MG Motors in India introduced Comet: https://www.mgmotor.co.in/vehicles/comet-ev-electric-car-in-...
It still has a big screen though.
Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
21–30 of 207 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#22I 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?
The tech is still immature and can't compete with similarly priced vehicles except at the top end of the market. Tesla is the only seems to be getting the scale required to push the price down.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#23Citroën Ami is about as low tech as you can get. If you want something more car-shaped, the Renault Zoe has very few tech feature. Similarly, Kia Soul has a reversing camera… and that's about it! No radar, lane assist, carplay or anything like that. Cstomers only want 3 things. A comfortable ride, a safe journey, and $thing. The problem is, everyone's one more thing is different. I want DAB radio, you want cruise con…
Do you mean Citroen Ami?
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#24I hate touch screens too. And I hate when my car yells at me. My view is, until they release a car where self-driving actually works, there's no basis for my car telling me—30 years of driving in the city, zero accidents—how to drive.
But, there's a bound to how low tech a car can be, especially for companies who are looking ahead to increasingly prescriptive safety regulations in the future. Cars sold in the U.S. need a lot of sensors, computers, and mechanisms to take control of the vehicle away from you when it thinks it's necessary. It's just the law. The idea of a simple box with four wheels and some number of motors is pretty much not a viable option, legally speaking.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#25Fancy screens are essentially low-tech now though, they've been commodified, Apple and Google will hook up car companies with that and it's not gonna cost them much. Bespoke buttons with soft touch is what is exotic.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#26Citroën Ami is about as low tech as you can get. If you want something more car-shaped, the Renault Zoe has very few tech feature. Similarly, Kia Soul has a reversing camera… and that's about it! No radar, lane assist, carplay or anything like that. Cstomers only want 3 things. A comfortable ride, a safe journey, and $thing. The problem is, everyone's one more thing is different. I want DAB radio, you want cruise con…
The downside of Zoe is Renault. For its tech price should be much less.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#27Because everybody wants to be Apple.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#28Ora, 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.
They're unavailable for the same reason they're expensive here in Germany. Government protecting the local automobile industries.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#29The Arcimoto seems like what you're looking for.
Re: Ask HN: Why is nobody manufacturing low tech electric cars in 2024?
#30Because “low tech” doesn’t mean cheap.
The tech components of cars makes up a small fraction of the cost, but represents significant value.