Just let me drive. I don't need fancy screens.
Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
1–10 of 207 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#2Right? I would be perfectly content with a feature set from 30 years ago.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#3The really difficult and expensive part is manufacturing decent cars, at scale. The profit margins on that part generally suck - so Capitalism says "hahaha...NO".
The pretty-easy-and-cheap part is adding glitzy screens to cars. Doing that gets most people all excited...and willing to shell out far more money.
In an extremely well-run socialist country, there'd probably be good, low-tech electric cars.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#4Ora, BYD, Neta. Maybe Chinese cars aren't popular there?
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#5Right? I would be perfectly content with a feature set from 30 years ago.
I wonder if people know exactly how much they're psying for each little gizmo that rolls down their windows, adds a PIN to their door, etc. I bet you could cut about 25% of the price off by removing goofy crap you don't need.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#6I also wonder this. Electric cars tend to be larger heavy luxury vehicles, the opposite of what we need more of. Where are the small efficient commuter vehicles?
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#7I wonder the same, there's a bunch of budget electric bikes out there, I'd love something small that I can get around in the winter with!
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#8Ora, BYD, Neta. Maybe Chinese cars aren't popular there?
Are they low-tech? at least BYD presents all the known tech, bells and whistles for a lower price.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#9I also wonder this. Electric cars tend to be larger heavy luxury vehicles, the opposite of what we need more of. Where are the small efficient commuter vehicles?
You have larger margins on larger luxury vehicles. Manufacturers are getting their R&D money back by selling these cars first before they trickle down to lower cost (and lower margin) econoboxes.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#10Ora, BYD, Neta. Maybe Chinese cars aren't popular there?
If the OP is in the US, Chinese cars are unavailable since they don't meet US standards. Additionally, there is a level of protectionism that will try to prevent them from being introduced in the US.