A key executive from Tesla has called out other automakers and their apparent feeble attempts to make electric cars, calling them “little more than appliances.”
Vice president of business development for Tesla Motors, Diarmuid O’Connell, said that major players in the EV field “probably really [aren’t] even trying”, while speaking at a recent seminar reports The Detroit News.
“In essence, they’ve delivered little more than appliances. Now, appliances are useful. But they tend to be white. They tend to be unemotional. I just wish they would do them better and faster,” he said of other marques.
While Tesla certainly pioneered the fun and fast electric production vehicle, numerous firms are hot on its heels with efficient and affordable models.
Most significantly, Chevrolet’s all-new electric Bolt is promising a 200+ mile range all while costing just $30,000 after tax rebates. This model will arrive some 12 months before Tesla launches its entry-level Model 3, promising a 215 mile range and starting at around $35,000.
Tesla has certainly played a pivotal role in bringing electric vehicles to the masses and peaking public interest in such vehicles. The company is far from a superpower however and is still yet to turn a profit and doesn’t look likely to do so for quite some time.
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