[V7i7c]

Another point of view... not shared by me.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news...y-already-lost-the-electric-car-race-to-tesla

 

[Sourdoughsteve]

Interesting concept. But I'm driving my Bolt, not waiting on a reservation for an unseen Tesla. So in my universe, seems like Bolt wins. Let's see in 2 or 3 years who's making what and for how much $$ and then ask the question again. Competition can only help move things along...

 

[flmgrip]

GM was very smart with the design of the bolt. they created a car that's not in competition with the tesla. tesla3 is a sports sedan, bolt is CUV ... they can live in harmony together, 2 completely different markets.

 

[DaV8or]

Another point of view... not shared by me.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news...y-already-lost-the-electric-car-race-to-tesla

Whoever wrote the Forbes opinion piece has guzzled the Tesla Kool-Aid and is drunk on Elon Musk. There is a transition to electric vehicles underway, but nowhere near as fast, or as soon as they paint. The idea that Tesla has wisely invested in the future while all the other companies are firmly stuck in the past is just Teslaratti blah, blah, blah.

If the Chevy Bolt proves one thing, it is that Gm can still react rapidly to market trends and get desirable product to market as fast, if not faster than anybody else. Gas, diesel, electric motor, or whatever. Where is the Tesla product? Oh, that's right, it's struggling to be on time. Chevy is here now, Tesla is still working on the problem. How is GM being left behind??

Oh the Giga factory... that's right. Since Tesla has heavily invested in a technology that seems high tech now, today we are supposed to be in awe of the wisdom and forward thinking. Who says that Li-Ion batteries are the final solution? What if GM holds the patents to solid state batteries in three years time that are 3x the energy density, 1/2 the cost and 10x the reliability of Elon's batteries? Where does that leave the forward thinking then? He will have the world's biggest building manufacturing something nobody wants anymore.

This competition is far from over and the old guard still know a thing or two about building cars and how to make a buck.

 

[Bazinga]

No wonder the Forbes article sounds so biased. Arne Alsin, who is the author of said article, is a Tesla shareholder. I wouldn't pay much attention to what he says at this point and read it as an interest piece.

It's too early to say GM lost, especially when people who put in a deposit for the Model 3 has no idea when they'll be getting the vehicle and those near the end of the list will have a very long time to wait. May as well get the Bolt that's already on the market and discounted.

 

[zago]

LOL, in 3 years when Tesla sells the model 3, I will have driven 70,000 miles in my Bolt, saved about $8000 in fuel, maintenance and other related items, and I will have done my part keeping pollution down.

The answer is here! now! available!

I am glad that Tesla exists today and that they give a wake up call to the big players. Think about it, if it wasn't for Apple we might not have such great products from Samsung, Sony, LG, Asus, etc, someone set the bar for this companies and give them a wake up call, competition is good, I hope Tesla produces an amazing car for the average consumer, till then Ill be driving my Bolt.

 

[Dyefrog]

Agree it's a stupid article used as clickbait but some of you are not up to speed.
"LOL, in 3 years when Tesla sells the model 3,"
You do realize they have skipped Beta and gone straight to "release candidates" this week as a result of the QC testing. If anything, they are ahead of schedule.
"He will have the world's biggest building manufacturing something nobody wants anymore"
The Giga factory is just a building. They can make buggy whips there if they want. Nevada did not require that they can only make Li-ion batteries there. They've already retooled it to handle some of the manufacturing for the Model 3 until the Freemont factory 2X addition is complete.
Relax and enjoy your Bolt. What Tesla does has no impact on you. All of us with EV's are on the same team. Let it go. Pick on HFC's if you really want some low hanging fruit.

 

[DaV8or]

The Giga factory is just a building. They can make buggy whips there if they want. Nevada did not require that they can only make Li-ion batteries there.

That's true. However if a big building like that becomes inactive, it becomes a liability. The point I was really trying to make is that people like to say how forward thinking Tesla is for investing so heavily in Li-ion battery production, while everybody else depends on other, smaller established manufacturers for their batteries, but to me that is a pretty big risk. It is my belief that in 20 years time, nobody is going to be using Li-ion batteries for anything. In my mind, the science of battery chemistry is no where near settled, so to invest big time in a technology that very well be obsolete in maybe five - ten years seems risky.

I think the traditional manufacturers have it right. Expand production as demand increases rather than build it and hope they come. Admittedly the slow, conservative approach doesn't grab headlines much.

 

[Dyefrog]

But you still think that the giga-factory can only make one battery technology and that's not true. They have to build a battery now. They choose to build what they think, as well as most reputable scientists think is the best battery for the job now. Once a proven technology comes along to dethrone li-ion, they will revamp to that chemistry.
Elon has stated repeatedly, don't send me your powerpoint or thesis on your miracle battery, send me the battery. He's still waiting. He gets flooded with these greatest invention since sliced bread announcements all the time.
It's not as though they built it at an altitude that is only conducive to manufacturing a widget that requires that geological location. As long as they have energy/water/labor, they can build flux capacitors if they want. How different is it than the Freemont plant they bought for pennies on the dollar when GM/Toyota left. It's just a building.

 

[DaV8or]

But you still think that the giga-factory can only make one battery technology and that's not true. They have to build a battery now. They choose to build what they think, as well as most reputable scientists think is the best battery for the job now. Once a proven technology comes along to dethrone li-ion, they will revamp to that chemistry.
Elon has stated repeatedly, don't send me your powerpoint or thesis on your miracle battery, send me the battery. He's still waiting. He gets flooded with these greatest invention since sliced bread announcements all the time.
It's not as though they built it at an altitude that is only conducive to manufacturing a widget that requires that geological location. As long as they have energy/water/labor, they can build flux capacitors if they want. How different is it than the Freemont plant they bought for pennies on the dollar when GM/Toyota left. It's just a building.

