I get that the Fiesta and any Tesla are apples and oranges. That's the "duh" moment of the century.
I wasn't asked to provide an example of a mid-priced
luxury car equivalent to a Tesla. I was asked to provide for a $15,000 car that could go 500 miles on one tank. I did that (and own one).
I don't buy cars for their "luxury" (I can't afford to). I buy them to get me from point A to point B as economically as possible, whereby "economically" includes maintenance, fuel economy, and that evil monthly payment. Including gas, my little Fiesta costs us about $200/mo. A Tesla Model 3 is going to cost about $500/mo just for the payment. I can own two Fiestas and go out to eat a couple times for that.
There is this idea going around that "just do it" because "save the planet". Some of us cannot afford to "save the planet" by buying expensive luxury cars. When Ford, Chevy, etc. get around to releasing all-electrics that cost less than $20,000 and go 500 miles on a charge, I'll buy one. I might even buy a sub-$15,000 all-electric that can only go 100 miles (a good commuter). However, I am
not paying $35,000 for a car I can't drive to Bend.
I also have no plans to spend that amount on a car in which I must plan the entire trip around locating a place to spend an hour waiting for it to charge back up. I plan my vacations around sitting on the beach watching the orb-of-warmth sink below that flat thing out there, not on filling the car up with juice.
I see a lot of Tesla Model S's running around Boise. However, I have yet to see one out on the road between here and anywhere. I feel pretty confident saying that, when those Model S owners go on a road trip, the Model S stays in the garage and the Tahoe (or whatever) comes out.
I'll keep saying this as long as people aren't getting it: I know it's coming, and I applaud Tesla's efforts, but they aren't here, yet.
Maybe the Model 4 or 5 will be the
real game changer, the $20,000 400 mile car that will change the motoring world forever. Until then, the Model 3 is not a game changer. It's close, but until it can go all the way to Portland from Boise (without a required juice-stop), it's nothing more than a luxury commuter that most people still cannot afford. I'm super-glad some of you are getting one. For people looking near the low-end of Mercedes, BMW, Audi, etc. (or the high end of Ford, Chevy, Dodge) the Model 3 is very compelling. If I had a $500/mo commute budget, I can think of few cars that would be as high on the list. However, by the time a Model 3 meets my $200/mo commute budget, it will be long-used, it's battery will be shot, and no mechanic will be able to do a damn thing about it. No, and thanks! I'll buy another Fiesta (or equivalent).