The author supports the title of the article based on the Tesla Q2 report that the Prius has been the most common trade-in for the model 3.
When I drive daily in a sea of Prii (pl. of Prius), and I get excited when I see a few model 3's a week, I feel like it's too early to make that strong of a statement.
These two competing cars aim at very, very different markets. Forbes' breathless prediction of Toyota's hybrid market demise is a myopic opinion piece and a stretch of wishful thinking.
The lower-tier Prius' are profoundly less expensive than even the mythical base-model Model 3 (which the article points out, isn't available; Tesla has said they hope to offer the base model by the end of the year). A 2017/2018 Toyota Prius can be driven off the lot for $20,000. The Model 3s that have been sold are $40,000+. That makes A Prius Prime plug-in hybrid the most direct competitor. I trust the sales figures quoted are accurate.
But there's more to it: Price, availability, utility, and maintainability are big considerations once you leave the ultra-luxury price range (100k+) that is Tesla's core market. The Toyota wins in all these aspects, in my opinion. Where Toyota does not compete is the "status symbol" market.
Exactly — the fact that people who buy a Tesla Model 3 are likely to be trading in a Prius doesn't mean the Model 3 is "replacing" the Prius. It means the Model 3 targets a subset of customers of the Prius and is substantially more expensive (which is why people are trading in).
I live near Palo Alto and see lots of Teslas and Prii. The Teslas might be more common in parking lots along Sand Hill Road, but Prii are more common pretty much everywhere else.
Based on the evidence cited, a better conclusion would be: Tesla Model 3 is Replacing The Prius Among Wealthy Buyers.
Sure, but the Prius has been out for almost 2 decades.
It's a lame almost-clickbait, almost contentless article, but it's not an unreasonable conclusion. The 3 is already EVERYWHERE in the bay area, it's by far the most common car I've ever owned, and in very short order it'll be more common than the S, which has been out for, what, 6 years now? Just last night I had another 3 immediately in front of me and an S immediately behind.
> based on the Tesla Q2 report that the Prius has been the most common trade-in for the model 3
This sounds like logical fallacy - like saying if people mostly exchange dollars for pounds at London airport exchange kiosk, pound is going to take the place of the dollar on the world's currency markets. I suspect there's not even one but multiple fallacies - the fact that Prius is traded in more than other cars does not mean most of Priuses would be replaced, or that consumers of this kind of car will always prefer Tesla to Prius or other cars (not only when they already have an old car that they want to exchange for the Tesla 3).
It's an analysis of a trend, with admittedly a small sample size thus far. But it's a trend nonetheless. Prii have been produced for decades; the 3 for maybe a year?
What everyone is overlooking is that of course the Prius would be a top trade-in how many have been produced in the last 20 years? It's like saying that the CAR X is the new Camry, because the number one trade-in is the Camry. The Camry being the best selling passenger car for the last 25 years...
What's number two on the list? The BMW 3 Series, which is way more in line with what you'd expect and certainly not a "green car" by any stretch of the imagination.
it's interesting how a discussion about the SEC possibly investigating Musk and Tesla over Twitter comments was flagged by HN moderators and this blog post presenting a rosy view of Tesla showed up in its wake
I'd love to trade in the Prius to get a Tesla but there's no way in hell I'm doing that when they are so expensive. You can get a used Prius for about CAD$14,000. Maybe in another 5 or 6 years.
This is exactly how I feel. I've owned my Prius for 4 years at this point and I love it. I think I'm just going to ride it until it dies. Then I'll consider getting a Tesla.
Anecdotal, but: my hometown of Orinda is a good bellweather; when the Prius first came out, the small downtown area felt like 1/3rd of the cars were Prii. In the past couple years, every time I visit I see many, many Teslas. It's an affluent but liberal town in the Bay Area, a lot of people who buy in to green-but-luxury brands.
Telsa over Volt is easy for me, no carrying around a gas engine that I don't need. I actually don't even have a Tesla, but I do drive an all electric. I didn't want to carry around added weight in an ICE engine and have more room for batteries.
Some people don't think highly of American automakers, Chevy in particular, so for them it's not even an option. I don't think I would every personally buy one.
