1/ As $tsla melts down, a response to the bulls who accuse all critics of “not caring for the planet,” working for big oil, or not supporting EVs. I bought a Prius in 2006, and drove it for ten years. I replace it with a new 2016 Prius...

2/ Toyota knew the charging time issue would derail widespread use of EVs. Plug-in hybrids are the best solution for the next decade, since there’s no range issue and a single car for commuting (entirely battery) and ad hoc trips cross country (with easy and fast refill.)

3/ Most early adapters I know bought Tesla Model S as a second car to be the coolest on the block. They are moving on to shiny new models at the higher price point. Question some and they will admit they’re tired of the downsides of EVs.

4/ For those it was never about “saving the planet,” but about having the shiny new status object. Those may migrate to new ICE SUVs at even higher price points. $tsla parlayed one hit into enough funding to try for a second and third.

5/ But while there’s always room for niche products, going mass market is very dangerous for a niche brand. The Mod3 is soiling the service image and quality issues are reducing interest in Teslas in general.