Opinion | China’s Electric Vehicles Are Going to Hit Detroit Like a Wrecking Ball
www.nytimes.com
Do we really want America to become a backwater of bloated, expensive, gas-guzzling cars?

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/7109453

This upcoming competition means that it’s incredibly important for US makers to figure out how to profitably make inexpensive electric vehicles, instead of merely focusing on the biggest most expensive trucks and SUVs

  • ringwraithfish@startrek.websiteEnglish
    71·
    9 months ago

    Consumers: We want affordable EV

    US Manufacturers: Nah

    China: Hold my beer

    Maybe this will get US-based manufacturers to get their heads out of their asses.

    • ramble81@lemm.eeEnglish
      8·
      9 months ago

      Realistically it’ll just cause increased teriffs on imports or they’ll find a “national security” reason to block them.

      Edit: Called it

  • Skyrmir@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    9 months ago

    America already gave up the small car market back when Toyota became a thing. They’re not going to change now.

    • silence7@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
      2·
      9 months ago

      They need to figure out how to be competitive if they’re going to end up being anything other than a tiny niche player for the super-rich.

      • jmp242@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        I don’t know about that. Only one person I know wants a small car (my mother, who’s retired.). Mostly because they’re not just driving one person to work and back with their car. And if we’re worried about only being available for the super rich, I think owning 2 or 3 vehicles targeted to each different task is even more unlikely.

        Part of this is surely regulations / design, but my cousin has 2 kids, and those car seats are bigger than I am, which means he needs large SUV or Minivan to actually fit the car seats in the back seat. Then he says he needs lots of room in the cargo area for “kid stuff” (I kind of doubt that, but it is filled every time I visit with something). Finally, he needs enough space and legroom to comfortable drive and have a passenger ride up front and he’s not a small person.

        For me, it’s 2 things, cargo space for shopping, and cargo and passenger space for road trips. I’ve outgrown my Outback for road trips, so I’m seriously considering a second vehicle in a minivan to hold 3-5 adults and their suitcases for a couple week trip plus my camera gear. Last time I had myself and 2 other adults and we couldn’t fit anything else in the cargo space or back seat, and the person in the back was kind of squished.

        For others it’s even more cargo space - want to move a large filing cabinet or bookcase? Want to go buy lumber? Want to tow a trailer with a car or tractor or several 4 wheelers on it? Yea, we have pick up trucks for that.

        The problem with all of this is I’m paying on 3 vehicles in maintenance and insurance, forget about buying them. For the secondary vehicles I often buy used to save money, but that’s still $16k + recently for something 10 years old!

        So a lower priced option is badly needed, but a cheap car that doesn’t do what people want is simply a waste of money for them. If there really was a market for tiny cars that only moved one person around - we’ve had those available for decades and they’re more of a curiosity than a market segment.