And then have to deal with the company with quite possibly the worst customer service of any car company on the planet?
Yeah great start.
Comment on Automakers must build cheaper, smaller EVs to spur adoption, report says
helenslunch@feddit.nl 11 months ago
Currently you can buy a Model 3 for ~$33k or less in the US. That’s ~$10k less than the average new car price, for what could be considered a “luxury car”.
Pricing is not the (only) problem.
echodot@feddit.uk 11 months ago
helenslunch@feddit.nl 11 months ago
They’re not any worse than your local dealership, I promise.
Naatan@lemdro.id 11 months ago
I think the point is that they should be accessible to people without “luxury” budgets.
I refuse to pay 30k plus for a car that I only need to get me from point a to b. Not everyone is a car fanatic.
Pricing is very much the problem if they want wider adoption.
helenslunch@feddit.nl 11 months ago
I don’t think it’s possible to make cars at that price. We have several that are <$30k and all are being sold at a loss.
Naatan@lemdro.id 11 months ago
That’s fair, but also moot while there are non electric cars available for less than 30k. Hopefully in time they can get the cost down.
helenslunch@feddit.nl 11 months ago
Most of the cost of an EV comes from the battery, which those other cars don’t have.
While it’s possible to make cars with smaller batteries, several decades of history have shown us consumers won’t buy them. At least not in the US.
0x4F50@feddit.ch 11 months ago
For real. If I’m getting an EV, I’m getting it for efficiency, not luxury. I wouldn’t be traveling across the state or the country. I’d be using it to get to work and get the groceries. You can’t tell me it’s not possible to make something with an electric motor, spartan accessories, and a decent range for less than 12-15k. Seriously, I don’t want a car that drives itself. I don’t really even want automatic transmissions, although electric almost negates the need for any transmission. I just want a car that is cheap, does the job, and that I don’t have to chop my left nut off for these days.
jmp242@sopuli.xyz 11 months ago
Honestly, I think most of the cost is safety stuff. Much of the weight is that too. To meet crash test standards (well, to get the 5 star) set by countries and some insurance companies, they need automatic breaking for instance. Rear back up cameras are mandated, so now you need a screen in the dash. 10+ airbags, sensors, controllers, and on and on.
We had 2 seater cars that got 50 MPG in the early 90s, passengers just wouldn’t survive many crashes they will in modern cars.
0x4F50@feddit.ch 11 months ago
That’s a good point, and you’re probably right. With how expensive it is to survive, not to mention American healthcare, I don’t think I mind the tradeoff
helenslunch@feddit.nl 11 months ago
Well perhaps UNICEF will one day get into the EV production business but for now they’re not profitable.