Hard times at Tesla? Something is brewing for the e-car pioneer
Tesla has built up the good reputation of its electric cars over the years. The pioneer status is now reflected in sales, hardly any car manufacturer can keep up. But the Tesla nimbus is losing its radiance, and dark clouds could be gathering for Elon Musk’s electric car brand.
Tesla’s track record is unparalleled. For years, the e-car manufacturer has been deep in the red, even under the leadership of Elon Musk it took a while to make Tesla a success. Today, however, the e-car manufacturer is chasing one production record after the next. Despite howling headwinds, a Tesla today as a benchmark against which practically all other electric cars have to measure themselves. But that is no guarantee for the future, as has been shown again and again.
Long-established automakers are targeting Tesla
A serious competitor from a well-known company will soon be coming onto the market: Hyundai has already delivered well with the Ioniq 5, but is going one step further with the new Ioniq 6. With optimized air resistance, the sedan should go up to 107 km further than the crossover SUV with an otherwise identical drive and the same battery – a real announcement.
The Stromer could become a problem for Tesla because Hyundai is in the same class as the Model 3, Tesla’s bestseller for a long time. In terms of price, the Korean could even have the better cards after Tesla has already raised prices several times. Of the Sales of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 will start in 2022 intended.
But Tesla also shows weaknesses from the inside, at least currently: In addition to rising prices, there is a change in technology. Instead of relying on ultrasound in addition to cameras – and previously also radar sensors – as before, Tesla wants to rely only on visual sensors in the future. This monitors the environment around the electric cars, which is necessary for various functions. Tesla Vision’s own camera system should soon take over the tasks alone.
Tesla’s reputation is crumbling: e-cars are now coming without parking assistants
Problem for all customers who now decide in favor of a Tesla: They have to do without practical functions with added value for the time being. No more parking assistant that means among other things. The ultrasonic sensors that used to do this are no longer installed. According to Tesla, the features will only return when Tesla Vision is technically mature enough to do them as well as or better than with ultrasound.
Why all this? Tesla will probably want to save. Installing sensors that are soon to become technically obsolete causes unnecessary costs – at least from the manufacturer’s point of view, that’s how it should be. For the customers it means: They actually get one state-of-the-art e-car that actually does not even have basic functions such as a parking assistant.
You can see what else Tesla boss Elon Musk is doing in the video:
Tesla was recently able to report at least the progressive expansion of its charging network. There are now 10,000 Superchargers in Europe at a good 900 locations, most of them even in Germany. The expansion of the charging infrastructure is important for Tesla and for e-cars in general. It’s just the timing that’s bad. At the same time, the current market situation ensures that Tesla charges exorbitant prices for its charging current.
Mobility – something is happening: E-cars, electric bicycles, e-scooters, a successor to the 9-euro ticket on buses and trains – all of this moves us in two ways. And what has happened in terms of mobility?
Elon Musk currently charges 69 to 71 cents per kWh at his charging stations. E-cars from other brands even pay up to 85 cents. Ultimately, it ensures that not even the supercharger stations that already exist are used by Tesla drivers. The charging current is cheaper to get elsewhere – at least for now.
Germany, meanwhile, is becoming an uncomfortable market for the electric car pioneer just months after Tesla’s German factory finally started operations. According to car pope Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, the German government is not just putting obstacles in the way of ramping up electromobility. Instead, with the foreseeable end of funding, people are already digging at the grave for the great success of e-cars.
Trouble on the Horizon: Tesla Must Repeat His Feat
All in all, no rosy prospects for Tesla at the moment. New problems seem to be piling up from many sides, which Tesla boss Elon Musk should be quite demanding. But the Tesla truth also includes: The electric car manufacturer has most of its time in existence solved one problem after another mastered one difficult situation after another. It is quite possible that it will succeed again.