Yes, but if Elon doesn't hold the patent on the new battery, he may be the odd man out. The assumption seems to be that Tesla will always have the latest technology under their control and that may not be the case. Who knows?

In the case of the building, the difference is they are still paying for the new building and the NUMMI plant was basically a gift. There is also the issue of size. Big building = big headaches.

I am not a doomsayer and I am not saying Tesla will fail. They may well survive the next down turn and be fine. I'm just saying the Tesla is not a 100% done deal that the Tesla fans want to make them out to be. There is a lot of risk in what they are doing.

I'm not a Tesla hater, but I do get annoyed with Tesla fans who declare all that is not Tesla is doomed to ruin and failure.

 

[lmccart]

Why is this seen as a contest: Tesla vs Bolt?

Are these not both stepping stones to a better solution?

I rooting for them both to succeed.

 

[DaV8or]

Why is this seen as a contest: Tesla vs Bolt?

Are these not both stepping stones to a better solution?

I rooting for them both to succeed.

I don't know, I guess it's because we're American and everything is always framed in terms of a competition, or a fight. We love contests with winners and losers. Sad but true.

I personally love Tesla and really hope I live long enough to see Elon get to Mars, but I just like some perspective also. The rabid cult of Elon and all things Tesla on the internet by the fans sometimes gets to be a bit much. I hope someday Tesla builds a car that works for me that I can also afford. I'd love to buy a car that is much closer to 100% American made instead of kinda, sorta American made.

 

[phil0909]

I'd love to buy a car that is much closer to 100% American made instead of kinda, sorta American made.

Why?? You know those damned Americans frame everything in terms of a competition, or even worse, a fight. It's sad. Who needs them, or their stinkin' cars?

(Sorry, couldn't help myself. You do seem a bit schizophrenic about your country today.)

 

[DaV8or]

Why?? You know those damned Americans frame everything in terms of a competition, or even worse, a fight. It's sad. Who needs them, or their stinkin' cars?

(Sorry, couldn't help myself. You do seem a bit schizophrenic about your country today.)

For better, for worse, they is my people. This my country and I wish to be nowhere else... yet.

 

[eops]

I don't know, I guess it's because we're American and everything is always framed in terms of a competition, or a fight. We love contests with winners and losers. Sad but true.

Even in the wild with animals its like that, just part of our DNA

But really what we should be rooting for is whoever can provide the best value for us. I'll go american any day just as long as it delivers enough value. Very open to going Tesla or even some Chinese brand.

 

[devbolt]

I don't know, I guess it's because we're American and everything is always framed in terms of a competition, or a fight. We love contests with winners and losers. Sad but true.

I personally love Tesla and really hope I live long enough to see Elon get to Mars, but I just like some perspective also. The rabid cult of Elon and all things Tesla on the internet by the fans sometimes gets to be a bit much. I hope someday Tesla builds a car that works for me that I can also afford. I'd love to buy a car that is much closer to 100% American made instead of kinda, sorta American made.

The reality of things is that we have a global economy. This means that things are made and assembled all over the world. Corporations are international. It would be nice if all of the components of the Bolt were made in America, but at least the final assembly of the car, including the building of the battery pack itself, is done in America. While my Highlander Hybrid was built from mostly foreign components, it's final assembly was done in Kentucky. Same for our Sienna minivan. That helps support American workers.

 

[eops]

The reality of things is that we have a global economy. This means that things are made and assembled all over the world. Corporations are international. It would be nice if all of the components of the Bolt were made in America, but at least the final assembly of the car, including the building of the battery pack itself, is done in America. While my Highlander Hybrid was built from mostly foreign components, it's final assembly was done in Kentucky. Same for our Sienna minivan. That helps support American workers.

Somewhere I read each vehicle has about 30-40 sources that come together to provide part for it. You'd be surprised at how far and wide it goes. Its only going to increase with more countries becoming industrialized

 

[flmgrip]

I just now for the first time did see the interior of an tesla 3 model and oh boy am I glad that I went with my sweet bolt.

no hud, just one center screen? Ridiculous ...

 

[fire_qc]

Even if you like or not the new coming Tesla 3, keep in mind that Tesla beats anyone already.
Simple, if Tesla doesn't exist, there be no EV's. It's because of Telsa if now we have the Bolt and all other EV's.
Soon Tesla 3 will come and you'll see LOT of Tesla on the road. All other manufacturer are far behind. Even the Bolt is behind..

The Bolt came first for somekind of affordable EV car, but no charging network for free provided by GM, no OEM navigation (except with Android Auto), no super big screen, limited choice of battery pack, no AWD, slower than a Tesla, front seats not very comfy and so on..

When Tesla 3 get out, no one will speak about Bolt anymore. I'm not pessimist, I'm realist..
We bought a Bolt, because we can't wait that's it.

 

[TotaledJetta]

Just read that over the first three months of 2017 Chevrolet delivered just over 3000 Bolts and about 3700 including December. I bought mine in part because I wanted a BEV with range and a reasonable price and didn't want to wait to see if Elon can actually crank out 100,000s of his model 3.

So the question is, Did GM miss the mark with the Bolt?

Article on sales is here https://electrek.co/2017/04/03/chevy-bolt-ev-deliveries-us/