GM CEO Akerson: Cadillac will take on Tesla
Posted by: Timothy Tibbetts on 09/24/2013 08:22 AM
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This one almost goes without saying but GM wants Tesla motors to know they are coming, according to The Detroit News. I am a huge car guy, and I like Cadillac but I had to laugh at this. If you put both of them in front of me, I would hop in the Tesla without thought. Oddly enough he says this while saying that Americans in large numbers don’t want electric cars and a lack of passion isn’t a good thing.
Akerson said Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla has established its brand, a tough feat that other startup electric vehicle companies couldn’t do. “Does anybody even remember Fisker? I mean, there were a number of them; they are all gone,” Akerson said.
But he tweaked his rival a little. “We’ll sell more (Chevrolet) Volts and lose less money on the Volts than they’ll lose on the (Tesla) Model S,” Akerson said.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted: “Am happy to hear that GM plans to develop an affordable 200-mile range electric car. Right target. Hope others do same.”
This one almost goes without saying but GM wants Tesla motors to know they are coming. I am a huge car guy, and I like Cadillac but I had to laugh at this. If you put both of them in front of me, I would hop in the Tesla without thought. Oddly enough he says this while saying that Americans in large numbers don’t want electric cars and a lack of passion isn’t a good thing.
Cadillac will have about a 2 year window to make it happen and I hope they know it. Since it will be priced less than the Tesla Model S base price of $57,400 when it is launched in early 2014 but Tesla also plans to release a cheaper Model S in 2015-2016 at an expected $30,000 price point. They also have their technology locked in and paid for with an SUV also under consideration. It seems like Cadillac is actually going to be playing catch-up here and they usually don’t move very fast so what they do from 2014-2016 determines how well they compete.
Akerson said Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla has established its brand, a tough feat that other startup electric vehicle companies couldn’t do. “Does anybody even remember Fisker? I mean, there were a number of them; they are all gone,” Akerson said.
But he tweaked his rival a little. “We’ll sell more (Chevrolet) Volts and lose less money on the Volts than they’ll lose on the (Tesla) Model S,” Akerson said.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted: “Am happy to hear that GM plans to develop an affordable 200-mile range electric car. Right target. Hope others do same.”
This one almost goes without saying but GM wants Tesla motors to know they are coming. I am a huge car guy, and I like Cadillac but I had to laugh at this. If you put both of them in front of me, I would hop in the Tesla without thought. Oddly enough he says this while saying that Americans in large numbers don’t want electric cars and a lack of passion isn’t a good thing.
Cadillac will have about a 2 year window to make it happen and I hope they know it. Since it will be priced less than the Tesla Model S base price of $57,400 when it is launched in early 2014 but Tesla also plans to release a cheaper Model S in 2015-2016 at an expected $30,000 price point. They also have their technology locked in and paid for with an SUV also under consideration. It seems like Cadillac is actually going to be playing catch-up here and they usually don’t move very fast so what they do from 2014-2016 determines how well they compete.
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