Audi CEO Admits What No Other Automaker Will - Tesla Is YEARS Ahead of Them

Legacy automakers like Volkswagen, Jaguar, and Mercedes are currently racing to catch up with Tesla when it comes to electric vehicles. The evidence, so far, is that they are all very much behind, and Audi is no exception, with its new-ish CEO saying Thursday they were years behind.

That’s despite the fact that Audi makes a car—the E-Tron—that has been well-reviewed and very much is in the space of Tesla Model X. Audi even issued a press release last week calling the E-Tron the “world market leader in its segment,” noting that 17,641 E-Trons were delivered in the first half of 2020 globally.

MDarringer - 7/24/2020 11:00:51 AM

+3 Boost

NO.

Audi was arrogant and thought the crap they put out as the Etron would thrill everyone. They think that because they are German they are infallible and people will buy blindly.

Their German arrogance is what caused them to get their skit kicked.

dumpsty - 7/27/2020 1:13:12 PM

+2 Boost

there's a bit of truth to this.

The US automakers for very cautious - needing to see a real consumer trend before committing to competing EV tech.

The German automakers scoffed at the little American EV startup. They assumed their luxury cachet would be sufficient enough to get existing customers to buy their hybrids & EVs and totally discredit Tesla's (perceived) vehicle values. But then social media trends helped change the game & the market at celeb socialites & wealthy early-adopters jumped to get their own Tesla EV while putting their old German cars far behind them.

USNA1999 - 7/24/2020 12:43:49 PM

+2 Boost

Tesla is years ahead of everyone, all auto manufacturers better get onboard. Maybe some manufacturers could buy Tesla's technology to compete in the EV market. Additionally, Tesla continues to drive prices down making it almost impossible to compete against them.

MDarringer - 7/24/2020 2:12:54 PM

+1 Boost

Tesla so ISN'T ahead. VW has a skateboard. Ford has a skateboard. GM has a skateboard.

dumpsty - 7/27/2020 1:07:14 PM

+2 Boost

Tesla isn't ahead. But the much smaller EV manufacturer was in a better position to take advantage of the newest tech to build a better parts/assembly facility for their time.

Tesla is still new & was not previously invested in past/current tech & vehicles that tie-up tens of billions of USD in R&D funding. Tesla's workforce is basically new - no legacy labor costs or past union partnerships which also affect how new vehicles may be developed & possibly produced for sale.

atc98092 - 7/24/2020 9:05:40 PM

+2 Boost

If the e-Tron had 300+ mile range, its MSRP would be more tolerable. But for the price it's not enough. It has a great as always Audi interior, and it's more luxurious than any Tesla. But range is the first thing a potential customer will ask, and they fall too far short there. Both the Niro and the Kona have much better range with smaller batteries. Yes, smaller cars as well. But the overall efficiency of the Audi (and Mercedes) EVs is so much lower that it's a tough sell.

vdiv - 7/25/2020 2:31:07 PM

+2 Boost

The e-tron is selling quite well in Norway where the price and range are not such significant factors. It's just not a big enough market.

MrEE - 7/25/2020 2:43:42 PM

+2 Boost

Tesla is ahead technically and battery supply. It is not clear if anyone will be able to catch-up. Most competitors have relied on suppliers for electronics and software, and it takes time to develop this in house. It will be easier for Tesla to fix their production issues.

MDarringer - 7/25/2020 3:33:58 PM

0 Boost

Except that Tesla uses someone else's batteries and technology.

SanJoseDriver - 7/26/2020 12:45:10 AM

+2 Boost

They own the core battery tech, motors are all made in-house, software is in house, Autopilot is fully in-house. Two years might be conservative, especially on the software front. Tesla might be 3-4 years ahead there.

MDarringer - 7/26/2020 10:00:35 AM

0 Boost

It is a wild exaggeration to say they own the battery tech.

Building motors in house is a strike against Tesla actually.

SanJoseDriver - 7/27/2020 3:11:46 AM

+2 Boost

How would it be a strike, they have by far the most efficient motor that also happens to have the most power per lb and the lowest weight among it's competitors.

MDarringer - 7/27/2020 1:31:28 PM

0 Boost

I hate to tell you this but Tesla PR and truth do not go together. So while you may be paid to do the puffery, only a moron would believe that Tesla came from nowhere and revolutionized electric motors. #NotLikely #NotTrue

SanJoseDriver - 7/27/2020 9:04:45 PM

+1 Boost

Except that is literally what every independent test has shown, that they did by far build the best commercial EV motor in any mass production car, perhaps any car period. There are more powerful EV motors but none as efficient as what is in the permanent magnet motors in the current lineup.

edwardfrancis - 7/27/2020 5:10:18 PM

+1 Boost

A good source on such matters is Sandy Munro, the Detroit teardown and analysis specialist. He has moved from a Tesla Skeptic to a true believer in the importance of electrification, and the likelihood that Tesla is many years ahead of incumbent car makers. You should find his analysis of the remarkable motors that Tesla builds themselves to grasp what huge steps Tesla has taken. Let’s hope Detroit changes course to embrace EVs.