PARTING WAYS

I JUST READ THE September issue of Wheels. Regarding

Angus MacKenzie’s column ‘New Disrupters’, from someone who wants an EV and has been patiently waiting on VW to release some here in Australia (having owned VWs for 22 of the past 23 years, and is now buying a Tesla Model 3) I agree with Angus’s general thrust.

But the one aspect not mentioned in which these new companies, including Tesla, are not competitive, and frighteningly so in my opinion, is in the area of aftersales service and spare parts.

How often do I read that someone is waiting months for roof glass for a new Tesla Model 3, or a new door panel to replace one damaged in an accident? And Tesla service centres show a remarkable amount of ambivalence to the problem. This is what will come back to bite them.

They’ve got to get better after the car leaves the delivery room. Tesla, BYD, Xpeng and all the other ‘Disrupters’ might have the sale now. But if they can’t ensure their aftersales service and spare part accessibility in the future, we all might buy Tesla now, like I’m about to, only to go back to VW, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai or another of the

“established OEMs” for our next EV.

So, why am I buying Tesla then? I want an EV, love the Model 3 interior (it looks like the future) and now that it’s manufactured in China, has a good standard of fit and finish. I’m just hoping not to have to find out first hand about the aftersales service / spare parts lottery...

Rod Davies, Baldivis, WA

While old Elon might have a thing or two to say about how easy electric vehicles are to manufacture, Rod, it’s a fact that the soft science of building the supporting infrastructure and the culture of the brand is infinitely trickier. And therein lies the challenge for this new wave of car companies. What do they stand for and what do they mean to buyers? – Ed

“These companies have got to get better after the car leaves the delivery room”