There’s no two ways about it, Tesla Motors offers, at the very least, a genuinely interesting product. Although the new automaker has something new and different, that’s not going to stop GM from creating something competitive.
According to The Detroit News, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson is skeptical of the notion that full-electric vehicles are desired by Americans at this point in time, but understands that the future may not be this way.
Of all the GM brands to take on cutting-edge California-based Tesla, who better to do it than good old Cadillac, right? “If you want to compete head-to-head with Tesla, and we ultimately will, you want to do it with a Cadillac,” Akerson said. It’s a tough market, and Tesla wasn’t the first to try it, as we all know. “Does anybody even remember Fisker? I mean, there were a number of them; they are all gone.”
Ouch.
On a related note, Akerson knows how the numbers will work with Volt sales. “We’ll sell more (Chevrolet) Volts and lose less money on the Volts than they’ll lose on the (Tesla) Model S,” Akerson said.
Interestingly enough, Tesla has turned a profit this year, merely because of the sale of California zero-emission vehicle credits and other credits. Even though Tesla might not seem to be a real threat on paper yet, the company is moving very quickly. Tesla paid back its $465 million in Energy Department loans an incredible nine years early, and the stock price has soared; Elon Musk’s company is now worth over $22 billion.
Meanwhile, it’s said that GM is working on bringing an EV with 200 miles of battery range to market while aiming for a price point of under $30-$40,000.
This example is a former NCRS award winner.
Many automakers oppose right-to-repair laws citing cybersecurity concerns.
Breaking out the spec sheets for a comparison.
Plus, a nationwide lease on all-electric off-road Pickup and SUV.
Extra comfort for rear-seated passengers.
Filings made in 24 countries, so far.
View Comments
“Does anybody even remember Fisker? I mean, there were a number of them; they are all gone.”
“We’ll sell more (Chevrolet) Volts and lose less money on the Volts than they’ll lose on the (Tesla) Model S,”
Those are some pretty bone-headed comments by Dan Akerson for someone who is trying to compete in the EV market. I wonder what GM investors think about him following the path of Fisker and expecting to at least lose money in the process.
Every manufacturer that enters the EV market and does not at least beat Tesla, runs the risk of looking like a loser to a little guy, and ends up helping Tesla in the process. It is almost a no-win situation for these large automakers. They have to really hit a home-run on the first swing.
I really think they should just market the ELR and let the comparisons be. These are two different cars and will target two different buyers.
The ELR will do fine but I do not see I doing great volumes as the price and limited use of the vehicle as being a coupe will come into play.
Also there are the Tesla disciples who read, eat and breath everything Elon Musk states on the web.
Of Dan wants to challenge the Tesla then take the electric parts of the ELR and put them in a sedan and let her rip as a full electric car. GM has the technology to out do the Tesla now with their better batteries and electric motors. They can make a new lighter sedan that will take this segment to the next level. GM and everyone else was afraid to take on this high dollar segment and Tesla proved with some creative marketing on the web you can pull it off.
The Fiskar failed just due to poor management and poor marketing. The system they had was fine and if marketed properly they could have pulled it off but they did not have the deep pockets of Musk or his line of Web Marketing BS to pull it off.
GM could take them on and win easily but it needs to be a equal class car in segment body style and driveline.
See they could sell a ELR but not a full EV. On the other hand those who want EV will not buy a ELR either. They are apples and oranges to many.
If Musk want to win he needs to make a $30K car that will charge in mins and last 300 miles. This not an easy task as corporations with more technology and money have been looking for this holy grail for years. Elon has nothing anyone else does not have but the will to try a segment that no one else believed in.
I see his battery swap deals as desperation because he has made no more inroads on batteries than anyone else.
He wasn't talking about the ELR taking on Tesla's current offerings directly, he was talking about developing an entirely new Cadillac model, or models.
My point is GM already the technology to top Tesla. All they and everyone else in the industry missed on was the point people will pay near $100K for a sedan with a full electric powertrain.
