[Retric]

Tesla has 325,000+ pre-orders for the model 3 a 35,000$ car.

For comparison Acura only sold 167,843 units in 2014 and they have some models for ~10,000$ less.* And they have an extensive dealer network. Honda their parent brand sells well under 2 million cars a year and is a major automaker.

*List price on a new ILX is 27,990 but this assumes people are paying sticker price.

[coredog64]

At Tesla's current projections, it will take close to 3 years to fill those pre-orders. That's been pretty well understood for a while, so perhaps that had something to do with the number of deposits placed.

Besides, those pre-orders are refundable $1K deposits, not someone who has put down $30K right now for delivery 2 years hence.

[dragonwriter]

Acura is the luxury mark of Honda; it doesn't need to operate at a scale that would make it viable as an independent business.