A trip to the local Whole Foods reveals a crapload of totally stock (other than window tint) trucks and SUVs. Ain't anybody lifting their $60K-$100K Range Rovers there.
I’m creating an “arbitrary” should based on what the vehicles can be used for. Leaf and Bolt are commuters, something most people don’t need the full capabilities of. Trucks are often a different story (like the existence of 4x2 6” lift 35” tire pavement princesses). I don’t see too many strictly luxury trucks running around that never had a hitch in them that don’t have a lift or tires, or gears, or straight pipes, or any of the other items that make them bad for work. Modifications that you can’t do to a computer heavy EV (so far). The crowds by those trucks for the sound and power of the V8 and the need to have its size compensate for the lack of confidence. We’ll see what happens of course, but you ignored the entire rest of the post just to attempt to point that out so I’m just going to go on that you don’t really understand that market at all.
A trip to the local Whole Foods reveals a crapload of totally stock (other than window tint) trucks and SUVs. Ain't nobody lifting their $60K-$100K Range Rovers there.
Now why do you think they buy Range Rovers instead of Model X's? Edmunds did a great review of the Model X towing, you should read the article. A 1260lb trailer, less than half the towing capacity of the X, resulted in a 1000 mile trip taking 40.25 hours, half of that time (at superchargers mind you) spent charging the X. Range Rover, on the other hand, is rocking 8000lb+ towing capacity, and doesn't need 17+ hours of charging to tow 1300lbs 1,000 miles.
Just because the luxury vehicles exist, doesn't mean that the same market wants electric. While the model 3 is the second most popular luxury car sold this year, this year is also the highest sales (by units moved) of luxury SUVs, ever. The Model X doesn't even make the top 20. The Model X has sold half as many units as the lowest seller on the list. That is some perspective into the differences of buyers among different vehicle classes.
I have never seen a Model X tow anything in the wild and I lived in the Bay Area for several years with a bunch running around. They're used only for commuting, hauling kids, and groceries like the vast majority of their ICE crossover/SUV brethren.
When somebody sells an actual truck styled electric SUV competitor for a ballpark price near the competition and there are no takers is when I'd conclude there is no market. That's not what the X is. Honestly I never really cared for the X much and wouldn't consider it if I were CUV/SUV shopping.
The Model S and Model 3 compete directly with the other cars in their class and do so pretty well I have to say.
You have no Mercedes G-series SUVs in your neck of the woods, I take it.I’m creating an “arbitrary” should based on what the vehicles can be used for. Leaf and Bolt are commuters, something most people don’t need the full capabilities of. Trucks are often a different story (like the existence of 4x2 6” lift 35” tire pavement princesses). I don’t see too many strictly luxury trucks running around that never had a hitch in them that don’t have a lift or tires, or gears, or straight pipes, or any of the other items that make them bad for work. Modifications that you can’t do to a computer heavy EV (so far). The crowds by those trucks for the sound and power of the V8 and the need to have its size compensate for the lack of confidence. We’ll see what happens of course, but you ignored the entire rest of the post just to attempt to point that out so I’m just going to go on that you don’t really understand that market at all.
We do, actually. In the Sycamore Hills section of town that I live here, there's a AMG G63 in there. I've seen it in the driveway hitched up to a Super Air Nautique GS20. You can see both of them on the Google Maps streetview. But literally 2 miles away from Sycamore hills is a large Mercedes dealer, so I'm not surprised that there's so many around here. But we see lots of the super SUV's around here, the BMW X6 GT, the new Navigators, more Escalades than you can shake a stick at (not old "I can finally afford an escalade" used escalades, new platinum models), a couple of Model X. Most common Mercedes around here is the GLS 450 though. You'll see them pulling Airstreams most commonly in the summer. It's like everyone migrates north to Michigan UP for the summer.You have no Mercedes G-series SUVs in your neck of the woods, I take it.
We do, actually. In the Sycamore Hills section of town that I live here, there's a AMG G63 in there. I've seen it in the driveway hitched up to a Super Air Nautique GS20. You can see both of them on the Google Maps streetview. But literally 2 miles away from Sycamore hills is a large Mercedes dealer, so I'm not surprised that there's so many around here. But we see lots of the super SUV's around here, the BMW X6 GT, the new Navigators, more Escalades than you can shake a stick at (not old "I can finally afford an escalade" used escalades, new platinum models), a couple of Model X. Most common Mercedes around here is the GLS 450 though. You'll see them pulling Airstreams most commonly in the summer. It's like everyone migrates north to Michigan UP for the summer.
I'm more interested in who owns the Alpina near me. It's got our BMW dealer's plate holder on it. Fancy.
My area of the country is known for its outdoor travels. It's also near the RV mecca of the USA. I don't know too much of the New York/Chicago/Manhattan crowd actually buying large SUVs, there's no where to park them. The surbanite dwellers, yes. But everyone comes in by train anyway. It's not like you can actually pull a 25' ski boat or 32' RV in any of those places, or store the toy on your land (HOA and all). Those rich places will have their toys on the outside of town in conditioned storage buildings, or rented slips or what have you. It doesn't mean they've never actually used the vehicle to pull it. It's easy to see around here, however. Anyone that's even put something in their hitch box one time now has rust coming out the receiver where the paint was scratched.I see basically no modified vehicles here other than Wranglers, which for some reason are more plentiful than they were even out in Arizona where people could actually use them. Land Rovers, Porsches, BMWs, Mercedes, Lexus etc are everywhere. I almost never see someone towing with them -- closest I've seen was someone at Costco loading giant plants into the back of a Model X. Point is, towing range is not likely to matter to the Manhattan-area crowd. Maybe your part of the country is different.
That's what they're used for these days. 4 doors, bed so short as to be nearly useless, huge body that's to high to have any utility, car tires so they ride nice.