Once they decide to enter this segment they can easily top Tesla's technology. The key for them is to top their marketing. It is not so much the car that has sold these cars but the idea of the car presented to these folks. Tesla's marketing has made this car seem exciting and has got peoples interest. Their real challenge is to get this type of car cheaper and more advanced to fit the needs of people who do not own 2-3 cars.
You're right Scott. GM could have made a car as good as the Model S. They just didn't want to. The S-Class Mercedes, the 7 series BMW, the Audi A7, etc. all are in the approximate price range of the Tesla Model S. There's plenty of proof you can sell cars in that price range. Burying your head in the sand will not solve Detroit's long range problems.
Cadillac needs to work it's way up. Look at how poorly the Equus and Phaeton did in North America. Cadillac can't just go from making a $45K CTS and jump right into the $100k market. What are they doing now? Working their way up with the new CTS with the intent of bringing the flagship LTS to market in a couple years.
Just because YOU personally think something is easy and a good idea doesn't mean you actually know what the proper/best/right move is. Basically uneducated opinions don't mean anything.
Stodgy GM. Doing business the old fashioned way for a hundred years.
Sure, they *could* try to compete, but they won't. They can't move that fast. They think people want to have an inefficient gas engine in their "electric" car. They are surprised Tesla made a profit. They didn't think Tesla would ever make it.
Guess what! Old people and old business models are set up to fail. Can't think of new things. Like trying to tell me that McDonalds is working on a Burrito to compete with Taco Bell. Oh, sure, they *could*. But they won't.
I really don't think anyone gets it. Musk already won. His primary goal was to prove the time has come for electric cars to be better than internal combustion engines or ICE. The fact that all other manufacturers are now forced to compete and hopefully build better cars than the Model S is exactly what he was shooting for. Even if Tesla failed now he won.
Oh yeah, I own a Model S and stock, which I bought at $144 a share. And frankly, if the company and car failed tomorrow I also would have played a very small part in driving the world to get off oil. A small price for me to pay compared to the money I lost in real estate values 5 years ago. And that didn't help future generations other than giving them a lesson of what not to do. A lesson that we just can't seem to learn.
So, I say, Thank you to everyone at Tesla! No matter what happens now, you beat the naysayers.
Like Ferris Bueller said at the end of the movie, "It's over, go home!"
I have to agree with you on the point of getting us off oil. We need to keep exploring, it may not be the electric but this needs to happen.
A combination of all efforts is what will ultimately get the job done. With everyone supporting all aspects we'll make it happen sooner!
After decades of selling junk products designed by accountants, I can't believe the arrogance of these large manufactures. Keep talking smack Dan...we'll see the world prefers GM marketing or Tesla quality.
Any company can built a nice car for 100k! That's not impressive!
Now do that for 30k 40k then I'll take notice
Then take notice. Tesla offered the Model S with a 150 mile range battery, the 40kw. With the $7500 rebate you could have bought one for $52,500 with a 160 mile range. Something that all other companies had been unable to deliver. A total electric car that goes over 100 miles per charge. This car was cancelled due to lack of sales! You and everyone else passed so they simply built the cars that people did want! Tesla, like all other great companies gave people what they didn't ask for. A totally electric car that doesn't compromise style, comfort, convenience, or performance. All the other companies have done to date is talk about it.
I bought a P85+ loaded for well over $100k. Best car I have ever owned. And to make a statement that any car company could do this begs the question, why didn't they? The macro view here is what impact Musk and the Tesla team has had on the industry and ultimately the world. You cannot deny them that accomplishment. Any other success beyond that day-day is just icing on the cake.
Let me get this straight. ANY company can build the car rated BEST IN THE WORLD among all cars reviewed by C.R. (and multiple other reviewers) and best in safety by NHTSA? ANY company can build an electric car that everyone REALLY WANTS? If that is true - why haven't any big car companies done so thus far? Let me get it straight - car companies do not want profit, do they?
Note that Tesla Model S is outselling REGULAR luxury cars in the same price bracket - such as Audi A8, BMW M7, Lexus, Mercedes, etc, etc, etc.
It is not "just an expensive electric car" - this is the best car in the world below 200K PERIOD! And it is only the FIRST car Tesla has designed.
