If they can get to volume production, I think the $50-60k models, leased, could be great sellers. The really interesting thing would be to rip off Better Place's model and lease the cars at a discounted monthly payment plus a per-mile "fuel equivalence" charge. It's just accounting, but you could basically price the Model S at BMW 3-series lease rates (or even Toyota Avalon!), plus a per-mile fuel cost which was 10-20% less than gasoline. Combine that with the quality of the Model S, the environmental/status benefit (90+% of the girls I've polled would be more impressed by a Model S than a 2-3x as expensive Ferrari), and HOV lane access, and it would be great.
The Leaf, which basically sucks by comparison as a car, is essentially free in California ($200/mo lease, $2500 California incentive tax credit covers the first year, fuel, HOV lane, and toll savings vs. a less-efficient gas car pretty much cover lease payments IMO).
I'd have a Leaf as a hold-over until Teslas ship in quantity if I had a second parking space.
personally I don't need material stuff to impress one.
tesla S is impressive for the technological hipster crowd, yet it's the kind of ride you won't notice in the parking lot in a few years, and you won't fool anybody - those cars aren't exactly pussy-magnets.
I guess it depends on the country. Rare stuff sells. Depends on the type of person too. I've lived in Marbella and there's a lot of Ferraris and really expensive cars there, almost more than normal utility cars.
Now when I see a red Ferrari is like: oh nice, you've got the same car every rich guy has in the same fucking color, good for you!
I remember when Clarkson wrote about his visit to Monaco, where even the most hi-end cars are so common, that Bugatti-Lambo-Rolls owners wanted to buy on the spot the TVR Tuscan he drove by, just because nobody else had one. still, a TVR is exotic and ridiculous enough to be in demand for high-rollers. the Tesla S, while technologically cool (Fisker Karma seems more impressive IMO), doesn't fit this definition. a Tesla Roadster is probably another story.
Why are they giving away Leafs in California? I had read multiple articles about the new lower prices and went on the nissan.ca website to price one here in Canada and it's almost $700/month for a 48 month lease! What up with that?
The car prices are high ($35k or so, at which point I'd prefer to just spend the $50k on the low-end Tesla), but the leases are really cheap. I think it's a combination of tax incentives (federal and state, plus some CARB things) and corporate average fuel economy (selling some EVs makes your average better...). Also, I'm pretty sure Nissan (which has one of the best CEOs in the car industry, Carlos Ghosn) thinks EVs are the future, and wants to be an early strong competitor, just like Toyota did really well with the Prius.
The Leaf, which basically sucks by comparison as a car, is essentially free in California ($200/mo lease, $2500 California incentive tax credit covers the first year, fuel, HOV lane, and toll savings vs. a less-efficient gas car pretty much cover lease payments IMO).
I'd have a Leaf as a hold-over until Teslas ship in quantity if I had a second parking space.