3 car companies drop major electric car announcements: Tesla, Daimler, Ford
Objects in rearview mirror don't matter anymore... 2 historic car companies made big announcements yesterday:
- Daimler owns Mercedes-Benz, which invented the modern engine in the 1880s in Mannheim, Germany. Daimler hasn't transitioned well into the modern era — now it's laying off 10% of workers to save cash so it can invest in hybrid and all-electric models.
- Ford's just as historic, but doesn't include the 6-disc CD changer and leather interior. It just confirmed the name of its hyped Mustang-inspired electric SUV: "Mustang Mach-E" — Ford starts taking reservations Sunday after its Los Angeles unveiling.
"I've been doing this for 16 years"... Palo Alto-based Tesla already boasts hundreds of thousands of e-cars on the road — Elon predicted that electric is the future, even if they're only 1.2% of US car sales today. Daimler is forced to go electric because of Europe's environmental regulations, while Ford merged its love of SUVs and Mustangs with cleaner emissions requirements.
Yes, Tesla's 1st-mover advantage is still there... Most car brands have realized that sticking an "e" on their vehicles is the key to the future. That's meant more competition for Tesla, fast. But making an electric car that goes 200+ miles on 1 charge is hard. And Tesla's long track record just got recognized by a top critic:
- Tesla achieved "Recommendation" status from Consumer Reports for its Model S and Model 3, about a year after losing the coveted stick-it-up-on-the-fridge accolade.