Tesla choose Germany over UK for its first European plant.

[Murph7355]

DeepEnd said:

I can imagine your fingers were jammed hard in your ears when hugely successful business entrepreneur Elon Musk confirmed that stupid Brexit has made the UK a less attractive place for his billions, technology and jobs.

Sadly for the credibility of all “global” brexiter wizards, Elon comprehensively pissed on your bonfire today. I say bonfire, smouldering pile of ash with no redeeming features might be nearer the mark.

Has Tesla turned a full year profit yet?

[Ean218]

pequod said:

Excellent idea, if anyone can make EV's viable for the masses, then I would expect Germany to be at the forefront followed by the Japanese who are investing in this country as well as at home.

Err, the Chinese have already done it!

[Blue62]

Murph7355 said:

Has Tesla turned a full year profit yet?

I doubt it, but what point are you trying to make?

[DeepEnd]

Blue62 said:

Murph7355 said:

Has Tesla turned a full year profit yet?

I doubt it, but what point are you trying to make?

Perhaps that we don’t need fly by night $24Bn successful space entrepreneurs investing in the UK.

I googled “brexit success story” to find a suitably pathetic counter argument, but the cupboard was even barer than I anticipated.

Almost feel sorry for them now. It must hurt bashing these miserable excuses out on the keyboard.

[pequod]

Ean218 said:

pequod said:

Excellent idea, if anyone can make EV's viable for the masses, then I would expect Germany to be at the forefront followed by the Japanese who are investing in this country as well as at home.

Err, the Chinese have already done it!

Really? I, of course, meant the western mass market. Which EV's are currently built in China to western standards and are available now for the same price, range, and quality as, say, a VW Golf? That's where the EV car makers must aim, if this tech is to be viable long term, as the cheaper versions being produced now are only of limited interest and have a very limited range.

[anonymous-user]

As well as the Swedish Uniti One electric car being built in the UK we've now got the retro carbon fibre electric Morris van being built here too.

[RobDickinson]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Leafs are built there.

[Codotuk]

I don’t think there is enough people in the uk to support the turnover of staff.

https://www.indeed.co.uk/cmp/Tesla/reviews?fcountr...

It’s a bit like Amazon business model.

[Vanden Saab]

DeepEnd said:

Blue62 said:

Murph7355 said:

Has Tesla turned a full year profit yet?

I doubt it, but what point are you trying to make?

Perhaps that we don’t need fly by night $24Bn successful space entrepreneurs investing in the UK.

I googled “brexit success story” to find a suitably pathetic counter argument, but the cupboard was even barer than I anticipated.

Almost feel sorry for them now. It must hurt bashing these miserable excuses out on the keyboard.

Strange you mention the $24 billion as it is almost exactly twice the debt owed by tesla...

[poo at Paul's]

Seeing as Musk says it is due to the Brexit "uncertainty" it seems to me the fillibusting Parliamentarians we've had to pay for for the last 3 years are to blame.

If Brexit had been done, no more uncertainty!!

[anonymous-user]

Codotuk said:

I don’t think there is enough people in the uk to support the turnover of staff.

https://www.indeed.co.uk/cmp/Tesla/reviews?fcountr...

It’s a bit like Amazon business model.

Ouch! Dodged a bullet there?

[anonymous-user]

Swervin_Mervin said:

From a pure logistics POV I'd have thought Germany would make sense, or France if they had been in the running...

Given the flexibility Tesla demand out of their workforce in the US, I really doubt the French were ever in the running. There's also the small matter of French cars being a joke in the US compared to German.

[Randy Winkman]

fblm said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

From a pure logistics POV I'd have thought Germany would make sense, or France if they had been in the running...

Given the flexibility Tesla demand out of their workforce in the US, I really doubt the French were ever in the running. There's also the small matter of French cars being a joke in the US compared to German.

Do buyers know where cars are made?

[gregs656]

pequod said:

Really? I, of course, meant the western mass market. Which EV's are currently built in China to western standards and are available now for the same price, range, and quality as, say, a VW Golf? That's where the EV car makers must aim, if this tech is to be viable long term, as the cheaper versions being produced now are only of limited interest and have a very limited range.

The MG ZS EV is doing quite well.

[anonymous-user]

I'm quite excited by how the electric car industry is resulting in new and revived brands and manufacturers, using composite construction technology and reinventing what a car needs to be.
Good thread OP.

[pequod]

gregs656 said:

pequod said:

Really? I, of course, meant the western mass market. Which EV's are currently built in China to western standards and are available now for the same price, range, and quality as, say, a VW Golf? That's where the EV car makers must aim, if this tech is to be viable long term, as the cheaper versions being produced now are only of limited interest and have a very limited range.

The MG ZS EV is doing quite well.

With only 163 mile range (at best) and dubious build quality, it has a way to go yet to compete with a VW Golf, which is going to be my 'standard' gauge whether or not EV's have made the grade.

[gregs656]

pequod said:

With only 163 mile range (at best) and dubious build quality, it has a way to go yet to compete with a VW Golf, which is going to be my 'standard' gauge whether or not EV's have made the grade.

True, that is only 40 miles more than e-golf for 6k less. It's selling well.

Reports on build quality are generally positive too.

It might not be the best EV on the market but it is one of the best value options and is definitely competing.

Edited by gregs656 on Thursday 14th November 20:45

Edited by gregs656 on Thursday 14th November 20:46

[anonymous-user]

Randy Winkman said:

fblm said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

From a pure logistics POV I'd have thought Germany would make sense, or France if they had been in the running...

Given the flexibility Tesla demand out of their workforce in the US, I really doubt the French were ever in the running. There's also the small matter of French cars being a joke in the US compared to German.

Do buyers know where cars are made?

I doubt Americans know where their BMW is made no (unless they live in SC!) but they almost certainly know where their Tesla is made and they most certainly associate Germany with quality engineering. I think a German Tesla is a considerably more attractive brand image than a French Tesla in Europe too; that won't be lost on Musk; he didn't just send a Model S mule to Paul Ricard to beat the Renault Zoe.

[anonymous-user]

The Chinese are picking up speed with their cars much quicker than the Koreans did when Hyundai first hit the UK market, for example.
I'd not dismiss that MG ZS EV so easily. I don't like the look of the thing but I see a lot of the ZS model on the roads.

[chow pan toon]

Just a hunch but I reckon that if Tesla had built their factory here, the Brexiteers wouldn't be picking holes in their business plan.