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$4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

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121–130 of 264 posts

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#121
post #75

Crash test results: 0 stars https://youtu.be/jePu-6TxypI Reminds me of the Tata Nano (also 0 stars): https://youtu.be/buMXtGoHHIg

Compare this to a 80s Mercedes 190: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw1GNfA_AnU . The passenger cell remains solid though the crash dummies experience injuries. I often wonder how much better the automotive market would be if solid designs remained in circulation instead of these new-old mistakes re-entering the market every time.

A 190 in 80s India probably cost quite a bit more than the equivalent of $4k

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea, but if you made it safe, it would be too expensive for most of the target market to buy. This is the developing world. The same thing happens everywhere, a country goes through a period of wild-west capitalism, then, if things go well, eventually it gets rich enough to be able to afford things like safe products, worker safety laws, a social safety net, and so on. I am not aware of any country that has gone stra…

Seems like a bad comparison to a Tesla then, no? Nothing but click bait.

FYI the article's real title is "Why This $4,000 Renault Is as Disruptive as the Tesla Model 3"

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There's an obliviousness to the fact that they're driving thousands of pounds of steel and nobody else on the road is protected in the same way. I think they are, they just don't care in that part of the world. I remember in Cambodia seeing the Lexus SUVs constantly almost running pedestrians and riders over, if you can afford a Lexus in Cambodia, you can afford to get out of trouble for running someone over (altho…

All second hand. I dunno how Lexus got to be the only luxury car in Cambodia (I assume some deal involving Japanese loans for bridges/roads e.t.c) but all those cars are second hand. Still very expensive given the average income in Cambodia but anyone who's got the moeny ends up with a second hand lexus suv.

Japanese have strict rules on used cars, meaning all of them wind up going abroad relatively early. I wouldn't be surprised if those lexuses are right hand even though Cambodia is left hand.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#124
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

I drive both, and any car is much safer than the scooter. But the scooter beats traffic jams.

A car is much safer to the DRIVER but it's likely less safe to everyone else on the road.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#126
post #61
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".

Traffic speed in cities is usually so bad that you will rarely if ever meet with a major accident using these cars. That doesn't mean that safety isn't important. It's just that we are not talking about 70mph American freeway speeds.

I spent a month traveling ALL of India last year.

In the immediate cities sure. But go outside to the "highways", and it's like Mad Max out there. Seriously. Everyone is hauling ass on no lane roads, passing each other constantly into oncoming traffic. Also NO ONE wears seat belts. I had to demand them in cars that were picking me up. Usually they were either disconnected, or hiding away never used. It's terrifying.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#128
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".

It is still safer than mopeds, the prevalent alternative for most people there.

Also, if we think of other road users, less safe cars might encourage the driver to drive more carefully and less likely to endanger others.

Edit: I mean that in the context of India where cars, mopeds, bikes, tuk-tuks, and pedestrains intermingle. See the image in the article.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#129
post #49

Crash test results: 0 stars https://youtu.be/jePu-6TxypI Reminds me of the Tata Nano (also 0 stars): https://youtu.be/buMXtGoHHIg

I have a hard time understanding why 60+ years of knowledge about safety cells is ignored in this design-to-cost. I don't know how much more the cost of this car would have been in materials if reasonable attention had been paid to maintaining the integrity of the passenger compartment.

I imagine if they could make a $4k car that's as safe as what you find in the US and Europe they would be sold in the US and Europe.

Re: $4k Renault compared to Tesla Model 3

#130
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Although if the alternative is to be riding a moped, and in many cases without a helmet, this still represents a step forward in safety.

All moped drivers in cities wear helmets, only the passengers don't

What? This definitely is not true in the United States. In Michigan, both the driver and passenger are required to wear a helmet on a motorcycle unless they have special medical insurance -- as far as I know, mopeds do not have the same requirement and it is very evident if you spend any time in our cities.

Having a slower vehicle doesn't always mean safer, despite contrary belief -- I can get out of the way of a car merging into my lane far easier on my motorcycle than any moped rider can.

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