• Shirasho@lemmings.world
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    10 months ago

    One problem is I don’t trust the asshole drivers around me to not damage my expensive vehicle. The other problem is that I don’t have $800/m to throw away on a vehicle that loses that much in value every month.

    I don’t need all of these fancy features. I need a basic bitch car that gets me from point a to point b and has enough trunk space for groceries.

    • polygon6121@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Thank you for putting the word on my mind down. This is exactly what I want also. No bullshit smarts and apps, just a simple car with the basics

    • thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      They’re coming, and in some places of the world are already there. China is absolutely pumping out massive volumes of affordable EVs, and are exporting them to SE Asia, and Europe.

      MG, BYD and Ora are the first few brands that come to mind. The quality may not be to the highest standards, but they’re no slouches either.

      Chinese made cars were absolute jokes 10-15 years ago, but due to the way the CCP forced brands to manufacture cars in China - they’ve been able to improve their own designs around twice as fast as Hyundai/Kia did: Remember how God-aweful those cars were in the 90s? Now look at something like the Ioniq 5.

      If you don’t believe me, fair enough - but also consider that Volvo/Polestar have been majority Chinese-owned for a while now, and make some really good semi-luxury cars.

      • SaintWacko@midwest.social
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        10 months ago

        Right?! I pay $380 a month for my car, a very comfortable and efficient Kia Forte. Sometimes I take a look at other cars that are around $30k, only $5k more than I paid for the Kia, and somehow the car payments are $600 a month! Not even sort of worth it

    • sheogorath@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      This is the reason I still keep my old car around. 20 years old and it doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles but made it very easy to maintain. The alternator died once and the car can still run normally without a battery powering it.

    • Nomecks@lemmy.ca
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      10 months ago

      So what you’re saying is you won’t buy any new car, EV or not. What is the point of your comment?

  • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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    10 months ago

    I’m curious how popular small commuter vehicles would be. People spend a few thousand on ebikes and scooters. Would two seats with minimal cargo room, be the kind of thing that could be sold for 4-8k?

  • inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    While I definitely agree that the price of EVs are too damn high, we also have to take a look at the current trend of automakers phasing out their entire affordable car lines. They don’t want to sell cars working people can afford.

  • Flumpkin@slrpnk.net
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    10 months ago

    What I’d really like is an electric car that is a bit larger than a podbike. Or classified as a L7e or motorcycle. Something ultra light (<100kg) and can drive up to 80km (50mph).

    Or alternatively allow bicycles / velomobiles to have pedal assist driving up to 50kmh(30mph) and 500W motors.

    • AMDIsOurLord@lemmy.ml
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      10 months ago

      Something that light at that speed is a fucking death sentence

      Cars are big because they need to crumble, absorb energy, and redirect it

      • Shurimal@kbin.social
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        10 months ago

        Not necessarily. First, ban huge pickups from private use (make them commercial licence only); second, tax heavier than 2000 kg vehicles. If you make small, light vehicles the norm you’ll make roads safer for everyone. Crumple zones etc can be made from composite materials and eg glass fiber is cheap, light and durable.

        Remember that an F1 car is surprisingly small and light, yet the driver can walk away from truly awful high speed crashes. We don’t need to mandate firesuits and neck restraint devices for road traffic, but at city and intercity road speeds (in Europe, typically 50 and 90 km/h) a small light car can be reasonably safe.

        • BurningRiver@beehaw.org
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          10 months ago

          First, ban huge pickups from private use (make them commercial licence only); second, tax heavier than 2000 kg vehicles.

          Two things that would be a non-starter in most of the US. Not saying I disagree with you, it would just never happen here.

          • Flumpkin@slrpnk.net
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            10 months ago

            One has to be a bit schizophrenic to argue for positive change: A) imagine a better future or B) accept reality

        • AMDIsOurLord@lemmy.ml
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          10 months ago

          No, still not safe. Even relatively heavier small vehicles fold like paper in a crash. Also, at least in my country, banning pickups would cripple the local economy and instantly result in riots. Most farmers would just get fucked

          Trying a crash in a light vehicle is up to you, I’ll be sure to remember to bring roses for your grave

          • Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee
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            10 months ago

            I live in a rural area and only about 2% of the pickups I see have anything in the back or any sign of being used off-road. Anyone who is moving stuff is using a tractor and trailer or a van.

      • JJROKCZ@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        No longer manufactured and sold according to Wikipedia and its successor, the mobilize duo, is only available as a subscription not a purchase. Absolutely fuck no to paying a subscription for a car rather than a purchase

  • Twentytwodividedby7@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    This totally misses the point. Automakers would make cheaper cars if they could get the adoption, but the input cost for Lithium for LFP batteries or Nickel and Cobalt for NMC batteries has skyrocketed. Lithium was as high as 4Xs the cost Pre-Covid, for example

    Since the input cost is so much higher, premium was the initial target until the supply chain improved and reduced cost. I mean that’s exactly what Tesla did. It’s just not getting broad support because a lot of people are wary of buying EV over range or charging anxiety.

    • Iampossiblyatwork@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      I think PHEVs are the perfect way to get people over range anxiety. I know my Volt has effectively a gallon of gas worth of range or 40 miles. That’s enough range to do 90% of the driving I do in a week if I charge after drive. Groceries, daycare, and work (1 way, with charging stations). I think a lot of families are used to having my car and my spouses car where now it’s looking like EV for short local trips and ice for longer trips. I think PHEVs will help teach folks about what kind of range they actually need even if they are charging at home everyday.

      Now we have the luxury of a garage, which seems like a major hurdle to mass adoption. More so, than range anxiety.

      Hurdles from my perspective :

      1. Price, Price, Price

      2. No Garage These are tied together as the people who can afford a garage are the same people that can likely aslp afford an EV. Similar target markets.

      3. High Used Prices

      4. Low Supply

      5. Drivers own lack of awareness of their driving habits.

      Red Herring in the media: Our grid can’t handle it!

      This is something I hear my boomer mother say even though she’s a perfect candidate for an EV.

      • Twentytwodividedby7@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Wouldn’t high used prices be good for new car buyers? To be fair, EVs plummeted in value in the 2H23 and are now in line with the broader market

    • thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      Most automakers won’t, any time soon.

      The lessons they took away from the COVID lockdown era are that it’s better to sell lower volumes with higher mark-up. Their business models are shifting away from high-volume, low-margin sales.

      Why sell 100 cheap cars with a $2K margin, and deal with all those potential warranty/recall issues - when you can sell 10 top-of-the-line variants with a $20K+ margin, and continue to rake in extra with higher service costs, finance fees and the like.

  • ExfilBravo@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Try to build your own car (with car building knowledge) in America and try to get it on the road legally. You can’t.

  • Churbleyimyam@lemm.ee
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    10 months ago

    That’s because of inequality. It’s the same in most industries now - if you want to make money you have to be in the luxury market. Working people have been bled dry.