Porsche's North America CEO praises Tesla, says its production volume is 'truly astonishing'
- Porsche North America CEO Klaus Zellmer complimented Tesla in an interview with The Los Angeles Times published on Friday, calling the automaker's pricing and production level "astonishing."
- "If you look at what Tesla has done, if you look at their volume and look at their price level, it's truly astonishing," Zellmer told The Times.
- "If you can do that with one brand and a sales network that is not comprised of dealers and a real sales organization, it's even more astonishing," he added.
Porsche North America CEO Klaus Zellmer complimented Tesla in an interview with The Los Angeles Times published on Friday, calling the automaker's pricing and production level "astonishing."
"If you look at what Tesla has done, if you look at their volume and look at their price level, it's truly astonishing," Zellmer told The Times. "If you can do that with one brand and a sales network that is not comprised of dealers and a real sales organization, it's even more astonishing."
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Tesla has increased its rate of production since introducing its Model 3 sedan, which is less expensive than the automaker's other vehicles, in 2017. The first year of Model 3 production was subject to significant delays, though the vehicle played a large role in Tesla reaching an all-time high in quarterly production, 80,142 vehicles, during the third quarter of this year. The automaker has said the base version of the Model 3 will at some point cost $35,000, though the vehicle currently starts at $46,000.
Tesla's approach to sales stands apart from the rest of the auto industry's. Rather than licensing the right to sell its vehicles to independent dealerships, the automaker operates company-owned stores. In bypassing traditional dealerships, Tesla has run into trouble in some states, like Texas and Michigan, that forbid auto companies from selling their vehicles directly to customers
Porsche is preparing to begin production of a rival to Tesla's Model S sedan, the Taycan, in 2019. The automaker has said the Taycan will be able to drive at high speeds for a longer amount of time than the Model S.
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