Tesla Model 3 racks up 250k preorders in 48hrs, surely now Lexus will look at full EVs??

[ganzoom]

Tesla opened their order books for their Model 3 EV this weekend. In a little over 48hrs they have collected 250K pre-orders (£1000 deposit), and the numbers keep on going up.

The specs aren't that mind blowing:

•215 mile EPA range (60kWh battery)

•0-60 sub 6 seconds

•5 seater

•$35,000 list price.

I know Toyota are obsessed with hydrogen fuel cell cars, but surely now with the number of pre-orders Tesla is racking on the Model 3, it's time to atleast experiment with a full Battery EV.

My wife love her IS300H, but has now asked me to put down a deposit on a Model 3 when we order our Model S later this year - Existing Model S owners can queue jump to the from of the line the 3.

The pre-orders on the 3 are so high I cannot see Tesla deliveing to the RHD market till 2020, so a perfect window of opptunity for Lexus.....I really hope some one at the board of Lexus takes notice of the Model 3, I would dearly love to have the option to buy a Battery EV Lexus at some point in the future :).

http://www.engadget.com/2016/04/02/tesla-underestimated-model-3-demand/

[Zotto]

It's a big bet. EV traction is the future, but the problem is always the same: batteries and ease of recharging fastly them. Toyota made a bet on fuel cells basically for fast fuelling, provided to have a distribution net for H2, considering that petrol companies could use their money to create the net; Tesla thinks that for daily use it's sufficient to charge the car every night at home, provided you have a place where to put your car connecting a electric cable.

May be for city use at the moment Tesla solution is not bad, but for long trips it's not so good, needing to find charging stations and wait many minutes , while with a petrol car you can find everywhere a station and have full tank in a minute.

[rayaans]

Few issues I can see with this - its a £1000 fully refundable deposit yes, but in the event of Tesla going bust its unsure if anyone would get their money back even if you pay with credit card, its not competely secure

Elon Musk has basically got himself an interest free loan. The Tesla 8 year warranty may apply but if you buy the car on finance you have to get the car serviced by Tesla to get the guaranteed value - £1225 pre-paid cost for 3 years!!!!

Also, the car looks rubbish and the interior may as well be made from cardboard as its completely bare.

Can't imagine it'll take off that well in the UK either. Many people I know who have pre-ordered one in the states are using it as an investment - i.e flogging it for above retail at the first opportunity.

[ganzoom]

So the 3 pre-orders have hit 280K in 72hrs. 1 million pre-orders before production starts in 2017 is looking likely...Which ever way you look at it, you cannot deny that Battery EVs are about to become 'mass market'.

 

Surely Toyota/Lexus cannot ignore that kind of demand for an Battery EV. The Miria is 'selling' in sub 100 cars a month even in the US.

 

I really would love to buy a Lexus/Toyota EV, and am sure so would plenty of other people who have owned the Prius, but by not even offering a full Battery EV Lexus/Toyota is in real danger of become just as relevant as Nokia was when apple shipped its first Iphone. 

 

When/if Lexus do finally produce a Battery only EV, I will have little hesitation in considering it/ordering one. But I just hope it doesn't come too little too late, I certainly don't want our IS300H to be the one and only Lexus we every buy in the household.

 

 

 

 

 

[rayaans]

On 04/04/2016 at 5:33 PM, ganzoom said:

So the 3 pre-orders have hit 280K in 72hrs. 1 million pre-orders before production starts in 2017 is looking likely...Which ever way you look at it, you cannot deny that battery EVs are about to become 'mass market'.

 

Surely Toyota/Lexus cannot ignore that kind of demand for an battery EV. The Miria is 'selling' in sub 100 cars a month even in the US.

 

I really would love to buy a Lexus/Toyota EV, and am sure so would plenty of other people who have owned the Prius, but by not even offering a full battery EV Lexus/Toyota is in real danger of become just as relevant as Nokia was when Apple shipped its first iPhone. 

 

When/if Lexus do finally produce a battery only EV, I will have little hesitation in considering it/ordering one. But I just hope it doesn't come too little too late, I certainly don't want our IS300H to be the one and only Lexus we every buy in the household.

 

 

 

 

 

Yet Tesla manages to deliver a "whopping" 14k in the first quarter of this year. That's less than expected. It'll take them 5 years to deliver at that delivery rate!

The actual car looks awful and no way can any drivetrain sort that out! 

[ganzoom]

^^ Your totally missing my point. I haven't preordered a Model 3 it's not the car for me, and actually any EV driver could have gussed the specs before launch.

Its the near 300K of pre-orders in 72hrs that's taken everyone, even Tesla by susprise. Tesla will need fl build two new factories to keep up with that demand......

The key here is demand, if Tesla can get 300K of preorders how many EVs do you think Lexus could sell if they matched Tesla for price/specs. Rather than keep on wasting $$$millions on the Miria, Toyota/Lexus need to tap into this potential market.

If you were a shop owners and the guys next door do a new offer that is attracting customers to queue round the block, woudlnt your want to try and copy what they are doing??

What the Model 3 Pre-order numbers have done is more relevant to how the rest of the industry react, rather than what Tesla does next.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2016/04/05/tesla-model-3-this-is-what-a-game-changer-looks-like/amp/?client=safari#

[rayaans]

Well I hope they can actually deliver on their promises!

BTW just found out that there is a Lexus RX in the states testing with a full electric drivetrain. Guess who's supplied the Battery packs?

[ganzoom]

11 minutes ago, rayaans said:

BTW just found out that there is a Lexus RX in the states testing with a full electric drivetrain. Guess who's supplied the battery packs?

If that's ture than Lexus may just be in time. Jaguar, Audi will both have a 80kWh+, 200mile range SUV on the market by 2018.

As a consumer I love the idea there is more and more choices coming up for Battery EVs :)

[rayaans]

Its been going round since 2012 as well apparently. That's Lexus making sure its properly reliable before making it I suppose

[ganzoom]

7 days since the order books opened, now apparently at 320K orders.

If you haven't got a pre-order already I woudlnt bother now. Pretty much the entire production volume for the first 24 month is now sold, so if you order now and don't own a S (which enables you to queue jump) 2020 will be earliest your see the car.