For a small country like Singapore with high gas prices is more suitable.
For a big country like the US, 80 mile a day range is peanuts. You may think it's more than enough distance for you when you consider the distance between your home and workplace. How about those unplanned trips during weekends and holidays when you simply want to drive to a place that is 50 miles or more away, how can you return to your home base on the same day? How about those long Interstate trips? You will need to fly and get molested by the TSA instead of driving and enjoying the scenery.
80-mile range is indeed peanuts with no pistachio mixed in. at that kind of range, which incidentally is similar to the nissan
leaf, it's better for short city commutes. definitely it's not cut out for long leisurely driving along the coast on a weekend morning. my drive from sf to sj is already 40 miles 1-way, and sj to walnut creek at 46 miles 1-way. pleasanton to wc is 23 miles 1-way. and if i have to drive south to santa cruz or monterey or carmel, i will need to find a charging station, hang around for 2 hours while vehicle is being charged, then proceed further to destination, and worry about recharging again on way back. very disruptive and stressful to a supposedly carefree long weekend driving.
this model is targeted at commuters who are liberally "green" and "eco-conscious", techies, yuppies, have money to spend, have young and small families, mostly women, brand-conscious, silicon-valley typed workers with savings to pounce on
tesla's model x when it's released next year. much like the bmw equivalent, it's a pre-emptive strike by german auto companies to take market share from tesla before tesla makes it big by rolling out more numerous, cheaper models.