And folks we have found the Musk Kool Aide drinker.
One must ask why is it the best or so great? Does it handle better than all other sedans, No! Does it have more comfort and better options than any other sedan? No! Does it have any better batteries and electric motors than any other model EV/ No!
Time to stop and say Emperor Musk has no clothes as to give credit where it is in his court he proved a EV in this segment will sell. But what else has he brought to the table that anyone else can not do? Well we are listening.
Also for the $50K Tesla. Yes you can option one down to this point but most are $75-100K and not stripper models. This car is a toy for the rich and the key will be will they like it enought to not be distracted and not buy another EV.
Many of the Tesla fans are not people who own them or even have driven one let alone lived with one. I would be suprised if many who espouse their virtue have even seen one as they are rare outside California.
This game is far from over and everyone will have EV cars but the key is to find ways to sell them and make them cheaper in the long run with greater range and shorter charge times. This is a growth segment but it will be years before it replaces gas or any other oil based power system.
We are not going to run out of oil anytime soon so we have time to let this grow.
Oh my goodness. Until you own and drive one for a month or more your comments are like teenagers who talk about sex that haven't done it yet! So you're one of those that doesn't care about future generations. Do you have any children? Why don't you share your feelings with them or your relatives kids if you don't have any. Sorry kids, I'm going to use up the oil. Can't afford the $100k Tesla because of all the other frivolous toys and expenses that don't need a return on investment.
* Could you live in a house 25-50 % smaller?
* Take a few less vacations?
* Pass on the 29' boat and buy a 20'?
* Forgo the swimming pool you use 3 times a year?
* Granite countertops in your kitchen?
* Crown moldings ever going to save the world?
It's simple, the world is solar powered. Don't believe it? Take the sun away from earth and we're all a block of ice in 24 hours. Spend $130k on a car and solar panels and never use another drop of oil. Do you like supporting everyone in the Middle East?
All the while getting to drive the best car in the world. Not a bad trade. Funny how everyone HAS to have a ROI to buy an electric car but none of those other toys or trips have to bring in a return.
The game is OVER! It is absolutely OVER! Because of Tesla's success the electric car is here forever. No matter who wins the production war the credit goes to Tesla. Just be happy about it.
Look for ways to support anyone or any company who can get us there sooner instead of tearing them down. You'll sleep better too.
Not to nit-pick on one aspect of what you said, but are you actually aware of where the US gets it's oil supply from?
Best car in the world is subjective to needs.
I wouldn't even be able to drive to my cottage with a Model S.
Just because you aren't putting gas directly into your car doesn't mean you aren't using petroleum products every single day and a lot more often than you likely realize.
I guess I picked away at more than one thing you said. Just a lot of annoyances in your post. You remind me of Christians trying to pump the Bible down people's throats and are stunned when people don't share the same ideology as they do.
Please do me a favor.
Do not lump Christians in with this cat.
I am a Christian and I like most do not cram our belief down people throats. In fact we do not like these folks behavior either as they even try to cram it down our throats when we have similar faiths.
The Eco people are similar some are out there were the buses don't stop in Nuttsville but there are some that are reasonable and understand it is a work in progress.
The monkey wench in this deal is it is a fight like Edison vs. Nicola Tesla on who will come up with the right packages and product that will set the standard for the industry. The one who wins will be like Westinghouse and control the market.
Also there are many who know this is a pipe dream and take the government funding with full knowledge they will never get to their goal and take the money and run. The sad truth is there are many dishonest people in the environment movement and they are willing to take a buck from anyone. Just look a the many companies that have taken our tax dollars paid their executives and ran off with the money while the DOE just sits there and defends them.
Anyways a plus up to you Andrew good to see someone support reality.
Wow that must be some potent stuff you are smoking.
If you really want to do your kids some good go out kiss a tree on the non mosey side and go buy a Cruze Eco.
I do not live in a Mc Mansion
I take few vacations
I hate boats
I swim in a lake
My counters are linoleum
Crown Moldings are no where to be found
I do have a profound grip of reality and common sense. I know little oil comes from the Middle East in this country and only a little is used on the east coast.
