Tesla has the batteries, but they don't have the rest of the car. Honda and the like, even GM, can churn out new models built to very high standards much faster than Tesla. BMW is doing very well with pure electrics without much press. They are looking at shipping 100k electrics this year. Tesla may be the cool luxury brand in california, but BMW is in a different league in terms of build quality and worldwide acceptance. If tesla misses the "cool" factor, BMW is right their. That potential for upset is driving the shortsellers.
Personally, I'd never buy a car from someone as small and young as tesla. They just don't have the legs. I've been brought up to buy good used cars and drive them until they die. I expect 20+ years. BMWs, Mercs, hondas, even jeeps and Volvos really do last that long if you are nice to them. Until I see a 25yo Tesla driving down the road I am not a potential customer.
I was considering buying a Tesla a few years ago, but the finish and interior of any other luxury sedan blew the Teslas out of the water, and it's definitely where they are lacking.
However, I wonder if it's harder for Tesla to get better at fit & finish and interiors and quality, or if it's harder for the entrenched players to gut their petrolhead heritage, and sacrifice their lucrative combustion engine business, and especially the lucrative service & repair business it creates.
Another angle is that Tesla is Silicon Valley bred, they're a software company through and through. The other companies treat software as an afterthought, their infotainment systems range from "monstrosities" to "I don't want to claw my eyes out yet". None are good. Some are bearable. Teslas is good, and it's an obvious priority, and software is such a huge part of modern cars and their performance, that the hardware will be commoditized.
> Tesla is Silicon Valley bred, they're a software company through and through
Are they, really? I'm not impressed. Software is very central to their cars, and I think the end user experience is pretty abysmal. Which is par for a car manufacturer, of course, but I had other expectations given their Silicon Valley heritage. Get Apple involved already! They don't seem to be going anywhere with their own car investments anyway...
> Tesla has the batteries, but they don't have the rest of the car.
Tesla doesn't have to make a single car anymore if automakers would make a real electric car; they'd just supply the industry with batteries. But, compliance cars. So, Tesla plods on with their own vehicles.
Personally, I'd never buy a car from someone as small and young as tesla. They just don't have the legs. I've been brought up to buy good used cars and drive them until they die. I expect 20+ years. BMWs, Mercs, hondas, even jeeps and Volvos really do last that long if you are nice to them. Until I see a 25yo Tesla driving down the road I am not a potential customer.