Musk speaks at NAIAS and comments on Bolt EV

[idknow]

I'm here is to talk about electric vehicles and to do what I can to encourage other automakers to accelerate their electric vehicle programs.

Known for his distain of limited range/limited use EVs, Mr. Musk had some praise for GM and their CEO for this electric offering, saying he was pleased to see Mary Barra on stage while noting that it “sounds like they are going to do something significant with the Bolt.”

 

[idknow]

Personally, I think the Bolt is a bigger competitor to the i3 than to the Tesla Model 3 I guess mostly because of styling, and I guess the i3 needs a range extender to get to 200 miles and the Bolt EV won't!

 

[nousernogood]

The i3 and leaf and ? will all have more range by the time the Bolt launches...
GM was waiting on 2nd gen batteries to use in the Bolt and the other companies will also have access to 2nd gen batteries in that same time frame...

 

[idknow]

I think GM is anticipating increased range from the LEAF and other current electric vehicles.

If Nissan has access to higher energy density batteries by 2017 that allows them to have a greater than 200 mile LEAF, then GM will also have access to it (in theory).
Plus, since it's 3 years away, maybe the Bolt EV will have 300 or 400 miles of range by the time it actually rolls out?

The real question is if GM and LG (supplying the batteries) will be able to hit the same $/kWh that Tesla will be getting at the GigaFactory? If the Bolt isn't at least as profitable as their other vehicles, then GM probably won't push it very hard (think Fiat 500e - great reviews, lots of people want it, but Fiat is limiting supply to cover CARB credits since they lose $14K on each one they sell)

 

[nousernogood]

It is easy to lose money on every EV you sell when you are not trying to make money and just one off it...
If they wanted a cheaper easier EV solution they could have done what Ford did and had Magna do the EV work...
Magna was supposed to sell the same tech to other companys but no one else signed up...