I have question how many people can afford a new car in America without taking huge loans?
Lately I'm seeing in the news showing that most Americans are living by paycheck to paycheck. So it's not surprising about the news of low car sales for this past quarter.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I dont know a single tree hugger that owns a P100D. They get it because it will blow the doors off of any Merc or BMW. They couldn't care less about blahs blahs blahs on Autobahn. In real world usage, the P100D has no equals amongst sedans and that's why they get them. Electrics just drive better than ICE.

 

You compared Tesla Model S sales to full size sedan "class" sales, and that is due to Model S entry level at about $60,000 versus top selling S Class's entry level at some $95,000.
There are also some EV tax concessions too.
If it's a lot cheaper, then it will sell in much greater volume. Period.

Full Size Sedan "Class" versus Full Size Sedan "Size" - are actually two different parameters.

The actual interior size is very tricky.
For example, this 1992-96 3rd generation Camry below is actually a full size sedan!

The EPA Classifications do change over the years.
Nowadays, the EPA Size Classifications take into account the "combined" interior volume of passenger compartment and cargo space.

The old 2012-18 Camry was 118.1 cu ft.
The current lower roofline Camry is 100 + 15 = 115 cu ft midsize.
The older 2012-17 Accord is 106 + 14.7 = 120.7 cu ft full size!
The new lower swoopier 2017-22 Accord is 102.7 + 16.7 = 119.4 cu ft midsize.

Likewise, an LS500 is only 99 + 13 = 112 cubic feet = midsize!
While the Model S - is well short of the cozy LS500 on legroom - it uses its "frunk" to meet the 120 cubic feet requirement for full size sedans.

What makes it even more trickey is that the EPA cubic feet of interior volume doesn't always actually translate to real interior space, such that we have to actually sit in the back of the Model S - to realize that the floor is a good 4" shallower to house the battery pack, resulting in the rear passenger knees kicked up high, and pointing to the sky, with the ankles near the backside.
In cases like these, measuring tapes and cubic feet measurements are inacurrate, such that the actual "seat of the pants" measurements are required.

In any case, the easiest way to understand Model S is that it is "one" size, and "one" class above the Model 3, and if Model 3 is in the Compact Class [not size], then the Model S is actually in the Midsize Class [as opposed to Midsize Size] - despite the frunk actually relegating the Model S to the EPA full size category.

The overall class is more important for comparison than the EPA interior size alone, because the overall class is a whole list of parameters, whereas the EPA interior size is only one parameter alone [distorted by the controversial inclusion of cargo volume esp from the "frunk"].
Furthermore, EPA interior volume is not necessarily representive of real interior space, especially when passengers sit in a Tesla in an uncomfortable compact seating position, with the battery pack resulting in a 4" shallower floor, with the ankles lifted some 4" off the floor close to the backside, and the knees pointing to the sky.

Amongst the same class competitors, there are normal discrepancies in interior size, eg a Camry is midsize where an Accord is full size, or a 5LS is midsize [interior] where a Model S is full size interior - thanks to its "frunk"; in reality, Model S legroom falls well short of 5LS.

A Honda Accord is EPA full size, but it still competes in the midsize class.
Likewise, a 5LS is EPA midsize, but it still competes in the full size class.
Thus, Tesla Model S might be EPA full size [thanks to its frunk], but it is really in the Midsize Class - logically one level above the compact Tesla Model 3....

 

I agree. The Tesla is not anymore a competitor to the S Class than a Chevy Impala. Competently different cars with completely different missions.

 

As this thread was for June sales, perhaps the discussion of S Class can resume somewhere else. Thanks.

 

^This man gets it. Must be a Cali thing.

*Not sure where in California Pete lives..., but I will need listen to the experts that compare the Model S to you know which segment. Maybe I should stop by Tesla HQ and ask them myself.

 

Same money and same class of people. Those buying Tesla are in the S class crowd.

 

off-topic. closed. .......