$4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3 • Hacker News Board

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#51

Post by weeksie » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:19 PM UTC

mschuster91 wrote: post #41

smcg wrote: post #16

One of the reasons why the Renault Kwid is $4000 is because, well, it uses cheap materials, and with that comes a very bad safety rating. This is enabled by India's nearly non-existent car safety regulations. Everything has a "price".

> One of the reasons why the Renault Kwid is $4000 is because, well, it uses cheap materials, and with that comes a very bad safety rating. Still, better safety rating than a scooter, and that's the most important part (next to way better emission control, as scooters generally use nasty 2-stroke engines).

Better safety for the driver of the car, not the poor bastard on a scooter that gets mowed down ;)

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#52

Post by jriot » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:20 PM UTC

smcg wrote: post #16

One of the reasons why the Renault Kwid is $4000 is because, well, it uses cheap materials, and with that comes a very bad safety rating. This is enabled by India's nearly non-existent car safety regulations. Everything has a "price".

As long as the consumer is aware of the lack of safety there is no reason why it can't be sold.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#53

Post by abawany » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:21 PM UTC

danhak wrote: post #19

rwmj wrote: post #15

This is something I've always wondered, why are even the cheapest cars (in the Western world) so expensive? Isn't it possible to make a new car under ~ $10,000?

Safety requirements. Here's a crash test between a 2015 Nissan Tsuru, the least expensive sedan sold by Nissan in Mexico, and a 2016 Nissan Versa, the least expensive sedan sold by Nissan in the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85OysZ_4lp0

That was traumatizing to watch. The Tsuru looks like a 90s Nissan Sentra though that might just be appearances. It makes me sick to see the passenger compartment just plain collapse.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#54

Post by 5_minutes » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:21 PM UTC

rokhayakebe wrote: post #40

5_minutes wrote: post #7

I was just watching on ViceLand an episode about the Indian (non-existent) sewage system. Millions of people there have no sanitation facilities and deficate anywhere, where possible. And are living of a few dollars a month. It's really worthwhile watching, btw. So talking about "quality cars" for $4000 here seems totally surreal. And that that would be disruptive is even more of a strange observation. The author sur…

Please keep in mind India has one of the, if not the, largest middle class population in the world.

Can you verify that with some sources/stats? And what's your definition of a "middle class" in India?

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#55

Post by mschuster91 » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:22 PM UTC

weeksie wrote: post #51

mschuster91 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One of the reasons why the Renault Kwid is $4000 is because, well, it uses cheap materials, and with that comes a very bad safety rating. Still, better safety rating than a scooter, and that's the most important part (next to way better emission control, as scooters generally use nasty 2-stroke engines).

Better safety for the driver of the car, not the poor bastard on a scooter that gets mowed down ;)

If you're on a scooter you get mowed down regardless if the colliding party is a scooter, a car or a truck. And even if the colliding party is a scooter, there's still all the traffic behind it. So it doesn't matter.

That is a job for the government to actually hire and train cops to enforce traffic rules (red lights, DUI, right-of-way)...

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#56

Post by chrisseaton » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:23 PM UTC

mschuster91 wrote: post #41

smcg wrote: post #16

One of the reasons why the Renault Kwid is $4000 is because, well, it uses cheap materials, and with that comes a very bad safety rating. This is enabled by India's nearly non-existent car safety regulations. Everything has a "price".

> One of the reasons why the Renault Kwid is $4000 is because, well, it uses cheap materials, and with that comes a very bad safety rating. Still, better safety rating than a scooter, and that's the most important part (next to way better emission control, as scooters generally use nasty 2-stroke engines).

> Still, better safety rating than a scooter

Is it? I mean maybe it is, I don't know, but I'm guessing you don't really know either. I can imagine that maybe a scooter could be safer than a very bad car. You can get crushed in a car, cars go faster, you've got less situational awareness.

I'm not sure this is one of those things that is just obviously true.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#57

Post by xutopia » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:23 PM UTC

ensiferum wrote: post #14

Why can't take they make a car like this for the European market? Not everybody wants to spend +20k € on a car. Somehow I feel this would probably cost +10k in Europe so what gives?

Look at crash test videos posted above. We have regulations in place where they do not.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#58

Post by abawany » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:23 PM UTC

ceejayoz wrote: post #18

rwmj wrote: post #15

This is something I've always wondered, why are even the cheapest cars (in the Western world) so expensive? Isn't it possible to make a new car under ~ $10,000?

Emissions and safety standards play a huge role, I'd imagine. It's $3-5k to replace airbags after an accident, for example. The Kwid lacks them entirely.

Looking at the video of the Nissan Tsuru vs. Versa posted above, it seems to me that an airbag might not have been much help in the Tsuru - the passenger compartment in the Tsuru just plain collapsed whereas the Versa's remained whole.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#59

Post by 5_minutes » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:24 PM UTC

There is surely something to be said about Renault as a company brand's responsability and ethics here.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#60

Post by F2 » Wed, Jul 19, 2017, 9:24 PM UTC

unethical_ban wrote: post #25

danhak wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Safety requirements. Here's a crash test between a 2015 Nissan Tsuru, the least expensive sedan sold by Nissan in Mexico, and a 2016 Nissan Versa, the least expensive sedan sold by Nissan in the United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85OysZ_4lp0

Put a 2017 Nissan Versa against a 2017 Harley Davidson. They're both allowed on the road. I've wondered if less safe vehicles (lighter, cheaper, smaller) could be made and required NOT to be on high speed roadways (above 45mph, freeways, etc.), or just have the US admit their regs are too strenuous.

Did you know you can buy baby formula in third world countries for a fraction of the price here? All because evil regulations make companies make use actual safe ingredients and manufacturing practices.

When will this big government madness end. When will the US admit their regs are too strenuous so we can finally buy our cut rate industrial runoff baby formula in peace.