>I am not sure a manufacturer with a dealer network and union assembly could ever match price with a no-dealer no-union manufacturer.
Are you saying that Tesla can only make money by having a relatively underpaid workforce? Do you think that's sustainable?
>vast inefficiencies in their network (3rd party supplier glut, dealerships, etc)
Wait, you think the automotive supply chain is inefficient? JIT auto manufacturing is a modern marvel...
Dealers? That's a tough one. Lots to improve, but you can't eliminate customer service. I'm not sure being beholder to the manufacturer is great for consumers, either.
> Wait, you think the automotive supply chain is inefficient? JIT auto manufacturing is a modern marvel...
It's super efficient for a the current high complexity vehicles we have. It really struggles, though, when you deviate from the formula.
This is pretty evident with the earlier ford evs like the ford focus. Where the only way they could get a battery in is by slapping it into the trunk. The skateboard model of evs is WAY more efficient but requires significant retooling. And, at this point, is pretty much all inhouse standards. There's nobody (AFAIK) manufacturing a standard battery pack module. Every EV manufacture has been left to making their own standards there.
That's what has driven up the cost more than anything. Huge portions of the manufacturing line need to retool and that's a long slow processing. In the meantime, companies like telsa were able disrupt by doing the less efficient ground up approach.
As EVs become more common and standardized, this will of course change and tesla's ev manufacturing will end up a liability rather than an asset. But until that happens, they get some pretty nice profit margins that will be hard to beat.
Are you saying that Tesla can only make money by having a relatively underpaid workforce? Do you think that's sustainable?
>vast inefficiencies in their network (3rd party supplier glut, dealerships, etc)
Wait, you think the automotive supply chain is inefficient? JIT auto manufacturing is a modern marvel...
Dealers? That's a tough one. Lots to improve, but you can't eliminate customer service. I'm not sure being beholder to the manufacturer is great for consumers, either.