The "big boys" may ramp up production, but unless Tesla stands still and follows the old VW Bug model of pretty much releasing the car unchanged from one model year to the next, Tesla will always be years ahead in technology. I'll bet at some point that many automakers are either buying their batteries from Tesla or paying license fees to have them manufactured for their EV's. And paying license fees for Tesla software.
Interesting take.
- Tesla is using a specific cell design (cylindrical) while many of the other marques went with pouch. That's despite the fact that cylindrical isn't exclusive to Tesla, it was a choice they made. BMW and a few others went Prismatic, apparently for packaging, thermal management, and a few other reasons.
- Software. Tesla has mature BMS, sure, they've been at it the longest. Many of the traditional OEM's also have mature BMS from their time producing hybrids. Ford, Toyota, GM, BMW...etc all come to mind. Tesla's infotainment system is a gross departure from what the legacy OEM's have been producing for the last decade or so. Having used it, and its competitors from BMW, Audi and Ford, I wouldn't say it is markedly better. Rather, it's different. It lacks many things that people like about legacy products:
1. Physical buttons for HVAC, audio, seat heat...etc.
2. Smart Device integration with CarPlay or Android Auto
3. Heads-up Display - this is a glaring omission
Their adaptive cruise (autopilot) is neat, but adaptive cruise from the majors works fine too. The sentinel mode is also neat, but BMW has that now too, along with drive recorder, the phone as the key...etc. Heck, the iX can record the inside of the vehicle.
There are two very different approaches being pursued here, as I noted in my reply to Jeff, and I believe I pointed out in another thread. Tesla is building Elon's version of what he thinks an EV should be. Hence the omission of the HUD, the spartan interior, the lack of leather...etc. It's very much the Apple approach to car design, you'll like what we build, because that's how it is. The thing is that the Tesla ecosystem isn't as expansive as the Apple one, and doesn't integrate as deeply into people's lives, so there's more room for other marques to poach customers, because ultimately, we are just talking about cars here.
The legacy marques on the other hand are trying to figure out what resonates with people; what will encourage them to trade in their existing Ford, Toyota, BMW, Honda, Mercedes, GM, Volvo...etc and buy the EV version? There is a massive learning exercise underway here with this mission, and that's why I believe we'll see some major changes in this space in the next few years.
- Audi's first foray into this space, the e-tron, which I've owned, was very much an electrified Q5-Q7 SUV in how it drove and operated. They made it feel "familiar", but that was "too familiar" for some, they wanted it to be a bit more different. Also, it was deathly quiet. It has a level of sound deadening that I've never experienced in a vehicle before, utterly incredible. However, when the vehicle makes no noise, and is that well insulated, it feels a bit weird.
- Ford's first kick at the can, with the Mach-e, was to make it sporty, but in a CUV-manner, so that it appealed to a broader audience. Gave it utility, while trying to at least give a bit of respect to the name it shares with the legendary pony car. They put a small cluster in it, but no HUD. They are using a very large portrait screen with Microsoft's excellent Sync system. They have done a good job with materials selection and comfort. They had some issues with the glass roof. This vehicle has been for Ford, more of a success than the e-tron was for Audi. It pipes sound through to the interior, it feels "lively", it's more like a traditional car in many respects and that helps.
- BMW's second kick at the can, in the form of the i4 and iX is, in my opinion, the best effort I've seen from a legacy OEM thus far (barring the front-end styling). They've put in creep, the car has "a sound", but it's not like a "tron" sound, it's just like a background noise so it isn't deathly quiet like the e-tron. The HUD is excellent, like the Audi, but these vehicles have their own screens and their own spin on iDrive so that the stand out a bit from the regular BMW fleet, but don't feel foreign. The car drives like a BMW. I can't emphasize that enough, BMW has always had the driver-focused reputation and they've done an excellent job of wrapping that into the i4 (which I preferred to the iX). It feels like you are driving an M sedan. It's not spartan or open, it's luxurious and well appointed. Will that work for them? We'll have to wait and see. A lack of available cars to purchase right now certainly isn't helping. I was extremely enticed by the i4 M50, but having to order it and wait up to a year cooled that enthusiasm. There's a very high probability I would have bought the one I test drove if that was possible at the time, I loved it that much.
Now, I have no experience with any of the VW EV's or the Taycan. I've looked at Taycan's, but I just can't justify spending that much money. The i4 M50 is right in the same price bracket as the Model 3 and Y Performance on the other hand, so a much easier sell. Mercedes doesn't seem to have any EV's available in Canada yet, so no chance to look at any of those.
Ultimately, I think this is a very exciting time. There is set to be some serious upheaval in the car market with this push to bring desirable EV's to market and I think the focus will be on what sets these other marques apart from Tesla, not what they'll be able to fold-in with Tesla as a supplier. As the space becomes more competitive and manufacturing costs reduce as maturity develops, I don't think Tesla's head start will weigh as heavily in terms of an advantage as it is perceived to be at the present time.
We don't get to ignore one aspect of CR's testing while flaunting another because it aligns more favourably with our bias 
