The new Tesla 3 electric car has the potential to be a game changer in the development of the EV but also raises a whole host of questions, says Glass\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Rupert Pontin, Head of Valuations, pointed out that the 200-mile range, estimated \u00a335,000 price point and design were all positive developments.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe number of claimed deposits, running into the hundreds of thousands, show that Tesla have really tapped into a sweet spot of consumers that have probably been waiting for a car just like this.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an EV that looks on paper as though it can go face to face with the conventional BMW 3-Series and Audi A4 and convert customers immediately. At a stroke, it almost makes those cars seem old fashioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, there are a whole host of questions. This is a car manufacturer than has so far only brought very low numbers of cars into the UK, that has only a tiny dealer infrastructure and, if we suddenly do see tens or hundreds of thousands of Models 3s appearing on our roads, probably an insufficient charging structure.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso, while the high number of deposits is an indication of the strength of initial new demand, it is difficult to forecast how the used market will react.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rupert said that the used car market tended to be relatively conservative in its acceptance of new manufacturers and new technology.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are hurdles that Tesla will have to overcome if it is to post strong RVs that meet or exceed the conventional cars against which it is competing.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsed buyers may be wary of issues such as battery life and even parts availability, bearing in mind that their nearest franchise dealer is probably some distance away.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, this shouldn\u2019t distract from the fact that the announcement of the Model 3 is an exciting moment in the history of the modern EV. We just now need to see if the reality matches the initial enthusiasm.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"