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It’s almost as if you didn’t read anything I wrote. You are fixated on cost per unit of fuel, for some reason. May I point out, since you want to gripe about the cost of the car’s battery, that an internal combustion engine is not an inexpensive component, and one can draw a direct comparison between the cost of the engine and the cost of the battery?

Regarding high performance cars: if you don’t want to drive a fast car, don’t. Buy a Toyota Corolla or whatever slow car tickles your fancy. As for your statement that “EVs are supposed to be for the regular consumer,” where did you get that? Who told you that a Model S is a mass market economy car?

The Tesla is indeed a practical car for me. It may not be for you. Perhaps you tow a trailer full of horses to the barn every day, or perhaps you drive a gravel truck—I really don’t know what you require. For me, and many consumers, EVs tick the boxes nicely.

...an internal combustion engine is not an inexpensive component, and one can draw a direct comparison between the cost of the engine and the cost of the battery

Totally out of whack comparison.

The EV battery is not the equivalent component of an ICE car's engine. The components that should be compared are the EV motor and the ICE engine. They are the driving forces that use the 'fuels' to get the cars on the road. The comparison that works is the EV battery + charges and the ICE fuel-tank + gasoline. So, it's the EV battery+charge vs the ICE car's fuel-tank+fuel. IN the case of the ICE fuel tank, it hardly ever if ever needs changing, while the EV battery needs to be swapped out after it fails to hold the charges. Apple's vs oranges. Not even close.

Now, when it comes to EVs and the target consumers, the original idea, especially as regards the environmental wackos, was to entice ALL consumers out of their fossil-fueled cars, including even the well-off that could buy the 'luxury' cars. The only reason that Teslas are now in the category of "luxury" is because of their very high price tags, but, equipment-wise and options-wise, even the mid-priced and affordable ICE vehicles are competitively made. For example, I don't know of a luxury that my EV is missing that a Tesla can carry, and I 'only paid' $33,000 for it, and it's still going as good as new after 5+ years, and it still can hold the 'same charge' as when new.

Most EVs being made are not for the luxury market, since their prices are more affordable and some even come with comparable driving range as the Tesla. Then, the hybrid vehicles have the Teslas and any other EV beat when it comes to range and other must have characteristics to appeal to most buyers.

But, I'm not knocking YOUR preferences and I'm not knocking why people want Teslas. But, they are not for the regular consumer and Tesla marketing often makes the mistake of thinking and selling the vehicles as 'affordable' and for the regular consumer and regular family. Not so.