Tesla 3 costs (at least) twice of the Prius, doesn't it? Are we talking about multimillionaires with zero sensitivity to price, of is $25K in California now considered pocket change not worth mentioning? If not, I don't see how that could be true.
Hmm, this seems like an apples to oranges comparison. EV customers are not hybrid customers (even PHEV models like the Prius Prime - full disclosure, I drive a Prime). It's odd to see Forbes claiming people bought Teslas instead of Primes - they're not very similar... It would be more relevant to compare Model 3 sales to the Nissan Leaf[1] and Chevy Bolt[2].
Didn't even read the article: calling BS. Model 3 is easily twice as expensive. It is a better car by all accounts, but the steep price differential will make it safe from becoming the "green car of choice".
[+] [-] newfocogi|7 years ago|reply
When I drive daily in a sea of Prii (pl. of Prius), and I get excited when I see a few model 3's a week, I feel like it's too early to make that strong of a statement.
[+] [-] jackhack|7 years ago|reply
The lower-tier Prius' are profoundly less expensive than even the mythical base-model Model 3 (which the article points out, isn't available; Tesla has said they hope to offer the base model by the end of the year). A 2017/2018 Toyota Prius can be driven off the lot for $20,000. The Model 3s that have been sold are $40,000+. That makes A Prius Prime plug-in hybrid the most direct competitor. I trust the sales figures quoted are accurate.
But there's more to it: Price, availability, utility, and maintainability are big considerations once you leave the ultra-luxury price range (100k+) that is Tesla's core market. The Toyota wins in all these aspects, in my opinion. Where Toyota does not compete is the "status symbol" market.
[+] [-] Finnucane|7 years ago|reply
Man, in Latin, prius isn't even a noun.
[+] [-] gnicholas|7 years ago|reply
I live near Palo Alto and see lots of Teslas and Prii. The Teslas might be more common in parking lots along Sand Hill Road, but Prii are more common pretty much everywhere else.
Based on the evidence cited, a better conclusion would be: Tesla Model 3 is Replacing The Prius Among Wealthy Buyers.
[+] [-] rconti|7 years ago|reply
It's a lame almost-clickbait, almost contentless article, but it's not an unreasonable conclusion. The 3 is already EVERYWHERE in the bay area, it's by far the most common car I've ever owned, and in very short order it'll be more common than the S, which has been out for, what, 6 years now? Just last night I had another 3 immediately in front of me and an S immediately behind.
[+] [-] ahoka|7 years ago|reply
What's next, Teslae?
[+] [-] smsm42|7 years ago|reply
This sounds like logical fallacy - like saying if people mostly exchange dollars for pounds at London airport exchange kiosk, pound is going to take the place of the dollar on the world's currency markets. I suspect there's not even one but multiple fallacies - the fact that Prius is traded in more than other cars does not mean most of Priuses would be replaced, or that consumers of this kind of car will always prefer Tesla to Prius or other cars (not only when they already have an old car that they want to exchange for the Tesla 3).
[+] [-] artursapek|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rlglwx|7 years ago|reply
What's number two on the list? The BMW 3 Series, which is way more in line with what you'd expect and certainly not a "green car" by any stretch of the imagination.
[+] [-] notjustanymike|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] PhantomGremlin|7 years ago|reply
I agree with you, back in the "good old days" Forbes was a respectable publication. Not any more.
[+] [-] TAForObvReasons|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rocky1138|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] BlackjackCF|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] whataboutism|7 years ago|reply
Source: https://ev-cpo.com/hunter/
[+] [-] mmanfrin|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rconti|7 years ago|reply
The 3 is also a generic transportation appliance, but it's a much nicer one.
[+] [-] dmode|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] clankfan|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brightball|7 years ago|reply
I absolutely get the appeal of Tesla from a quality and technology standpoint though.
[+] [-] Jeremy1026|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cptskippy|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] smsm42|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] blacksmith_tb|7 years ago|reply
1: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sebastianblanco/2018/01/09/niss...
2: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/gm-sells-more-than-20000-c...
[+] [-] stcredzero|7 years ago|reply
Citation? I'm considering both an EV and a hybrid for my next car.
[+] [-] woodandsteel|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dingaling|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] h4b4n3r0|7 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cryptozeus|7 years ago|reply