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Tesla Discontinues Its Most Affordable Model S (engadget.com)
Tesla will be discontinuing its cheapest Model S option, the Model S 75, this Sunday. What that means is that the all-wheel-drive version -- the 75D -- will take its place as the low-end Model S sedan, currently listed at a starting price of $74,500. Engadget reports: The move to discontinue the Model S 75 was first announced by Tesla in July after it dropped the price by $5,000 a few months earlier. The removal of the model from Tesla's offerings follows its discontinuation of the Model S 60 and 60D vehicles in April, which at the time were the least expensive Model S options available. As well as streamlining its EV line and making all Model S options all-wheel-drive, knocking off the low-end Model S vehicles is also likely being done to carve out a bigger separation between the Model 3 and Model S lines. Custom orders for the Model S 75 will be taken until Sunday, September 24th and the pre-configured versions will be available for purchase until inventory runs out.
> I thought they were all physically the same?
Nope. The lowest end had only 1 motor and 2-wheel drive. All the higher end were 2 motors and 4-wheel drive. The battery packs did overlap in some models, though.
The point is, they have so much sales demand that "supply and demand" is taking over. They can sell every single higher-end car they make and still can't keep up, so there is no reason to offer the lesser models. Plus, by selling ONLY 2-motor cars, it streamlines production and will reduce that price some.
Finally, if you were in the market for the lowest-end S, you might now be pointed to the new model 3, which is the target for "entry level" electric car, now. I know I have no interest in the model 3, because it can't compete with the performance of cars like the Infiniti G37S/Q50 or its market equivalents. Of course, the higher end model S is twice FOUR TIMES the price of those ICE cars, so it isn't like I am really in that market, either. :( Some day...
By the time there is a decent choice of EVs in most price brackets, the resale value of your current car is going to be crap anyway, unless it's a classic. Conversion is going to be expensive and is probably only worth it on really expensive cars. There's a company doing conversions on Porsche 911s, but it is very pricey and the range isn't great (though performance is).
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
Putting a ton into R&D is only reasonable at this point in time, and has clearly paid dividends. It's part of the reason why its competition hasn't yet managed to pose a serious threat to them; they've been seriously lagging behind. The only company that's even tried to threaten them on range is GM (barely), but it comes in the form of an econobox vehicle at BMW prices. Nobody comes even close to threatening them on charge times (miles range per minute charging). Competitors like Nissan are still using battery packs that don't even have climate control.
I agree that eventually they're going to need to cut R&D and investment into new facilities. But that time is not now. Now is the time for seizing the marketplace and securing Tesla's position as one of the world's largest auto manufacturers. And it's very important for them to go big, because that's what lets them bring production prices down to the point where they can threaten ICEs.
All we want to do is eat your brains.