Model 3 Lesson

Tesla received 276,000 pre-orders for its Model 3 electric sedan. Wow.

Mazda and Lexus barely eclipse 300k vehicles sold in the US each year.

Whether they deliver those 276k cars on time is largely irrelevant. They haven’t delivered a car on time before — it doesn’t seem to be a real priority.

So why does this tardy manufacturer get a pass from so many people? In part, I think, because they embody a story that really resonates in 2016.

The story has the same origins as the ones told by Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. The same story as Apple.

The story goes something like this: It’s 2016 and we’re tired of this shit. We’re tired of being taken advantage of. We’re tired of being ignored. We’re tired of corruption and deception. We want a change.

It’s a story as old as time. It’s the story of every major revolution. Every major conflict really.

Tesla is making the old Detroit model look old, and corrupt.

The people are listening. And they like what they hear.

If there’s a Tesla Model 3 and a Nissan Leaf sitting side by side…and…the leaf costs $5k less. Which are you buying?