Exactly. Whether one likes it or not.
That’s probably true but scientists and engineers would do well to consider both the future of electric and alternative fuel sources - even if they ultimately prove unviable.
This „openness“ towards other technologies is precisely why German car manufacturers are playing catch-up to Chinese ones
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The front of the Tesla looks like it lacks something. For example a grill 
Tesla started the process of totally disrupting the auto industry - for better or worse.
Tesla does not advertise. Ford apparently spend $1,000 per vehicle for every sale on advertising. This makes the media loyal to Ford and free to say whatever they want about Tesla.
Tesla has no dealers. This is being fought hard by dealers who see their lucrative business being destroyed.
Tesla has proved that EV are viable and legacy manufacturers and all their contributors (exhausts, fuel injection, spark plugs, cam shafts etc etc) are fighting hard to disprove this by making bad EVs to try and prove ICE is better or hydrogen is way to go.
China is the only market to take up he gauntlet and run with EVs. We laughed at Janaese motorbikes in the early 1960s, but they killed they killed the UK two-wheel industry. That is exactly what China, with the help of absurd subsidies, is going to do with the world car market.
Who knows whether Tesla, who started it all, will survive. But one thing is sure Jaguar, BMW, Mercedes, VW, Nissan, Toyota, GM Ford etc are in for a very rough time over the next 10 years and many of those loved household names will be relegated to history…
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Ever wondered why??
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Huh? Plenty of dealerships in the US and elsewhere for Tesla.
I think the grin-emoj in omtatsat’s post gave it away.
In last days I’ve seen a number of them either in flames or defaced.
I’m still lamenting the Austin Maxi and the BL Mini-Metro.
The 1st EV was built by a German.
Which one would that be, the Flokken?
Actually Robert Anderson from Aberdeen built the first one between 1832 and 1839 (no photo found).
The answer escapes me.
They are Tesla Service Centers - owned and run by Tesla. You order online and collect at a Service Center. The traditional dealership who sells, takes commission, services etc are avoided by Tesla…
There are 277 Tesla dealerships in the United States as of January 2025. California has the highest number, with 70 locations, accounting for about 25% of the total. Other states with significant numbers include Texas (27) and Florida (26). Tesla operates in 43 states and territories, while 15 states and territories, such as Arkansas and Alaska, have no Tesla dealerships[1].
Tesla uses a direct sales model, selling cars through company-owned stores and online, bypassing traditional independent dealerships due to restrictive franchise laws in many states[2].
Sources
[1] Number of Tesla locations in the USA in 2025 | ScrapeHero Number of Tesla locations in the USA in 2025 | ScrapeHero
[2] Tesla US dealership disputes - Wikipedia Tesla US dealership disputes - Wikipedia
[3] US Tesla Stores and Galleries https://www.tesla.com/findus/list/stores/United%20States
[4] Find Us | Tesla https://www.tesla.com/findus/list
[5] Find Us | Tesla https://www.tesla.com/findus
[6] Tesla Meatpacking New York NY https://www.tesla.com/findus/location/store/860washington
[7] Anti-Musk protesters gather outside Tesla dealership in Washington Anti-Musk protesters gather outside Tesla dealership in Washington | Reuters
[8] US Tesla Service Centers https://www.tesla.com/findus/list/services/United%20States
Tesla has three stores in Switzerland. In Zurich, Geneva and Bussigny VD.
To use traditional dealers they would need to increase the price to cover the commission which presumably Elon sees as an unecessary obstacle.
Although Elon claims that Tesla’s are totally manufactured in the US, the fact is that the main component which are the batteries come from China. Sure you can make the metal frame, sensors and even the motor in the US, but the main component are clearly the batteries manufactured overseas. The advertised vs actual milage is also substantially different.
I think EVs are a hassle to use, you need to do additional planning when going on longer drivers, and especially in summers in Europe, longer waiting times on EV charging stations just due to the shear amount of people travelling and availability of charging stations.
Plus EVs might not be directly sustainable alternatives as well, the electricity is still being generated by some sort of power, whether its diesel, coal, nuclear. Very small or likely case that its solar, wind, hydro or geothermal.
Although my 4.0 litre diesel is no prize and definitely a gas guzzler, which I probably need to downgrade to a smaller sized engine, electricity produced to charge EVs is not always sustainable, so they still have the CO2 emissions footprint whether even if its indirectly.
You are right about Tesla, but this is Musk. The rest about EVs just does not stand up to analysis. Sure there are issues at the moment including a lack of reasonably priced charging stations. I would expect more hotels to provide a number of overnight charging points in the future. The fossil fuel industry is in much the same position as the Luddites were. It is time to wake up.
Measurable miniscule for an EV compared with a 4l diesel.
There is so much wasted energy with an ICE in the form of heat compared with an electric motor which is incredibly efficient that one shouldn’t use the comparison in any argument against EVs.