The Tesla Killers (still) Aren't Coming...

The Tesla killer is coming…Squawk! The Tesla killer is coming… 

For a solid year I have heard this from every quarter. From TSLAQs…from news sources…from well-meaning friends and neighbors who seem worried about our—ahem—Tesla Habit. I always just smile and say, whatever. Because you—other Tesla Owner—you and I know why there’s no great worry of an impending Tesla killer. We don’t just own and drive our cars…we adore them! We buy as many as we can afford. We wrap them, chrome delete them and hand wash them. And we buy the stock, too. We tweet photos and discuss upgrades and quirks that we discover along the way. We write books and newsletters about our Teslas…we make videos. The Tesla community is all-in on Tesla. And we know why.

According to CNBC.com, which has never missed an opportunity to bash Tesla, The Tesla Killers Aren’t Killing Tesla At All... But that doesn’t mean they’re not trying. 

Ford is putting HUGE, GIANT touchscreens in their cars…Does a giant, huge touch screen make a car a Tesla Killer? Not even close! Take a look at what Ford has planned —and please don’t skip Emme Hall’s touchscreen video tour, located about mid-way down the page. It’s hilarious! (I also believe it’s designed to show how this screen is really woman-friendly. Squee!) 

The Ford touchscreen handles basic phone, navigation and audio…plus some very rudimentary driver preference functions…but it’s no Tesla. Nor is it a Tesla Killer. 

Am I being unfair by comparing Ford’s ICE vehicles to Tesla EVs? Maybe. So let’s check out the Honda-e. It definitely has it’s own charm, in a google-y, eyeball-y kind of way. Not a head-turner like the Tesla Model 3, but I could see that front grill catching on. Here’s a First Look Video of the Honda-e.

It’s still a concept vehicle so it’s likely some features will change by the time it reaches production. But if you watch the video, it’s got EIGHT (count ’em) cameras…SIX (count ’em) LED touchscreens! Wait…did he say SIX touchscreens? Shaking my head. Drive a Tesla, one screen is enough! Right? Is it just me or are they simply trying toooo hard? Would any current Tesla owner choose a Honda-e over a Tesla because the Honda has SIX screens? Of course not. There’s also the fact that the Honda-e video touts a minimum range of 125 miles. (Note: they don’t give max range.) So, yeah it’s cute…but def NOT a Tesla Killer…amirite? 

Evidence of other EVs trying too hard. 

Props to Ford for copying Tesla’s design homework. But what are they thinking? That nosecone is so 2014. I could keep going, comparing Tesla to other vehicles based on speed, range and technology, but I know—at least at this point—that the Tesla will always come out on top. What is clear from looking at what is coming from other car manufacturers is that they have noticed buyers WANT Teslas and they’re trying to get there any way they can. The wave of cars like Tesla can only be good for our EV future. Tesla is pushing the envelope on what people want in a car…and it’s Tesla!