Striving to keep Tesla on top, Elon Musk Drives Hard For Maximum Market Share

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In the world’s largest EV market, China, Elon Musk has robust local competition, being that country’s No. 4 EV brand. In the U.S., he has no rival that has any comparatively meaningful sales, with about 50% of the U.S. market under his umbrella.

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And now he is planning to firm up, or improve, his positions in both markets, by offering five-year loans that carry 0% financing. Buyers also get three months of free use of the company’s Superchargers and free use of its autonomous driving software for the same period.

China syndrome
While these decisions carry financial burdens, they are a smart play. Tesla has a substantial operating margin; its U.S. competition does not (Ford has lost about $100,000 for each EV it sold this year). His Chinese competitors have better financial results than U.S. EV makers, but their revenue growth will be undermined because tariffs block them from the U.S. and, to a lesser extent, Europe.

Tesla has played the long game for almost a decade. It has not only built the No.1 EV brand in the U.S., but, for a foreign-owned company, he is standing strong in China, with a powerful brand position, as well as factories there.

A move, no doubt, that other manufacturers will be watching closely. 

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