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America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

theatlantic.com

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Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#31

Post by snowpid »

ralph84 wrote: post #15
grandma_tea wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn't read the whole article because of the paywall, but I was taking it from the angle of "why can't we encourage this kind of development in America?" As opposed to "we should import Chinese cars." I am frustrated by it because I feel like we could be doing better. I mean, the best thing would be to invest in public transport but I would also be happy with more cheap car offerings.

The answer to “why can’t we do things China does” is we decided a long time ago that we value environmental and worker protection more than China does.

US doesnt have strong "value environmental and worker protection". Btw, are there more EV in Europe btw?

Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#32

Post by SXX »

mlsu wrote: post #29
swalling wrote: post #2

We don't need a $1,200 Chinese electric deathtrap to accelerate EV buying, we need a better charging network. Range anxiety and reliability are the factors that have put EV purchases in a slump (not to mention interest rates). The article itself acknowledges this briefly: "one of the biggest challenges that EVs face here is not the cars; it’s the chargers. In America, charging stations are still too hard to find, and…

It's only a deathtrap because driving in the USA you have to share a massive high speed interstate with 2.5 ton SUVs and pickups. With lower speed local driving (the type that would be enabled by more density), and without subsidizing monstrous american-style cars, I think these smaller EVs would be quite reasonable safety wise.

Cheap chinese cars are unsafe. It's a fact.

Collision with 3-ton concrete motorway barrier will be deathly in any country.

Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#33

Post by lmz »

anon-sre-srm wrote: post #21
hollywood_court wrote: post #9

We miss out on some of the best cars period. I would love to be able to buy a Hilux or a real Land Cruiser or even a Jiminy.

Yell at Toyota to go through homologation because they aren't up to US standards.

It's not a standards issue as the Lexus LX is basically the same thing, they probably think it's better to only sell the Lexus to Americans.

Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#34

Post by morepork »

jwells89 wrote: post #7
swalling wrote: post #2

We don't need a $1,200 Chinese electric deathtrap to accelerate EV buying, we need a better charging network. Range anxiety and reliability are the factors that have put EV purchases in a slump (not to mention interest rates). The article itself acknowledges this briefly: "one of the biggest challenges that EVs face here is not the cars; it’s the chargers. In America, charging stations are still too hard to find, and…

Maybe not $1200 but something in like an electrified Toyota Yaris/Mazda 2 hatchback the ballpark of $15000-$25000 sure would be nice. I like the look of the 2024 Fiat 500e but that $34000 MSRP is difficult to justify for a practical little town errand car.

That's what this Chinese manufacturers provide.

Here in New Zealand you can get a GWM Ora for 43k (26k USD) or MG4 for 47k (29k USD). These both include 15% GST.

If they could export to the US without penalties, I'd expect the prices to be even lower due to economies of scale in a much larger market.

Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#35

Post by ZeroGravitas »

dragonmost wrote: post #24
CharlieDigital wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see how China focusing on building EV cars is somehow weakening worker protections or damaging the environment more than building ICE cars. They have issues, but none of that is related to the topic of the article.

You can sell your cars much cheaper if you barely pay the workers and don't invest in safety equipment.

This question has been investigated fairly thoroughly for PV solar and scale of manufacturing and government support are far bigger factors.

Remember PV and EV are technology, getting smaller, cheaper, better as it iterates.

Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#36

Post by defrost »

dragonmost wrote: post #24
CharlieDigital wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see how China focusing on building EV cars is somehow weakening worker protections or damaging the environment more than building ICE cars. They have issues, but none of that is related to the topic of the article.

You can sell your cars much cheaper if you barely pay the workers and don't invest in safety equipment.

With any luck the Nordic sympathy strikes will sort out the pay and safety issues.

Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#38

Post by WhereIsTheTruth »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #5
anonreeeeplor wrote: post #3

Elon Musk needs trade barriers to remain in place. And he needs trade barriers for space and robotics. Buying Twitter, the primary location for political disagreements and communications, is a sort of cover bet to negotiate later. Interesting to note Trump staying away from Twitter altogether. He likely doesn’t want to give anyone, including Musk, and leverage or perceived leverage over him. What is interesting is he…

> he needs trade barriers for space Sorry, what? SpaceX is a generation ahead of any other launch vehicle in use or development the world around.

> SpaceX told the U.S. Trade Representative in a letter dated Dec. 10 and first reported last week that European subsidies to Arianespace, Europe's primary space launch provider, created an "imbalanced competitive advantage that threatens fair trade".

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1QF2AR/

They want to hinder competition

It's moving very fast, yet you don't hear about them attempts here in the west

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ARxkXFp3Li8R0JgXBHy-Sw

Without subsidies, it's impossible to achieve, it's just like with nuclear power plants, if the public is not involved, nobody will want to invest, Musk knows that very well, he love them subsidies

He also wouldn't be able to be competitive if the government didn't offer grants/benefits for EVs

Re: America Is Missing Out on the Best Electric Cars

#40

Post by mlsu »

SXX wrote: post #32
mlsu wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's only a deathtrap because driving in the USA you have to share a massive high speed interstate with 2.5 ton SUVs and pickups. With lower speed local driving (the type that would be enabled by more density), and without subsidizing monstrous american-style cars, I think these smaller EVs would be quite reasonable safety wise.

Cheap chinese cars are unsafe. It's a fact. Collision with 3-ton concrete motorway barrier will be deathly in any country.

So are bicycles, if you ride them outside of a protected lane.

30mph collision with a barrier is probably quite survivable in one of these things. Obviously 70mph not so.

Unsafe depends on your environment. I'm perfectly safe biking about 3/4ths of the way to work. As soon as I get off the protected bikeway, it's a deathtrap.

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