BMW boss takes yet another dig at Tesla, points to quality issues
- BMW CEO Oliver Zipse does not consider Tesla electric vehicles as part of the premium segment.
Tesla is the main target for most other automotive brands looking at either entering the electric vehicle space or making a loud noise with its product(s) here. Little wonder then that many of these brands have often also claimed that Tesla EVs aren't ideal and that it is their respective offerings that deserve a buy instead. Among the rivals is BMW and CEO Oliver Zipse has once again bared fangs against the US-based EV giant, this time citing quality and reliability issues.
Also Read : Tesla CEO Elon Musk becomes a professor for Volkswagen executives
According to Bloomberg, Zipse pointed to the difference between BMW EVs and Tesla products in no uncertain terms. “Where we differ is our standard on quality and reliability," he reportedly said at a Handelsblatt conference. “We have different aspirations on customer satisfaction."
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Zipse further highlighted that the rise of Tesla is because of price cuts announced by the company and that a comparison of Tesla and BMW products may not be fair. “Tesla isn’t quite part of the premium segment. They’re growing very strongly via price reductions. We wouldn’t do that since you’ve got to last the distance," he said.
While BMW recently showcased two electric vehicles - i4 sedan and iX SUV, the global market is still led - and by quite a margin - by Tesla products. And while Zipse pointed to price cuts by Tesla and the aspect of customer satisfaction, recent accolades for Elon Musk's company point to a different tale.
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y prices have been hiked in recent times. Tesla has also managed to top Consumer Reports' satisfaction survey conducted earlier in 2021 while was one point behind BMW in the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
Zipse though clearly thinks otherwise as he had even previously stated that Tesla would be unable to sustain its growth rate. His views, however, are vastly different from those of bosses of other top auto brands. VW Group CEO Herbert Diess, for instance, has repeatedly heaped praise on Tesla and Musk for paving the way for EVs the world over. Even Ford CEO Jim Farley has recognized this.
