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Social: Tesla drivers could be seeking status and a strong virtue signal (Hey! I’m cool, eco and up-to-date).

Product: Tesla has the most foolproof and reliable charging network. Their cars have/had better range than the competition. Everyone’s heard about Autopilot whereas other manufacturers call it cruise control still.

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True about the product. Highly dubious about the social. While there are enthusiast communities for every kind of car, Teslas also get a lot of hate for various reasons. In my view it’s the biggest obstacle (that and the ho-hum design).

I will probably buy anyway due to no other EV being even close functionally, but it’s a vulnerable position. Once platform-halo-bearing competitors like Apple enter the market and close the product gap, it’s a whole different ballgame.

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