For me, an entirely useless vehicle. I need and use a pickup, not an SUV with an extra half acre of sheet metal to make it look like a battleship.
I see guys with these things in the lumber yard every time I'm there. They're always trying to load material that the truck simply wasn't designed to haul. Even the ones with racks have a lot of trouble with long material because the part of the racks that are anchored to the bed is smaller than the amount hanging over the cab.
My area of the country is known for its outdoor travels. It's also near the RV mecca of the USA. I don't know too much of the New York/Chicago/Manhattan crowd actually buying large SUVs, there's no where to park them. The surbanite dwellers, yes. But everyone comes in by train anyway. It's not like you can actually pull a 25' ski boat or 32' RV in any of those places, or store the toy on your land (HOA and all). Those rich places will have their toys on the outside of town in conditioned storage buildings, or rented slips or what have you. It doesn't mean they've never actually used the vehicle to pull it. It's easy to see around here, however. Anyone that's even put something in their hitch box one time now has rust coming out the receiver where the paint was scratched.
Let's wait for Tesla Model Y and Tesla pickup truck before we make any judgement. My guess is the Model Y will sell better than Model 3. And Tesla pickup truck should have monster specs including great range and towing capacity.Style is a lot of it. The problem with electric cars styled like trucks is the even more atrocious range. It's why electrics are low slung and look the same. The sedan market went that way because cars have become the CAFE savers for just about every manufacturer's fleet. How many stories have we read of the design being blasted for looking like every other Fiayuntoletoyobaru. It's not like you really have a choice these days for any regular sedan that actually looks unique, a car that just by its shape (no lights on) could be identified in the dark. The egg shape rules the gas mileage.
Electric trucks/SUVs will sell when there's a drastic increase again in battery tech, or in another decade or so when the truck market is worn down to thinking egg shaped trucks look cool. We've seen this happening first and foremost in the Class 8 market for about 15-20 years now, as they are the place where a lot of the macho can be convinced by thousands a year in fuel savings. But you go on any driver/transport/CDL forum and you'll see a majority are being drug kicking and screaming into the age of egg shaped unisex trucks and weedburner exhaust (their words). No different than 13 speed autos becoming standard over the last ten years over the 10/13 speed manuals. It's given rise to the breed known as "steering wheel holders".
In the name of energy efficiency we will all eventually comply to our generic overlords .
My area of the country is known for its outdoor travels. It's also near the RV mecca of the USA. I don't know too much of the New York/Chicago/Manhattan crowd actually buying large SUVs, there's no where to park them.
There are at least three G series, a couple of Xes, and about a dozen Range Rovers in my condo garage in downtown Chicago. There is one Wrangler owner who has an asston of mods but the thing is never dirty and not a scratch to be seen. Quite a few various brand crossovers. We're about to start seeing some Model 3s since a couple other owners have recently asked who did my EVSE install electrical work.
A ton of CUVs and SUVs in the city even though they're a bitch to park unless using valet. This is one of the reasons we still have an i3 since you can park the damned thing anywhere when we need to drive to something.
I guess large is also up for debate, I might have the wrong classification for a large SUV. I mean the ones that tow big numbers, the 8-10K stuff. The Expeditions, the Suburbans, Escalade (extended? Long? I don't remember what they call the big one), Excursions (RIP), etc. I know I took my 2017 Silverado 1500 into a 6'5" parking garage and it almost didn't make it back out. One of those damn corkscrew exits.
Just because the luxury vehicles exist, doesn't mean that the same market wants electric. While the model 3 is the second most popular luxury car sold this year, this year is also the highest sales (by units moved) of luxury SUVs, ever. The Model X doesn't even make the top 20. The Model X has sold half as many units as the lowest seller on the list. That is some perspective into the differences of buyers among different vehicle classes.
The Model X is rated as a Midsize Luxury SUV according to goodcarbadcar.net
US Sales so far in 2018 place it on tenth in the Midsize Luxury SUV segment.
http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2018/11/small-and-midsize-luxury-suv-sales-in-america-october-2018/
Actually that's excellent considering the high price of the Model X. Mid config Model X is around $110k before taxes. It's pretty remarkable that Model X is even at 10th sales ranking. Just wait until Model Y reveal in March 2019. You're going to see more preorder for the Model Y than what Model 3 had. Model Y is going to disrupt the ICE SUV sales.I’m not sure if that’s supposed to make it sound better? Out of all SUV’s Tesla not ranking is terrible. In midsize only, ranking 10 is very terrible. In midsize luxury only category, ranking 10 is a participation trophy.
Actually that's excellent considering the high price of the Model X. Mid config Model X is around $110k before taxes. It's pretty remarkable that Model X is even at 10th sales ranking. Just wait until Model Y reveal in March 2019. You're going to see more preorder for the Model Y than what Model 3 had. Model Y is going to disrupt the ICE SUV sales.
I’m not sure if that’s supposed to make it sound better? Out of all SUV’s Tesla not ranking is terrible.
In midsize only, ranking 10 is very terrible. In midsize luxury only category, ranking 10 is a participation trophy.
The Model X not ranking in the top 20 for all SUV's sold is terrible?
Considering the price point that the Model X is at in the market, ranking 10th is not bad.
The Model X is still outselling the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt which are both EV's that had been considered major competitors to Tesla and are priced considerably less.
If I had a nickle for every giant truck around here with super-size tires that cannot see a guy in a wheelchair or even a minivan a lot of the time, I'd rule the universe! I'm guessing they have some Kleenex in there, electric trucks alone could save this planet.Most of the people I know with trucks have never hauled anything bigger/heavier than a jumbo sized package of paper towels from Costco. This is for such people, especially higher up the income scale.