not 200. The Roadster is also burdened with being the car that is supposed to generate revenue of Tesla to use to fund the company. As you see with the Whitestar (or Model S), once things get going in higher volume the margins will be lower.
He's talking about a car that's 4 years away. 4 years is a long time for technology to evolve. We are on engadget right now, you should know that. He also didn't mention how many seats the $30k car will have or the performance or any details. Mitsubishi can make a 4 door EV and Subaru can make a 2 door one for ~$20k-$25k, maybe less, I don't see why Tesla can't make a useful EV for $30k, 4 years later.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/29/mitsubishi-shows-off-sporty-all-electric-i-miev-car-tesla-puts/
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/12/26/subaru-ev-could-arrive-as-early-as-2009/
The car Tesla just announced is going to be around $60k in case you are confusing this $30k promise with the $60k Model S.