Even Engadget Worries Tesla is Doomed

Tesla’s always had its critics. But when Engadget runs an article that compares the California automaker to BlackBerry, that’s something to really stop and notice.

As the tech publication noted, “building cars is hard.” Perhaps Silicon Valley has finally understood the value of Detroit, and its struggles over the past 100-plus years. After all, Apple’s car project has been a bust, Google seemingly isn’t doing super great with the Koala-mobile, and plenty of other tech-automakers are struggling.

Engadget noted that other automakers are catching up to Tesla’s tech, while the company is mired in “production hell” with the Model 3. It’s the car that could be the undoing of the auto/tech giant.

Really, the odds are stacked against Tesla (or any other new automaker). This business is tough, and the economies of scale “legacy” automakers have built up are difficult, maybe impossible, to overcome. As Engadget rightly observes, Tesla needs to put more energy into its manufacturing process, and less into marketing glitz.

Back to that BlackBerry comparison. Everyone had flip phones, BlackBerry came along, and suddenly you had to get a phone with a mini keyboard that could push emails and keep you in the loop constantly. It was revolutionary, and plenty of people swore by them. Then Apple released the iPhone, and the rest is history — including BlackBerry. Cars like the Porsche Mission E could be the iPhone, driving the final nail in Tesla’s coffin.