I know if the pipeline is approve by the president that we could solve even the east coast oil issues. But he is playing political games with his base over this.
I know Wind, Solar and Tesla are all improving and need to be invested in but are no where close to solving our replacement of oil.
I know that the IPCC report has shown that while carbon gases have increased the climate is not getting hotter. I love their desperation on saying it is hiding in the bottom of the ocean.
I know that the Chicago Carbon Exchange has tried very hard to pull the wool over everyone's eyes to make money and control our economy with their ploys on the environment.
Sorry I don't buy into the utopian fantasy that if we all buy Tesla's we all will be able to live in harmony with the fuzzy bunnies.
The truth Is many people who represent themselves as your friend and your defender is not your friend. Too often they will reach out to shake you hand and stab you in the back with the other. I trust the folks who are honest about their dishonesty as they are so much easier to spot.
I do not want the Tesla to fail, I would like to see GM get into this game and out do Tesla. I hope they both and other make viable models that will grow and improve with time. But I am not knave enough to think we are even close to replacing oil let alone ready to run out like it is tomorrow.
These are issues and problems we need to solve over time and not damage economies and companies while we are working to a solution. We may save the future children from oil but we would very well hand them a limited economy and take a step back in living quality.
52k for a commuter car is not going to sell in high numbers! Build something that normal people can buy and use!
The truth be known the Tesla is like the Kim Kardashian of the Automotive world. Lots of looks, lots of internet publicity and little in talent. The internet and marketing has made both stars with little real substance.
I hope GM takes their advanced EV system and fits it to a more expensive car as I believe they could really challenge here. Imagine an electric car with styling similar to the Elmirage on a smaller more efficient car. Even a larger full EV version of the EVR would be interesting. Remove the ICE and install more or a larger battery.
Ok Tesla lovers what is so much more advanced about the Tesla powertrain that any other electric car?
What is better about the electric motors over say the Volt motors.
What is better than size or capacity of the batteries?
What if GM used they more advance battery from the Volt in a larger size in a full electric car what would keep it from doing just what the Tesla does?
I hear it is great and it is wonderful but seldom do you read or hear why. The car it self is styled nicely and is innovative with the rear hatch and seat if you like sitting backwards. But technology wise where is this car so much more advanced?
Now no hype or fiction just real facts that you can back up.
Lets hear it. What Technology does Tesla hold that no one else has or could duplicate?
This is your chance to present your case in reality. Please post where the info can be backed up it ain't BS if you can back it up.
Answers won't satisfy you as well as driving a Model S yourself. But I'll give it a try.
* Have you ever turned the heater or AC on without starting your car while in a restaurant? I do.
* Can you drive all day in town only touching the brake pedal at 3mph or less? I do, how long do you think my brakes will last?
* Have you ever had a manufacturer download new features and options overnight while your car is in your garage without charging you a penny? Tesla does to my car.
* Can you pack 66 cubic feet of luggage in any other sedan produced today? No.
* Can you see how fast your car is moving when your wife is driving it while on the other side of the planet? I can.
* Can you surf the web on a 17" screen in your car or any other? No, only Tesla has that right now.
* Does any other car company use space grade fasteners to create super strength when bolting frame parts together?
* Does any other 4 door sedan have a lower center of gravity or drag co-efficient as low as Tesla? No.
* Will I ever replace the following? No.
Belts, engine oil, filters, air cleaners, alternators, starters, exhaust parts, mufflers, gas tanks, gas lines, seals, or any of the 2000 parts included in a typical internal combustion engine and transmission.
* Can I go 0-60 in 4.3 seconds with any other 4 door sedan for less than $110k and keep the car in warranty? no.
No one can speak to the details on how Tesla did this any more than you could find out how to make Jack Daniels Whisky. Any why would they tell everyone anyway? The bottom line is it works! If JD whiskey didn't taste good they would have been out of business years ago. You want to explain why something tastes good? You can't. Nor can I or anyone else truly explain what it is like to drive a Model S. Just take the time to go do it. Then you'll understand.