Just let me drive. I don't need fancy screens or farting seats.
Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
1–10 of 43 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#2Thr biggest expense in an EV by far are the batteries so it makes sense to deck the car out and sell in the upper range of the market. If they tried to sell a low tech EV it would still be expensive with all the problems that go with that. Manufacturers would have a harder sale and make less profit. It makes better sense to go high tech.
Having said that it is possible to get a low tech inexpensive EV shipped to you from China but they are closer to golf cars than the type of cars we expect.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#3There are some lower-fidelity electric cars out there, such as the Dacia Spring or some of the very cheap Chinese cars.
That being said, electric cars will always be more high tech than ICE cars because they have to. You will need a more or less fancy screen for finding charging stations and navigating them. You will need at least one app on your car or mobile for payments. You will need a mobile app connected with your car for pre-conditioning and bringing the battery to operating temperature.
EVs are a different means of transport than ICE cars, and they're being used differently.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#4Well, Aptera is pretty low tech but it's not being manufactured yet. Are you thinking low tech as in cheap? There are a few very cheap, low end electric vehicles coming out of China, but the safety is questionable
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#5This is pretty nearly what the lower trim Chevy Bolt is. Of course, GM recently decided they needed to stop selling it this year so they could push the more expensive Blazer and Equinox..
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#6As an example, California allows street-legal electric golf carts:
https://www.pressenterprise.com/2021/10/13/whats-required-to...
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#7There are some lower-fidelity electric cars out there, such as the Dacia Spring or some of the very cheap Chinese cars. That being said, electric cars will always be more high tech than ICE cars because they have to. You will need a more or less fancy screen for finding charging stations and navigating them. You will need at least one app on your car or mobile for payments. You will need a mobile app connected with y…
> You will need a more or less fancy screen for finding charging stations and navigating them
I would imagine the venn diagram in the us of people with electric cars but no smartphone is pretty small.
> You will need a mobile app connected with your car for pre-conditioning and bringing the battery to operating temperature.
Now I warm up my car by going outside and turning the key. My wife's car has a remote starter. Why do I need a screen or app in my car?
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#8There are some lower-fidelity electric cars out there, such as the Dacia Spring or some of the very cheap Chinese cars. That being said, electric cars will always be more high tech than ICE cars because they have to. You will need a more or less fancy screen for finding charging stations and navigating them. You will need at least one app on your car or mobile for payments. You will need a mobile app connected with y…
Sorry but I don't understand your point.
ICE cars also need gas stations, also need to pay for their fuel and also get cold when it's cold yet we've managed to do just fine for a long time without screens or even smartphones.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#9Little known secret --- "fancy screens" are often used as marketing gimmicks but they can actually reduce the manufacturing cost of modern autos.
In an environment where control systems are already digital/computerized for valid functional reasons, adding a display screen is more cost effective than analog instruments.
I am old school and I prefer the analog style; however, it is fairly easy to simulate analog instrumentation on a digital display and some manufacturers are doing it very well.
All that being said, EVs are still a low volume specialty product that hasn't reached mass market status yet. Once they do, cheaper, more stripped down models will become available.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars?
#10There are some lower-fidelity electric cars out there, such as the Dacia Spring or some of the very cheap Chinese cars. That being said, electric cars will always be more high tech than ICE cars because they have to. You will need a more or less fancy screen for finding charging stations and navigating them. You will need at least one app on your car or mobile for payments. You will need a mobile app connected with y…
> You will need a more or less fancy screen for finding charging stations and navigating them I would imagine the venn diagram in the us of people with electric cars but no smartphone is pretty small. > You will need a mobile app connected with your car for pre-conditioning and bringing the battery to operating temperature. Now I warm up my car by going outside and turning the key. My wife's car has a remote starter.…
Exactly, what a bad take. I’d prefer to have a simple car from reputable manufacturer without any of the extras which are being sold as “mandatory”.