Hacker News Reader

Comment by djrogers | Hacker News Reader

Did you read the article? The author is specifically discussing cars like the BMW 3 series, which sold 140k units in the US last year. I wouldn't call that anywhere near an 'enormous volume'...

As for all the vaunted experience "building high quality product people actually want"? If 150,000 or so people want an all electric car that's fun to drive and has a 200+ mile range, they'll be buying it from Tesla, not BMW.

View on HN

The article is flawed with comparing the stats and here's why. The 3 series had a total worldwide production of over 500,000 in 2013 (and growing about 10+% YOY). Producing and selling half a million cars of just ONE model. Or consider this, BMW alone sold 2.2 million vehicles last year, many of which share many parts and components. That's the scale Tesla is up against, not just the 140k 3 series sold in US. Also, BMW sold almost as much of its semi electric cars in 2015 alone as Tesla did in all of its existence.

There are way too many Tesla (and Elon Musk) fanboys in this thread and on HN.

Because BMW, which is already ramping up electrics, and has been selling hybrids for years, is going to twiddle its thumbs for the next 1-3 years while Tesla outsells supposedly absolutely every other manufacturer....?

BMW just announced that their next "i" car will be launched in 2021 or 2022.

Yes, there are a lot of Elon fanboys here, but that's because people have been second guessing him for over a decade, and he's proven every time that he eventually does what he says.

A lot of BMW owners frown on the idea of electric car, which could be a reason why BMW is not so bullish on electric cars.

Tesla and BMW are selling to a completely different audience.

Tesla does one thing very well, and that is to make great electric cars. Unlike BMW, Tesla does not have 30 models and hundreds of trims / power-train options.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com