Is Tesla Ready for an Apple Moment?

A Quartz article describes the recent announcement of the Model 3, and the subsequent response by the market, as a "slow-motion disruption of the global auto industry."

1 minute read

April 14, 2016, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"On March 31, his Tesla Motors unveiled its long-promised Model 3, a $35,000 electric car that will go 215 miles per charge," reports an article by Steve Levine. Most importantly, however, is how the market has responded, with levels of demand for a new car, unprecedented "in more than a century of automotive history." According to Levine, "The market response suggests to some the potential as a category killer, not just in electric vehicles, but mainstream cars in general."

In the week since the Model 3 was unveiled, "more than 325,000 Model 3s have been pre-ordered by people putting down $1,000 per reservation," reports Levine.

The question posed by the article, is if Tesla is about to perform a similar feat to what Apple did to Nokia when it announced the iPhone—overthrow a company completely dominating an industry with high barriers to entry, thus "[reconfiguring] the commercial landscape and [transforming] society."

The article concludes by considering the various factors that will determine whether Tesla succeeds or fails in this monumental effort.

Friday, April 8, 2016 in Quartz

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A group of officials stand in a patch of dirt holding golden shovels and white hardhats.

California city breaks ground on transit connector

The project includes three mobility hubs and a pedestrian bridge.

3 hours ago - Mass Transit

People walking by a brick school in Cambridge.

After public outcry, Massachusetts city releases housing development tracker

Cambridge’s tracker currently shows 250 housing projects in various stages of development.

4 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

A rendering of the park, with green grass and a bass sculpture that looks like several tall arches in a row.

40 years after approval, Chicago breaks ground on new park

The park honors Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the city’s first permanent non-native settler.

5 hours ago - Block Club Chicago